LIBRARY 


UNITED    STATES 

DEPARTMENT    OF 

JUSTld 


SURPLUS 


»np>/vDV      nF 


CONGRElsS 


DUPU^ATE 


- 


Sx  Sthrta 


SEYMOUR   DURST 


"V  ~Tort  nltutv    ^Am/le-rcum  oj>  Je  l/Lanhatarus 


When  you  leave,  please  leave  this  book 

Because  it  has  been  said 
"Ever  thing  comes  t'  him  who  waits 

Except  a  loaned  book." 


Avery  Architectural  and  Fine  Arts  Library 
Gift  of  Seymour  B.  Durst  Old  York  Library 


THE 


REPORTS  OF   COMMITTEES 


OP  THE 


HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES, 


MADE  DURING  THE 


THIRD  SESSION  OF  THE  FORTIETH  CONGRESS. 


•    1869 


Volume  1,  No.  1  to  No.  44,  excepting  No.  31  and  No.  41. 
Volume  2,  No.  31 ;  Volume  3,  No.  41 ;  Volvme  •?,  No,  45. 


WASHINGTON: 

GOVERNMENT    PRINTING    OFFICE. 

1869. 


INDEX. 


A. 

Accounts  against  the  government — 

Adjustment  and  settlement  of 

Committee  of,  Broomall — 

Contingent  fund  of  the  House  of  Representatives . . 
Adjustment  and  settlement  of  accounts  against  the  government . . . 

Alaska  investigation : 

Alleged  New  York  Election  Frauds,  Committee  on — 

William  Lawrence 

Supplemental 

American  citizens  in  Great  Britain,  arrest  of 

Anderson,  S witzler  vs 

Application  under  bankrupt  act , 

Appropriations,  Committee  on — 
B.  F.  Butler- 
Deficiency  for  Indian  service  in  New  Mexico 

J.  C.  D.  Blackburn 

Support  of  Indians 

Archer,  Naval  Affairs — 

Charles  W.  Whitney 

Army  organization 

Arrest  of  American  citizens  in  Great  Britain 

Assignees  in  bankruptcy 

B. 

Banks,  Foreign  Affairs- 
Arrest  of  American  citizens  in  Great  Britain 

Bankrupt  act,  application  under 

Bankruptcy,  publishing  notices  in 

Uniform  system  of 

Assignees  in 

Bingham,  Claims- 
Walter  D.  Plowden 

Blackburn,  J.  C.  D 

Boutwell,  Judiciary — 

Edward  Learned 

Brooks,  James,  vs.  B.  F.  Butler 

Broomall,  Accounts — 

Contingent  fund  of  the  House  of  Representatives. 
Public  expenditures,  overland  Pacific  mail  contract 

Butler,  B.  F.,  Appropriations — 

Deficiency  for  Indian  service  in  New  Mexico 

J.  C.  D.  Blackburn 

Support  of  Indians 

Prince  Edward  Island 

James  Brooks  vs 


IV 


INDEX. 


C. 

Gary,  Education  and  Labor — 

Department  of  Education 

Casement,  J.  S 

Chaves,  J.  Francisco,  vs.  Charles  P.  Clever 

Chickasaw  Indians,  Choctaw  and,  sale  of  stocks  held  in  trust  for 

Choctaw  Indians,  trust  fund  of 

Choctaw  and  Chickasaw  Indians,  sale  of  stocks  held  in  trust  for 

Christy,  J.  H.,  and  John  A.  Wimpy 

Claims  of  Iowa 

Committee  of,  Bingham — 

Walter  H.  Plowden 

Harding — 

•   Mrs.  Susan  A.  Shelby 

Stokes-^ 

Jones,  Fowler,  Kirtland  &  Co 

Clark,  Indian  Affairs — 

On  sale  of  stocks  held  in  trust  for  Choctaw  and  Chickasaw 

Indians 

Clever,  Charles  P.,  J.  Francisco  Chaves  vs 

Contingent  fund  of  the  House  of  Representatives 

Contract,  overland  Pacific  mails 

Contracts,  stationery 

Cook,  Elections — 

Switzler  vs.  Anderson 

J.  S.  Casement 

D. 


Dawes,  Elections — 

J.  H.  Christy  and  John  A.  Wimpy 

Deficiency  for  Indian  service  in  New  Mexico 

Department  of  Education 

Dodge.  Military  Affairs — 

Claims  of  Iowa 


E. 


Education,  Department  of 

Education  and  Labor,  Committee  of 
Cary — 

Department  of  Education 

Ela,  Printing — 

Stationery  contracts 

Election  frauds  in  New  York 

Supplemental 

Elections,  Committee  on— 

Cook— 

Switzler  vs.  Anderson 

J.  S.  Casement .' 

Dawes — 

J.  H.  Christ v  and  John  A.  Wimpv 

Pettis- 
Chaves  vs.  Clever 

Sbellabarger — 

Thomas  A.  Hamilton 

Upson — 

Jones  vs.  Mann 

Hunt  vs.  Menard 

Farnsworth,  Post  Offices  and  Post  Roads — 

Postal  telegraph 

Foreign  Affairs,  Committee  on — 
Banks — 

Arrest  of  American  citizens  in  Great  Britain 


INDEX. 


Fowler.  Kirtlaud  &  Co..  Jones 

Frauds  in  New  York  election 

Supplemental 

G. 

Garfield,  Military  Affairs- 
John  E.  Beeside 

Army  organization 

Government,  adjustment  and  settlement  of  accounts  against  the 

Great  Britain,  arrest  of  American  citizens  in 

Green,  Richard  M 

H. 

Hall  of  the  House  of  Eepresentatives,  Alban  C.  Stimer's  plan  of  ventil- 
ating   

Hamilton,  Thomas  A  .' 

Harding,  Claims — 

Mrs.  Susan  A.  Shelby 

House  of  Representatives,  contingent  fund  of 

Hulburd,  Public  Expenditures — 

Alaska  investigation 

Hunt.  Caleb  S..  vs.  J.  Willis  Menard 

I.- 
Indian Affairs,  Committee  on — 
Clark- 
Sale  of  stocks  held  in  trust  for  Choctaw  and  Chickasaw 

Indians 

Mungen — 

Trust  Fund  of  Choctaw  Indians 

Indian  service  in  New  Mexico,  deficiency  in 

Indians,  Choctaw  and  Chickasaw,  sale  of  stocks  held  in  trust  for 

Trust  fund  of  Choctaw 

Support  of 

Internal  revenue  department,  administration  of 

International  Pacific  railroad 

Invalid  Pensions,  Committee  on — 
Miller- 
Mary  J.  Stone   

Iowa,  claims  oi' 


J. 


Jenekes.  Revision  of  Lnv> — 

Uniform  system  of  bankruptcy 

Assignees  in  bankruptcy 

James  Brooks  vs.  B.  F.  Butler. 

Jones.  Simon,  vs.  James  Mann 

Jones,  Fowler,  Kirtlaud  &  Co 

Judiciary,  Committee  on — 
Boutwell — 

Edward  Learned 


1 

11 

1 

33 

1 

26 

1 

44 

1 

23 

K. 


Kirtlaud  &  Co..  Jones,  Fowler 


Learned,  Edward 


M. 


Mails,  contract,  overland  Pacific 


40 
31 
41 


1 
1 

19 

28 

1 

1 

38 
36 

1 
1 

35 

27 

12 
16 

1 
1-,' 
20 

3 
14 


21 
2 


20 
42 
43 
2? 
40 


40 


24,  37 


VI 


INDEX. 


Vol. 


Mann,  James,  Simon  Jones  vs 

Menard,  J.  Willis,  Caleb  S.  Hunt  vs 

Military  Affairs,  Committee  on — 
Dodge — 

Claims  of  Iowa 

Garfield— 

John  R.  Reeside 

Army  organization 

Miller,  Invalid  Pensions — 

Mary  J.  Stone 

Mungen,  Indian  Aii'airs — 

Trust  fund  of  Choctaw  Indians 


N. 
Naval  Affairs,  Committee  on — 

Charles  W.  Whitney 

Purchase  of  tools  by  Theodore  Zeller 

Pike— 

Richard  M.  Green 

Purchase  of  tools  for  Philadelphia  navy  yard. 

Navy  yard,  purchase  of  tools  for  Philadelphia 

New  Mexico,  deficiency  for  Indian  service  in 

New  York  election  frauds 

Supplemental 

Notices  in  bankruptcy,  publishing , 


o. 


Schenck — 

Norman  Wiard  . . 

Organization  of  army 

Overland  Pacific  mails  contract 


P. 

Pacific  mails  contract,  overland 

Pacific  railroad,  international 

Pettis,  Elections — 

Chaves  vs.  Clever 

Philadelphia  navy  yard,  purchase  of  tools  for 

Pike,  Naval  Affairs — 

Purchase  of  tools  for  Philadelphia  navy  yard 

Richard  M.  Green 

Plowden,  Walter  D 

Poland,  Revision  of  Laws — 

Publishing  notices  in  bankruptcy 

Application  under  bankrupt  act 

Adjustment  and  settlement  of  accounts  against  the  govern- 
ment   •- 

Postal  telegraph 

Post  Offices  and  Post  Roads,  Committee  on — 
Farnsworth — 

Postal  telegraph ' 

Prince  Edward  Island 

Printing,  Committee  on — 
Ela— 

Stationery  contracts 

Prisoners  of  war,  &c,  Treatment  of,  Special  Committee  on — 
Shanks — 

Treatment  of  prisoners  of  war  by  rebel  authorities 

Public  Expenditures,  Committee  on — 
Broomall — 

Overland  Pacific  mails  contract 


INDEX. 


VII 


Vol. 


Public  Expenditures,  Committee  on — 
Hulburd— 

Alaska  investigation 

Publishing  notices  in  bankruptcy 

Purchase  of  tools  by  Theodore  Zeller 

for  Philadelphia  navy  yard 

Eailroad,  International  Pacific 

Reeside,  John  E 

Retrenchment,  Committee  on — 
Van  Wyck — 

Whiskey  frauds  and  administration  of  internal  revenue 

department 

Revision  of  Laws,  Committee  on — 
Jenckes — 

Uniform  system  of  bankruptcy 

Assignees  in  bankruptcy 

James  Brooks  vs.  B.  F.  Butler 

Poland — 

Publishing  notices  in  bankruptcy 

Application  under  bankrupt  act 

Adjustment  and  settlement  of  accounts  against  the  govern- 
ment  

Roads  and  Canals,  Committee  on — 

International  Pacific  railroad 


S. 
Schenck,  Ordnance — 

Norman  Wiard 

Settlement  of  accounts  against  the  government 

Shanks,  Treatment  of  Prisoners  of  War — 

Treatment  of  prisoners  of  war  and  Union  citizens  by  the  rebel 

authorities 

Shelby,  Mrs.  Susan  A 

Shellabarger,  Elections — 

Thomas  A.  Hamilton 

Stationery  contracts 

Stimers,  Alban  C,  plan  for  ventilating  hall  of  the  House 

Stokes,  Claims — 

Jones,  Fowler,  Kirtland  &  Co 

Stone,  Mary  J 

Support  of  Indians 

Switzler  vs.  Anderson 


Taber,  ventilation  of  the  hall- 
Approval  of  Alban  C.  Stiniers's  plan. 

Telegraph,  postal 

Tools  for  Philadelphia  navy  yard,  purchase  of 

Tools  by  Theodore  Zeller,  purchase  of 

Trust  fund  of  Choctaw  Indians 


U. 

Uniform  system  of  bankruptcy 

Union  citizens  and  prisoners  of  war,  Treatment  of. 
Upson,  Elections — 

Jones  vs.  Mann 

Hunt  vs.  Menard 


V. 
Van  Wyck,  Retrenchment — 

Whiskey  frauds  and  administration  of  internal  revenue 

department 

Ventilation  of  the  hall  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  Alban  C.  Stimers's  I 
plan  of 


VIII 


INDEX. 


W. 

Whiskey  frauds 

Whitney,  Charles  W 

Wiard,  Norman 

Wimpy,  John  A.,  J.  H.  Christy  and . . . 

Z. 

Zeller,  Theodore,  purchase  of  tools  by 


Vol. 


No. 


2& 

6 

8 


40th  Congress,  )    HOUSE  OF  EEPKESENTATIVES.      i  Keport 
3d  Session.       j  \  No.  41. 


KEW  YOEK  ELECTION  FKAUDS. 


March  1,  1869. — Laid  on  the  table  and  ordered  to  be  printed. 


Mr.  William  Lawrence,  from  the  Select  Committee  on  Alleged  New 
York  Election  Frauds,  submitted  the  following 

SUPPLEMENTAL    EEPORT.1 

[The  numbers  in  this  report  refer  to  the  numbers  of  questions  and  answers  in  the  volume  of 

evidence.] 

The  Select  Committee  on  Alleged  New  York  Election  Frauds  report  : 

That  it  is  deemed  proper  to  present  the  conclusions  of  the  committee 
on  some  topics  not  considered  in  the  former  report,  and  to  state  some 
additional  facts  pertinent  to  the  investigations  ordered  by  the  House. 
So  far  as  remedial  legislation  by  Congress  is  concerned,  it  can  make  but 
little  difference  what  political  party  may  have  been  guilty  of  frauds,  for 
the  fact  of  their  existence  and  their  character  more  especially  points  out 
the  necessity  of  appropriate  remedies. 

It  is  nevertheless  due  to  the  truth  of  history  that  great  public  wrongs 
should  be  traced  to  the  proper  source,  and  that  has  already  been  done 
as  to  the  New  York  election  frauds. 

NO  REPUBLICAN  FRAUDS. 

There  is  certainly  no  evidence  to  implicate  any  republican  organiza- 
tion in  fraud,  nor  to  show  any  general  or  systematic  plan  by  the  repub- 
lican party,  or  by  members  of  it,  to  violate  the  election  laws. 

Frauds  upon  a  great  and  extended  scale  could  not  be  accomplished  by 
any  political  party  through  its  party  machinery  without  the  knowledge, 
sanction,  or  connivance  of  some  of  its  prominent  leaders. 

As  against  the  republican  party  there  is  not  only  no  evidence  of  such 
frauds,  but  the  meagre  efforts  to  show  complicity  in  isolated  cases  has 
not  risen  to  the  dignity  of  proof. 

It  may  be  proper  to  notice  some  of  the  evidence  on  this  subject. 

NATURALIZATION. 

But  a  single  witness  attempted  to  make  any  charge  deserving  notice 
as  to  naturalization  frauds  by  any  republican  in  New  York  city.  It  is 
quite  evident  he  was  engaged  in  naturalization  frauds  for  the  democratic 
politicians,  for  he  says  he  signed  his  "name  as  a  witness  in  all  these  cases 
at  No.  1  Centre  street,  and  in  the  basement  of  the  old  City  Hall,  where 
the  sheriff's  office  was."  Both  of  these  places  were  notoriously  managed 
in  the  interest  of  the  democratic  party.     He  only  attempts  to  impli- 

^he  evidence  recently  printed  shows  facts  on  several  subjects,  as  follows : 

Registering  illegally  and  "repeating."— Evidence,  9133.  9166,  9167,  9169,  9185,  9186. 

Illegal  naturalizations.— Evidence,  9136,  9137,  9153,  9156,  9160,  9162,  9165,  9167,  9169, 
9172,  proves  4,000  illegal  certificates— 9174,  9198,  9313. 

Immunity  for  election  frauds— Discharge  of  parties  arrested.— Evidence,  9136,  9150,  9165. 

Obstructions  throicn  in  the  way  of  investigation. — Evidence,  pages  842,  847. 

Delay  in  canvassing — Evidence,  9158,  9246. 

Ballot-box  stuffing. — Evidence,  9184. 

Number  of  naturalizations  in  supreme  court. — Confirmation  of  the  original  count,  as  sworn 
to  by  Webster,  Gillespie,  and  Meeks,  9186. 

Terrorism.  —Evidence,  9189. 


150  ELECTION    FRAUDS   IN    NEW   YORK. 

cate  a  single  republican,  and  as  to  him  the  witness  Bays  he  never  got 
"acquainted  with  him  well  enough  to  speak  to  him  until  three  or  four 
days  before  the  election  for  governor,  (November  3,)  and  is  certain  of  the 
fact  that  lie  never  bad  any  conversation  with  him  until  two  or  three  days 
before  the  election.1  The  evidence  sbows  that  in  consequence  Of  tiie 
requirement  in  the  constitution  of  New  York  thai  men  must  be  citizens 
for  ten  davs  before  they  can  vote,  tbe  courts  ceased  naturalizing  Octo- 
ber 23. 

There  was  but  a  single  republican  naturalization  office  in  New  York, 
and  it  is  creditable  to  the  integrity  of  its  managers  that  they  kept  a  record 
of  the  names  of  all  persons  naturalized,  with  the  names  of  witnesses,  all 
produced  before  the  committee,  yet  no  fraud  on  the  naturalization  laws 
as  to  these  lias  been  shown  in  any  single  instance. 

THE  CIIAKACTER  OF  Tilt:   DEMOCRATIC)  EVIDENCE. 

Theenormous  democratic  election  frauds  stood  so  strangely  in  contrast 

with  the  integrity  of  purpose  which  marked  the  conduct  of  the  repub- 
licans of  New  York  city  that  it  is  perhaps  not  Strange  that  unscrupulous 
men  would  attempt  to  impose  on  the  committee  witnesses  willing  to  com- 
mit perjury  in  an  effort  to  injure  those  who  aided  in  exposing  frauds. 
A  feeble  effort  of  this  sort  is  found  in  the  introduction  of  George  B.  Gif- 
ford  and    Henry  Darling,1  the  purport  of  Whose  statements  is  that  John 

II.  White  sent  a  messenger  to  them  to  meet  him  at  the  Tnion  League 

Club,  in  pursuance  of  which  they  met  him  on  the  sidewalk,  when  he 
ottered  to  pay  them  liberally  for  swearing  to  an  affidavit  to  be  drawn  by 

him  charging  frauds  of  which  they  had  no  knowledge  on  the  democratic 

party. 

The  character  of  these  witnesses  may  be  inferred  from  the  evidence  of 
Gifford,  as  follows: 

5703.  Q.  Did  you  intimate  to  yonr  friend,  Darling1,  that  there  was  any  money  in  it? — A. 
No,  sir.     I  did  not  know  whether  there  was  or  not. 

6704  Q.  Was  there  nothing  said  about  money  ? — A.  Not  on  the  first  evening.  I  told  him, 
after  I  came  away  irom  there,  that  if  they  wanted  anybody  to  commit  a  fraud  we  might  as 
well  make  something  out  of  it  as  not. 

5704.  Q.  How  were  you  to  make  anything  out  of  it? — A.  I  thought  we  might  come  down 
here  and  make  some  statement  that  would  not  amount  to  anything,  and  then  get  them  to 
pay  us  for  it. 

Gifford  had  been  in  a  republican  organization  in  tbe  21st  ward,  and 
his  name  had  been  struck  from  the  rolls;3  and  ready  for  revenge,  he  had  a 
conversation  with  Banker,4  deputy  of  the  notorious  sheriff,  O'Brien,  and 
then  he  was  ready  to  testify. 

The  pretended  "  messenger"  is  a  myth,  who  is  not  produced.  Gifford 
is  contradicted  as  to  a  statement  of  fact  by  Christopher  Pulman.5  Judge 
White,  himself  a  citizen  of  long  standing,6  one  of  the  most  honorable  of 
the  legal  profession  in  the  city,  pronounces  the  whole  story  a  fabrication 
without  any  show  of  truth,  and  he  was  not  at  the  place  at  the  time  when 
the  alleged  interview  is  said  to  have  occurred. 

A  still  more  feeble  movement  is  made  by  the  evidence  of  a  man  pass- 
ing under  different  assumed  names,  Lawrence  Farrell  alias  William 
Pearce,  to  show  not  that  testimony  was  improperly  procured,  but  that  an 
effort  was  made  to  do  so.  The  evidence  itself7  fails  to  prove  any  such 
effort,  and  it  is  otherwise  abundantly  shown  that  none  such  was  made.8 

1  Evidence,  7364.        2Evidence,  5139— 5162.         a  Evidence,  5149.         4Evidence,  5161. 
I    5Evidence,  6719.        6 Evidence.  4779.        7 Evidence,  653?         8 Evidence,  6629— 6648. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IX  NEW  YORK.  151 

Yet,  in  uthe  views  of  the  minority,"  in  the  absence  of  any  more  reliable 
means  of  attack,  this  is  dignified  into  an  important  topic  of  considera- 
tion as  u  attempted  bribery  by  Union  League  officers,"  when  it  only  proves 
the  perjury  of  democratic  witnesses,  and  gives  the  means  of  estimating 
the  value  of  other  evidence,  of  which  this  is  a  fair  specimen. 

NO  KEPVBLICAN  "  REPEATING." 

Some  evidence  was  taken,  it  would  seem,  for  the  purpose  of  proving 
repeating  in  the  interest  of  the  republican  party.1  There  were  but  a 
few  witnesses,  all  of  a  class,2  who  appeared  at  one  time,  and  who  seem 
to  have  been  a  gang  somehow  imposed  on  the  committee,  whose  demeanor 
on  the  witness1  stand  and  whose  character  could  inspire  neither  credence 
nor  respect.  It  is  a  fact  that  there  is  no  evidence  of  any  kind  that  any  repub- 
lican was  engaged  in  false  registering  in  the  interest  of  the  republican  party, 
and  without  false  registering  there  could  be  no  repeating.  This  itself  would 
be  an  almost  conclusive  answer  to  any  charges  made  on  evidence  so 
destitute  of  credit,  and  so  unreliable  as  that  adduced. 

The  evidence  of  "  repeating"  in  the  interest  of  the  democratic  party 
is  established  by  proof  of  the  seizure  of  the  books  of  some  of  the  repeat- 
ers and  by  numerous  witnesses  who  are  entirely  reliable,  including  elec- 
tion officers  and  others. 

STANLEY   AND   WILKES. 

Evidence  has  been  taken  with  a  view  to  draw  from  it  an  inference  that 
Florence  Scannel,  who  was  a  democrat,  had  a  conversation  with  Marcus 
Cicero  Stanley,  in  company  with  George  YYilkes,  at  the  Fifth  Avenue 
Hotel,  a  Aveek  before  the  November  election,  in  which  it  was  agreed  that 
Scannel  snould  register  a  number  of  names  and  leave  them  unvoted  for 
republicans  to  vote  on  in  consideration  that  Scannel  should  have  two 
republican  canvassers  for  the  purpose  of  making  a  fraudulent  canvass  or 
count  of  votes  against  the  republicans3  at  the  December  election. 

It  is  sufficiently  proved  that  Scannel  procured  false  registration4  in 
the  interest  of  the  democratic  party,  but  there  is  no  evidence  of  a  single 
republican  vote  being  cast  on  any  one  of  his  falsely-registered  names.5 

1  O'Brien,  5486;   contradicted  by  Murray,  5510. 

2  Fox,  6969:  contradicted,  9171.  McCarthy,  6971;  see  evidence,  7246,  to  impeach. 
Volmer,  6973.  Loftus,  697H  ;  see  evidence,  7246  and  9171,  to  impeach.  Allen,  6980;  con- 
tradicted evidence,  page  657  and  9I7J.  Dohertv,  6981  ;  contradie  ed  evidence,  page  657, 
9171.  Costello.  6937.  Clark,  6939.  Glennon,  6941  ;  see  6942,  6944,  9171,  9184  and  9198. 
Roone,  6943 ;  see  6942,  6944  and  6982.  Glennon  and  Roone  contradict  each  other,  6942 
and  6944. 

3  Scannel,  5754;  contradicted,  7055,  5595. 
Scaunel.  8472;  but  see  9198,  5595. 
Goney,  6168  ;  see  5595,  7055,  5595. 

Ferguson,  6097  ;  contradicted,  6163  ;  see  3196,  3258.  Ferguson  is  a  clerk  to  one  of  Sheriff 
O'Brien's  deputies. 

MeGowan,  5576  ;  see  5595.  McGowan  is  another  clerk  in  the  sheriff's  office,  and  re-regis- 
tered under  a  false  name— 6092,  6091. 

O'Brien,  5486;  contradicted,  5510,  5595. 

Jones,  5867  :   contradicted,  5915:  see  6093,  5595. 

Hogau,  5648;  contradicted,  5689. 

Stanley  contradicts  these  witnesses,  7055  ;  see  6089. 

Wilkes  was  in  Europe  and  his  evidence  could  not  be  procured,  6846,  7062. 

It  is  not  probable  that  Stanley  would  engage  in  republican  frauds  when  he  voted  in  Novem  - 
ber  for  the  democratic  candidate  for  governor  and  mayor,  7066. 

4  Evidence,  5767,  6d 

5  And  it  is  abundantly  shown  that  there  was  no  purpose  to  have  republican  votes  cast  on 
any  of  these  false  registries.     Stanley  testifies — 

7078.  Q.  State  if  Scannel  made  any  request  about  getting  canvassers  appointed  in  his  interest? 
A.  He  handed  me  two  names  upon  a  paper,  one  of  which,  I  believe,  was  Gorrey.     I  took  the  names  and 
went  to  Mr.  Mannierre,  one  of  the  police  commissioners.     These  men  were  not  appointed.     Scannel  gave  me 


152  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

The  story  is  incredible  that  republicans  would  agree  to  procure  the 
appointment  of  canvassers  to  make  a  fraudulent  canvass  for  democrats. 
And  the  alleged  interview  and  arrangement  is  effectually  disproved  by 
its  inherent  improbability,  the  contradictory  character  of  the  evidence 
in  support  of  it,  and  by  direct  proof  of  its  falsity.1 

There  is  no  pretence  that  this  evidence  in  any  way  implicates  any 
republican  organization,  officer,  candidate  or  citizen  having  its  interests 
specially  in  charge. 

These  charges  are  of  a  character  similar  to  others  which  signally  failed, 
were  utterly  incredible,  or  were  completely  disproved.2 

COLONEL  WILLIAM   P.  WOOD. 

The  minority  of  the  committee,  referring  to  certain  gentlemen  of  high 
character  for  integrity,  and  their  services  in  ferreting  out  the  democratic 
frauds,  say: 

Besides  these  gentlemen,  it  also  appears  in  evidence  that  Howard  T.  Marston  and  George 
Bliss,  jr.,  attorneys,  William  P.  Wood,  a  United  States  detective,  and  other  members  of  the 
League,  were  employed  in  the  same  business. 

Howard  T.  Marston  is  not  a  member  of  the  League,  is  a  democrat, 
who  made  speeches  for  his  party  during  the  last  presidential  election, 
but  he  is  a  gentleman  upon  whose  integrity  there  rests  no  taint  or  sus- 
picion* William  P.  Wood  is  not  a  member  of  the  League,  and  had  no  em- 
ployment from  it,  nor  did  the  officers  of  the  League,  or  the  com  in  it  tee, 
know  that  he  had  discovered  material  witnesses  until  they  were  pro- 
duced. He  is  a  detective,  who  has  so  far  shared  the  confidence  of  the 
administration  of  Andrew  Johnson  as  to  be  retained  in  its  service. 

The  minority  of  the  committee  criticise  his  mode  of  obtaining  testi- 
mony. The  minority,  as  well  as  the  majority,  were  furnished,  in  many 
instances,  with  memoranda  of  what  witnesses  knew,  and  this  could  only 
be  procured  from  the  witnesses  themselves. 

The  memoranda  furnished  to  the  majority  were  always  open  to  the 
inspection  of  the  whole  committee  when  desired,  while  the  minority  did 
not  always  deem  it  advisable  to  extend  the  same  privilege  to  the  majority.1 

these  two  names  upon  a  paper,  and  requested  that  I  would  have  them  appointed  as  canvassers,  with  the  prom- 
ise that  if  I  did  so  a  number  of  men  whom  he  had  registered  should  not  vote.  I  asked  him  his  object.  II''  said 
he  wanted  the  canvassers  for  his  election  in  December  as  assistant  aldermen  He  wanted  the  Tammany  Hall 
nomination,  which  had  been  refused  him,  and  then  he  wanted  to  run  on  an  independent  ticket.  I  presented 
those  names  to  Mr.  Mannierre.  He  declined  to  appoint  them,  upon  the  ground  that  they  were  indicted  in 
Philadelphia,  having  been  carried  there  by  Scannel  to  vote  at  the  October  election.  I  returned  to  Scannel 
with  that  message  from  Mr.  Mannierre.  and  he  said,  in  his  familiar  way  :  "Boss,  you  must  get  me  out  of  this 
thing,  because  I  have  got  to  go  to  Philadelphia  every  spring  to  buy  horses." 
By  Mr.  ROSS: 

7079.  Q.  What  benefit  was  to  accrue  to  the  republican  party  from  this  arrangement? 

A.  He  was  to  vote  for  the  republican  assemblyman  in  that  district,  to  beat  Jim  Irwin,  whom  he  had  pre- 
viously shot  in  a  bar-room  fight. 

The  object  seems  to  have  been  to  prevent  Scannel  from  voting  on  all  the  false  registries  he 
bad  made.     556],  5792-97. 

1  McGowan,  5575 :  "  It  is  utterly  incredible  that  republicans  would  go  to  clerk's  in  Sheriff 
O'Brien's  office."     See  5510. 

Donobue,  5628 ;  contradicted,  5645. 
Sullivan's,  5603  ;  contradicted,  5626. 

2  The  evidence,  page  625,  shows  the  testimony  of  John  Glennon,  who  was  called  by  Mr. 
Ross,  as  follows : 

I  was  not  summoned  to  come  here.  I  waR  asked  to  come  here  by  a  man  named  Greene,  who  owns  the 
bar-room  in  the  opera-house  on  Fourteenth  street  ;  I  do  not  know  his  politics.  The  paper  now  produced  to 
me,  containing  my  statement,  was  written  in  a  little  office  across  the  street,  close  by  the  sheriff's  office.  It 
was  written  about  two  hours  ago.  Jacob  Roone  was  there.  I  do  not  know  anythiDg  about  Cook.  I  got 
nothing  for  going  there,  and  no  promise  of  anything. 

The  chairman  offered  to  prove  the  handwriting  of  the  memorandum. 

Mr.  Ross  objected,  and  withdrew  the  memorandum,  saying  that  it  was  his  private  per  and  that  he  had 
only  shown  it  through  courtesy. 

See  6942-6944. 


ELECTION   FRAUDS    IN   NEW   YORK.  153 

If  Colonel  Wood  deserves  criticism  for  producing  witnesses,  the  censure 
should  extend  to  those  whose  industry  procured  some  of  the  numerous 
witnesses  called  by  the  minority. 

That  some  of  the  witnesses  produced  by  Colonel  Wood  were  men  of 
bad  character  is  indisputable,1  but  they  are,  in  many  respects,  corrobo- 
rated, and  the  proof  of  fraud  does  not  rest  alone  nor  mainly  on  their  evi- 
dence, but  is  established  fully,  independently  of  it.2 

WHO  RESPONSIBLE  FOR  FRAUDS. 

The  minority  of  the  committee  in  their  "views"  say: 

We  invite  especial  attention  to  the  important  fact,  which  we  desire  to  emphasize,  that  it  is 
not,  in  our  entire  record,  satisfactorily  shoicn  by  credible  or  unimpeached  testimony,  that  any  one 
or  more  clerks,  judges,  or  other  officers  of  any  of  the  courts,  was,  with  knowledge,  directly  or 
indirectly  a  party  to  or  participant  in  a  single  one  of  these  frauds. 

How  far  this  may  be  a  correct  deduction  from  the  evidence  will  appear 
from  its  examination  and  from  the  report  already  made. 
On  this  subject  the  following  evidence  may  be  appropriate 

H.  M.  Clapp  sworn : 

I  am  a  police  officer  attached  to  the  5th  precinct  of  the  5th  ward.  I  knew  James  Murphy. 
I  had  occasion  to  arrest  him  on  the  14th  of  October,  at  6^  o'clock  p.  m.,  for  attempting  to 
register  illegally  at  the  8th  election  district,  5th  ward  ;  I  took  him  to  the  station-house  before 
the  captain,  who  detained  him  until  the  morning,  and  then  took  him  before  Judge  Dowling, 
who  ordered  me  to  take  the  prisoner  to  the  superior  court  before  Judge  McCunn,  where  the 
prisoner  had  received  his  papers.  I  statei  the  circumstances  to  the  judge.  He  ordered  me 
to  take  the  prisoner  into  an  adjoining  roDm.  He  shortly  followed,  and  swore  the  prisoner. 
The  judge  said  to  him,  "What  is  your  name?"  Said  he,  "James  Murphy."  "  Where  do 
you  live  ?"  "63  Watt  street."  "  Where  did  you  get  this  paper  ?"  It  was  a  full  naturali- 
zation paper.  He  had  never  declared  his  intention  He  said,  "I  got  it  at  the  Vanderbilt 
House."  "  Who  gave  it  to  you?"  "One  Marshal  Murphy."  "What  did  you  do  with  the 
paper  then?"  said  the  judge.  "I  took  it  down  to  the  court  the  next  day."  Who  went  with 
you?"  '"Nobody."  "  How  did  you  get  the  paper,  then  ?"  "I  got  it  in  this  room,  I  believe." 
The  judge  then  turned  to  me,  and  said,  "Officer,  this  man  is  under  the  influence  of  liquor." 
I  told  the  judge  it  was  not  so ;  that  the  man  had  been  locked  up  all  night,  and  had  had  nothing 
to  drink  since  I  arrested  him.  "  Well,  then."  says  he,  "  he  must  be  insane.  You  will  take 
the  prisoner  back  to  Judge  Dowling,  and  the  paper  with  my  compliments,  and  tell  the  judge 
to  discharge  him,  and  keep  the  paper."  I  returned  to  the  Tombs  police  court  before  Justice 
Dowling.  and  delivered  the  message  of  Judge  McCunn.  I  will  state  that  after  I  got  out  of 
the  superior  court  room,  I  was  called  back  by  a  messenger,  who  stated  that  Judge  McCunn 
wanted  to  see  me.  He  said,  "  I  understand  you  are  in  the  habit  of  questioning  parties  who 
come  to  register."  I  said,  "Yes,  sir."  He  then  remarked,  "  Don't  you  do  it  any  more."  I 
said  "I  will  under  orders."  He  replied,  "  If  you  do  I  will  punish  you."  Said  I,  "Very 
well,  I  will  suffer  the  consequences."  He  then  said,  "  I  will  give  you  consequences."  I 
then  left  the  superior  court  room  and  went  to  the  Tombs.3 

PROPRIETY  OF   THIS  INVESTIGATION  AND  ITS  SCOPE. 

Any  attempt  to  divert  public  attention  from  the  real  facts  and  frauds 
proved,  by  a  discussion  of  collateral  and  immaterial  issues,  must  always 
betray  the  weakness  and  failure  of  a  bad  defence.  And  this  will  be 
especially  so  if  the  discussion  of  collateral  issues  is  full  of  errors  of  fact 
and  erroneous  deductions.     The  minority  in  their  views  say  : 

This  committee  was  called  into  being  by  this  house,  in  compliance  with  a  memorial  from 
the  Union  League  of  New  York.  There  was  no  contest  pending  to  render  it  proper  or 
necessary. 

The  u memorial"  was  not  from  the  " Union  League  of  New  York,"  but 
'•  the  Union  League  Club,"  a  totally  distinct  organization.  Then  again 
there  was,  and  is,  a  contest  pending^  over  the  election  of  one  or  more  rep- 

1  See  evidence,  6271,  6313,  6170,  6228,  5954,  4235,  7274. 

2  See  report  of  committee,  xlv ;  see  Evidence,  7274. 

3  See  evidence,  9292. 


154  ELECTION   FRAUDS   IN   NEW   YORK. 

resentafcivee  in  Congress,  if  that  is  deemed  of  any  importance.    Again 
the  "views"  say : 

It  is  not  confined  in  its  scope  or  purposes  to  investigations  into  the  conduct  of  congres- 
sional elections,  or  elections  for  electors  for  President  and  Vice-President,  but  extends  t<»  all 
elections  for  all  kinds  of  officers  of  the  State  of  New  York  at  the  November  election  in  1868. 
This  involves  an  assertion  of  jurisdiction  that  does  not  rightfully  exist  in  this  house. 

The  minority,  nevertheless,  discuss  the  wisdom  of  the  State  laws  of 
New  York,  election  frauds  in  other  States,  and  the  policy  of  congres- 
sional Legislation  on  other  subjects. 

Bui  the  resolution  under  which  the  committee  was  appointed,  and  the 
investigation  by  it,  is  confined  in  Us  scope  and  purpose  to  " irregularities 
and  frauds  alleged  to  have  occurred  in  the  city  and  State  of  New  York 
affecting  the  recent  election  for  representatives  to  Congress  and  electors 
of  President  and  Vice-President,"  and  it  does  NOT  " extend  to  all  elec- 
tions for  all  kinds  of  officers  of  the  State." 

These  grave  errors  in  the  outset  are  not  calculated  to  inspire  confi- 
dence in  the  accuracy  of  other  portions  of  the  '-views." 

THE  FACILITIES  FOR   INVESTIGATION. 

The  minority  proceed  to  say  : 

Iu  addition  to  all  these,  the  League  placed  at  the  service  of  the  majority  of  the  committee 
an  indefinite  number  of  messengers  to  serve  their  process  and  do  the  bidding  of  the  officers 
of  the  committee  and  of  the  other  attorneys  and  agents  of  the  League. 

Even  this  cannot  change  the  facts  proved,  or  remedy  the  failure  of  a 
defence.  Messengers  residing  in  the  city  served  process  without 
expense  to  the  government,  and  the  minority  had  the  benefit  of  their 
services  and  of  messengers  furnished  iu  like  manner  by  their  political 

friends. 

The  minority  had  every  advantage  of  the  official  power  and  influence 
of  the  city  to  aid  them. 

The  minority  proceed : 

The  country,  the  House,  and  all  impartial  an  J  just-minded  men  may  readily  infer  from 
these  facts  the  spirit,  intent,  interested  and  partisan  motives  which  have  served  the  majority 
of  the  committee,  and  have  presided  over  the  preparation  of  this  case  for  the  League. 

The  motives  which  served  the  majority  are  no  more  important  than 
those  which  served  the  minority,  and  cannot  change  inexorable  facts  or 
convert  vice  into  virtue  or  fraud  into  duty.  The  motive  to  expose  fraud 
is  much  more  credible  than  that  which  commits  it  or  serenes  it  from 
exposure.  It  is  due  to  the  Union  League  Club  to  say  there  is  no  evidence 
to  impugn  the  motives  of  any  member  of  it,  unless  an  honest  purpose  to 
detect  and  prevent  fraud  deserves  censure. 

THE  REMEDIES. 

The  minority  of  the  committee  say,  in  reference  to  election  frauds — 

It  appears  to  be  the  judgment  of  the  majority  that  the  remedy  for  these  great  evils  can 
only  come  from  Congress,  and  need  not  be  expected  to  originate  in  or  be  provided  by  the 
States  of  the  Union. 

The  minority  have  evidently  prepared  their  "views"  without  mature 
consideration,  for  this  assertion  that  "it  appears  to  be  the  judgment  of 
the  majority"  "that  the  remedy  for  these  great  evils  can  ONX.T  come from  Con- 
gress'1 is  made  with  a  printed  copy  of  the  majority  report  in  their  hands, 
declaring  that  it  is  the  duty  of  Congress  to  ascertain — 

IV hen  irregularities  or  fraud  exist  in  the  election  of  its  members,  so  that  the  people, 
apprised  of  evils,  may  avert  them  in  the  future  by  personal  vigilance,  by  making  and  enforcing 
proper  legislative  provisions  in  the  States,  and,  above  all,  so  that  Congress  shall  apply 
remedies  by  adequate  laws  efficiently  enforced. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  155 


PERSONS  OF  FOREIGN  BIRTH. 

The  minority  say : 

It  is  undoubtedly  fair  to  assume  that  a  spirit  of  hostility  to  persons  of  foreign  birth,  and 
of  opposition  to  their  free  admission  to  the  enjoyment  of  citizenship  and  suffrage,  had  much 
to  do  in  the  origin  and  conduct  of  this  investigation. 

It  is  unjust  to  the  committee  to  "assume"  that  which  is  unsustained 
by  fact,  reason,  or  evidence,  but  is  contradicted  by  the  opinions  expressed 
in  the  report. 

THE  CENSUS  OF  1865. 

The  minority  attack  the  correctness  of  the  census  of  18G5  by  a  com- 
parison with  the  census  of  1860.  The  census  of  1860  was  notoriously 
too  great,  as  it  is  liable  to  be  where  officers  are  paid  by  the  number  of 
persons  reported,  while  the  loss  of  population  by  the  war  justifies  the 
integrity  of  the  officers  who  made  and  of  the  evidence  which  shows  the 
census  of  1865  to  be  correct.  But  the  deductions  of  the  committee  do 
not  rest  alone  nor  mainly  on  that  census. 

FRAUDS   IN   PHILADELPHIA. 

The  minority  say : 

As  Philadelphia  gave  a  majority  for  Grant  we  have  no  outcry  about  its  large  vote.  Per- 
haps it  would  be  well  to  have  a  committee  of  investigation,  as  this  committee  would  not 
allow  the  minority  to  introduce  evidence  that  republican  "  repeaters  "  were  sent  from  New 
York  to  Philadelphia. 

The  committee  might  well  be  satisfied  to  limit  their  duties  to  the  State 
required  by  the  resolution  under  which  they  were  acting.  Since  it  has 
been  stated  in  Congress  by  a  responsible  member1  that  one  of  the  lead- 
ing democrats  of  Xew  York,  now  under  arrest  by  authority  of  this  house, 
is  indicted  for  illegal  voting  in  Philadelphia,  the  suggestion  of  the  mi- 
nority in  favor  of  a  committee  is  entitled  to  the  most  respecful  considera- 
tion. 

THE  LEAGUE  AGAIN. 

The  minority  are  pleased  to  refer  to  "  the  numerous  and  vigilant  scav- 
engers of  the  League,"  though  no  mention  is  made  of  Sheriff  O'Brien's 
deputies  who  hovered  around  the  door  of  the  committee-room  and  in  the 
building  where  its  sessions  were  held,  arresting  some  of  the  witnesses 
soon  after  released  for  want  of  evidence  to  justify  the  arrest,  and  thus 
intimidating  witnesses,  until,  with  the  approval  of  the  whole  committee, 
they  were  directed  to  retire  from  the  building. 

WHY  ILLEGAL  VOTING  NOT  PUNISHED. 

The  minority,  referring  to  election  frauds,  say : 

The  officers  in  the  practical  government  of  the  city  of  New  York  who  could  be  most  effect- 
ive to  restrain  or  punish  these  wicked  men  are  the  officers  of  elections  and  of  the  police.  If 
these  were  honest,  vigilant,  and  faithful,  and  would  co-operate  to  that  end,  these  crimes 
could,  in  a  very  great  degree,  be  prevented.  Let  it  be  remembered  here  that  all  these  officers 
are  appointed  under  republican  auspices. 

And  this  is  preceded  in  another  portion  of  these  "views"  by  a  cap- 
tion, "The  republican  party  control  New  York." 

As  a  question  of  law  neither  officers  of  election  nor  of  the  police  have 
power  u  to  punish  these  wicked  men." 

JJudge  Kelly,  in  House  of  Representatives.     And  see  evidence  of  Stanley,  7076. 


156  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

The  Metropolitan  Police  board  is  equally  divided  politically  ;'  at  least 
half  the  election  officers  are  democrats  and  a  majority  of  the  police  force.2 
The  officer  whose  duty  it  is  to  prepare  indict  incuts,  and  the  courts 
whose  judges  try,  or  whose  duty  it  is  to  try  offenders,  arc  all  of  the  dem- 
ocratic faith.  How  perfectly  secure  from  all  punishment  are  the  men 
guilty  of  election  frauds  has  already  been  shown. 

THE  FACILITIES  FOR  INVESTIGATION  AGAIN. 

The  minority,  in  concluding  their  views,  say : 

That  the  minority,  during  the  entire  investigation,  possessed  extremely  unequal  facilities 
for  either  the  procurement  of  witnesses  or  the  taking  of  testimony  before  the  committee. 

This  cannot  affect  the  force  of  the  material  facts  proved,  and  the  com- 
mittee will  not  assume  that  it  is  offered  as  an  apology  for  any  failure  to 
prove  frauds  as  against  republicans,  or  to  vindicate  democrats  whose 
guilt  is  so  palpable.  The  committee  sat  in  New  York  from  December 
21  to  January  14,  inclusive,  and  evidence  was  subsequently  taken  in 
Washington.  During  all  that  time  the  minority  had  process  for  every 
witness  they  asked,  the  means  of  its  service  either  by  their  own  chosen 
messengers  or  those  of  the  committee,  and  the  right  to  examine  their 
witnesses  fully  has  never  been  denied.  A  sub-committee  met  on  the  6th 
of  February  in  New  York  city,  and  at  other  times  elsewhere  in  the  State, 
it  is  believed  with  equal  facilities  for  the  production  of  witnesses  alike 
for  tlte  majority  and  minority;  and  evidence  taken  February  2,  by  .Mr. 
Boss  alone,  with  no  one  to  cross-examine,  was  permitted  to  go  on  record. 

In  New  York  city,  in  the  nature  of  things,  every  advantage  would  be 
on  the  side  of  the  democratic  minority.3 

For  the  great  purpose  of  devising  some  means  to  prevent  frauds,  it  is 
comparatively  of  little  importance  what  men  or  what  parties  are  respon- 
sible for  them.  Every  just  government  is  bound  to  ascertain  their 
existence  and  apply  the  proper  remedy.  While  the  minority  do  not 
unite  in  any  of  the  measures  recommended  in  the  hope  of  effecting  a 
reform,  they  do  not  present  any  which  would  seem  to  remedy  acknowl- 
edged evils.  The  evidence  is  submitted  to  the  House  with  the  deduc- 
tions which  have  been  drawn  from  it  all,  and  the  remedial  measures 
suggested  to  prevent  frauds  and  irregularities  in  the  election  of  repre- 
sentation to  Congress  and  electors  of  President  and  Vice-President.  If 
these  shall  contribute  to  secure  a  free,  full,  fair,  and  honest  exercise  of 
the  elective  franchise,  the  anxious  and  arduous  labors  of  the  committee 
will  aid  in  accomplishing  the  purposes  of  the  founders  of  the  republic, 
and  lasting  benefits  will  accrue  to  mankind. 

1  Evidence,  317,  562,  568,  1236,  2739,  6675. 

2  See  chapter  V,  former  report,  p.  53. 

3  The  original  report  of  the  committee  was  made  to  the  House  February  23.  Part  II  of 
the  report  was  printed  and  furnished  to  all  the  members  of  the  committee,  including  Messrs. 
Kerr  and  Ross,  February  13,  and  Part  I  was  printed  and  furnished  in  like  manner  Feb- 
ruary 20.  The  "views  of  the  minority  "  were  not  furnished  to  the  chairman,  or  any  mem- 
ber of  the  majority  of  the  committee,  and  were  only  seen  some  days  after  they  had  been 
presented  in  the  House  and  printed. 

This  and  the  original  report  were  written  in  the  press  of  business,  currents  calamo,  with- 
out any  opportunity  for  revisiou. 


JOURNAL 

Of  the  Select  Committee  of  the  House  of  Representatives  to  investigate  alleged 
frauds  in  the  election  in  the  State  of  New  York. 

This  committee  was  appointed  by  the  House  of  Eepresentatives  on  the 
14th  of  December,  18C8,  as  appears  from  the  following  official  report  of 
the  proceedings  published  in  the  Globe  of  December  loth : 

FRAUDULENT  VOTING   IN   NEW  YORK, 

Mr.  Lawrence,  of  Ohio.  I  present  under  the  rule  a  memorial  of  the  Union  League  club 
of  New  York,  in  reference  to  fraudulent  voting  in  the  city  and  State  of  New  York ;  and  I 
ask  consent  to  offer  the  following  resolution  : 

Resolced,  That  the  memorial  from  the  Union  League  club  of  New  York  be  printed,  and 
that  a  select  committee  of  seven  be  appointed  to  investigate  the  irregularities  and  frauds 
therein  alleged  to  have  occurred  in  the  city  and  State  of  New  York  affecting  the  recent  elec- 
tion for  representatives  to  Congress  and  electors  for  President  and  Vice-President,  and  report 
thereon  to  this  house ;  and  that  the  said  committee  may  hold  sessions  in  the  State  of  New 
York  and  elsewhere  by  a  quorum  or  by  sub-committees  of  such  number  as  the  committee 
shall  delegate ;  and  that  they  have  power  to  send  for  persons  and  papers,  to  administer 
oaths  to  witnesses,  and  to  employ  a  clerk  and  messenger,  with  such  stenographic  assistance 
as  they  shall  find  necessary. 

Mr.  Wood.  I  object  to  the  introduction  of  the  resolution. 

Mr.  Lawrence,  of  Ohio.  I  move  to  suspend  the  rules,  that  the  resolution  may  be  intro- 
duced and  agreed  to  at  this  time. 

Mr.  Wood.  If  the  gentleman  from  Ohio  will  give  us  an  opportunity  to  have  a  few  words 
of  discussion  upon  this  resolution  I  will  withdraw  all  objection  so  far  as  I  am  concerned. 

Mr.  Lawrence,  of  Ohio.  I  insist  on  my  motion. 

Mr.  Farnsworth.  I  would  inquire  of  the  gentleman  from  Ohio  whether  the  election 
referred  to  is  not  now  being  investigated  under  the  authority  of  the  people  of  New  York  ? 

Mr.  Lawrence,  of  Ohio.  A  respectable  portion  of  the  people  of  New  York  have  sent 
here  a  memorial  asking  the  adoption  of  this  resolution.  If  the  gentleman  will  examine  the 
memorial  he  will  find  in  it  abundant  evidence  that  it  is  presented  in  good  faith. 

The  Speaker.  The  motion  to  stispend  the  rules  is  not  debatable  except  by  unanimous 
consent. 

Mr.  Chanler.  I  object  to  debate. 

Mr.  Brooks.  Does  the  memorial  of  the  Union  League  Club  accompany  this  resolution? 

The  Speaker.  It  does. 

Mr.  Brooks.  Let  us  hear  it  read. 

Mr.  Washburne,  of  Illinois.  I  should  like  to  have  it  read.  Let  it  be  read  by  unanimous 
consent. 

The  Speaker.  In  order  that  the  memorial  may  be  read  the  gentleman  from  Ohio  must 
first  waive  his  motion  to  suspend  the  rules.  The  gentleman  from  New  York  has  the  right 
under  the  rule  to  have  this  memorial  read,  but  the  motion  to  suspend  the  rules  covers  that 
and  all  other  rules. 

Mr.  Lawrence,  of  Ohio.  I  do  not  object  to  the  reading  of  the  memorial,  and  I  will 
waive  the  motion  to  suspend  the  rules  for  the  present  so  that  the  memorial  may  be  read, 
provided  that  at  the  conclusion  of  the  reading  the  motion  can  be  resumed. 

Mr.  Brooks.  What  I  wish  to  suggest  to  the  gentleman  from  Ohio  is  this:  that  when  a 
partisan  body  makes  an  ex  parte  representation  it  is  but  fair  that  the  representatives  of  the 
city  and  State  of  New  York  upon  this  floor  should  have  an  opportunity  to  reply  to  this 
memorial.     I  do  not  think  there  should  be  any  objection  to  that. 

Mr.  Lawrence,  of  Ohio.  The  reading  of  the  memorial  was  called  for  by  gentlemen  on 
the  other  side  of  the  house.  If  this  investigation  be  had  there  will  be  abundant  opportunity 
afforded  to  gentlemen  for  reply  to  this  memorial.  Both  sides  of  the  question  can  be  exam- 
ined into. 

Mr.  Brooks.  What  I  wish  to  suggest  further  is,  that  the  Union  League  of  New  York  city 
contributed  hundreds  of  thousands  of  dollars  to  carry  the  States  of  Ohio  and  Indiana.  I 
would  like  to  know  whether  the  whole  country  is  to  be  investigated,  and  whether  we  are  to 
know  the  amount  of  money  given  by  the  Union  League  of  New  York  to  carry  Ohio  and 
Indiana. 

Mr.  Benjamin.  I  otjact  to  the  reading  of  the  memorial. 

Mr.  Washburne,  of  Illinois.  I  should  like  to  have  the  gentleman  from  New  York  tell 
us  what  has  become  of  Helmbold's  subscription. 

Mr.  Robinson.  I  rise  to  a  parliamentary  question.  I  ask,  if  it  be  in  order,  for  a  divis- 
ion of  the  resolution.  The  last  resolution  provides  for  one  man  to  have  the  run  of  the  hotels 
subjecting  the  government  to  heavy  expenses. 


158  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

The  SPEAKER.  The  motion  to  suspend  the  rules  suspends  that  rule  with  all  others. 
Under  the  rule  the  gentleman  can  ask  for  a  division  of  the  resolution,  but  if  two-thirds  vote 
to  suspend  the  rules  that  rule  is  suspended  with  all  others. 

Mr.  Randall.  The  gentleman  from  Illinois  [Mr.  Waahburne]  at  the  last  session  pro- 
posed that  none  of  these  special  committees  should  be  allowed  to  run  the  government  into 
debt.     This  resolution  does  the  very  thing  he  then  protested  against. 

The  SPEAKER.  W  that  resolution  had  been  adopted  a  two-thirds  vote  would  suspend  that 
With  all  other  rules. 

Mr.  Randall.  Then,  this  committee  can  run  the  government  into  any  amount  of  indebt- 
edness. 

Mr.  ROBINSIOM    They  are  all  doing  it  now. 

The  House  divided  on  the  motion  to  suspend  the  rules  ;  and  there  were— ayes  104,  noes  42. 

Mr.  SCHENCK.  There  seems  to  be  a  good  many  gentlemen  opposed  to  this  resolution,  and 
I  demand  the  yeas  and  nays. 

The  yeas  and  nays  were  ordered. 

The  question  was  taken  ;  and  it  was-  decided  in  the  affirmative— yeas  134,  nays  35,  not 
voting  52  ;  as  follows  : 

Ykas— Menu*.  Allison,  Ames.  Arnell,  James  M.  Ashley,  Bailey,  Baker.  Baldwin,  Banks,  Beam  an,  Beatty 
Benjamin,  Benton,  Bingham,  Blair,  Bootwell,  Bowen,  Bojden,  Bromwell,  Brooks.  Broomall,  Buckley,  Roderick 
R.  Butler,  Callia,  Chanler,  Churchill,  Sidney  Clarke,  Clift,  Cobb,  Oobnrn,  Cook,  Corley,  Covode,  Dawea 
Deweeae,  Dickey.  Dixon,  Donnelly,  Drigg*.  Eekley,  Edwarda,  Bggtairon,  Ela.  Eliot,  Ferrhw,  Perry,  Kiel. is', 
Garfield,  Goas,  Cove,  Qraveley ,  Griawold,  Haughey,  Hawkins.  Bigby,  Hooper,  Hopking,  Chester  D.  Hubbard, 
Hunter,  Jenckeg,  Alexander  fl.  Jonea,  Judd,  Julian,  Kelley,  Kellogg,  Kelsey,  Ketcham,  Kitchen,  Koontz, 
Lash,  Qeorge  V.  Lawrence,  William  Lawrence,  Lincoln.  Loan,  Lynch,  Mallory,  Marvin,  Bf  ay  card,  McCarthy, 
McKee,  Hercur,  Miller,  Moore,  Moorhead,  Morrell,  Morrign-y,  Mulling,  Myera,  Newaham,  Norrig,  O'Neill, 
Orth,  Paine   Perham,  Peters.  Pettia,  Pike,  Pile,  Plants,  Poland,  Polaley,  Price,  Prince,  Raum,   Robertson, 

Schenck.  Bcofleld,  Shanks.  Spalding,  Starkweather,  Stevens,  Stewart,  Stokes,  Stover.  Taylor,  Thomas,  Trow- 
bridge, Twichell,  Upson,  Van  Aernain,  Hurt  \'an  Horn.  Van  Wvck.  Vidal,  Ward,  Cadwalader  C.  Washburn, 
Elihu  B.  Waahburne,  Henry  I).  Washburn,  William  B.  Washhnrn,  Welker,  Whittemore,  William  Williams', 
James  P.  Wilson,  John  T.  Wilson,  Stephen  F.  Wilson,  and  Woodbridge— 134. 

Vats — Meagre.  Adams,  Archer,  Axtell,  Beck,  Hover,  Burr,  Cary,  Rldridge,  (let/.,  Cloaabrenner,  Qolladay, 
drover,  Holman,  Hotchkiaa,  Humphrey,  Thomas  L.  Jones,  Kerr,  Marshall.  McCormick,  McCullough,  Mun- 
gen,  Niblack,  Phelpa,  Pruyn,  Randall,  Robinson,  Sitgreaves,  Stone,  Taber,  Tilt,  Lawrence  8.  Trimble,  Van 
Trump,  Wood,  Woodward,  and  Young — SS 

NOT  VOTING.— MesMs.  Anderson,  Delos  R.  Ashley,  Barnes,  Barnnm,  Blackburn,  Blaine,  Boles,  Buckland, 
Benjamin  F.  Butler,  Cake.  Header  W.  Clarke,  Cornell,  Culloin.  Delano.  Dockerv,  Dodge,  Parnaworth,  Fox, 
French,  Haigbt,  Halaey,  Hamilton,  Harding.  Heaton,  Hill,  Aaabel  W  Hubbard,  Richard  D.  Hubbard,  Ilul- 
burd,  Ingersoll,  Johnson,  Knott,  Laflin,  Logan,  Loughridge,  Newcomb,  Nicholaon,  Nunn,  Pierce,  Pomeroy, 
Roots,  Roaa,  Sawyer,  Selye,  Shellabarger,  Smith,  Sypher,  Taffe,  John  Trimble,  Van  Anken,  Robert  T.  Van 
Horn,  Thomas  Williams,  and  Windom — 52. 

So  (two-thirds  voting  in  favor  thereof)  the  rules  were  suspended,  and  the  resolution  was 
agreed  to. 

Mr.  Lawrence,  of  Ohio,  moved  to  reconsider  the  vote  by  which  the  resolution  was 
adopted ;  and  also  moved  that  the  motion  to  reconsider  be  laid  on  the  table. 

The  latter  motion  was  agreed  to. 

The  following  is  the  official  copy  of  the  resolution  and  appointment  of 
the  committee : 

In  the  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United  States, 

December  ]4,  1868, 
On  motion  of  Mr.  Lawrence  of  Ohio, 

Resolved,  That  the  memorial  from  the  Union  League  club  of  New  York  be  printed,  and 
that  a  select  committee  of  seven  be  appointed  to  investigate  the  irregularities  and  frauds 
therein  alleged  to  have  occured  in  the  city  and  State  of  New  York  affecting  the  recent  elec- 
tion for  representatives  to  Congress  and  electors  for  President  and  Vice-President,  and  re- 
port thereon  to  this  house,  and  that  the  said  committee  may  hold  sessions  in  the  State  of 
New  York  and  elsewhere  by  a  quorum  or  by  sub-committee  of  such  members  as  the  com- 
mittee shall  delegate,  and  that  they  have  power  to  send  for  persons  and  papers,  to  adminis- 
ter oaths  to  witnesses,  and  to  employ  a  clerk  and  messenger,  with  such  stenographic  assis 
tance  as  they  shall  find  necessary. 

The  Speaker  appointed  the  following  members  as  such  committee  : 

William  Lawrence,  of  Ohio  ;  Henry  L.  Dawes,  of  Massachusetts  :  Austin  Blair,  of  Michi- 
gan ;  Oliver  J.  Dickey,  of  Pennsylvania  ;  Benjamin  F.  Hopkins,  of  Wisconsin;  Samuel  S. 
Marshall,1  of  Illinois  ;  Richard  D.  Hubbard,  of  Connecticut. 

Attest :  EDWARD  McPHERSON,  Clerk. 

Washington,  D.  C,  December  18,  1868. 
The  committee  met  pursuant  to  call  of  the  chairman,  Mr.  William 
Lawrence,  of  Ohio,  at  10  o'clock  a.  m.,  in  the  room  of  the  Committee  on 
Foreign  Affairs  of  the  House  of  Eepresentatives. 

'Messrs.  Marshall  and  Hubbard  declining  to  serve,  the  Speaker  appointed  in  their  place  M.  C.Kerr,  of 
Indiana,  and  Lewis  W.  Ross,  of  Illinois. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  159 

There  were  present:  The  Chairman;  Mr.  Dawes,  of  Massachusetts; 
Mr.  Blair,  of  Michigan ;  Mr.  Dickey,  of  Pennsylvania ;  Mr.  Hopkins,  of 
Wisconsin  ;  Mr.  M.jO.  Kerr,  of  Indiana ;  and  Mr.  L.  W.  Eoss,  of  Illinois. 

On  motion,  it  was 

Ordered,  That  this  committee  proceed  to  New  York  city  this  evening 
at  8.40  p.  m.,  there  to  enter  upon  the  discharge  of  its  duties. 

New  York,  December  19,  1868. 

The  committee  met  at  10  o'clock  a.  m.,  this  day  at  the  Astor  House. 
All  the  members  present. 

On  motion,  it  was 

Ordered,  That  this  committee  proceed  to  the  United  States  circuit 
court  building,  No.  41  Chambers  street,  in  this  city,  and  there  examine 
the  rooms  tendered  it  by  United  States  Marshal  Murray  for  the  use  of 
its  sessions. 

10.30  o'clock  a.  m.,  same  day. 

The  committee  met  in  the  grand-jury  room  in  the  United  States  circuit 
court  building,  No.  41  Chambers  street.    All  present. 

On  motion,  it  was 

Ordered,  That  this  committee  accept  the  rooms  in  the  United  States 
circuit  court  building,  tendered  by  Marshal  Murray,  for  the  purpose  of 
holding  therein  its  sessions. 

Adjourned  to  meet  at  the  Astor  House,  in  this  city,  at  6  o'clock  this 
evening. 

6  o'clock,  p.  m.,  same  day. 

The  committee  met,  pursuant  to  adjournment,  at  the  Astor  House. 
All  the  members  present. 

Mr.  Ross  moved  that  the  question  of  the  employment  of  a  clerk  to  the 
committee  be  postponed  for  future  decision.  Mr.  Dickey  moved  as 
an  amendment  that  the  chairman  of  this  committee  be  authorized  to 
employ  a  clerk  for  the  committee,  which  amendment  being  accepted  by 
Mr.  Eoss  was  adopted. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  Dawes,  it  was 

Ordered,  That  counsel  shall  not  be  admitted  to  appear  before  this 
committee. 

On  motion,  it  was 

Ordered,  That  the  sessions  of  this  committee  shall  begin  at  10  o'clock 
a.  m.  each  day  until  otherwise  ordered. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  Eoss,  it  was 

Ordered,  That  in  taking  testimony  this  committee  will  be  governed  by 
the  general  principles  of  law  applicable  in  judicial  proceedings. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  Dawes,  it  was 

Ordered,  That  the  proceedings  of  this  committee  shall  not  be  made 
public  until  otherwise  directed. 

Adjourned  to  10  o'clock  a.  m.  on  Monday  next. 

New  York,  December  21,  1868. 

The  committee  met  pursuant  to  adjournment  in  the  United  States 
circuit  court  room,  No.  41  Chambers  street,  in  this  city.  All  the  members 
present. 

William  Hayes  one  of  the  assistants  to  the  stenographer  of  the 
House  of  Eepresentatives,  selected  as  the  stenographer  of  the  committee 
appeared  and  was  duly  sworn. 

The  following  witnesses  were  examined:   Eobert  Murray,   Samuel 


160  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW   YORK. 

G.  Courtney,  William   T.   Simms,   Henry   Butts,   Samuel    Reynolds, 
Logan  McDonald,  diaries  \Y.   Burton. 

Adjourned  at  4.30  o'clock  p.  in.  to  meet  to-morrow  at  10  o'clock  a.  m. 
at  the  same  place. 

New  York,  December  22,  1868. 

The  committee  met  pursuant  to  adjournment.  All  the  members  pres- 
ent. 

John  I.  Davenport  of  New  York,  selected  as  the  clerk,  appeared. 

The  following  witnesses  were  examined:  Edward  Mitchell.  Albert 
Bogart,  George  G.Hewitt,  George  P.  Barrett,  Henry  Beeny,  John  II. 
Springer,  Gabriel  A.  Arnoux,  William  \V.  Young,  Walter  Shirley,  John 
McArthur.jr.,  diaries  C.  Reed,  Thomas  Surridge,  R.  H.  Daly, Theodore 
Block,  Robert  Murray,  (re-called,)  Henry  Kruger,  John  By. 

At  4.30  o'clock  p.  m.  the  committee  adjourned  to  meet  at  the  same 
place  to-morrow  at  10  o'clock  a.  m. 

New  York,  December  23,  1868. 

The  committee  met  pursuant  to  adjournment.  All  the  members  pres- 
ent. 

The  following  witnesses  were  examined:  Charles  Barnegat,  Andrew 
B.  Liegner,  Michael  Kerwin,  William  J.  McMurray,  Daniel  Sullivan, 
Patrick  Burke,  Dougal  Stewart,  Joseph  A.  Miller,  Charles  Fox,  diaries 
H.  Siep,  Thomas  Gould,  Melchoir  Heimburch,  Matthias  Wolf,  Timothy 
Hurrelle,  Patrick  McLaughlin,  Emanuel  S. Goldstein,  Porter  (1.  Sherman, 
John  Osborne,  Charles  H.  Siep,  (re-called,)  Patrick  T.  Feeny,  Peter  Pohl. 

At  4.30  o'clock  p.  m.  adjourned  to  meet  to-morrow  at  same  place  at 
10  o'clock  a.  m. 

New  York,  December  24,  1868. 

The  committee  met  pursuant  to  adjournment. 

Present:  The  Chairman,  Messrs.  Blair,  Dickey,  Hopkins,  Kerr,  and 
Eoss. 

The  following  witnesses  were  examined :  Maximilian  Boeck,  Charles 
E.  Loew,  M.  E.  Leverson,  John  T.  Hoffman,  Samuel  J.  Glassey,  John  A. 
Foster. 

At  4  o'clock,  p.  m.,  adjourned  to  meet  on  Saturday  next,  December  26, 
at  10  o'clock,  a.  m.,  at  the  office  of  Charles  E.  Loew,  esq.,  county  clerk 
of  the  county  of  New  York. 

New  York,  December  26,  1868. 

The  committee  met  pursuant  to  adjournment  at  10  o'clock,  a.  m.,  at 
the  office  of  Charles  E.  Loew,  esq.,  clerk  of  the  county  of  New  York. 

Present :  The  Chairman,  Messrs.  Blair,  Hopkins,  Kerr,  and  Eoss. 

The  examination  of  Mr.  Charles  E.  Loew,  county  clerk,  was  resumed, 
and  a  cursory  examination  of  some  of  the  records  of  the  supreme  court  of 
the  State  of  New  York  pertaining  to  naturalization  matters,  in  said 
court  in  the  month  of  October,  1868,  had. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  Blair,  seconded  by  Mr.  Hopkins,  it  was, 

Ordered,  That  the  chairman  of  this  committe  be,  and  he  hereby  is, 
authorized  to  cause  the  records  and  papers  in  the  possession  of  the 
county  clerk  of  New  York,  referring  to  naturalization  in  the  supreme 
court,  to  be  examined,  and  a  list  to  be  made  of  the  name  of  each  person 
so  naturalized,  his  age  and  residence,  and  the  name  and  place  of  resi- 
dence of  the  witnesses,  and  the  day  of  the  month  on  which  such  persons 
were  naturalized  during  the  month  of  October. 

By  direction  of  the  chairman,  and  with  the  approval  of  the  committee, 
the  clerk  served  upon  Mr.  Loew  an  attested  copy  of  the  above  order. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  161 

At  11.30,  a.  m.,  the  committee  adjourned  to  resume  its  session  at  once 
in  the  grand  jury  room  of  the  United  States  circuit  court  building'.  No. 
41  Chambers  street.  New  York  city. 

11.35,  A.  M.,  SAME   DAY. 

The  committee  met,  pursuant  to  adjournment,  in  the  grand  jury  room 
of  the  United  States  circuit  court  building,  Xo.  11  Chambers  street,  Xew 
York  city. 

Present :  The  Chairman,  Messrs.  Blair,  Hopkins,  Kerr  and  Ross. 

The  following  witnesses  were  examined:  Robert  G.  Adams,  James  M. 
Sweeney,  Anson  Willis,  Samuel  S.  Urmy,  Timothy  Lynch,  David  Crowley. 

The  committee  adjourned,  to  meet  in  the  United  States  court-room  on 
Monday  morning  at  10  o'clock  a.  m. 

New  York,  December  28,  1868. 
The  committee  met,  pursuant  to  adjournment,  in  the  United  States 
circuit  court-room. 
Present:  The  Chairman,  Messrs.  Blair,  Hopkins,  Kerr,  and  Ross. 
The  further  examination  of  Chas.  E.  Loew,  clerk  of  the  county  of  Xew 
York,  was  resumed.     At  its  close  the  following  witnesses  were  examined : 
John  Jay,  George  Bliss,  jr.,  Samuel  A.  Roberts,  Wm.  D.  Sloan,  Owen  E. 
Westlake,  Henry  J.  Chapman,  Richard  G.  Hunt,  Benj.  Van   Buren, 
Stephen  M.  Crandall,  Michael  Quinlan,  Nathaniel  Jarvis,  jr. 

The  chairman  laid  before  the  committee  the  following  communication 
addressed  by  him  to  James  M.  Sweeny,  clerk  of  the  superior  court  for 
the  county  of  New  York: 

New  York,  December  28,  1868. 
Sir  :  You  will  please  permit  such  persons  as  shall  be  selected  by  S.  J.  Glassey  and  John 
I.  Davenport,  esqs.,  both  of  whom  are  attorneys  and  counsellors  at  law  in  this  city,  and  the 
latter  the  clerk  of  this  committee,  to  examine  and  make  a  list  of  the  names  and  residences  of 
persons  naturalized,  their  age,  and  the  names  and  residences  of  their  witnesses  as  contained 
in  your  office,  during  the  months  of  August,  September,  and  October.  These  clerks,  selected 
as  above  mentioned,  are  to  be  under  the  instructions  of  the  gentlemen  named  ;  but  all  inves- 
tigation shall  be  prosecuted  in  your  presence,  or  that  of  any  deputy  whom  you  may  appoint, 
if  you  so  desire. 

Respectfully  yours, 

WM.  LAWRENCE, 
Chairman  Congressional  Committee  on  Election  Frauds. 
James  M.  Sweeny,  Esq., 

Clerk  of  the  Superior  Court  of  Xeic  York, 

At  4.30  p.  m.  adjourned,  to  meet  at  the  same  place  to-morrow,  at  10 
o'clock  a.  m. 

New  York,  December  29,  1808. 

The  committee  met  pursuant  to  adjournment. 

Present:  The  Chairman,  Messrs.  Dickey,  Hopkins,  Kerr,  and  Ross. 

The  following-  witnesses  were  examined:  Patrick  Dully,  James  E. 
Clifford,  John  Robertson,  T.  J.  Gilmore,  Andrew  J.  P>ross,  David  Crow- 
ley, R,  AY.  McAlpine.  Wm.  'Joralenion,  Chas.  E.  Wilbour,  Wm.  H. 
Hendrick,  Hugh  Ward,  John  Donnelly,  Solomon  Seixas,  James  J. 
Brophy,  Richard  Day,  Hugh  F.  Dolan,  Owen  E.  Westlake,  (recalled,) 
David  Crowley,  (recalled,)  John  A.  Foster,  (recalled,)  James  P.  Hall, 
Samuel  J.  Glassey,  (recalled,)  W.  H.  Spring-stein,  Henry  Woltman, 
Joseph  Reinhart,  Alex.  Ostrander. 

At  1.20  o'clock  p.  m.  adjourned,  to  meet  at  same  place  to-morrow,  at 
10  o'clock  a.  m. 

New  York,  December  30,  1868. 

The  committee  met  pursuant  to  adjournment. 

Present :  The  Chairman,  Messrs.  Dickey,  Hopkins,  Kerr,  and  Ross. 

The  following  witnesses  were  examined^:  Clarence  X.  Teller,  William 
H.  Rep.  Com.  31 11 


162  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

H.  Bridgcman,  Joseph  B.  Paine,  Butler  II.  Bixby,  William  0.  Barrett, 
John  I).  Perrine,  James  J.  Neelis,  John  McMahon,  William  Bi.  Tweed, 
Abraham  DeVoursney,  John  J.  Mulligan,  Morris  Livingston,  Thomas 
Flynu,  Charles  E.  Loew,  (recalled,)  T.  J.  Gilinore,  (recalled.)  Samuel  J. 
Tilden,  Lorenzo  Carey,  A.  Oakey  Ball,  James  Moran. 

At  o.L'O  ]).  m.,  adjourned  to  meet  at  the  same  place  at  10  o'clock  a.  in., 
to-morrow. 

New  York,  December  31,  1868. 

The  committee  met  pursuant  to  adjournment. 

Present:  The  Chairman,  Messrs.  Dickey,  Hopkins,  Kerr,  and  Ross. 

The  chairman  laid  before?  the  committee  the  following  communication 

addressed  by  him  to  Charles  B.  Loew,  clerk  of  the  county  of  New  York: 

New  York,  December  31,  1868. 
Sir:  I  have  the  honor  to  inform  you  that  I  have  selected  S.  J.  Glassey,  esq.,  General 
John  A.  Foster,  and  John  I.  Davenport,  esq  ,  all  of  whom  are  attorneys  and  counsellors  at 
Ihw  in  this  city,  and  the  latter  the  clnrk  of  this  committee,  as  the  persons  under  whose 
charge  and  superintendence  the  work  of  making;  the  lists  required  by  this  committee  will  he 
cairied  on.  Of  course  the  work  done  by  the  clerks  under  the  superintendence  <»t  the  (fen- 
tleinen  ahove  named  will  be  performed  under  the  eye  of'yourself  or  such  deputies  as  you  may 
appoint. 

Respectfully  yours, 

WILLIAM  LAWRENCE.  Chairman  Committee. 
Charles  E.  Loew,  Esq.,  County  Clerk,  New  York. 

The  following  witnesses  were  examined :  Joseph  E.  Paine,  (recalled,) 
S.  0.  Hawley,  Martin  B.  Austin,  Patrick  II.  Keenan,  Hugh  F.  Dolan, 
(recalled,)  Mathew  O.  Hallenbeck,  Lewis  0.  Phillips,   Hugh  F.  Dolan, 

(recalled,)  John  Dunn. 

At  5.10  o'clock  p.  in.,  the  committee  adjourned  to  meet  on  Saturday 
morning  January  2,  1809,  in  the  grand  jury  room  in  the  United  States 
circuit  court  building,  at  10  o'clock  a.  in. 

New  York,  January  2,  L869. 

The  committee  met  pursuant  to  adjournment. 

Present:   The  Chairman,  and  Messrs,  Kerr  and  Boss. 

By  mutual  consent  the  examination  of  witnesses  was  proceeded  with. 

The  tirst  witness  called  was  Moses  I).  Gale.  During  the  progress  of 
liis  examination  Messrs.  Dickey  and  Hopkins  appeared,  when  the  follow- 
ing additional  witnesses  were  examined  :  David  Crowley,  Win.  J  I.  Green, 
Joseph  Meeks,  A.  Oakey  Hall,  (recalled.) 

The  chairman  moved  that  the  following  order  be  made  : 

Ordered :  That  Mr.  Dickey  and  Mr.  Ross  be,  and  hereby  are,  consti- 
tuted a  sub-committee  of  this  committee,  having  the  same  power  with 
this  committee  to  sit  elsewhere  than  in  the  city  of  New  York. 

That  Mr.  Lawrence,  Mr.  Hopkins,  and  Mr.  Kerr  be,  and  hereby  are, 
constituted  a  sub-committee  of  this  committee,  having  the  same  power 
with  this  committee  to  sit  in  the  city  of  New  York. 

Mr.  Ross  moved  as  an  amendment  that  the  consideration  of  this  sub- 
ject be  postponed  until  Monday  next,  at  11  a.  m.  A  vote  being  taken, 
the  chairman  declared  the  amendment  lost.  The  question  being  then 
on  the  original  motion,  a  vote  was  taken,  and  it  was  declared  lost. 

Mr.  Kerr  then  moved  that  for  the  present  this  committee  defer  the 
making  of  a  sub-committee. 

The  ayes  and  nays  being  called  for,  the  following  was  the  vote :  Ayes — 
Mr.  Dickey,  Mr.  Hopkins,  Mr.  Kerr,  and  Mr.  Ross.     Nay — Mr.  Lawrence. 

Mr.  Dickey  then  moved  that  the  chairman  of  this  committee  be,  and 
hereby  is,  directed  to  transmit  the  testimony  taken  by  it  to  Washington 
in  such  order  as  he  may  deem  best,  for  the  purpose  of  having  it  priuted. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  163 

By  unanimous  vote  it  was  so  ordered. 

At  4.30  p.  in.  the  committee  adjourned  to  meet  on  Monday,  January  4, 
at  the  same  place,  at  10  o'clock  a.  m. 

New  York,  January  1,  I860. 

The  committee  met  pursuant  to  adjournment. 

Present:  The  Chairman  and  Mr.  Kerr. 

By  mutual  consent  the  examination  of  Henry  Donovan  was  proceeded 
with,  and  during  said  examination  Messrs.  Dickey,  Hopkins,  and  Ross 
entered. 

The  following  witnesses  were  subsequently  examined :  John  B.  Mc- 
Kea.il,  James  Irving,  James  Coit,  Nathaniel  B.  Mills,  Isaac  Heman, 
James  O'Brien,  E.  II.  Kent.  Henry  Vandervoort,  Dennis  Shea,  Edwin 
B.  Heath,  John  M.  Lawrence,  Arthur  McKenna. 

At  5  o'clock  p.  m.  the  committee  adjourned  to  meet  to-morrow,  at  the 
same  place,  at  10  o'clock  a.  m. 

New  York,  Januarys,  1869. 

The  committee  met  pursuant  to  adjournment. 

Present:  The  Chairman,  and  Messrs.  Dawes,  Dickey,  Hopkins,  and  Boss. 

The  examination  of  the  following  witnesses  was  proceeded  with: 
Colonel  Henry  Beeny,  (recalled,)  Patrick  Mack,  Louis  Jonassohn,  John 
Lee,  John  Rogers,  David  Welsh,  Patrick  Fitzgerald,  and  Charles  E. 
Wilbour. 

During  the  examination  of  Mr.  Wilbour,  Mr.  Dawes  questioned  him  in 
reference  to  the  names  of  the  stockholders  of  the  New  York  Printing 
Company.  Mr.  Wilbour  declined  to  answer  the  question.  Mr,  Dawes 
appealed  to  the  chairman  to  compel  the  witness  to  answer.  The  chair- 
man thereupon  repeated  the  question  and  directed  the  witness  to  answer. 
Mr.  Wilbour,  still  declining,  desired  to  know  if  the  committee  meant  to 
compel  him  to  answer  that  question.  The  chairman  submitted  the  mat- 
ter to  the  committee:  "Shall  the  witness  be  compelled  to  answer  the 
question  put  him  by  Mr.  Dawes,"  and  desired  a  vote  thereon.  Mr.  Boss 
called  for  the  ayes  and  nays.  The  vote  being  then  taken,  resulted  as  fol- 
lows: Yeas — The  Chairman,  Messrs.  Dawes,  Dickey,  and  Hopkins. 
Nay — Mr.  Boss.  The  question  being  then  repeated  by  Mr.  Dawes,  the 
witness  desired  until  1  o'clock  to-morrow  to  reflect  upon  the  matter  and 
consult  his  rights  in  the  premises.  The  committee  unanimously  con- 
sented thereto.  The  examination  of  the  following  witnesses  was  then 
proceeded  with:  William  Lawlor,  Thomas,  Smith,  John  Carberry,  Ed- 
ward J.  Shandley,  D.  E.  Bennett,  and  Michael  Oostello. 

Oil  motion  of  the  chairman  it  was  unanimously  ordered  that  Mr.  Law- 
rence, Mr.  Hopkins,  and  Mr.  Boss,  or  a  majority  of  them,  be,  and  hereby 
are,  constituted  a  sub-committee  of  this  committee,  having  the  same 
power  with  this  committee  to  sit  in  the  city  of  New  Y^ork.  By  mutual 
agreement  of  the  members  it  was  understood  and  consented  to  that  at 
any  time  when  the  committee  or  any  subcommittee  thereof  should  for  a 
time  consist  of  but  two  members  present,  the  vote  of  the  republican 
member  thereof  should,  in  consequence  of  the  large  majority  of  that- 
party  in  the  house  and  upon  the  committee,  count  as  two  votes  against 
the  single  vote  of  the  democratic  member. 

On  further  motion  of  the  chairman  it  was  unanimously  ordered  that 
Mr.  Dickey  and  Mr.  Boss  be,  and  hereby  are,  constituted  a  sub-commit- 
tee of  this  committee,  having  the  same  power  with  this  committee  to 
hold  sessions  in  the  State  of  New  York  outside  of  the  city  of  New  York, 
on  and  alter  Monday,  January  11th. 


164  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IX  NEW  YOKE. 

The  chairman  laid  before  the  committee  a  telegram  from  the  Speaker 
of  the  House  in  reference  to  the  printing  of  the  evidence  taken  by  the 
committee.  The  chairman  was  unanimously  instructed  to  reply  thereto 
and  say  that  the  testimony  forwarded  by  him  to  Washington  was  to  be 
printed,  but,  until  otherwise  ordered,  for  the  use  solely  of  the  members  of 
the  committee. 

At  5.15  the  committee  adjourned  to  meet  to-morrow  at  the  same  place 
at  10  o'clock  a.  m. 

New  Yoke,  January  (>,  1869. 

The  committee  met  pursuant  to  adjournment. 

Present:  The  Chairman  and  Mr.  Kerr. 

By  mutual  consent  the  examination  of  the  following  witnesses  was 
proceeded  with  :  August  Thakphous,  William  Iiaviland,  dames  O'Brien, 
(recalled,)  [during  examination  of  Mr.  O'Brien  Mr.  Hopkins,  a  member 
of  the  committee, appeared, J  James  A.  Colvin,  Sylvester  E.  Nolan,  [during 
examination  of  Mr.  Nolan  Mr.  Dickey  and  Mr.  Ross,  of  the  committee, 
entered,]  W.  W.  Woodward,  John  Cummin gs,  and  Morgan  Jones. 

An  objection  being  ma de  to  certain  statements  of  Mr.  Jones  respect- 
ing one  Oostello,  a  former  witness,  and  a  motion  being  made  by  Mr. 
Hopkins  to  strike  from  the  record  such  statements,  and  a  vote  demanded, 
Mr.  Kerr  called  for  the  yeas  and  nays,  which  were  ordered,  and  found  as 
follows:  Yeas — The  Chairman,  Mr.  Dickey,  and  Mr.  Hopkins.  Nays,  Mr. 
Kerr,  and  Mr.  Boss. 

The  examination  of  witnesses  was  resumed,  and  the  following  persons 
called  and  examined:  Thomas  Ryan,  George  Hopcroft,  William  J.  Lon- 
trell,  M.  T.  Brennan,  George  H*  Hoffman,  Samuel  B.  Garvin,  Charles 
E.  Wilbour,  Thomas  Potter,  George  Harris,  Henry  E.  Sweetser,  James 
Melville,  Joseph  Benson,  Charles  Grant,  John  P.  Thurston,  William  Do 
rans.  At  the  close  of  the  re-direct  examination  of  this  witness  (William 
Dorans)  he  was  informed  that  he  was  required  to  remain  in  the  witness- 
room,  or  the  hall  entering  thereto,  until  otherwise  directed,  as  his  presence 
for  further  examination  would  be  required.  The  next  witness  called  was 
George  Mabee.  After  the  close  of  Mr.  Mabee's  examination  William 
Dorans  was  recalled  and  further  examined,  and  directed  to  report  to-mor- 
row, and  remain  in  attendance  in  the  witness-room,  or  hall,  until  such 
time  as  his  presence  should  again  be  required  before  the  committee. 

The  following  witnesses  were  then  examined:  William  H.  Bogert, 
George  Mabee,  (recalled,)  T.  W.  Greig,  Bartholomew  Cronin,  doles  Ma- 
lay, and  John  Gilmore. 

The  following  communication  was  ordered  to  be  sent  to  the  clerk  of 
Westchester  county : 

United  States  Court  Building,  No.  41  Chambers  Street, 

New  York,  January  6,  1869. 
Sir  :  The  congressional  committee  appointed  to  examine  into  alleged  frauds  committed  at 
tlielate  election  in  the  State  of  New  York,  desire  from  you  a  statement,  made  from  the  records 
of  your  office,  of  the  number  of  persons  naturalized  in  the  county  of  Westchester  in  the  year 
1856,  and  every  year  since.  This  statement  they  require  to  be  made  in  tabular  form,  and  for 
the  year  1868,  to  show  the  number  on  each  day  in  the  month  of  October.  They  wish  a  clerk 
sent  here  on  Saturday  with  this  list,  who  will  be  able  to  swear  to  its  accuracy. 
Respectfully  yours, 

WILLIAM  LAWRENCE, 

Chairman  Committee. 
J.  Malcom  Smith,  Esq., 

County  Clerk  Westchester  County  ,  N.   Y. 

A  letter  similar  throughout  was  also  sent  to  the  clerk  of  the  county  of 
Kings,  State  of  New  York. 

At  5.20  o'clock  p.  m.  the  committee  adjourned  to  meet  at  the  same 
place  at  10  o'clock  a.  m.  to-morrow. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN   NEW   YORK.  165 

New  York,  January  7,  1869. 
The  committee  met  pursuant  to  adjournment. 
Present:  The  Chairman;  Messrs.  Hopkins,  Kerr,  and  Eoss. 
The  following  witnesses  were  examined :  Henry  Lyle,  John  H.  White, 
Charles  Beilly,  Robert  Utley,  Peter  Cook,  George  Johnson,  George  Hill, 
Clark  Bell,  James  Nichols,  James  Emmot,  and  William  Wood. 

The  following  communication  was  addressed  to  Charles  E.  Loew,  esq., 
county  clerk : 

U.  S.  Circuit  Court  Building.  No.  41  Chambers  Street, 

New  York,  January  7,  1869. 
Dear  Sir  :    The  congressional  committee  desires  you  should  furnish  it  this  day  with  a 
certified  copy  of  rhe  appointment  of  your  deputy  clerk. 
Respectfully  yours, 

WM.  LA. WHENCE, 

Chairman  Committee. 
Chas.  E.  Loew,  Esq.,  County  Clerk. 

At  5  o'clock  p.  m.  the  committee  adjourned  to  meet  to  morrow  at  same 
place  at  10  o'clock  a.  m. 

Xeav  Yoek,  January  8,  18G9. 

The  committee  met  pursuant  to  adjournment. 

Present :  The  chairman,  Mr.  Hopkins,  Mr.  Kerr,  and  Mr.  Eoss. 

The  following  witnesses  were  examined :  Joseph  Durable,  Thomas  H. 
York,  Edwin  M.  Plumb,  Austin  V.  Pettit,  George  B.  Gilford,  Henry 
Darling,  John  H.  McCunn,  (recalled,)  James  A.  Lucas,  George  Melville, 
James  M.  Clark,  James  Green,  James  O'Brien,  (recalled,)  Edward  Sand- 
ford. 

During  the  examination  of  Sandford  the  proceedings  of  the  com- 
mittee were  interrupted  by  the  arrest  of  several  witnesses,  as  reported 
to  the  committee  by  Mr.  Le  Barnes,  the  sergeant-at-arms,  as  follows : 

Mr.  Chairman  :  I  have  a  report  to  make  upon  which  I  desire  the  instructions  of  the  com- 
mittee. Several  of  the  witnesses  summoned  before  this  committee,  including1  some  who  have 
been  examined  and  were  directed  to  remain  for  further  examination,  and  others  who  have 
not  yet  been  called,  have  just  been  arrested  in  the  hall  of  this  building  by  the  sheriff  of  this 
county  and  his  deputies.  I  have  reason  to  believe  that  these  arrests  were  made  without 
warrant  or  other  lawful  authority,  and  for  some  ulterior  purpose  connected  with  this  inves- 
tigation. I  desire  to  be  iuformed  if  I  have  any  power,  or  this  committee  has  any  power,  to 
protect  from  arrest  the  witnesses  summoned  before  it. 

Mr.  Kerr  stated  that  the  arrests  were  made  at  his  instance,  and  that 
he  would  take  the  responsibility  of  the  act.  The  following  witnesses 
were  then  examined  pending  the  reappearance  of  Sheriff  O'Brien,  who 
was  sent  fur :  William  Wilson,  Louis  A.  Jonassohn,  Adam  Gillespie, 
Edward  H.  Burger. 

James  O'Brien  being  in  attendance  was  recalled  and  examined  as  to 
the  circumstances  attending  the  arrest  of  witnesses,  as  reported  by  the 
sergeant-at-arms. 

At  the  elose  of  his  examination,  the  sergeant-at-arms  again  called 
the  attention  of  the  committee  to  an  interference  by  the  deputies  of  this 
officer,  as  follows: 

Mr.  Le  Barnes.  Mr.  Chairman  :  I  have  to  report  that  I  find  three  of  the  deputies  of 
the  sheriff  of  this  county  stationed  at  the  door  of  this  room.  I  respectfully  ask  to  be  in- 
formed if  these  officers  are  so  stationed  by  the  direction  of  this  committee.  And  I  desire 
further  to  state  that  I  have  already  experienced  great  difficulty  in  retaining  the  witnesses 
summoned  befoie  this  committee,  on  account  of  the  intimidation  exercised  by  the  presence  in 
this  building  of  sheriff's  officers  and  other  persons  who  watch,  follow,  attempt  to  manipu- 
late, and,  in  some  instances,  maltreat  them. 

The  committee  ordered  the  sergeant-at-arms  to  bring  before  it  the 
three  deputy  sheriffs  complained  of,  which  being  done,  the  committee, 
through  the  chairman,  directed  them  to  leave  the  vicinity  of  the  com- 
mittee room  and  the  building.     The  following  additional  witnesses  were 


1G6  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IX    NEW    YOKK. 

tlion  examined:  Robert  Murray,  Samuel  8.  Acker, Thomas  Ryan, Charles 
A.  Grant,  James  Gorman,  George  Menitt,  Geo.  W.  Mabee. 

At  5.25  o'clock  ]).  in.  the  committee  adjourned  to  meet  to-morrow  at 
same  place  at  10  o'clock  a.  m. 

New  York,  January  9,  is(><). 

The  committee  met  pursuant  to  adjournment. 

Present:  The  Chairman,  Mr.  Hopkins,  Mr.  Kerr  and  Mr.  Ross. 

The  clerk  of  the  committee,  who  to  this  date,  to  facilitate  matters 
"before  the  committee,  had  permitted  some  three  or  lour  messengers  and 
clerks — very  kindly  placed  at  his  disposal  by  the  sub-committee  of  the 
Union  League  Club,  on  whose  memorial  the  investigation  had  been 
ordered — to  seme  nearly  all  of  the  subpoenas  lor  witnesses  required  by 
the  minority,  as  well  as  render  them  other  service,  having  informed  the 
sergeant  at  arms  that,  in  consequence  of  what  had  taken  place  yester- 
day, in  the  illegal  and  unwarrantable  arrest,  at  the  instance  of  Mr.  Kerr, 
of  witnesses  subpoenaed  by  the  majority,  he  should  for  the  future  refuse 
to  permit  any  one  connected  with  or  subject  to  his  orders  to  serve  any 
process,  or  perform  any  errand  or  service  of  any  kind  for  the  minority  of 
the  committee,  Mr.  LeBames,  the  serjeant-at-arms,  informed  the  com- 
mittee of  his  inability  to  serve,  with  anything  like  the  desired  haste,  the 
subpoenas  called  for  by  the  minority,  as  he  was  alone,  and,  of  course, 
during  the  day  required  to  be  in  immediate  attendance  upon  the  com- 
mittee. 

Mr.  Kerr  thereupon  asked  leave,  which  was  unanimously  given,  to 
have  the  assistance  of  such  persons  as  should  be  tendered  the  minority 
by  its  political  friends. 

The  following  witnesses  were  examined:  John  E.  McGowan,  Robert 
Murrav,  (recalled,)  Thomas  Sullivan,  John  Donahoe,  David  llogan,  Geo. 
B.Gitfbrd,  (recalled,)  John  H.  White,  (recalled,) C.  Pullman,  J.  Malcolm 
Smith,  Florence  Scanned,  Michael  Brady,  and  Robert  Murray,  (recalled.) 

At  the  close  of  Marshal  Murray's  examination  Mr.  Kerr  moved  that 
the  chairman  of  this  committee,  on  behalf  of  the  committee,  request 
Marshal  Murray  to  cause  the  police  force  now  in  this  building,  number- 
ing 24,  to  be  at  once  withdrawn  from  it. 

Mr.  Hopkins  moved  as  a  substitute:  That  if  the  police  force  now 
present  remain  here  to-day  the  iuture  sessions  of  this  committee  shall  be 
held  at  such  place  as  the  committee  shall  designate. 

Mr.  Eoss  objected  to  the  substitute  on  the  ground  that  it  was  not  ger- 
main.     Objection  overruled. 

The  ayes  and  nays  were  then  called  for  by  Mr.  Ross  on  the  adoption 
of  the  substitute,  and  a  vote  being  taken  resulted  as  follows:  Yeas — The 
Chairman  and  Mr.  Hopkins.     Kays — Mr.  Kerr  and  Mr.  Ross. 

By  mutual  consent  the  votes  of  the  republican  members  were  counted 
as  a  majority,  and  the  substitute  declared  carried. 

The  following  witnesses  were  then  examined:  J.  W.  LeBames,  Thos. 
A.  McGlade,  John  Jones,  Robert  Murray,  (recalled,)  J.  W.  LeBarnes, 
(recalled,)  Geo.  Mabee,  Geo.  Johnson,  John  A.  Kennedy,  Florence  Scan- 
nell,  Edward  Sanford,  Philip  Koob,  General  John  A.  Foster. 

At  5.30  p.  in.  the  committee  adjourned  to  meet  at  the  same  place  on 
Monday,  January  11,  at  10  o'clock  a.  m. 

New  York,  January  11,  18G9. 
The  committee  met  pursuant  to  adjournment. 
Present:  The  Chairman  and  Mr.  Ross. 

Mr.  Ross  moved  that  the  sessions  of  this  committee  be  held  for  the 
future  at  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  167 

The  chairman  moved  as  a  substitute:  That  Mr.  LeBarnes,  the  mes- 
senger of  this  committee,  and  sergeant-at-arms,  be  directed  to  call  to  his 
aid  such  assistance  as  may  be  necessary  to  preserve  order  and  protect 
witnesses,  and  that  the  sessions  of  this  committee  be  continued  at  this 
room  (United  States  grand  jury  room)  until  otherwise  ordered. 

The  question  being  upon  the  adoption  of  the  substitute,  the  chairman 
voted,  aye ;  Mr.  Boss,  no.  Under  the  agreement  of  January  5,  the  sub- 
stitute was  declared  to  be  carried,  and  to  be  an  order  of  the  committee. 

The  following  communications  from  the  messenger  and  sergeant-at-arms 
of  the  committee  were  then  presented  and  ordered  to  go  upon  the  journal  : 

United  States  Court-House, 

New  York,  January  11,  1869. 
Sir:  I  have  the  honor  to  report  that  a  man  named  Ward,  an  officer  $f  Judge  McCunn's 
court,  presented  himself  to-day  as  a  substitute  lor  Sandford,  a  messenger,  hitherto  authorized 
by  me  ti»  act  as  an  assistant. 

Not  desiring  to  have  any  officer  attached  to  any  of  the  courts  of  this  city,  nor  any  sheriff's 
deputy,  nor  other  official  of  this  city  as  an  assistant  to  me  in  the  discharge  of  my  duties,  I 
have  notified  Ward  that  I  had  no  use  for  him,  and  that  he  c«>uld  retire.  I  also  informed 
Mr.  McGowan,  the  associate  of  Sandford,  that  if  he  wanted  any  assistance  in  the  discharge 
of  the  duties  required  of  him,  in  the  absence  of  Sandford,  he  might  present  to  me  any  friend 
of  his,  who  was  not  an  officer,  nor  attached  to  any  court  of  this  city,  nor  to  the  sheriff's 
office,  and  I  would  authorize  him  to  act. 
Very  respectfully,  yours, 

J.  W.  LeBARNES, 
Messenger  to  Committee. 
Hon.  Witt.  Lawrence, 

Chairman  Committee  on  Election  Frauds. 

The  action  of  Mr.  Le  Barnes,  as  stated  in  his  report,  was  approved. 

United  States  Court-House, 

New  York,  January  11,1 869. 
SIR  :  I  have  to  report  that  a  witness  by  the  name  of  Wm.  Dorans,  who  was  duly  sum- 
moned and  lias  been  examined  before  this  committee,  and  directed  by  it  to  remain  iu  attend- 
ance foi  further  examination,  was  anested  in  the  hall   of  this  building  on  Saturday  last,  by 
an  officer  named  Moore,  a  deputy  sheriff  under  Sheriff  O'Brien. 
Very  respectfully,  yours, 

J.  W.  LeBARNES, 

Messenger  to  Committee. 
Hon.  Wm.  Lawrence, 

Chairman  Committee  on  Election  Frauds. 

The  above  report  of  Mr.  LeBarnes  being  read,  the  committee  directed 
that  a  summons  issue,  returnable  forthwith,  requiring  Deputy  Sheriff 
Moore  to  appear  before  the  committee  as  a  witness. 

The  following  witnesses  were  then  examined :  Louis  Campbell,  Wm. 
H.  Bogart,  (recalled,)  Hiram  B.  Ferguson,  Robert  Murray,  (recalled,) 
David  Hogan,  James  Gorrey,  John  Norton,  Michael  Edwards,  James 
Straume,  James  Ward,  Nathaniel  Jar  vis,  jr.,  (recalled,)  John  Keating, 
Howard  T.  Marston,  (recalled,)  Abraham  Voorhees,  John  Wood,  John 
Gregory,  Lawrence  Farrell,  Samuel  J.  Glassey,  Gen.  John  A.  Foster, 
John  I.  Davenport,  Win.  H.  Cook,  Francis  Murray,  and  John  McCabe. 

The  sergeant-at-arms,  at  5.15,  reported  that  in  accordance  with  the 
instructions  of  the  committee  he  had  subpoenaed  Deputy  Sheriff  Moore, 
in  person,  shortly  before  12  o'clock ;  but  that  at  this  hour  he  had  failed 
and  refused  to  appear  before  the  committee. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  Ross  the  committee  adjourned  until  to-morrow,  to 
meet  at  the  same  place  at  10  o'clock  a.  m. 

New  York,  January  12,  1869. 
The  committee  met  pursuant  to  adjournment. 
Present:  The  Chairman  and  Mr.  Ross. 
On  motion  of  Mr.  Ross,  it  was  ordered  that  Mr.  Dickey,   of  the 


168  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

sub-committee  appointed  to  take  testimony  out  of  the  city  of  New  York- 
be  directed  to  admit  to  appear  before  him  such  counsel  as  shall  l><' 
designated  by  the  minority  of  this  committee,  for  the  purpose  of  repre- 
senting  before  him  said  minority,  Mr.  Boss,  of  said  sub-committee,  desir- 
ing to  remain  in  New  York. 

The  following  witnesses  were  then  examined:  John  Gunn,  Joseph 
Gaillard,  James  Dennis,  John  II.  McCunn,  (recalled,)  Abraham  Voor- 
hees,  (recalled,)  Wrifhi  Banks,  John  M.  Powell,  Samuel  Watson,  James 
Smith,  Charles  Ferguson,  John  Hughes,  and  John  Kagle. 

Mr.  LeBarnes,  the  messenger  and  serjeant-at-arms  of  the  committee, 
here  made  the  following  written  report,  which  was  received  and  ordered 
to  be  placed  on  the  journal : 

United  States  Court-House,  Grand  Jury  Room, 

New  York,  January  12,  1869. 
SIR:  I  respectfully  report  that  being  recently  informed  that  a  party  of  thieves  and  pick- 
pockets under  charge  of  deputy  sheriffs  were  in  the  witness  room,  I  asked  the  persons  indi- 
cated to  me  as  being  deputy  sheriffs  if  they  were  witnesses,  and  npon  being  informed  by 
them  that  they  were  not  I  directed  them  to  retire.  Finding,  also,  that  the  remaining  per- 
sons had  not  been  summoned  before  the  committee,  I  gave  them  the  same  direction.  1  would 
also  state  that,  as  a  matter  of  convenience  in  the  discharge  of  my  duties  as  messenger  and 
sergeant- at-arms  of  the  committee,  and  also  for  the  purpose  of  preventing  improper  influ- 
ences being  brought  to  bear  upon  the  witnesses,  I  have  given  directions  that  no  persons  be 
permitted  to  enter  the  witness  room  except  witnesses  summoned  before  the  committee  by 
myself  or  my  duly  authorized  assistants. 
Very  respectfully  yours, 

J.  W.  LeBARNES, 
Messenger  and  sergeant-at-arms  to  Committee, 
Hon.  Wm,  Lawrence, 

Chairman  Committee  on  Election  Frauds. 

The  following  witnesses  were  then  examined:  Robert  Costello,  II.  iv. 
Murray,  John  Clark,  John  Glenn  on,  Jacob  Kooine,  Edward  Clark,  John 
Horner,  M.  S.  Roberts,  Edward  Cobb. 

At  5  o'clock  the  committee  adjourned  to  meet  to-morrow  at  the  same 
place  at  10  o'clock  a.  m. 

New  Yoek,  January  13,  1869. 

The  committee  met  pursuant  to  adjournment. 

Present:  The  Chairman  and  Mr.  Ross. 

The  following  witnesses  were  examined  :  Miss  Cornelia  A.  Lyle,  John 
Mullaly,  Jacob  AY.  Cooper,  John  Fox,  Charles  McCarty,  Paul  Volmer, 
Peter  Loftus,  James  Allen,  Cornelius  Doherty,  Henry  A.  Gumbleton, 
John  Kennell,  Charles  H.  Rogers,  Adam  Gillespie,  (recalled,)  Joint  1  Leath, 
William  II.  TV.  Chambers  and  William  Ward. 

The  chairman  received  a  communication  from  John  Jay,  esq.,  pres- 
ident of  the  Union  League  club  of  New  York,  relative  to  certain  matters 
of  common  notoriety  connected  with  the  investigations  of  the  committee, 
which  communication,  together  with  his  reply,  is  hereinbelow  set  forth : 

Union  League  Club,  New  York,  January  8,  1869. 

Sir:  I  have  this  evening  been  advised  that  several  persons  summoned  by  your  authority 
as  witnesses  to  testify  before  your  body  were  arrested  by  the  sheriff  of  this  city  and  county 
this  afternoon,  while  attending  in  the  United  States  court-house,  where  your  committee  hold 
their  sittings. 

It  is  also  reported  me  that  of  the  men  so  arrested  some  had  testified  and  were  expecting 
to  be  recalled,  and  that  the  rest  were  waiting  to  testify ;  that  they  were  arrested  without 
warrant  and  were  afterwards  released,  no  charge  having  been  preferred  against  them. 

Having  reason  to  believe  that  the  facts  thus  reported  are  true,  I  beg  leave  very  respect- 
fully to  address  you  upon  the  subject. 

It  was  upon  the  memorial  of  the  Union  League  club  that  your  committee  was  appointed 
to  inquire  into  the  matters  therein  alleged,  and  we  were  advised  after  your  arrival  in  the 
city  that  you  regarded  the  club  in  the  light  of  a  complainant  and  looked  to  them  for  the 
proofs  of  their  allegations. 


ELECTION  FKAUD6  IX  NEW  YORK.  169 

This  position  we  accepted,  with  its  responsibilities,  and,  so  far  as  the  investigation  has 
proceeded,  we  have  more  than  proven  the  charges  of  the  memorial. 

Other  witnesses  than  those  summoned  at  our  instance  have  been  produced  and  examined, 
in  regard  to  the  repeating  frauds,  in  which  they  had  themselves  been  engaged,  as  the 
employes  of  those  by  whom  the  frauds  were  planned,  and  it  is  more  than  probable  that  the 
past  lives  of  persona  selected  fur  such  a  purpose  have  not  been  blameless. 

But  the  arrest  of  any  witnesses  upon  any  pretence,  by  the  sheriff  and  his  deputies,  is  a 
move  which  we  did  not  anticipate,  and  in  which  we  cannot  acquiesce.  No  argument  can  be 
necessary  to  satisfy  your  committee  that  it  will  be  impossible  tor  us  to  proceed  with  the 
proofs,  and  to  furnish  witnesses  whose  evidence  may  convict  of  complicity  with  the  fraudu- 
lent conspiracy  to  change  the  vote  of  the  State  persons  occupying  official  positions,  if  the 
men  thus  charged  are  to  be  allowed,  with  the  connivance  of  the  sheriff  and  his  deputies, 
to  avenge  themselves  upon  the  spot  by  arresting  the  witnesses  and  dragging  them  to  prison. 
I  do  not,  of  course,  suppose  for  a  moment  that  your  committee  have  the  slightest  idea  of 
acquiescing  in  such  au  insult  to  your  own  body,  or  to  the  branch  of  Congress  which  you 
represent.  I  take  it  for  granted  that  the  House  of  Representatives,  on  your  report  of  the 
facts,  will  properly  vindicate  your  dignity  and  their  own,  and  will  punish  as  such  a  crime 
should  be  punished,  this  daring  outrage,  by  a  local  officer  upon  the  national  authority — this 
bold  attempt  to  arrest  and  render  futile  a  congressional  investigation,  by  overawing,  insult- 
ing, and  maltreating  the  witnesses. 

But  you  will  readily  see,  sir,  that  until  such  action  is  had  by  Congress,  and  the  country 
is  advised  that  in  this  grave  investigation,  involving  the  exposure  of  a  gigantic  crime,  and 
perhaps  the  validity  of  the  returns  of  our  State  election,  the  national  government  will  pro- 
tect the  committee  and  their  witnesses  from  officious  interference,  the  effect  of  to-day's 
arrests  may  naturally  indispose  our  citizens  from  volunteering  their  testimony,  however 
important,  with  the  prospect  of  being  dragged  from  the  court  to  a  prison,  should  their  evi- 
dence be  displeasing  to  the  political  friends  of  Mr.  Sheriff  O'Brien. 

I  beg  leave,  therefore,  very  respectfully,  and  with  the  view  of  enabling  the  club  commit- 
tee to  proceed  efficiently  with  the  evidence,  to  ask  from  you  an  assurance,  with  permission 
to  make  it  public,  that  the  facts  of  this  matter  will  be  reported  by  your  committee,  with  a 
view  to  prompt  action  on  the  part  of  the  House  of  Representatives  in  proceeding  against  the 
sheriff  for  contempt  in  violating  the  privileges  of  witnesses  summoned  by  its  mandate,  and 
attending  under  its  protection;  and  with  the  view  also  to  the  enactment  of  a  proper  law,  if 
additional  legislation  be  indeed  necessary,  to  protect  all  whom  you  may  summon  from  the 
vengeance  of  the  felons  whose  frauds  may  be  developed  by  their  evidence 

Such  an  assurance  will,  I  believe,  enable  us  to  proceed  with  the  proofs  as  rapidly  and 
effectually  as  we  have  thus  far  done,  aud  relieve  the  witnesses  from  all  anxiety  in  regard  to 
the  threats,  personal  or  official,  of  those  whose  crimes  may  be  exposed. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  sir,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

JOHN  JAY, 
President  Union  League  Club,  and  member  of  Special  Committee  on  Election  Frauds. 
Hon.  William  Lawrence, 

Chairman  of  the.  Congressional  Committee 

to  investigate  the  alleged  frauds  in  the  New  York  election. 
Rooms  of  the  Congressional  Committee  on  Alleged  Election  Frauds 

in  New  York,  No.  41  Chambers  street, 

JS'ew  York,  January  13,  1869. 
Dear  Sir  :  Your  communication  of  the  8th  inst.  was  duly  received,  and  I  at  once  addressed  a 
note  to  Mr.  Dawes,  a  member  of  this  committee  then  in  Washington,  calling  his  attention  to  the 
facts  in  your  letter  contained.  I  did  not  indicate  what  action  should  be  taken  by  the  House 
on  the  subject,  as  I  had  no  doubt  Mr.  Dawes  would  deem  it  advisable  to  present  the  matter 
to  the  House,  which  would  take  such  notice  thereof  as  to  it  should  seem  right  and  proper. 
I  did, however,  take  occasion  to  contradict  some  of  the  statements  published  in  the  World, 
or  Sunday  last,  especially  those  purporting  to  be  made  by  Sheriff  O'Brien;  and  have  since 
taken  testimony  before  the  committee  respecting  the  arrests  made  by  that  officer  of  persons 
summoned  to  testify  before  our  committee,  which  evidence  will  show  the  facts  more  fully 
than  they  could  otherwise  be  ascertained. 

I  have  since  directed  a  summons  to  issue  from  this  committee  requiring  Deputy  Sherifl 
Moore  to  appear  and  testify,  it  having  been  alleged  that  he  had  arrested  a  witness  summoned 
to  testify  before  this  committee.  This  summons  our  messenger  reports  as  served  upon  Moore 
in  person,  but  as  yet  that  individual  has  failed  to  respond  to  the  process.  Having  waited 
thus  long  for  him  to  obey  the  summons  of  the  committee,  I  have  directed  Mr.  Davenport, 
our  clerk,  to  forward  to  the  Hon.  Henry  L.  Dawes  a  copy  of  the  letter  I  had  the  honor  to 
receive  iroin  you,  aud  to  bring  to  Mr.  Dawes  attention  the  testimony  taken  relative  to  the 
matter. 

Very  respectfully  yours,  WILLIAM  LAWRENCE, 

Chairman  Committee. 
Hon.  John  Jay.  President  Union  League  Club,  N.  Y. 

On  motion  the  committee  adjourned  to  meet  to-morrow  at  the  same 
place  at  10  o'clock,  a.  m. 


170  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN   NEW    YORK. 

New  York,  January  14.  180!). 

The,  committee  met  pursuant  to  adjournment. 

Present:  Tbe Chairman  and  Mr.  Bobs. 

The  following  witnesses  were  examined:  Marcus  O.Stanley,  Henry 
E.  Sweetzer,  (recalled,)  John  J.  Mullen,  John  II.  White,  (recalled!) 
John  B.  Brady,  Win.  Ward,  (recalled,)  John  Morton,  jr.,  Meyer  J. 
Newmark,  M.  B.  Leverson,  (recalled,)  Win.  Davidson,  John  II.  MeCunn, 
(recalled,)  Geo.  F.  Ilalhun,  Victor  Bishop,  Tenence  Foley,  Win.  II 
Bogert,  (recalled,)  T.  P.  Tapper,  James  Collins,  and  Kdward  Hogan. 

By  agreement  the  committee  at  5.30  p.  m.,  adjourned  to  meet  on  the 
call  of  the  chairman. 

Washington,  D.  C,  Jan  nan/  25,  1869. 

The  committee  met,  pursuant  to  a  call  of  the  chairman,  in  the  room 
of  the  Judiciary  Committee  of  the  House  of  Bepresentatives,  at  10 
o'clock  this  day. 

Present:  The  Chairman,  Messrs.  Blair,  Hopkins,  Kerr,  and  Ross. 

The  following  witnesses  were  examined  :  Christopher  Callan,  (recalled :) 
Howard  T.  Marston,  (recalled j)  John  I.  Davenport,  (recalled;)  and  Sand. 
J.  Glassey,  (recalled.) 

The  question  as  to  what  action  should  be  taken  by  the  committee  in 
the  cases  of  Deputy  Sheriff  Moore,  Henry  Johnson,  and  John  McClusky, 
guilty  of  a  contempt  in  refusing  to  appear  before  the  committee  in  New 
York,  as  required  by  the  respective  subpoenas,  duly  served  upon  each, 
being  brought  up  by  the  chairman  for  decision  ;  together  with  the  case 
of  Florence  Scanneil,  who  refused  to  answer  questions  put  to  him  when 
under  examination,  it  was  moved  and  seconded  that  the  chairman  be, 
and  hereby  is,  directed  to  report  each  of  said  cases  to  the  House  of  Rep- 
resentatives and  ask  the  order  of  tin1  House  for  their  arrest.  The  motion 
being' before  the  committee,  Mr.  Ross  demaded  the  yeas  and  nays,  and 
the  roll  being  called,  the  vote  was  reported  by  the  clerk,  as  follows: 
Yeas — The  Chairman,  Messrs.  Blair,  and  Hopkins.  Nays — Messrs.  Kerr 
and  Boss. 

The  motion  was  declared  to  be  carried,  and  the  committee  adjourned 
to  meet  at  the  call  of  the  chairman. 

Washington,  D.  C,  January  '21,  1869. 

The  committee  met,  pursuant  to  the  call  of  the  chairman,  in  the 
library  of  the  House  of  Bepresentatives,  at  3.30  p.  ra.  this  day. 

Present:  The  Chairman  and  Mr.  Boss. 

By  agreement,  the  examination  of  Abraham  Voorhees  (recalled)  was 
proceeded  with,  at  the  close  of  which  the  committee  adjourned,  subject 
to  the  call  of  the  chairman. 

Washington,  D.  C,  January  29,  1860. 

The  committee  met,  pursuant  to  a  call  of  the  chairman,  in  the  room 
of  the  Judiciary  Committee  of  the  House  of  Bepresentatives,  at  4.40  p. 
m.  this  day. 

Present :  The  Chairman,  Messrs.  Dawes,  Blair,  Kerr,  and  Boss. 

On  motion  of  the  chairman,  it  was  ordered  that  Messrs.  Blair  and 
Boss  be,  and  hereby  are,  constituted  a  sub-committee  of  this  committee, 
having  the  same  power  with  this  committee,  to  hold  sessions  in  the 
counties  of  New  York  and  Orange,  in  the  State  of  New  York.  By 
agreement,  the  same  understanding  was  had  in  reference  to  the  vote  ol 
Mr.  Blair  counting  as  two  against  the  vote  of  Mr.  Boss  as  was  arrived 
at  in  New  York  January  5. 

John  McClusky,  of  New  York,  was  examined  as  a  witness,  after  which 
the  committee  adjourned,  subject  to  the  call  of  the  chairman. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  171 

Washington,  D.  C,  February  1,  18G9. 

The  committee,  pursuant  to  a  call  of  the  chairman,  met  in  the  room  of 
the  Judiciary  Committee  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  at  4.30  p.  m. 
this  day. 

Present:  The  Chairman,  Messrs.  Dawes,  Dickey,  and  Kerr. 

The  following-  named  witnesses  were  recalled  and  examined:  Joseph 
Meeks  and  Adam  Gillespie.  The  committee  then  adjourned  at  the  call 
of  the  chairman. 

Washington,  D.  C,  February  3,  18C9. 

The  committee  met,  pursuant  to  a  call  of  the  chairman,  at  4.30  p.  in. 
this  day  in  the  room  of  the  Committee  on  Foreign  Relations  of  the 
House  of  Representatives. 

Present:  The  Chairman  and  Messrs.  Dawes,  Dickey,  Hopkins,  and  Kerr. 

The  Sergeant  at  arms  of  the  House  ot  Representatives  presented  him- 
self with  the  witness,  Henry  Johnson,  arrested  by  him  upon  the  order 
of  the  House  for  a  contempt  in  reiusing  to  appear  before  the  committee 
when  in  New  York. 

The  examination  of  Mr.  Johnson  was  proceeded  with,  and  at  its  close 
the  following  resolution,  offered  by  Mr.  Dawes,  was  unanimously 
adopted : 

Resolved,  That  the  chairman  of  this  committee  be,  and  hereby  is,  in- 
structed to  report  to  the  House  of  Representatives  in  the  case  of  the 
witness  Henry  Johnson,  that  said  Johnson  has  appeared  before  this  com- 
mittee and  testified;  that  there  seems  to  have  existed  in  the  mind  of 
the  witness  a  misunderstanding,  arising  from  a  conversation  between 
himself  and  the  officer  as  to  the  time  and  place  of  meeting;  that  it  does 
not  appear  that  the  witness  intended  to  be  guilty  of  any  contempt  to 
this  committee  or  the  House  of  Representatives,  and  therefore  that  he 
be  discharged  from  custody  and  paid  his  lees  as  a  witness. 

John  B.  Mclvean  was  then  recalled  and  examined,  alter  which  the 
committee  adjourned  until  to-morrow  morning  (February  4th)  at  10 
o'clock  a.  in. 

Washington,  D.  C,  February,  4,  18G0. 

The  committee  met,  pursuant  to  adjournment,  in  the  room  of  the 
Committee  on  Public  Lands  of  the  House  of  Representatives. 

Present:  The  Chairman,  Messrs.  Dawes,  Dickey,  Hopkins,  and  Kerr. 

The  following  witnesses  were  recalled  and  examined  :  John  A.  Thomp- 
son, E.  B.  Heath,  Florence  Scannell,  [this  witness  appeared  in  the 
custody  of  the  Sergeant  at-arms  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  hav- 
ing been  arrested  by  him  upon  the  order  of  the  House  for  refusing,  when* 
before  the  committee  in  New  York,  to  answer  certain  questions  pro- 
pounded to  him,]  and  John  I.  Davenport. 

A  resolution,  given  below,  was  offered  by  Mr.  Dawes  relative  to  the 
witness  Florence  Scannell,  and  was  adopted  by  the  following  vote: 
Yeas — The  Chairman,  Messrs.  Dawes,  Dickey,  and  Hopkins.  Nay — Mr. 
Kerr. 

Resolved,  That  the  chairman  of  this  committee  be,  and  hereby  is, 
instructed  to  report  to  the  House  of  Representatives  in  the  matter  of  the 
witness  Florence  Scannell,  that  said  Scannell  has  again  appeared  before 
this  committee  this  morning,  but  has  in  no  sense  given  any  good  or  sat- 
isfactory reasons  for  his  refusal  to  answer  the  questions  propounded  to 
him  by  this  committee,  and  therefore,  in  the  opinion  of  this  committee, 
said  Florence  Scannell  should  be  obliged  to  pay  the  costs  of  his  arrest, 
and  upon  such  payment  be  discharged  from  arrest. 

The  committee  then  adjourned,  subject  to  the  call  of  the  chairman. 


172  ELECTION    FRAUDS   IN   NEW   YORK. 

Washington,  D.  C,  February  5,  I860. 

The  committee  met,  pursuant  to  a  call  of  the  chairman,  in  the  cloak- 
room of  the  House  of  Representatives, 

Present :  The  Chairman,  Messrs.  Dawes,  Dickey,  Hopkins,  and  Kerr. 

On  motion,  it  was  ordered  that  the  chairman  have  authority  to  appoint, 
under  the  resolution  of  the  House  of  February  1,  such  additional  clerical 
force  as  he  may  deem  necessary  to  make,  prepare,  and  complete  a  per- 
fect and  accurate  list  of  the  names  and  residences  of  the  applicants  for 
naturalization  in  the  supreme  and  superior  courts  of  New  York  city, 
together  with  the  names  and  residences  of  the  witnesses  and  the  d;ite 
of  the  applications.  The  chairman  thereupon  addressed  a  note  to  John 
I.  Davenport,  clerk  of  the  committee,  then  in  New  York  city,  directing 
him  to  proceed  at  once  to  have  the  lists  required  by  the  above  resolution 
made,  and,  as  he  was  on  the  spot,  to  select  such  persons  as  lie  deemed 
most  competent  to  perform  the  requisite  duties,  giving  preference  to 
attorneys  and  counsellors  at  law — officers  of  the  courts. 

The  committee  adjourned,  subject  to  the  call  of  the  chairman. 

Washington,  D.  C,  February  !>,  1S(><). 

The  committee  met,  pursuant  to  a  call  of  the  chairman,  in  the  room  of 
the  Committee  on  Indian  Affairs  of  the  House  of  Representatives. 

Present:  The  Chairman,  Messrs.  Dawes,  Blair,  Hopkins,  Kerr,  and 
Ross. 

Mr.  Blair  stated  to  the  committee  certain  facts  which  had  transpired 
before  the  subcommittee,  of  which  he  and  Mr.  Boss  were  members,  at  a 
session  held  by  them  at  the  Astor  House  in  New  York,  on  the  (Jth  of 
February,  in  connection  with  a  contempt  of  Charles  B.  Loew,  county 
clerk,  of  New  York,  in  refusing  to  bring  before  the  said  sub-committee, 
in  accordance  with  the  terms  of  a  subpoena  duces  tecum,  duly  served 
upon  him,  the  applications  for  naturalization  made  to  the  supreme  court 
in  the  first  judicial  district  in  New  York,  for  the  21st  and  23d  days  of 
October,  1868,  which  applications  were  desired  to  enable  John  McClusky 
and  Theodore  Taylor  to  select  therefrom  some  fifty  which  they  had  pre- 
pared in  the  names  of  fictitious  applicants  and  witnesses,  and  upon 
which  McClusky  obtained  from  John  B.  McKean,  clerk  of  Tart  1  supreme 
court,  an  equal  number  of  certificates  of  naturalization  in  the  names  of 
said  fictitious  applicants  and  without  the  presence  in  court  of  a  single  person 
representing  either  applicant  or  witness. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  Dawes,  seconded  by  Mr.  Kerr,  it  was  unanimously 

Resolved,  That  the  chairman  of  this  committee  write  a  letter  at  once  to 
Charles  E.  Loew,  directing  him  to  appear  in  Washington  before  this 
committee,  and  bring  with  him  said  applications  for  the  said  21st  and  23d 
days  of  October,  1868. 

The  chairman  then  laid  before  the  committee  the  bills  of  the  official 
reporter  of  the  House  of  Representatives  for  expenses  of  phonograph- 
ers  while  in  attendance  upon  the  committee  and  its  several  sub-commit- 
tees. On  motion  of  Mr.  Kerr,  seconded  by  Mr.  Dawes,  it  was  unani- 
mously agreed  and  ordered  that  the  rerjorters  should  be  paid  a  per  diem 
of  six  dollars  for  their  expenses,  and  10  cents  per  mile  mileage. 

The  committee  then  adjourned  subject  to  the  call  of  the  chairman. 

Washington,  D.  C,  February  1.3,  1SG0. 
The  committee  met  pursuant  to  a  call  of  the  chairman  in  the  room  of 
the  Committee  on  Indian  Affairs  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  at  11 
o'clock  a.  m.    All  the  members  present. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  173 

John  T.  Davenport  was  recalled,  and  put  in  evidence  the  correspond- 
ence by  mail  and  telegraph  between  the  chairman  and  Charles  E.  Loew 
of  New  York.  Howard  T.  Marstoii  was  recalled  and  examined  as  to  the 
condition  of  the  applications  for  naturalization  in  the  supreme  court  at 
the  time  of  his  inspection  and  examination  thereof.  Mr.  Davenport 
was  again  recalled,  after  which  Mr.  Kerr  moved  that  the  minority  of  the 
committee  have  a  clerk  allowed  them  to  assist  in  the  preparation  of  their 
views.    Carried  unanimously. 

Mr.  Kerr  moved  that  the  sub-committee  of  this  committee  return  to 
^Tew  York  and  make  the  examination  there  of  the  applications  for  natu- 
ralization desired,  and  take  such  testimony  as  may  be  offered  and  sub- 
mitted to  it. 

Mr.  Dawes  offered  the  following  as  an  amendment :  That  the  chairman 
of  this  committee  write  to  Mr.  Loew  that  the  committee  has  again  had 
under  consideration  the  matter  of  his  refusal  to  bring  before  it  the 
papers  desired,  and  while  it  desires  no  conflict  of  authority,  it  deems  it 
to  be  its  duty  after  all  that  has  transpired  to  require  him  to  appear  here 
with  the  papers  on  or  before  Tuesday  next,  February  10. 

At  the  request  of  Messrs.  Kerr  and  Eoss,  Mr.  Dawes  subsequently 
withdrew  his  amendment  to  the  motion  of  Mr.  Kerr  until  the  question 
as  to  whether  any  further  testimony  should  be  taken  in  Xew  York 
should  be  decided,  and  Mr.  Ross  offered  the  following  as  a  substitute  for 
the  motion  of  Mr.  Kerr :  that  this  committee  or  a  sub-committee  thereof 
hold  a  session  in  Xew  York  city  on  Tuesday  next.  A  vote  being  taken 
upon  the  substitute  of  Mr.  Eoss,  it  was  lost.     Y"eas,  2  ;  nays,  5. 

Mr.  Dawes  then  renewed  the  motion  previous^  offered  by  him, 
and  given  above,  and  a  vote  being  taken  the  same  was  declared  to  be 
carried.    Y'eas,  5 ;  nays,  2. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  Hopkins  the  chairman  was  also  instructed,  for  the 
purpose  of  avoiding  any  semblance  of  irregularity  or  question  of  an 
thority,  to  have  Mr.  Loew  served  with  another  subpoena  duces  tecum, 
requiring  his  presence  with  the  papers  before  the  committee  in  this  city. 
The  chairman,  thereupon,  prepared  and  sent  to  Mr.  Loew  by  mail  the 
following : 

Fortieth  Congress,  U.  S., 
Washington,  D.  C,  February  13,  J 869. 
Sir  :  I  am  directed  by  the  select  committee  of  this  house  appointed,  to  examine  into  alleged 
frauds  committed  at  the  late  presidential  election  in  the  State  of  New  York,  to  address  you 
this  note,  and  say,  that  said  committee  have  this  day  had   again  under  consideration  the 
matter  of  your  non-appearance  before  it  with  the  naturalization  applications  of  the  21st  and 
23d  days  of  October  last,  as  required  by  the  subpoena  served  upon  you  in  New  York  last  Satur- 
day, and  its  subsequent  request  as  made  to  you  by  me  both  by  letter  and  telegram  during 
this  week,  and  that  while  it  desires  no  conflict  of  authority  should  arise,  it  must  and  does 
require  and  insist  that  you  shall  appear  before  it  in  this  city  by  or  before  1*2  m.  (noon)  of 
Tuesday  next,  February  16,  and  that  you  bring  icith  you  the  p  ipers  aforementioned. 
Respectfully  yours, 

WM.  LAWRENCE, 

Chairman  of  Committee. 
Chas.  E.  Loew,  Esq., 

County  Clerk,  New  York. 

The  clerk  also  sent  to  New  York  a  properly  prepared  subpoena  with 
instructions  that  the  same  be  served  upon  Mr.  Loew  in  person.  He  was 
not  found  in  ^ew  York,  however,  and  therefore  no  service  was  obtained 
there. 

The  chairman  presented  each  member  of  the  committee  a  copy  of  his 
report,  so  far  as  the  same  was  in  type,  whereupon  the  committee,  on  mo- 
tion, adjourned  to  meet  at  the  call  of  the  chairman. 


174  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

Washington  D.  C.,  February  17,  L869. 

The  committee  met  pursuant  to  a  call  of  the  chair  in  the  room  of  the 
Committee  on  Indian  Affairs  of  the  Mouse  of  Representatives,  at  10 
o'clock  a.  m.,  this  day.     All  the  members  present. 

Charles  B.  Loew  and  Edwin  M.  Plumb  were  recalled  and  examined. 
Mr.  Loew  was  directed  to  remain  in  the  city  and  await  the  action  of  the 
committee  in  his  case,  he  having  refused  to  bring  before  the  committee 
the  papers  required. 

On  motion  the  committee  adjourned  to  to-morrow,  February  18,  I860,  to 
meet  in  the  cloak-room  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  on  call  of  the 
chairman. 

Washington,  D.  C,  February  18,  ISO!). 
The  committee  met  pursuant  to  the  order  of  adjournment  at  3.30  p.  m. 
All  the  members  present  but  Mr.  Ross.  John  1.  Davenport  testified  as 
to  certain  despatches  sent  by  the  chairman  and  himself  as  the  clerk  of 
the  committee  to  Mr.  Loew  or  his  deputy,  which  despatches  will  be  found 
in  his  testimony.  Mr.  Charles  B.  Loew  then  certified  to  the  handwriting 
of  a  communication  put  in  evidence  by  Mr.  Davenport  and  signed  Henry 
A.  Gumbleton,  assistant  deputy  clerk,  whereupon  the  chairman,  by 
instruction  of  the  committee,  handed  to  Mr.  Loew  the  following  commu- 
nication : 

House  of  Representatives,  Washington,  D.  C,  February  18,  1869. 
SlR:  The  committee  on  alleged  New  York  election  frauds  d'ner.ts  me  to  say  rlmt  it  insists 
upon  the  production  by  you  of  the  paper*  required  by  its  Niibpaetia;  but  that  for  any 
purpose  other  than  this,  your  presence,  is  not  now  required.  The  future  action  of  the  com- 
mittee, if  you  persist,  in  refusing  to  obey  its  summons,  will  depeud  upon  the  business  before 
the  house. 

Very  respectfully,  yours, 

\VM.  LAWRENCE,  Chairman  Committee. 
Charles  E.  Lomv,  Esq. 

The  committee  then  adjourned,  subject  to  the  call  of  the  chairman. 

Washington,  D.  C,  February  20,  1869. 
A  meeting  of  the  committee  was  held  in  the  cloak-room  of  the  House  of 
Representatives  pursuant  to  a.  call  of  the  chairman  at  4.30  o'clock  p.  in. 
All  the  members  present.  Additional  copies  of*  the  report  of  the  com- 
mittee were  furnished  the  members  by  the  chairman,  and  the  recom- 
mendations and  remedies  proposed  were  discussed.  The  chairman 
requested  leave  to  report  on  M  md  iv,  the  22d.  Mr.  Kerr  moved  that 
the  repart  of  the  committee  be  n  >t  in  ide  to  the  House  until  Wednesday, 
the  24fck.  After  much  discnssioii,  it  was  unanimously  agreed  to  defer  a 
decision  up.) a  this  subjeet  until  Mjnday,  February  22,  at  10.30  a.  m., 
until  which  hour,  at  the  same  piaee,  the  meeting1  adjourned. 

Washington,  D.  C,  February  22,  1860. 
The  committee  met  pursuant  to  adjournment.  All  the  members 
present  but  Mr.  lioss.  Mr.  Diwes  moved  that  the  chairman  have  leave 
to  submit  his  report  at  such  time  after  to-day  as  he  should  desire.  Mr. 
Kerr  moved  to  amend  by  striking  out  all  after  the  word  "report"  and 
inserting  the  words  uon  Wednesday  next."  The  amendment  of  Mr. 
Kerr  being  submitted,  was  lost.  The  motion  of  Mr.  Dawes  was  then 
put  and  carried.  Mr.  Hopkins  moved  that  the  chairman  be  at  liberty, 
from  and  after  this  hour,  to  deliver  to  the  press  copies  of  the  report 
with  the  pledge,  and  upon  the  understanding  that  it  should  not  be  pub- 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  175 

lished  until  submitted  to  the  House,  and  that  the  minority  have  the 
same  privilege  in  the  matter  of  their  views.     Carried. 

John  I.  Davenport  was  recalled  and  examined. 

On  motion  the  committee  adjourned  subject  to  the  call  of  the  chairman. 

Washington,  D.  C,  February  24,  18G9. 

The  committee  met  pursuant  to  a  call  of  the  chairman,  in  the  room  of 
the  Committee  on  Indian  Affairs  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  at  10 
o'clock  a.  m. 

Present :  The  Chairman,  Messrs.  Blair,  Hopkins,  and  Ross. 

Mr.  John  H.  Bell  appeared  in  the  custody  of  the  Sergeant-at-arms, 
having  been  arrested  by  order  of  the  House  for  contempt  in  refusing  to 
answer  questions  put  him  by  the  sub  committee  when  in  Orange  county. 

During  his  cross-examination  by  Mr.  Ross,  the  following  question  was 
propounded: 

Q.  .State  whether  ynu  are  satisfied  that,  vou  f.nuld  th  mi  or  can  now  furnish  evidence  to  the 
commi  tee  showing  the  republican  party  guilty  of  frauds  in  the  election  of  last  November  in 
New  York. 

Mr.  Blair  objected  to  the  form  of  the  question,  in  that  it  did  not  ask 
the  witness  t;>  state  any  fact  or  facts  within  his  personal  knowledge. 

The  chairman  submitted  the  question  to  the  committee  for  its  decision, 
and  Mr.  Ross  demanded  the  yeas  and  nays.  The  roll  being  called  by 
the  clerk,  Messrs.  Rosa  and  Hopkins  voted  that  the  question  be  put,  and 
the  Chairman  and  Mr.  Blair  opposed.  Before  the  result  of  the  vote  was 
announced  Mr.  Dawes  entered,  and  the  question  being  read  to  him  by 
the  reporter  he  voted  no,  suggesting  the  propounding  of  the  question  in 
the  following  manner: 

Q.  If  ton  ki  iw  nf  any  fact  within  your  knowledge  that  will  go  to  show  that  the  repub- 
lican party  in  t\w  Si  ate  of  New  York  was  engaged  in  or  guilty  of  any  fraud  in  the  election 
of  last  N'tvt'inix-r.  state  it. 

Mr.  Ross  objected  to  the  question  proposed  by  Mr.  Dawes  being  put 
to  the  witness.  The  question  being  submitted,  it  was  decided  unani- 
mously to  allow  Mr.  Dawes  to  ask  it. 

Mr.  Kerr  and  Mr.  Dickey  appeared;  and  the  examination  of  Mr.  Bell 
being  concluded,  Mr.  David  W.  Reeve  was  brought  before  the  committee  by 
the  Sergeant-at-arms  and  examined  as  a  witness.  At  the  close  of  his 
examinatio  i  the  question  of  the  admission  of  certain  testimony,  taken 
by  Mr.  Ross  in  Orange  county  without  the  authority  of  the  committee 
or  the  presence  of  a  member  of  the  majority,  was  brought  up  by  Mi'. 
Ross  for  decision,  the  same  having  been  put  in  type.  Mr.  Dawes  there- 
upon read  certain  portions  of  the  testimony  so  taken,  which  he  consid- 
ered utterly  worthless,  being  entirely  hearsay, 

Mr.  Kerr  moved  that  all  this  testimony  be  incorporated  in  the  testi- 
mony taken  by  this  committee. 

Mr.  Dawes  moved  to  amend  as  follows:  That  the  testimony  taken 
in  this  maimer  by  Mr.  Ross  and  desired  by  him  to  be  incorporated  in 
the  evidence  taken  by  the  committee  shall  be  presented  to  the  chair- 
man of  this  committee,  and  such  thereof  as  shall  in  the  opinion  of  the 
chairman  be  legal  testimony  shall  be  incorporated  with  the  testimony 
taken  by  this  committee. 

A  vote  being  taken  by  yeas  and  nays  on  the  demand  of  Mr.  Ross,  the 
amendment  of  Mr.  Dawes  and  the  resolution  as  so  amended  were 
adopted:  Yeas— The  Chairman,  Messrs.  Dawes,  Dickey,  Blair,  and 
Hopkins.     Kays— Messrs.  Kerr  and  Ross. 

Mr.  Ross  then  presented  all  the  testimony  taken  by  him. 

Mr.  Blair  moved  that  the  witness  Bell  be  discharged  from  custody  on 
the  payment  of  the  costs  of  his  arrest. 


176  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

Mr.  Kerr  moved  to  amend  by  striking  out  the  words  '-on  the  payment 
of  the  costs  of  his  arrest/7 

The  question  being  submitted  the  amendment  of  Mr.  Ken-  was  lost- 
yeas,  2;  nays,  5.     The  motion  of  Mr.  Blair  was  then  adopted. 

.Mr.  Dawes  moved  that  the  witness  David  W.  Reeve  be  discharged  from 
custody.     Carried  unanimously. 

The  chairman  decided  to  permit  the  incorporation  in  the  testimony  of 
all  the  evidence  taken  by  Mr.  Ross. 

On  motion,  the  committee  adjourned  subject  to  the  call  of  the  chair- 
man. 


JOURNAL  OF  THE  SEVERAL  SUB-COMMITTEES  OF  THE  SELECT  COMMITTEE 
ON  NEW  YORK  ELECTION  FRAUDS. 

Mr.  Dickey,  of  the  sub-committee  appointed  and  acting  under  the 
resolutions  and  orders  of  the  committee  of  January  5  and  12,  took  tes- 
timony at  the  following  named  places  and  dates,  and  examined  the 
witnesses  below  mentioned: 

PeeksTcilL  Westchester county ',  January  L2,  L869. — Hugh  McKee, Timothy 
Duyer,  William  Coul,  Mitchell  Laird,  Charles  Snyder,  Adam  Horsfelt, 
Bernard  S.  Kelly. 

Kingston,  Ulster  county,  January  IS,  1869. — Andrew  E.  J.  Ansen,  Reuben 
Bernard,  James  L.  Bostwick. 

Rondout,  Ulster  county,  January  14,  1809. — Patrick  M.  Haggerty. 

Troy,  New  York,  January  14,  1869. — George  R.  Olney,  Oliver  Burke, 
Irwing  Jlayner,  James  P.  Butler,  John  D.  B.  Smith,  Thomas  Neany. 

Rochester,  Neiv  York,  January  15,  1869. — Joseph  L.  Lucky,  -Jerome 
Fuller,  Joseph  L.  Lucky,  (recalled,)  Calvin  Knowles,  Anthony  Biser, 
James  B.  Adams,  William  8.  Foster. 

Messrs.  Blair  and  Ross,  of  the  sub-committee  appointed  and  acting 
under  the  resolutions  and  orders  of  the  committee  of  January  29,  ISO!), 
took  testimony  at  the  following  named  places  and  dates,  and  examined 
the  witnesses  below  mentioned  : 

Middletoicn,  Orange  county,  N.  Y.,  February  1,  1869. — John  Flynn, 
William  P.  Clark,  John  J.  Bradley,  Michael  Riordan,  Christian  Borcold, 
John  Hauley,  Patrick  Hanley,  Patrick  Powers,  Edmund  Powers,  Charles 
Hoyt,  Pat.  Cameron,  George  Smith,  D.  P.  Quackenbush,  Daniel  Driscoll, 
John  O'Donovan,  John  H.  Bell,  Patrick  Roland,  Cornelius  Gillespie, 
Luke  Burns,  Henry  Behme,  Peter  Ennis,  D.  B.  Irwin,  Lewis  Clark,  Pat- 
rick Bradley,  Edward  Hackett,  Michael  Mahoney,  Nathan  J.  Miller. 

Port  Jervis,  Orange  county,  N.  Y.,  February  2,  ISC/,). — Lewis  E.  Carr, 
Patrick  Kelley,  Owen  Bouhen,  John  McGuyen,  James  Gilmarton,  Rich- 
ard Tracy,  Burton  Breu,  T.  R.  Broadhead,  John  Green,  George  Broad- 
head,  Solomon  Van  Elon,  Mr.  St.  John,  George  W.  Stuttle,  Wilmot  M. 
Vail,  George  F.  Vinall. 

Montgomery,  Orange  county,  N.  Y.,  February  3,  1869. — John  McKee, 
William  Carroll,  William  McKeal,  Anthony  Donnegan,  William  Titus. 

Hamptonburg,  Orange  county,  V.  Y.,  February  2,  1869. — Thomas  Ellis, 
Richard  Levi,  Thomas  Moore,  Robert  Unswarth,  James  H.  Jackson,  Vir- 
gil Christ,  James  H.  Lynn. 

Newburgh,  Orange  county,  V.  Y.,  February  4,1869. — Joseph  S.  Ashurst, 
Charles  Janicky,  Patrick  O'Brien,  Charles  Repp,  Samuel  Kirk,  Edmund 
Cartter,  Nicholas  Wilson,  Michael  Farrar,  Wenddelin  Kneer,  Richard 
Peele,  Joseph  Martin,  Martin  Smith,  Patrick  O'Brien,  John  Ashurst, 
Frank  B.  Dixon,  Thomas  Casey,  Thomas  Crook,  John  Meagher,  Patrick 
O'Brien,  John  Coyle,  John  Cumberlarge,  Edward  S.  Braidy. 


ELECTION    FEAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  177 

Goshen,  Orange  county,  February  4,  1869. — Theodore  W.  Ludlow, 
Thomas  Kane. 

Same  place,  February  5,  1869. — Patrick  Dunn,  E.  H.  House,  James 
Connell,  Michael  Burke,  Patrick  Ford,  Dennis  O'Brien,  Nelson  Owen, 
C.  G.  Elliott,  H.  Y.  D.  Hoyt,  M.  0.  Stivers,  Charles  S.  Deming,  and  Seth 
K.  Robinson. 

Mr.  Eoss,  of  the  above  sub-committee,  without  the  presence  of  his  col- 
league, and  without  any  authority,  employed  a  stenographer,  and  on  Feb- 
ruary 2, 1869,  the  day  "following  the  adjournment  of  the  sub-committee 
at  Middletown,  visited  that  place  and  examined  the  following  named  wit- 
nesses :  John  Hirst,  Edward  Southwell,  Patrick  Tyrsee,  William  J.  South- 
well, George  Egleston,  Reuben  0.  Miller,  Chauncey  Garrison,  Joseph 
John-son,  (colored,)  George  Briggs,  James  Fitz  Gibbon,  Thomas  Butcher, 
Walter  L.  McCord,  Jarvis  R.  Wood,  Joseph  Eith. 

Xew  York  City,  February  6,  1869. 

The  sub-committee  held  a  session  at  the  Astor  House,  in  this  city,  this 
day,  meeting  at  10  o'clock  a.  m.     Present:  Messrs.  Blair  and  Ross. 

The  following  witnesses  were  examined:  Samuel  B.  Garvin,  James 
Kealey,  Charles  Buddington,  George  Bliss,  jr.,  James  Golden,  Peter 
Hussey,  Charles  Nettleton,  Frederick  Tichen,  Terrence  Mowney,  H.  M. 
Clapp,  Jerry  Murphy,  John  Black,  Theodore  Allen,  Joseph  K.  Russell, 
Joseph  Casey,  John  McClusky,  Lawrence  Bommer,  A.  Yorhees,  Dennis 
McLaughlin,  John  Dillon,  August  Browning,  Theodore  Taylor,  John 
McClusky,  (recalled,)  George  H.  Dunbar,  David  F.  Crouley,  Charles  S. 
Strong,  James  Dunphy,  John  H.  McCunn,  (recalled.) 

The  following  is  the  action  of  the  House  of  Representatives  on  the 
several  resolutions  reported  by  the  committee,  and  is  inserted  for  infor- 
mation : 

[From  the  Globe.  January  30,  1869.] 

In  the  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United  States, 

January  28,  1869. 

NEW  YORK  ELECTION  FRAUDS. 

Mr.  Lawrence,  of  Ohio,  from  the  Select  Committee  on  New  York  Election  Frauds, 
reported  the  following  resolution,  on  which  he  demanded  the  previous  question: 

Resolved,  That  the  Sergeant-at-arms  of  this  House  be,  and  the  same  is  hereby,  directed  to  arrest  and  bring 
before  this  house  Henry  Johnson,  to  answer  as  for  a  contempt  in  refusing  to  appear  before  the  committee  of 
this  house  appointed  to  investigate  alleged  frauds  in  the  late  election  in  the  State  of  New  York  in  pursuance 
of  a  subpoena  duly  is-sued  and  served  on  said  Johnson  on  the  13th  of  January,  requiring  him  to  appear  and 
testify  before  said  committee  on  that  day;  and  that  a  warrant  be  issued  by  the  Speaker  of  this  house  to  the 
Sergeant-at-arms,  commanding  him  or  his  special  messenger  to  arrest  said  Johnson  and  bring  him  before  this 
house  accordingly,  and  to  abide  the  order  and  judgment  of  this  house. 

Mr.  Robinson.  I  rise  to  make  a  motion  which  takes  precedence.  I  move  that  the  House 
do  now  adjourn. 

The  Speaker.  The  question  will  be  upon  taking  a  recess,  as  the  House  has  ordered  an 
evening  session. 

The  motion  was  agreed  to. 

[From  the  Globe,  January  30,  1859.] 

In  the  House  of  Representatives, 

January  29,  1869. 
RECUSANT  WITNESS— HENRY  JOHNSON. 

The  House  resumed  the  consideration  of  the  following  resolution,  pending  at  the  close  of 
the  afternoon  session  of  yesterday  : 

Resolved,  That  the  Sergeant-at-arms  of  this  house  be,  and  the  same  is  hereby  directed  to  arrest  and  bring 
before  this  house  Henry  Johnson,  to  answer  as  for  a  contempt  in  refusing  to  appear  before  the  committee  of 
this  house  appointed  to  investigate  alleged  frauds  in  the  late  election  in  the  State  of  New  York  in  pursuance 
of  a  subpoena  duly  issued  and  served  on  said  Johnson  on  the  13th  of  January,  requiring  him  to  appear  and 
testify  before  said  committee  on  that  day;  and  that  a  warrant  be  issued  by  the  Speaker  of  this  house  to  the 
Sergeant-at-arms,  commanding  him  or  his  special  messenger  to  arrest  said  Johnson  and  bring  him  before  this 
house  accordingly,  and  to  abide  the  order  and  judgment  of  this  house. 

The  Speaker.  The  pending  question  is  upon  seconding  the  call  for  the  previous  question. 
Mr.  Brooks.  I  do  not  know  who  this  Johnson  is.     I  wish  the  gentleman  from  Ohio  (Mr. 
Lawrence)  would  state  to  the  House  some  reasons  for  this  resolution. 

H.  Rep.  Com.  31 12 


178  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

Mr.  Lawrence,  of  Ohio.  I  bold  in  my  hand  the  original  subpoena  which  was  served  upon 
Henr}'  Johnson  on  the  J  3th  of  January,  1869,  requiring  him  to  appear  before  the  committee 
charged  with  the  investigation  of  alleged  election  frauds  in  the  State  and  city  of  New  York, 
at  the  rooms  where  they  were  sitting  at  the  time  in  the  city  of  New  York.  He  failed  :md 
refused  to  attend.  I  am  advised  that  he  is  a  material  witness  ;  so  material  that  the  com- 
mittee have  deemed  it  proper  to  direct  me  to  report  this  resolution,  and  in  order  that  he  may 
be  brought  before  the  House  to  answer  tor  contempt  in  refusing  to  appear  and  testify  before 
that  committee : 

Mr.  Brooks.  Is  the  gentleman  from  Ohio  sure  that  there  is  such  a  person  as  Henry 
Johnson  ? 

Mr.  Lawrence,  of  Ohio.  Yes,  sir.  The  Sergeant-at-arms  has  made  a  return  that  he 
served  the  subpoena  upon  that  person. 

Mr.  Brooks.  There  are  so  many  "  tricks  upon  travellers"  perpetrated  in  New  York  that 
sometimes  persons  assume  names  to  which  they  are  not  entitled. 

Mr.  LAWRENCE,  of  Ohio.  The  witness  is  well  known  in  New  York.  lie  is  not  a  myth 
or  one  of  the  political  friends  of  the  gentleman  who  vote  under  assumed  names. 

Mr.  Wood.  I  think  the  House  ought  to  adopt  this  resolution  unanimously,  and  grant  the 
request  of  the  committee. 

Mr.  Ross.  I  would  inquire  of  the  gentleman  why  we  should  select  this  particular  indi- 
vidual out  of  the  great  number  who  neglected  to  respond  to  the  process  of  the  committee  ? 
There  were,  I  think,  fifteen  or  twenty  witnesses  subpoenaed  upon  my  motion  who  did  not 
attend,  and  among  them  was  a  telegraph  operator  by  whom  I  proposed  to  show  that  Colonel 
Wood  had  sent  word  to  a  man  named  Noble,  living  at  Elmira,  to  come  down  and  work  up 
the  case  for  the  committee.  But  I  was  not  able  to  procure  the  attendance  of  those  witnesses, 
and  I  should  be  glad  if  the  chairman  would  furnish  us  with  some  process  by  which  we  may 
be  able  to  prove  these  frauds  which  were  perpetrated  and  attempted  to  be  perpetrated  by  the 
republican  party  upon  the  elective  franchise  in  the  State  of  New  York. 

Mr.  Lawrence,  of  Ohio.  The  inquiry  of  my  colleague  on  the  committee  [Mr.  Ross]  is 
perfectly  proper.  There  were  quite  a  number  of  witnesses  who  refused  to  obey  the  process 
issued  requiring  their  attendance  before  the  committee  ;  and  the  House  of  course  understands 
very  well  that  the  committee,  as  such,  had  no  power  to  compel  their  attendance.  We  have 
selected  this  case  and  one  or  two  others  because  the  witnesses  are  deemed  very  material ;  and 
we  propose  that  they  shall  be  brought  to  the  bar  of  the  House  not  only  that  they  may  answer 
for  their  contempt,  but  that  we  may  procure  their  testimony. 

As  to  the  particular  case  alluded  to  by  my  colleague  on  the  committee,  he  ought,  I  think, 
in  fairness  to  state  that  when  this  subject  was  before  the  committee  I  said  to  him,  as  did  other 
members  of  the  committee,  that  if  he  desired  that  the  telegraph  operator  to  whom  he  has 
referred  should  be  brought  before  the  House  to  answer  for  contempt  the  committee  would 
make  an  order  directing  a  resolution  to  be  presented  for  that  purpose.  This  operator  who 
was  served  with  process  did  not  come  before  the  committee,  but  made  an  answer  that  it  was 
impossible  for  him  to  furnish  the  testimony  desired  by  the  gentleman  from  Illinois.  We 
issued  process  for  his  attendance,  and  that  was  all  the  committee  could  do.  If  the  gentle- 
man from  Illinois  will  say  now  that  he  regards  that  witness  as  material  I  will  call  the  com- 
mittee together,  and  I  think  I  can  assure  him  and  the  House  that  the  committee  will  agree  to 
report  a  resolution  requiring  that  this  witness  shall  be  brought  before  the  House.  But  the  gen- 
tleman did  not  ask  that  any  such  resolution  should  be  reported  in  that  particular  case,  and  the 
committee  have  selected  for  the  action  now  proposed  the  cases  of  those  witnesses  only  whom 
they  deem  the  most  material,  because  it  would  not  be  practicable  during  the  brief  period  left 
for  this  Congress  to  deal  with  all  the  refractory  witnesses— all  the  witnesses  who  refused  to 
appear  before  the  committee  in  answer  to  subpoenas  sent  out  for  them. 

Mr.  Ross.  I  should  be  very  glad  if  the  chairman  of  the  committee  would  insert  in  this 
resolution  the  name  of  that  telegraph  operator,  and  require  him  to  produce  the  telegram  from 
Colonel  Wood  to  Mr.  Noble,  of  Elmira,  asking  him  to  come  down  and  engage  in  working 
up  the  case. 

Mr.  Lawrence,  of  Ohio.  I  have  no  authority  to  agree  to  any  amendment,  because  this 
resolution  comes  from  the  committee  ;  but  I  say  to  the  gentleman  now  that  I  will  call  the 
committee  together  at  any  time  he  desires  to  take  into  consideration  the  case  of  any  refrac- 
tory witnesses  whom  he  may  wish  to  bring  before  us. 

I  ought,  perhaps,  to  make  a  single  additional  remark.  The  gentleman  has  said,  as  I 
xmderstood  him,  that  he  desired  to  take  some  proof  as  to  republican  frauds  in  the  city  of 
New  York.  I  am  not  surprised  that  he  desires  such  proof.  No  such  proof  has  yet  been 
made  before  the  committee.  If  there  have  been  frauds  of  that  character  I  should  be  glad  to 
have  them  proved,  because  this  committee  was  charged  with  the  duty  of  investigating 
frauds  irrespective  of  party ;  and  the  amplest  opportunity  has  been  given  to  the  minority  of 
the  committee  and  to  all  interested  to  present  proof  of  frauds  of  every  description. 

Mr.  Ross.  I  did  not  suppose  my  colleague  on  the  committee  would  give  a  statement  of 
all  the  testimony  that  we  have  had  before  us. 

Mr.  Lawrence,  of  Ohio.  No,  sir ;  I  state  nothing  as  to  the  testimony  before  the  committee. 

Mr.  Ross.  So  far  from  it  being  the  fact  that  no  republican  frauds  have  been  proved,  my 
recollection  is  that  such  frauds  have  been  proved  very  largely,  and  that  there  were  20  or  30 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  179 

witnesses  waiting  to  prove  that  they  had  "  repeated  "  for  the  republican  party  in  New  York, 
when  the  committee,  decided  to  receive  no  more  of  that  class  of  testimony. 

Mr.  Laurence,  of  Ohio.     I  yield  to  the  gentleman  from  Indiana,  [Mr.  Kerr] 

Mr.  KERR.  Mr.  Speaker,  I  think  it  my  duty,  after  the  remarks  of  the  gentleman  from 
Ohio,  [Mr.  Lawrence,]  my  colleague  on  the  committee,  to  say  to  the  House  that,  according 
to  my  recollection,  in  which  I  am  as  clear  as  it  is  possible  for  a  man  to  be,  the  statement 
which  he  has  just  made  in  reference  to  there  being  no  proof  of  fraud  practised  in  the  late 
election  in  New  York  by  the  republican  party,  or  any  of  their  agents  or  friends,  is  not  true. 
The  very  contrary  is  true — most  emphatically  true  !  I  am  surprised,  Mr.  Speaker,  to  have 
heard  such  a  statement  from  my  colleague,  and  I  submit  further  that  it  was  uncalled  for  by 
anything  which  has  transpired  in  connection  with  his  resolution. 

I  make  no  objection  to  that  resolution,  provided  only  that  it  has  for  its  object  the  eliciting 
of  some  evidence  which  is  material  to  the  investigation  entrusted  to  the  committee.  But 
if  it  is  intended,  as  I  believe  it  is,  to  develop  some  cumulative  testimony  on  points  upon 
which  this  committee  have  already  spent  weeks  of  investigation,  but  which  will  add  no  new 
material  fact  to  anything  already  developed,  then  I  do  submit,  Mr.  Speaker,  that  it  is  uncalled 
for  now  ;  that  it  is  unnecessary ;  that  it  is  only  creating  additional  expense  by  prolonging 
the  examination  ;  and  that  the  House  ought  not  to  make  this  order.  I  understand — I  believe 
I  violate  no  rule  of  propriety  when  I  say  it — that  it  is  the  desire  of  the  majority  of  the  com- 
mittee to  send  for  this  particular  witness  to  testify  on  the  subject  of  repeating  at  the  late 
election.     If  I  am  wrong  in  that,  I  hope  my  colleague  will  correct  me. 

Mr.  Lawrence,  of  Ohio.  The  gentleman  is  wrong. 

Mr.  Kerr.  Then  I  have  to  withdraw  what  I  have  said  on  that  point.  I  must  say,  then,  I 
think  it  becomes  the  duty  of  the  chairman  of  the  committee  to  state  to  the  House  on  what 
material  part  of  this  investigation  it  is  that  this  witness  is  expected  to  testify,  in  order  that  we 
may  know  whether  it  is  our  duty  to  consent  to  the  adoption  of  this  resolution  or  not.  I  ask 
my  colleague  whether  the  testimony  expected  to  be  elicited  from  this  witness  relates  to  the 
irregularities  in  the  business  of  naturalization,  or  what  is  called  repeating,  in  connection 
with  this  investigation. 

Mr.  Lawrence,  of  Ohio.  I  will  say  to  my  colleague  on  the  committee  that  this  witness 
was  not  summoned  to  prove  anything  in  relation  to  repeating  at  all.  He  was  summoned,  as 
I  understand  it,  to  prove  that  two  democratic  poll  clerks  put  upon  a  poll-list  a  large  number 
of  names  as  voters  who  never  appeared  and  voted  at  all.  This  testimony,  therefore,  is  not 
cumulative,  but  it  is  independent.  It  is  to  furnish  evidence  of  a  new  species  of  fraud 
entirely. 

I  wish  to  say  further  that  the  remark  which  I  made  in  relation  to  frauds  by  the  republican 
party  was  made  in  reply  to  my  colleague  on  the  committee,  [Mr.  Ross.]  Whether  I  am 
correct  or  my  colleague  from  Indiana  [Mr.  Kerr]  is  correct  is  a  matter  that  will  be  ascertained 
from  the  proof  when  it  is  printed.     I  do  not  desire  now  to  go  into  a  discussion  of  that  subject. 

Mr.  Kerr.  I  desire  to  say  just  one  word  in  reply  to  what  my  colleague  has  said.  I 
heartily  concur  in  his  last  remark,  that  that  matter  should  be  properly  submitted  to  the 
House  after  all  the  evidence  is  reported.  It  is  not  a  proper  subject  of  wrangling  between  us 
now. 

Mr.  Lawrence,  of  Ohio.  Not  at  all. 

Mr.  Kerr.  But  I  want  to  say  this,  that  the  gentleman  should  do  me  the  justice  now  to 
say  that  he  has  never  hitherto  stated  to  the  minority  of  the  committee  why  he  desired  to  call 
this  witness  here  at  all,  although  on  several  occasions  I  asked  him  this  very  question  in  the 
committee-room.  But  now,  since  he  has  stated  the  reason  why  he  wants  to  call  the  witness 
I  make  no  objection  at  all  to  his  being  called.  On  the  contrary,  I  shall  vote  that  he  be 
called  here  to  testify  upon  that  point. 

Mr.  Lawrence,  of  Ohio.  My  colleague,  I  think,  has  forgotten  what  occurred  in  the 
committee-room.  I  do  not  remember  precisely  whether  he  was  present  or  not  at  the  par- 
ticular time  the  case  of  this  witness  was  considered,  but  I  do  know  that  the  fact  was  stated 
in  the  committee  that  it  was  expected  that  he  would  prove  precisely  what  I  have  stated.  I 
apprehend  my  colleague  from  Illinois  [Mr.  Ross]  will  remember  that.  I  know  that  both 
the  gentlemen  composing  the  minority  of  the  committee  will  do  me  the  justice  to  say  that  I 
have  never  withheld  from  them  any  fact  connected  with  any  witness  or  with  the  investiga- 
tion as  to  which  fact  they  have  made  any  inquiry,  or  which  they  could  in  any  sense  deem  it 
proper  for  me  to  communicate  to  them. 

Mr.  Kerr.  I  desire  to  say 

The  Speaker.  The  Chair  suggests  that  it  is  not  regular  to  debate  what  occurred  in  the 
committee-room  except  when  it  is  presented  in  the  shape  of  a  written  report.  Both  sides 
have  been  heard,  and  the  Chair  doubts  whether  it  is  proper  to  continue  the  discussion. 

Mr.  Kerr.  I  have  no  desire  to  do  so,  but  we  should  be  allowed  to  be  heard  on  this  side. 

The  Speaker.  The  Chair  was  under  the  impression  that  both  sides  had  been  heard.  If 
the  gentleman  thinks  otherwise  the  Chair  will  not  insist  upon  enforcing  the  rule. 

Mr.  Kerr.  I  have  been  heard  on  all  the  points  except  the  last  one  suggested  by  my  col- 
league. 

The  Speaker.  The  gentleman  will  proceed  till  some  member  arrests  him  by  a  point  of 
order. 


180  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

Mr.  KERR.  I  wish  to  say  that  I  have  not  intended  to  impeach  the  personal  conduct  of  the 
chairman  of  the  committee  toward  the  minority.  He  lias  certainly  been  kind.  Hut  I  must 
also  say,  in  justice  to  myself  and  to  the  truth,  which  this  record  will  disclose  when  it  conies 
to  be  published,  that  we  have  not  had  fair  and  equal  opportunities  to  elicit  evidence  in  this 
cast;  in  behalf  of  that  party  that  has  been  most  attacked  by  the  conduct  of  the  majority. 
Further  than  that  I  do  not  desire  now  to  say. 

Mr,  LAWRENCE,  of  Ohio.  Well,  I  am  willing  to  stand  upon  the  record.  I  now  yield  to 
my  colleague  on  the  committee  from  Massachusetts. 

Mr.  Dawes.  My  colleagues  upon  the  committee  will  pardon  me  if  I  say  that  I  think  the 
question  before  the  House  is  not  what  this  witness  would  testify  to,  or  whether  this  or  that 
has  transpired  in  the  committee  or  not,  but  it  is  simply  whether  a  witness  shall  be  made  to 
obey  the  .subpoena  of  this  house;  and  there  is  nothing  further  in  the  question  than  that. 

1  regret  exceedingly  that  this  discussion  has  arisen  about  what  has  transpired  in  the  com- 
mittee, or  what  has  been  the  testimony  produced  before  the  committee,  and  what  is  proposed 
to  be  proved  by  a  witness.  It  is  not  for  the  witness  to  judge  himself  whether  the  testimony 
is  material  or  not.  It  is  for  the  House  to  say  whether  its  subpoena  shall  be  obeyed  when 
properly  served  on  him  as  a  witness,  and  it  seems  to  me  there  is  nothing  further  in  the  case. 

Mr.  Lawrence,  of  Ohio.  I  now  ask  the  previous  question. 

The  previous  question  was  seconded  and  the  main  question  ordered  ;  and  under  the  opera- 
tion thereof  the  resolution  was  agreed  to. 

Mr.  Lawrence,  of  Ohio.  I  have  another  privileged  resolution  which  I  desire  to  report. 

The  Speaker.  The  Chair  canuot  entertain  it  at  this  time,  as  the  motion  to  reconsider, 
which  is  the  unfinished  business  and  doubly  privileged,  now  comes  up. 

Mr.  Lawrence,  of  Ohio.  I  will  take  another  opportunity  to  present  it. 

[From  the  Globe,  February  2,  1869.] 

In  the  House  of  Representatives, 

February  1,  1869. 
COMMITTEE  ON  NEW  YORK  ELECTION. 

Mr.  Dawes.  I  am  instructed  by  the  select  committee  on  election  frauds  in  New  York  to 
submit  the  following  resolution,  on  which  I  demand  the  previous  question : 

Resolved,  That  the  select  committee  on  election  frauds  in  the  State  of  New  York  be  authorized  to  employ 
such  additional  clerical  force  as  in  their  judgment  shall  be  deemed  necessary,  at  such  compensation  as  is  now 
aid  for  like  service. 

Mr.  Kerr.  I  would  like  to  make  an  inquiry  of  my  colleague  on  the  committee,  (Mr.  Dawes.) 

Mr.  Dawes.  I  yield  for  an  inquiry. 

Mr.  Kerr.  I  wish  to  ask  the  gentleman  whether  he  cannot  limit  in  the  resolution  the  num- 
ber of  clerks  to  be  employed  by  the  committee  ? 

Mr.  Dawes.  I  should  be  exceeding  willing  to  limit  the  number  if  I  could  fix  precisely  at 
this  time  the  amount  of  work  to  be  done.  I  think  the  House  will  be  willing  to  assume  that 
the  committee  will  not  be  extravagant  in  this  matter,  when  the  gentleman  from  Ohio,  (Mr. 
Lawrence,)  who  has  such  a  reputation  for  economy,  is  at  the  head  of  the  committee.  I  can 
assure  the  House  there  will  be  no  unnecessary  employment  of  clerks. 

Mr.  Kerr.  I  deem  it  my  duty,  under  the  circumstances,  to  move  to  lay  this  resolution  on 
the  table.     I  think  no  additional  clerks  are  necessary. 

Mr.  Spalding.  I  hope  the  resolution  will  be  amended  or  modified  so  as  to  authorize  the 
employment  of  not  more  than  two  or  three  additional  clerks. 

Mr.  Dawes.  I  should  be  willing  to  insert  a  limitation  of  that  kind  if  I  knew  precisely  the 
amount  of  work  to  be  done.  It  is  necessary  that  this  work,  which  consists  of  making  certain 
copies,  &c.,  shall  be  done  with  despatch ;  and  it  will  be  less  expensive  to  the  government  to 
employ  several  clerks  for  a  short  time  than  one  or  two  for  a  long  time.  The  committee 
deemed  it  best  that  no  limitation  should  be  included  in  the  resolution. 

Mr.  Brooks.  I  would  like  to  know  how  much  money  the  committee  have  already  expended. 

Mr.  Dawes.  I  am  unable  to  answer  that  question  ;  but  I  assure  the  gentleman  that  no 
investigating  committee  of  which  I  have  any  knowledge — and  I  am  sorry  that  my  knowledge 
of  investigating  committees  is  somewhat  extensive — has  ever  been  run  so  economically  as 
this  committee,  of  which  the  distinguished  gentleman  from  Ohio  [Mr.  Lawrence]  is  chairman. 
I  think  this  matter  is  understood  by  the  House,  and  I  may  as  well  insist  on  the  demand  for 
the  previous  question. 

Mr.  Kerr.  I  wish  to  put  an  inquiry  to  my  colleague  on  the  committee.  He  says  that 
this  matter  is  understood  by  the  House.  I  do  not  think  it  is  or  can  have  been,  from  what  he 
has  said. 

Mr.  Dawes.  I  wonder,  then,  that  the  gentleman  should  have  moved  to  lay  the  resolution 
on  the  table. 

Mr.  Kerr.  Will  the  gentleman  state  what  it  is  these  clerks  are  desired  to  do  ?  After  an 
explanation  on  that  point  I  may  be  willing  to  withdraw  the  motion  to  lay  on  the  table. 

Mr.  Dawes.  I  can  tell  the  gentleman,  in  brief,  that  these  clerks  are  required  in  order  to 
make  copies  of  papers  and  to  do  other  writing  in  connection  with  matters  which  the  com- 
mittee deem  it  necessary  to  investigate  and  report  upon.     I  insist  upon  the  previous  question. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IX  NEW  YORK.  181 

• 

M.  Kerr.  The  House  is  not  yet  advised  what  these  clerks  are  to  do,  and  I  submit  that  it 
ought  to  be  in  order  to  vote  intelligently. 

Mr.  Dawes.  I  am  unable  to  give  the  gentleman  the  titles  of  all  the  papers  that  the  com- 
mittee deem  it  necessary  to  copy.  If  the  House  think  the  committee  at  this  stage  of  the 
proceedings  ought  to  make  a  development  of  that  kind  they  will  insist  upon  it  ;  but  I  hardly 
think  it  worth  while. 

Mr  .  Kerr.  The  truth  is,  the  papers  the  gentleman  wants  will  do  this  house  and  the  coun- 
try no  good  at  all  if  they  have  them  here.  I  demand  the  yeas  and  nays  on  laying  the  resolu- 
tion on  the  table. 

The  yeas  aud  nays  were  ordered. 

The  question  was  taken  ;  and  it  was  decided  in  the  negative — yeas  35,  nays  121,  not  vot- 
ing 66  :  as  follows : 

Yeas — Messrs.  Axtell,  Baker,  Beck,  Boyer,  Brooks.  Burr,  Cary,  Chanler,  Fox,  Getz.  Glossbrenner,  Golla- 
dav.  Haight.  Holman,  Humphrey,  Hunter*  Johuson.  Thomas  L.Jones,  Kerr,  Knott.  Marshall,  McCormick, 
Mungen,  Niblack,  Nicholson,  Pruyn,  Randall,  Robinson,  Spalding,  Taber,  Tift,  Van  Auken,  Van  Trump, 
Woodward,  and  Youug— 35. 

Nays— Messrs.  Allison,  Ames,  Anell,  Bailey.  Baldwin.  Banks,  Beaman,  Benjamin,  Benton.  Bingham, 
Blaine.  Boles,  Boutwell,  Bowen.  Boyden,  Broomall,  Buckland,  Buckley,  Cake,  Cobb.  Cook,  Corley.  Covode, 
Cullom,  Dawes,  Delano,  Dickey,  Dockery,  Dodge.  Driggs,  Eggleston,  Ela,  Thomas  D.  Eliot,  James  T. 
Elliott,  Farnsworth,  Ferriss,  Ferry.  Fields,  French,  Garfield,  Goss,  Gove,  Hamilton.  Haughey.  Hawkins, 
Higby,  Hill.  Hopkins,  Chester  D.  Hubbaid.  Hulburd,  Ingersoll,  Jenckes,  Alexander  H.Jones.  Julian.  Kelley, 
Kellotrg.  Kelsey,  Ketcham,  Koontz,  Laflin.  Lash.  George  V. Lawrence,  WTliam  Lawrence,  Lincoln,  Loan, 
Marvin.  Maynard.  McKt  e.  Mercur,  Miller,  Moore.  Moorhead,  Mulling,  Myers,  Newcoinb.  Xorris,  Nunn,  O'Neill, 
Orth,  Paine,  Perham,  Peters,  Pierce.  Pile. Plants,  Poland,  Polsley,  Price.  Raum.  Robertson,  Sawyer,  Schenck, 
Scofield,  Selye,  Shanks,  Shellabarger,  Starkweather,  Stevens,  Stewart,  Stokes,  Stover,  Taffe,  Thomas, 
Trowbridge,  Twichell.  Upson,  Van  Aernam,  Burt  Van  Horn.  Robert  T.  Van  Horn,  Ward.  Cadwallader  C. 
Washburn,  Henry  D.  Washburn,  Wil  iarn  B.  Washburn.  Welker,  Whittemore,  Thomas  Williams,  William 
Williams,  James  F.  Wilson,  John  T.  Wilson,  Stephen  F.  Wilson,  and  Woodbridge — LSI. 

NOT  VOTING— Messrs.  Adams,  Anderson.  Archer,  Delos  R.  Ashley,  James  M.  Ashley,  Barnes.  Barnum. 
Beatiy,  Blackburn,  Blair.  Bromwell,  Benjamin  F.  Butler,  Roderick  It.  Butler,  Callis.  Churchill,  Reader  W. 
Clarke,  Sidney  Clarke.  Clift,  Coburn,  Cornell,  Deweese,  Dixon,  Donnelly,  Eckley,  Edwards.  Eldridge, 
Gravel}',  Griswold.  Grover,  Halsey,  Harding,  Heaton,  Hooper,  Hotchkiss,  Asahel  W.  Hubbard.  Richard  D. 
Hubbard,  Judd,  Kitchen,  Logan,  Loughridge,  Lynch,  Mai  lory,  McCarthy,  McCullough,  Morrell,  Morrissey, 
Newsham.  Pettis.  Phelps,  Pike,  Pomeroy,  Prince,  Roots,  Ross,  Sitgreaves,  Smith,  Stone,  Sypher,  Taylor, 
John  Trimble,  Lawrence  S.  Trimble,  Van  Wyck,  Vidal,  Elhhu  B.  Washburne,  Wiudom,  and  Wood— G6. 

So  the  House  refused  to  lay  the  resolution  on  the  table. 
The  previous  question  was  then  seconded  and  the  main  question  ordered. 
Mr.  Kerr.  I  demand  the  yeas  and  nays  on  agreeing  to  the  resolution. 
The  yeas  and  nays  were  ordered, 

The  question  was  taken;  and  it  was  decided  in  the  affirmative — yeas  J 09,  nays  30,  not 
voting  H'S  ;  as  follows  : 

Yeas — Messrs.  Allison,  Arnell,  James  M.  Ashley,  Bailey,  Baldwin,  Beaman,  Beatty,  Benjamin,  Benton, 
Bingham,  Blaine,  Boles,  Boyden,  Bromwell.  Broomall.  Buckland,  Buckley,  Cake,  Clift,  Cobb.  Covode,  Cul- 
lom, Dawes.  Delano.  Dickey,  Dockery,  Dodge,  Donnelly,  Driggs,  Eggleston,  Ela,  Ferriss.  Fields,  Garfield, 
G>>ss.  Gravely,  Harding,  Haughey,  Hawkins.  Higby,  Hooper,  Hopkins,  Chester  D.  Hubbard,  Hulburd, 
Hunter,  Jenckes,  Alexander  H.  Jones,  Judd,  Kelley.  K'llogg.  Ketcham.  Koontz.  Larlin.  Lash.  William  Law- 
rence. Loan,  Logan,  Loughridge,  Marvin,  Maynard.  McKee.  Mercur,  Miller,  Moore.  .Morrell,  Mullius,  Myers, 
Newcoinb,  Newsham,  Norris,  O'Neill,  Orth,  Paine,  Perham,  Petera,  Pierce,  Polsley.  Price,  Prince,  Raum, 
Robertson,  Roots,  Sawyer,  Schenck,  Scofield,  Sely<\  Shellabarger,  Smith,  Starkweather,  Stevens,  Stokes, 
Stover,  Taffe,  Trowbridge,  Twichell,  Van  Aernam,  Burt  Van  Horn.  Robert  T.  Van  Horn.  Ward,  Cadwala- 
der  C.  Washburn,  Henry  D.  Washburn,  William  B.  Washburn,  Welker.  Whittemore,  Thomas  Williams, 
William  Williams,  James  F.  Wilson,  John  T.  Wilson,  and  Stephen  F.  Wilson  — 109. 

Nay:— Messrs.  Axtell,  Bake'-,  Beck,  Boyer,  Brooks,  Burr,  Chanler.  Fox,  Getz,  Golladav,  Grover,  Haight, 
Holman,  Humphrey,  Johnson,  Kerr,  Knott,  Marshall.  McCormick.  Mungen.  Niblack,  Nicholson,  Pruyn, 
Randall.  Robinson,  Stone,  Van  Auken,  Van  Trump.  Woodward,  and  Voting— 30. 

NOT  VOTING— Messrs.  Adams,  Ames.  Andersou,  Archer,  Delos  R.  Ashley.  Banks.  Barnes,  Barnum, 
Blackburn,  Blair,  Boutwell,  Bowen,  Benjamin  F.  Butler,  Roderick  R.  Butler.  Callis.  Cary.  Churchill,  Reader 
W.  Clarke,  Sidney  Clarke,  Coburn,  Cook,  Corley.  Cornell,  Deweese.  Dixon, Eckley.  Edwards.  Eldridge, 
Thomas  D.  Eliot,  James  T.  Elliott,  Farnsworth.  Perry,  French,  Glossbrenner.  Gove.  Griswold,  Halsey, 
Hamilton,  Heaton.  Hill,  Hotchkiss.  Asahel  W.  Hubbard.  Richard  D.  Hubbard,  Ingersoll,  Thomas  L.  Jones, 
Julian,  Kelsey,  Kitchen,  George  V.  Lawrence,  Lincoln,  Lynch.  Mallory.  McCarthy.  McCullough.  Moorhead, 
Morrissey.  Nunn.  Pettis,  Phelps,  Pike,  Pile,  Plants,  Poland.  Pomeroy,  Ross,  Shanks,  Sitgreaves.  Spaldinar, 
Stewart,  Sypher,  Taber,  Taylor,  Thomas.  Tift,  John  Trimble,  Lawrence  S.  Trimble,  Upson,  Van  Wyck, 
Vidal,  Ellihu  B.  Washburne,  Windham,  Wood,  and  Woodbridge— 13. 

So  the  resolution  was  agreed  to. 

Mr.  Dawks  moved  to  reconsider  the,  vote  by  which  the  resolution  was  adopted ;  and 
also  moved  that  the  motion  to  reconsider  be  laid  on  the  table. 

The  latter  motion  was  agreed  to. 

RECUSANT   WITNESS. 

Mr.  Dawes.  I  am  also  instructed  by  the  same  committe  to  report  the  following  resolution  : 
Reso'vcd,  That  the  Sergeant -at -arms  of  this  house  be,  and  is  hereby,  directed  to  arrest  and  bring  before  this 
house  Florence  Scanned,  to  answer  questions  put  to  him  by  the  committee  of  this  house  appointed  to  investi- 
gate alleged  frauds  in  the  late  electiou  in  the  State  of  New  Vork  ;  and  that  a  warrant  be  issued  by  the  Speaker 
of  this  house  to  the  Sergeant-at-arms  commanding  him  or  his  special  messenger  to  arrest  said  Florence  Scan- 
ned and  bring  him  before  this  house  ficcordingly  to  answer  for  this  his  contempt  and  abide  the  order  and 
judgment  of  this  house  in  the  premises. 


182  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

Mr.  Kerr.  I  desire  to  say  in  reference  to  this  fellow  that  I  have  no  objection  to  his  being 
brought  here  to  testify  ;  but  when  he  refused  to  answer  questions  in  New  York  no  objection 
was  made  by  the  chairman  of  the  committee,  and  he  was  not  notified  that  he  was  in  contempt 
or  would  be  sent  for  by  the  House,  and  he  was  discharged. 

Mr.  Lawrence,  of  Ohio.  I  did  not  quite  understand  the  remark  of  my  colleague  from 
Indiana  in  regard  to  this  man  being  discharged. 

Mr  Kerr.  My  remark  was  this:  that  when  this  witness  was  on  the  stand  in  New  York, 
and  was  being  examined  by  the  committee,  he  did  refuse  to  answer  some  questions,  and  the 
committee  did  not  then  insist  on  his  answering  those  questions,  but  discharged  him  without 
any  further  objection  being  made  or  any  notice  to  him  that  if  he  did  not  answer  he  would  be 
brought  here  to  answer. 

Mr.  Lawrence,  of  Ohio.  I  think  my  colleague  is  not  quite  accurate  in  saying  that  the 
committee  did  not  insist  on  his  answering.  They  undoubtedly  did  insist  on  his  answering. 
We  did  not  give  him  any  notice  that  he  would  be  brought  here,  because  the  committee 
could  not  undertake  to  speak  for  the  House  of  Representatives  ;  we  could  not  say  in  advance 
whether  the  House  would  or  would  not  pass  a  resolution  to  bring  him  here;  but  the  com- 
mittee did  insist  on  his  answering  the  questions,  and  he  refused  positively.  We  had  no 
power  to  detain  him  ;  he   was  necessarily  discharged. 

Mr.  DAWEtk  I  suppose  the  gentleman  from  Indiana  means  that  he  was  not  held  in  custody. 
He  was  in  no  other  sense  discharged.  The  committee  did  not  hold  him  in  custody  for  the 
very  good  reason  that  they  had  no  power  to  hold  him  in  custody.  Nor  did  the  committee 
intimate  to  him  that  they  would  not  insist  on  answers  to  the  questions.  The  record  shows  a 
very  gross  contempt  of  the  authority  of  the  House,  and  I  think  no  gentleman  would  under- 
take to  justify  it. 

Mr.  Kerr.  I  do  not  object  to  his  being  brought  here,  but  the  gentlemen  have  discovered, 
or  think  they  have,  since  we  left  New  York,  that  it  is  worth  while  to  examine  him  further, 
by  way  of  further  prospecting  in  partisan  interests. 

Mr.  Robinson.  Is  there  not  an  understanding  that  this  gentleman  wants  to  attend  the 
inauguration  ball,  and  is  not  this  an  after  consideration  that  he  may  come  here  lree  of 
expense  ?     (Laughter. ) 

Mr  Dawes.  1  should  judge  from  what  I  saw  of  the  character  of  the  witness  that  he 
would  be  the  last  man  that  would  enjoy  himself  at  the  inauguration.  I  move  the  previous 
question. 

The  previous  question  was  seconded  and  the  main  question  ordered ;  and  under  the  opera- 
tion thereof  the  resolution  was  agreed  to. 

Mr.  Dawks  moved  to  reconsider  the  vote  by  which  the  resolution  was  adopted  ;  and  also 
moved  that  the  motion  to  reconsider  be  laid  on  the  table. 

The  latter  motion  was  agreed  to. 


REPORT  OF  COMMITTEE  ON  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK, 

When  the  report  of  the  committee  was  presented  in  the  House  of  Representatives  by  the 
chairman,  the  Hon.  William  Lawrence,  the  following  debate  ensued : 

[From  the  Globe,  February  24,  1869.] 

Mr.  Ashley,  of  Ohio.  I  now  yield  for  two  minutes  to  my  colleague,  [Mr.  Lawrence.] 

Mr.  Lawrence,  of  Ohio.  I  am  instructed  by  the  Joint  Committee  on  Alleged  Election 

Frauds  in  New  York  to  make  a  report  in  part  on  the  subject  comuiitted  to  them,  which  I 

now  do,  accompanied  by  certain  bills  and  joint  resolutions,  Avhich  I  ask  to  have  read  a  first 

and  second  time  and  recommitted  to  the  committee,  and,  with  the  report,  ordered  to  be  printed. 

NATURALIZATION  IN  NEW   YORK  CITY. 

The  first  bill  was  a  bill  (H.  R.  No.  2002)  withdrawing  jurisdiction  of  naturalization  from 
certain  courts  in  New  York  city. 

Mr.  Eldridge.  I  call  for  the  reading  of  the  bill. 

The  bill  was  read.  It  provides  that  the  supreme  court,  the  circuit  courts,  and  the  courts 
of  oyer  and  terminer  in  the  city  and  county  of  New  York,  and  the  superior  court  of  the  city 
of  New  York,  shall  not  hereafter  have  power  to  admit  any  alien  to  be  a  citizen. 

Mr.  Eldridge.  Does  it  require  unanimous  consent  to  have  this  bill  reported  from  the 
committee  at  this  time  ? 

The  Speaker.  The  committee  are  authorized  to  report  at  any  time. 

Mr.  Eldridge.  I  insist  upon  the  regular  order  of  business,  which  I  understand  is  some 
matter  which  the  gentleman  from  Ohio  [Mr.  Ashley]  has  in  charge. 

The  Speaker.  The  gentleman  from  Ohio  [Mr.  Ashley]  yielded  to  his  colleague,  [Mr. 
Lawrence,]  who  reports  this  bill  from  a  committee  authorized  to  report  at  any  time.  The 
gentleman  from  Wisconsin  [Mr.  Eldridge]  or  any  other  gentleman  has  a  right  to  object  to 
the  first  reading  of  the  bill,  in  which  case  the  question  will  be,  "  Shall  this  bill  be  rejected  ?" 
as  will  be  seen  by  reference  to  the  Digest. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IX    NEW    YORK.  183 

Mr.  Eldridge.  This  is  not  exactly  what  I  desire.  My  object  in  calling  for  the  reading 
of  this  bill  was  to  see  what  it  was,  and  to  object  to  it  if  upon  its  reading  I  found  I  was 
opposed  to  it. 

Mr.  ASHLEY,  of  Ohio.  I  hope  the  gentleman  from  Wisconsin  [Mr.  Eldridge]  will  let  this 
bill  be  printed  and  recommitted. 

Mr.  Eldridue.  I  propose  to  oppose  this  bill  upon  every  occasion  and  in  every  form, 
shape,  and  manner. 

Mr.  Ashley,  of  Ohio.  If  we  are  brought  to  a  direct  vote  upon  the  bill  we  may  be  com- 
pelled to  pass  it  without  having  it  printed.      I  would  prefer  myself  to  see  it  in  print. 

Mr.  Eldridge.  I  must  object  to  the  reception  of  this  bill. 

Mr.  Boutwell.  Will  it  be  in  order  upon  this  reading  to  suspend  the  rules  and  pass  the 
bill  at  this  time. 

The  Speaker.  It  will. 

Mr.  Boutwell.  I  do  not  know  but  what  that  would  be  the  best  course  for  us  to  pursue 
if  objection  is  made  by  the  gentlemen  on  the  other  side  to  printing  and  recommitting  this  bill. 

Mr.  Ashley,  of  Ohio.  I  hope  the  gentleman  from  Wisconsin  will  permit  this  bill  to  be 
printed  and  recommitted.  I  had  no  expectation  when  I  yielded  that  more  than  three  or  four 
minutes  of  time  would  be  consumed  in  this  matter. 

Mr.  Eldridge.  I  would  be  very  glad  to  oblige  the  gentleman,  but  I  am  opposed  to  this 
bill  in  every  form  and  shape.  I  am  not  opposed  to  the  gentleman,  but  to  the  passage  of  this 
bill. 

The  question  was,  "Shall  the  bill  be  rejected  ?" 

Mr.  Lawrence,  of  Ohio.  On  that  question  I  call  for  the  previous  question. 

The  previous  question  was  -econded  and  the  main  question  ordered. 

Mr.  Ross.  I  call  for  the  yeas  and  nays. 

The  question  was  taken  upon  ordering  the  yeas  and  nays,  and  there  were,  upon  a  divis- 
ion, ayes  23,  noes  94  ;  not  one-fifth  in  the  affirmative. 

Before  the  result  of  the  vote  was  announced,  Mr.  Fox  called  for  tellers. 

The  question  was  taken  upon  ordering  tellers ;  and  there  were,  yeas  26. 

So  (the  affirmative  being  one-fifth  of  a  quorum)  tellers  were  ordered  ;  and  Mr.  Lawrence, 
of  Ohio,  and  Mr.  Fox  were  appointed. 

The  House  again  divided ;  aud  the  tellers  reported  that  there  were — ayes  30. 

So  (the  affirmative  being  one-fifth  of  the  last  vote)  the  yeas  and  nays  were  ordered. 

Mr.  Lawrence,  of  Ohio.  Will  it  be  in  order  now  to  move  to  suspend  the  rules  for  the 
purpose  of  putting  this  bill  on  its  passage  ! 

The  Speaker.  It  will  not,  because  the  House  has  ordered  the  main  question  to  be  put, 
which  is,  "  Shall  this  bill  be  rejected,"  upon  which  the  yeas  and  nays  have  been  ordered. 

The  question  was  taken;  and  it  was  decided  in  the  negative;  yeas  34,  nays  120,  not 
voting  68  ;  as  follows  : 

Yeas — Messrs.  Archer,  Axtell.  Barnes.  Barnnm,  Beck,  Brooks,  Burr.  Cary.  Chanler,  Eldridge,  Fox,  Getz, 
Golladay.  Grover,  Haight,  Hawkins.  Holman.  Humphrey,  Johuson,  Thomas  L.Jones,  Kerr.  Knott.  Marshall, 
McCormick.  McCullough,  Mungen,  Niblack.  Nicholson,  Phelps,  Pruyn  Robinson,  Ross.  Tift,  and  Young—  34. 

NAYS— Messrs.  Allison.  Ames.  Aruell.  James  M.  Ashley,  Beaman,  Beam-.  Benjamin,  Benton,  Blackburn, 
Blair,  Boutwell,  Boyden.  Broomall.  Buckley,  Churchill,  Reader  AY.  Clarke.  Clift.  Cobb,  Coburn,  Cook,  Cor- 
ley.  Cornell.  Cullom,  Dawes,  Deweese,  Dickey,  Doekery.  Driggs,  Eckley.  Edwards.  Egglestm,  Thomas  D. 
Eliot.  James  T.  Elliott.  Farnsworth.  Ferriss,  Ferry.  Fields,  French,  Garfield,  Goss,  Gove,  Gravely,  Griswold, 
Hamilton,  Harding,  Haughey.  Beaton,  Higby,  Hill,  Hopkins,  Chester  D.  Hubbard.  Hunter.  Ingersol',  Jcackes, 
Alexander  H.  Jones,  Judd,  Julian.  Kelley.  KeflogfT,  Ketchain.  Kitchen.  Koontz,  Laftin,  George  V.  Lawrence, 
William  Lawrence.  Loan,  Logan,  Loughridge,  Lynch,  Marvin.  Maynard,  McKee,  Mercur,  Miller,  Moore, 
Morrell.  Mullius.  Myers.  Newcomb,  Newsham,  Norris,  O'Neill.  Paine.  Perham,  Peters.  Pettis,  Pierce,  Plants, 
Pomeroy  Price,  Prince,  Rauin,  Robertson,  Root*.  Sawyer.  Schenck,  Scofield,  Shanks.  Shellabarger,  Spalding, 
Stevens,  Stover.  Taffe.  Taylor,  Thomas,  John  Trimble*,  Trowbridge,  Twitchell.Yan  Aernatn.  Burt  Van  Horn, 
RobertT.  Van  Horn,  Ward,  CadwaladerC.  Washburn,  Henrv  D.  Washburn,  Williain  B.  Washburn,  Welker, 
Whittemore.  William  Williams,  John  T.  Wilson,  and  Windoni— ISA. 

Not  VOTING. — Messrs.  Adams,  Anderson,  Delos  R.  Ashley,  Bailey,  Baker,  Baldwin,  Banks,  Bingham, 
Blaine.  Boles,  Bowen,  Boyer.  Bromwell,  Bucklaud,  Benjamin  F.  Butler,  Roderick  R.  Butler,  Cake,  Callis, 
Sidney  Clarke,  Covode,  Delano,  Dixon,  Dodge,  Donnelly.  Ela,  Glossbrenner,  Halsey,  Hooper,  Hotchkiss, 
Asahel  W.  Hubbard.  Richard  D.  Hubbard,  Hulburd,  Kelsev.  La^h.  Lincoln.  Mallory,  McCarthy.  Moorhead, 
Morrissey.  Nunn,  Orth,  Pike,  Pile.  Poland.  Polssley,  Randall,  Selye,  Sitgreaves,  Smith,  Starkweather, 
Stewart.  Stokes,  Stone,  Sypher.  Taber,  Lawrence  S.  Trimble,  Upson,  Yau  Auken.  Van  Trump,  Yan  Wyck, 
Yidal.  EUitau  B.  Wasdiburne,  Thomas  Williams,  James  F.  Wilson,  Stephen  F.  Wilson,  Wood,  Woodbridge, 
and  Woodward — 6S. 

So  the  bill  was  not  rejected. 

Mr.  Lawrence,  of  Ohio.  I  move  to  reconsider  the  vote  just  taken,  and  also  move  that 
the  motion  to  reconsider  be  laid  on  the  table. 

Mr.  Brooks.  I  call  for  the  yeas  and  nays. 

Mr.  Lawrence,  of  Ohio.  1  withdraw  the  motion.  I  ask  that  the  remaining  bills  which 
I  have  reported  be  read  a  first  and  second  time. 

The  Speaker.  If  the  House  passes  from  the  consideration  of  this  bill  it  will  go  to  the 
Speaker's  table,  where  it  probably  will  not  be  reached. 

Mr.  Lawrence,  of  Ohio.  I  propose  then  to  .make  a  motion  to  suspend  the  rules. 

Mr.  Ashley,  of  Ohio.  I  did  not  yield  to  my  colleague  with  any  expectation  that  his 
business  was  to  take  up  the  whole  morning. 

The  Speaker.  That  may  be:  but  this  bill  is  now  in  the  possession  of  the  House.  It  can 
be  considered  and  acted  on  or  the  House  may  pass  from  its  consideration,  in  which  case  it 
will  go  to  the  Speaker's  table. 


184  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IX  NEW  YORK. 

Mr.  Ashley,  of  Ohio.  I  move  that  the  bill  be  printed  and  recommitted. 

Mr.  LAWRENCE,  of  Ohio.   I  believe  I  have  the  floor. 

The  SPEAKER.  If  there  be  no  objection  the  bill  will  be  read  the  second  time,  recommitted, 
and  ordered  to  be  printed. 

Mr.  Fox.  I  object. 

Mr.  LAWRENCE,  ot  Ohio.  I  move  that  the  rules  be  suspended  and  that  the  House  pro- 
ceed to  vote  on  the  passage  of  the  pending-  bill  without  dilatory  motions. 

On  agreeing  to  the  motion,  there  were — ayes  78,  noes  36. 

Mr.  EldRIDGE.  I  call  for  tellers. 

Tellers  were  ordered. 

Mr.  BOCTWELL,  We  might  as  well  have  the  yeas  and  nays  at  once.  I  call  for  the  yeas 
and  nays 

The  yeas  and  nays  were  ordered. 

The  question  was  taken ;  and  there  were — yeas  108,  nays  44,  not  voting  70 ;  as  follows: 

TEA8— Messrs.  Amos,  Arn.-ll,  James  M.  ARhley,  Beaman,  Beatty,  Benjamin,  Benton,  Blackburn.  Blair, 
BoutWfll,  Hoyden,  Broomall.  Buckland,  Buckley.  Roderick  R.  Butler,  Callis.  Churchill,  Reader  W.  Clarke, 
Sidney  C'laike.  Clift.  Cobb,  Coburn,  Cook.  Corley,  Cornell.  Cullom.  Dawes,  Delano,  Deweeae,  Dickey,  Dodge, 
Donnelly,  Diiggs,  Eckley,  Eggleston,  Thomas  D.  Eliot,  James  T.  Elliott,  FariUWOTth,  Fcrriss.  Ferry,  Fields, 
fiohs.  Gove,  Gravely,  Hamilton,  Ilaughey.  Heaton,  Uigby,  Chester  D.  Hubbard,  Hulburd,  Hunter,  Alexander 
II.  Jont-H,  Jndd,  Julian.  Kelley,  Kellogg,  Ketehain.  Kitchen.  Koontz,  Laflin,  William  Lawrence.  Logan, 
Longhridge,  Mallory,  Marvin,  Maynard,  Miller.  Moore,  Moorhead,  Morrell,  Mulling,  Myers  Newcorob,  New- 
sham,  Norris,  Nunn,  O'Neill,  Paine,  Perham,  l'ettis,  Fierce,  Price,  Raurn,  Robertson,  Roots,  Sawyer Scnfleld, 
Shanks.  Shellabarger,  Stevens,  Stokes.  Stover,  Taylor,  Thomas,  John  Trimble,  Trowbridge,  Twitelall.  [JpHOD, 

Van  Aernan,  Robert  T.  Van  Horn.  Ward,  Cadawalader  C.  Washburn,  Henry  D.  Washburn,  William  B. 
Washburn,  Welker,  Whlttemore,  William  Williams,  and  Windoni — 108. 

Nay—  Messrs.  Archer,  Axtell,  Baker,  Barnes,  Harnum,  Beck.  Burr,  Cary,  Chanler,  Edwards,  Eldrirlge, 
Fox,  Oetz,  Haight,  Hawkins.  Hohnan,  Richard  D.  Hubbard,  Humphrey,  Jenckes,  Johnson,  Thomas  L.Jones, 
Kerr.  Knott.  Marshall,  McCormick,  BfcCullough,  McKee,  Mercnr,  Bfungen,  Niblack,  Nicholson.  Pbelps,  Plants, 
Poland,  Pruyn,  Robinson,  Ross.  Smith,  Spalding,  Stone,  Taber,  Tift,  Van  Trump,  and  Yoiu  g — 44. 

Not  voting — Messrs  Adams,  Allison,  Anderson,  Delos  R.  Ashley,  Bailey.  Baldwin,  Banks,  Bingham, 
Blaine,  Poles  Bowen,  Boyer,  Bromwell.  Brooks.  Benjamin  P.  Butler,  Cake,  Covode,  Dixon,  Dockery,  Kla, 
French.  Garfield,  Glossbrenner,  Golladay,  Griswold,  Grover,  Hakey,  Hardin e,  Hill,  Hooper,  Hopkins 
Hotcbkiss,  Asahel  W.  Hubbard,  Ingenoll,  Kelsey,  Lash,  George  V.  Lawrence,  Lincoln,  Loan,  Lynch, 
McCarthy,  Morrissey,  (nth,  Peters.  Pike,  File,  Pohdey,  Pomeroy,  Prince, Randall, 8cbenck,  Selye,  8itgreaves, 
Staikweather.  Sit  wart.  Sypher,  Tnffe,  Lawrence  S.  Trimble,  Van  Auken, Burt  Van  Flora,  Van  Wyek  Vldal, 
Ellihn  B.  Washburne,  Thomas  Williams,  James  F.  Wilson,  John  T.  Wilson,  Stephen  F.  Wilson,  Wood, 
Woodbridge,  and  Woodward — 70. 

So  (two-thirds  voting  in  favor  thereof)  the  rules  were  suspended  ;  and  the  motion  of  Mr. 
Lawrence,  of  Ohio,  was  agreed  to. 

Mr.  (ham  kk.  I  desire  to  ask  the  Chair  whether  there  is  not  some  way  in  which  the  gen- 
tleman from  Ohio  [Mr.  Lawrence]  can  hring  before  the  House,  prior  to  the  passage  of  this 
bill,  the  report  of  the  committee,  which  has  not  been  printed  or  in  any  way  brought  to  the 
knowledge  of  members/ 

Mr.  Lawrence,  of  Ohio.  When  this  bill  was  introduced  I  asked  that  it  should  be  read 
a  first  and  second  time,  recommitted,  and  ordered  to  be  printed.  Gentlemen  on  the  other 
side  objected,  and  we  are  driven  to  this  course. 

The  Speaker.  Debate  is  not  in  order.  It  has  been  ordered,  under  a  suspension  of  the 
rules,  that  the  House  shall  immediately  proceed  to  vote  ou  this  bill. 

Mr.  Fox.  Would  a  motion  to  adjourn  be  now  in  order? 

The  Speaker.  It  would  not  be.  While  the  motion  to  suspend  the  rules  was  pending  one 
motion  to  adjourn  could  have  been  eutertained ;  but  the  House  has  now  ordered  that  the 
vote  shall  immediately  be  taken  on  this  bill. 

Mr  Robinson.  I  rise  to  a  privileged  question.  I  move  to  reconsider  the  vote  just  takeu  ; 
and  on  that  motion  I  have  a  lew  words  to  say. 

The  Speaker.  The  gentleman  did  not  vote  in  the  affirmative ;  and  if  he  did  the  motion 
to  reconsider  would  not  be  in  order! 

The  question  recurred  on  the  passage  of  the  bill. 

The  House  divided  ;  and  there  were— ayes  7J,  noes  49. 

Mr    Fox  demanded  the  yeas  and  nays. 

The  yeas  and  nays  were  ordered. 

Mr.  Robinson.  I  ask  unanimous  consent  that  my  friend  from  Vermont  [Mr.  Poland] 
shall  be  heard  in  opposition  to  this  bill. 

Mr.  Raum.  I  object. 

The  question  was  taken ;  and  it  was  decided  in  the  affirmative — yeas  89,  nays  54,  not 
voting  79  ;  as  follows : 

YEAS — Messrs.  Ames,  Arnell,  Beaman,  Benton,  Blackburn,  Blair,  Boutwell,  Bowen,  Bromwell,  Brooks, 
Buckley.  Roderick  R  Butler,  Churchill,  Reader  W.  Clarke,  Sidney  Clarke,  Clift,  Cobb,  Coburn,  Cook,  Corley, 
Cornell".  Dawes,  Dickey,  Dodge,  Eckley,  Edwards,  Eggleston,  Ela.  Thomas  D.  Eliot,  James  T.  Elliott,  Fer- 
riss,  Ferry,  Fields,  French,  Gross,  Grove,  Hamilton,  Harding,  Haughey,  Heaton,  Higbee,  Hopkins,  Chester 
D.  Hubbard,  Hulburd,  Hunter,  Alexander  H.  Jones,  Julian,  Kelley,  Kellogg,  Kitchen,  Koontz,  Laffliu,  Wil- 
liam Lawrence,  Mailory,  Marvin.  Maynard,  Miller,  Moorbead,  Morrell,  Mull'ns,  Myers,  Newsham,  Norris, 
Nunn.  O'Neill,  Paine,  Perham,  Pettis,  Pile,  Pr  nee,  Raum,  Sawyer,  Scofield,  Shanks,  Shellabarger,  Stevens, 
Stokes,  John  Trimble,  Trowbridge,  Van  Aernam,  Burt  Vai.  Horn,  Robert  T.  Van  Horn,  Ward,  Cadwallader 
C.  Washburn,  Henry  D.  Washburn,  William  B.  Washburn,  Thomas  Williams,  John  T.  Wilson,  and 
Windom— £9. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  185 

NAYS Messrs.  Archer,  James  M.  Ashley,  Axtell,  Baker,  Barnes,  Beatty,  Beck,  Benjamin,  Broomall,  Burr, 

Callis,  Cary,  Chanler,  Cullom,  Eldridge,  Farnsworth,  Fox.  Getz,  Golladay, 'Gravely,  Grover,  Haight,  Hawkinn, 
Humphrey,  Jenckes,  Johnson,  Thomas  L.  Jones,  Judd,  Kerr,  Knott,  Lynch,  Marshall,  McCormick,  McCul- 
lough.  McKee,  Mercur,  Mungen,  Niblack,  Nicholson,  Phelps,  Plants,  Poland,  Pomeroy,  Pruyn,  Robertson, 
Robinson,  Ross,  Smith,  Spalding,  Stover,  Taber,  Tift,  Van  Trump,  and  Young— 54. 

NOT  VOTING— Messrs.  Adams,  Allison,  Anderson,  Delos  R.  Ashley,  Bailey,  Baldwin,  Banks,  Barnum. 
Bingham,  Blaine,  Boles,  Boyden,  Boyer,  Buckland,  Benjamin  F.  Butler,  Cake,  Covode,  Delano,  Deweese, 
Dixon,  Dockery,  Donnelly,' Driggs,  Garfield,  Glossbrenner,  Griswold,  Halsey,  Hill,  Holman,  Hooper,  Hotch- 
kiss,  Asahel  W.  Hubbard,  Richard  D.  Hubbard,  Ingersoll,  Kelsey,  Ketcham,  Lash,  George  V.  Lawrence, 
Lincoln,  Loan,  Logan,  Loughridge,  McCarthy,  Moore,  Morrissey,  Newcomb,  Orth,  Peters,  Pierce,  Pike, 
Polsley,' Price,  Randall,  Roots,  Schenck,  Selye,  Sitgreaves,  Starkweather,  Stewart,  Stone,  Sypher,  Taffe, 
Taylor,Thomas,  Lawrence  S.  Trimble,  Twichell,  Upson,  Van  Auken,  Van  Wyck,  Vidal,  Ellihu  B.Washburne, 
Welker,  Whittemore,  William  Williams,  James  F.  Wilson,  Stephen  F.  Wilson,  Wood,  Woodbridge,  and 
Woodward— 79. 

So  the  bill  passed. 

Mr.  Lawrence,  of  Ohio.  I  move  to  reconsider  the  vote  just  taken  ;  and  also  move  that 
the  motion  to  reconsider  be  laid  on  the  table. 

Mr.  Brooks.  I  demand  the  yeas  and  nays. 

Mr.  Ashley,  of  Ohio.    I  hope  my  colleague  will  withdraw  the  motion. 

Mr.  Lawrence,  of  Ohio.  I  withdraw  it. 

Mr.  Brooks.  I  renew  it. 

The  Speaker.  Did  the  gentleman  vote  in  the  affirmative  ? 

Mr.  Brooks.  I  did. 

Mr.  Ashley,  of  Ohio.  I  do  not  yield  for  that  motion. 

The  Speaker.  It  will  be  entered  on  the  Journal. 

Mr.  Kerr,  by  unanimous  consent,  presented  a  minority  report  on  alleged  election  frauds 
in  the  State  of  New  York ;  which  was  laid  on  the  table  and  ordered  to  be  minted. 

Mr.  Dawes  submitted  the  following  resolution;  which  was  read,  and  under  the  law 
referred  to  the  Committee  on  Printing : 

Resolved,  That  ten  thousand  extra  copies  of  the  report  of  the  committee  on  alleged  frauds  committed  at  the 
late  presidential  election  in  the  State  of  New  York,  and  ten  thousand  extra  copies  of  the  testimony  taken  by 
said  committee,  be  printed  for  the  use  of  the  House. 

H.  Rep.  Com.  31 12 


TESTIMONY. 


New  York,  Monday,  December  21,  18G8. 
Robert  Murray  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

1.  Question.  State  your  residence  and  official  position* 

Answer.  I  reside  in  the  city  of  New  York.  I  am  marshal  for  the 
United  States,  for  the  southern  district  of  New  York,  and  have  occu- 
pied that  position  since  the  20th  of  April,  1861. 

2.  Q.  State  if  you  have  any  knowledge  of  the  issuing  and  sale  of  fraud- 
ulent naturalization  certificates  in  the  month  of  October,  1868. 

A.  In  tlie  early  part  of  October,  there  was  a  rumor  in  town  that  nat- 
uralization papers  could  be  purchased  at  certain  localities  in  this  city, 
for  two  dollars  apiece.  I  directed  two  of  my  deputies,  named  Jarvis 
and  Dwyer,  to  ascertain  if  that  rumor  had  any  foundation  in  fact.  They 
reported  to  me,  in  a  few  days  afterwards,  that  those  papers  could  be 
purchased  from  a  man  named  Rosenberg,  at  No.  6  Centre  street,  and 
also  that  they  could  be  purchased  at  No.  13  Centre  street.  While  these 
two  deputies  were  making  this  report  to  me,  Mr.  Allen,  the  assistant 
United  States  district  attorney,  called  in  my  office,  and  1  inquired  of 
him  if  the  selling  of  false  naturalization  papers  was  a  violation  of  any 
act  of  Congress.  He  replied  to  me  that  he  would  examine  the  question 
and  let  me  know  with  as  little  delay  as  possible.  The  next  morning,  I 
think,  he  called  my  attention  to  the  13th  section  of  the  act  of  1813.  I  then 
stated  to  him  that  I  thought  I  could  purchase  naturalization  papers  by 
making  out  a  list  of  fictitious  names.  He  said  that  if  I  could  he  would 
apply  to  the  commissioner  for  a  warrant  for  the  apprehension  of  the 
parties.  I  then  directed  my  two  deputies  to  purchase  papers  there. 
They  replied  to  me  that  they  could-  not,  from  the  fact  that  they  were 
too  well  known.  The  next  evening  I  was  up  at  the  Fifth  Avenue  hotel 
and  met  Mr.  E.  D.  Webster,  assessor  of  internal  revenue  in  the  32d 
district.  I  asked  him  if  he  could  send  me  two  or  three  reliable  men  the 
next  morning,  as  I  wanted  to  use  them  for  a  special  purpose.  I  did  not 
state  at  that  time  what  business  I  wanted  the  men  for.  Mr.  Webster, 
instead  of  sending  me  two  or  three  men,  as  I  desired,  sent  me  but  one, 
named  Major  Simms.  I  told  Simms  what  I  wanted.  He  and  I  set 
down  and  made  out  a  list  of  four  or  five  or  half  a  dozen  fictitious  names. 
He  went  over  to  Rosenberg,  at  No.  6  Centre  street,  and  stated  to  Rosen- 
berg—[Objected  to  by  Mr.  Ross.  Objection  overruled.]  Major  Simms 
reported  to  me  that  he  called  on  Rosenberg  and  represented  to  him  that 
he  resided  in  Yonkers,  Westchester  county;  that  he  had  some  four  or 
five  friends  there  who  wanted  to  become  citizens  of  the  United  States ; 
that  they  were  poor  men  and  could  not  spare  the  time  to  come  to  the 
city  to  go  through  the  courts  of  law,  and  he  inquired  of  Rosenberg  if 
there  was  not  any  way  by  which  he  could  fix  it  for  him.  Rosenberg 
replied  "yes,  give  me  the  names,  and  I  will  have  the  papers  for  you 
to-morrow  morning."  Simms  replied  that  he  might  want  quite  a  large 
number,  but  that  the  list  was  imperfect  at  that  time,  and  that  he  would 


Z  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN   NEW    YORK. 

call  and  see  him  again.  He  called  there  the  second  time  and  handed 
him  this  list  of  six  or  eight  names,  and  he  was  told  to  call  in  the  morn 
ing  and  that  the  papers  would  be  ready  for  him.  He  did  call  in  the 
morning  and  the  naturalization  certificates  were  handed  to  him.  Simms 
paid  Rosenberg  two  dollars  apiece  for  them.  They  were  brought  to  me 
and  I  made  Simms  mark  them  with  his  initials,  and  I  think  1  marked 
them  myself.  The  next  day  I  sent  a  young  man  by  the  name  of  Butts 
with  a  list  of  three  or  four  names — fictitious  names — and  1  directed  him 
to  go  there,  to  No.  6  Centre  street,  and  purchase  naturalization  papers 
there,  fie  reported  to  me  that  he  had  had  an  interview  with  Rosenberg, 
and  that  Rosenberg  agreed  to  furnish  him  the  papers  the  next  morning. 
The  next  morning  Butts  handed  me  the  certificates;  I  compared  them 
with  the  list  of  names  which  I  had  furnished  to  him  the  day  previously, 
and  1  found  that  they  corresponded.  I  made  Butts  put  his  initials  on 
t\w  certificates  together  with  the  date  of  them,  and  I  put  my  initials  on 
them  also.  The  day  after  I  made  out  another  list  of  names  of  four  or 
five,  or  perhaps  more,  and  sent  a  man  by  the  name  of  Livingston  with 
instructions  to  go  over  and  see  Rosenberg  and  inquire  if  he  could  pur- 
chase naturalization  papers.  He  reported  back  to  me  that  the  papers 
would  be  ready  the  following  morning.  The  following  morning  Living 
ston  handed  to  me  these  naturalization  certificates.  I  compared  them 
with  the  list  of  names  which  I  had  handed  to  him  the  previous  morning, 
and  found  that  they  corresponded.  I  made  Livingston  put  his  initials 
on  them  together  with  the  date,  and  I  think  1  also  put  my  initials  on 
them.  The  next  day  I  sent  a  man  by  the  name  of  Reynolds  over  there 
to  inquire  whether  he  could  purchase  naturalization  papers,  and  we 
made  out  a  list  of  them  together  of  fifteen  or  twenty  names.  I  simply 
sent  Reynolds  there  to  have  corroborating  proof,  for  L  meant  to  arrest 
Rosenberg  that  day ;  and  I  directed  Reynolds  to  have  no  conversation 
with  Rosenberg ;  to  state  to  him  that  perhaps  he  might  want  four  or 
five  hundred  of  these  certificates;  that  perhaps  he  could  not  furnish  the 
list  of  names  as  time  was  very  short,  and  to  inquire  whether  he  could 
have  the  certificates  in  blank.  Reynolds  reported  back  to  me  that  he 
had  had  an  extended  conversation  with  Rosenberg,  and  that  Rosenberg 
agreed  to  furnish  him  with  five  hundred  of  these  certificates  the  next 
morning,  at  a -dollar  and  a  half  apiece;  that  by  taking  a  large  quan- 
tity of  them,  he  would  make  a  reduction  of  fifty  cents ;  then  he  made  a 
counter  proposition,  that  anything  else  than  one  hundred  would  be 
charged  two  dollars  apiece,  and  over  one  hundred  a  dollar  and  a  half 
apiece.  He  had  quite  a  long  conversation  with  him  and  went  into  the 
details  of  the  business.  After  Reynolds  came  back  and  reported  to  me, 
I  sent  another  man  over  there,  by  the  name  of  McDonald,  and  directed 
him  to  do  the  same  thing  as  Reynolds.  He  reported  back  to  me  sub- 
stantially the  same  conversation  that  Reynolds  had  reported — that  these 
In  en  would  furnish  any  quantity  of  these  papers,  over  one  hundred,  for 
a  dollar  and  a  half  apiece;  but  any  quantity  less  than  one  hundred  at 
two  dollars  apiece.  I  considered  then  that  I  had  the  whole  case  com- 
plete. I  went  to  the  district  attorney  and  made  the  necessary  affidavit 
and  information,  and  then  got  out  the  warrant  and  arrested  Rosenberg 
that  afternoon  at  3  o'clock. 

By  Mr.  Ross : 
3..  Q.  What  office  did  Rosenberg  hold! 

A.  None  at  all,,  that  I  am  aware  of.     His  office  was  in  a  lager-beer 
saloon,  across  the  street,  down  in  a  cellar. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  3 

By  the  Chairman: 

4.  Q.  You  say  Rosenberg's  office  was  in  a  lager-beer  saloon  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  you  go  down  steps  eight  or  ten  feet.  On  the  left  hand  as 
you  go  down  is  the  lager-beer  counter.  On  the  right,  just  inside  of  the 
bar,  Rosenberg  had  a  table,  and  I  think  had  two  or  three  persons  writing 

there. 

5.  Q.  Were  all  the  names  which  you  furnished  to  be  sent  to  Rosenberg 
fictitious  names  ! 

A.  Every  one  of  them. 

6.  Q.  Did  the  certificates  of  naturalization  which  were  returned  to  you 
correspond  with  these  names  f 

A.  Precisely. 

7.  Q.  Where  are  these  certificates  of  naturalization  ? 

A.  They  are  in  the  court  as  evidences  against  Rosenberg. 

8.  Q.  To  whom  did  you  furnish  them  ? 

A.  I  gave  them  to  the  United  States  district  attorney,  Mr.  Courtney. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

9.  Q.  Was  Rosenberg  the  proprietor  of  the  saloon1? 
A.  I  think  not. 

10.  Q.  Do  you  know  what  relations  he  sustained  to  it,  if  auy  ? 
A.  I  do  not  know  beyond  the  fact  that  he  had  a  table  there. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

11.  Q.  Rosenberg  was  arrested  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

12.  Q.  After  the  arrest  of  Rosenberg  did  you  see  fraudulent  naturaliza- 
tion papers  other  than  those  which  you  have  named? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  quite  a  number.  Alter  the  examination  of  Rosenberg 
before  the  United  States  commissioner,  and  the  publication  of  the  tes- 
timony in  the  different  newspapers  of  New  York,  quite  a  number  of  men 
who  had  similar  fraudulent  naturalization  papers  called  on  me  to  sur- 
render them,  stating  that  they  were  satisfied  that  they  had  been  impro- 
perly j>rocured,  and  that  they  did  not  want  to  get  into  any  trouble. 
They  inquired  of  me  if  they  did  surrender  them  to  me  whether  I  would 
hold  them  as  evidence  against  them.  My  reply  was  "  No  ;  if  you  bring 
the  papers  here,  make  a  statement  of  how  you  obtained  them,  1  will  destroy 
them  in  your  presence."  I  suppose  that,  to  the  best  of  my  recollection, 
from  150  to  175  of  these  certificates  were  brought  to  my  office  in  that 
way. 

13.  Q.  They  were  surrendered  and  destroyed  % 

A.  They  were  surrendered  and  destroyed  right  in  the  presence  of  the 
parties. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

14.  Q.  Did  these  persons  tell  you  that  they  got  the  certificates  from 
this  same  man,  Rosenberg? 

A.  No,  sir  j  those  men  who  brought  their  certificates  to  me  in  my 
office,  told  me  generally,  that  is,  remarked,  that  parties  came  to  them 
and  inquired  whether  they  were  citizens;  and  if  the  answer  was  in  the 
negative  then  they  inquired  if  they  desired  to  become  citizens,  and  if 
they  said  they  did  the  parties  would  say,  "  Give  me  your  name  and  I 
will  furnish  you  with  a  paper  to-morrow,  and  charge  you  $2  for  it."  I 
inquired  who  Avere  those  parties  ;  the  answer  was,  they  did  not  know ; 
that  they  were  strangers  to  them  ;  I  never  could  get  it  from  them  who 
they  were.  They  either  concealed  it  from  me  designedly,  or  perhaps 
they  did  not  know  who  the  men  were  who  they  bought^  these  papers 
from,  but  it  was  not  Rosenberg. 


4  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW   YORK. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

15.  Q.  That  they  would  answer  affirmatively  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir  ;  some  of  these  men  had  been. here  three  months,  some 
four  months,  and  so  on.  Some  had  been  here  the  requisite  time  and  had 
never  filed  the  declaration  of  intentions. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

16.  Q.  Did  you  take  the  names  of  these  men? 
A.  1  did. 

17.  Q.  From  what  court  did  these  papers  purport  to  issue? 
A.  From  the  supreme  court  of  this  State,  sitting  in  this  city. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

18.  Q.  Who  was  the  judge  of  the  court? 

A.  There  arc  three  judges,  Barnard,  Ingraham,  and  Cardozo. 

By  Mr.  Dickey: 

19.  Q.  Did  the  certificates  bear  the  name  of  any  particular  judge  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  they  bore  the  signature  of  the  county  clerk,  and  have  got 
the  seal  of  tin1  court  attached  to  them. 

20.  Q.  The  certificates  do  not  show  before  what  judge  they  were  made  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

21.  Q.  J  low  arc  the  judges  of  the  supreme  court  elected  I 
A.  They  arc  elected  at  our  general  elections. 

22.  Q.  By  the  people  of  the  State  at  large? 

A.  ISo,  sir;  by  the  people  of  this  judicial  district. 
2;*.  Q.  What  is  this  judicial  district? 
A.  The  city  and  county  of  New  York. 

24.  Q.  Were  any  of  these  papers  that  were  surrendered  to  you  pre- 
served, or  were  they  all  destroyed? 

A.  1  think  I  destroyed  them  all,  because  I  was  anxious  to  get  as  many 
back  as  possible;  and  1  knew  if  I  preserved  any  evidence  against  these 
parties  they  would  not  surrender  the  certificates. 

25.  Q.  Are  you  acquainted  with  the  signature  of  tiie  clerk  of  the 
.supreme  court ! 

A.  No,  sir ;  not  sufficient  to  testify  to  it. 

20.  Q.  Is  this  (handing  witness  paper)  one  of  the  certificates? 

A.  It  is  one  of  them. 

27.  Q.  Can  you  tell,  from  an  inspection  of  these  papers,  whether  they 
are  genuine  or  fraudulent  I 

A.  I  cannot. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins: 

28.  Q.  Did  they  attach  to  them  the  seal  of  the  court  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir,  and  the  signature  of  the  clerk. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

29.  Q.  They  have  attached  to  them  what  purports  to  be  the  seal  of 
the  court ! 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

30.  Q.  You  do  not  know  that  that  impression  was  made  with  the  orig- 
inal proper  legal  seal  I 

A.  I  do  not;  but  it  api>ears  to  be  the  same  impression. 

By  the  Chairman: 

31.  Q.  State  whether  the  fraudulent  naturalization  papers  had  the 
same  impression  as  if  it  was  made  with  the  genuine  seal. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  5 

A.  Precisely.  After  the  arrest  of  Rosenberg,  I  desired  to  know  whether 
they  were  still  carrying  on  the  business  at  No.  6  Centre  street,  and  1 
directed  a  man  by  the  name  of  Krnger  to  go  over  there  and  see  if  he 
could  purchase  naturalization  papers.  He  reported  to  me  that  he  could 
not.  but  that  there  was  a  man  who  frequented  that  place,  and  he  could 
get  them  for  me.  I  made  out  a  list  of  three  names,  and  told  Krnger  to 
open  negotiations  with  him,  which  he  did.  The  papers  were  to  be  deliv- 
ered that  evening  at  8  o'clock.  Krnger  met  the  man  at  the  corner  of 
Centre  street,  and  when  the  man  came  to  hand  him  the  papers.  Krnger 
dropped  something  connected  with  this  office.  The  man  then  tore  the 
papers,  threw  them  into  the  street,  and  ran  away  as  fast  as  he  could. 
Krnger  picked  the  papers  up  as  well  as  he  could  and  brought  them  to  my 
office,  and  they  Avere  pasted  together. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

32.  Q.  The  negotiations  were  made  in  the  same  lager-beer  saloon? 

A.  Negotiations  were  made  with  a  man  who  frequented  there.  The 
man  whom  I  sent  could  not  procure  them  himself,  from  the  fact  that  the 
arrest  of  Rosenberg  had  frightened  them,  and  they  wanted  to  know  who 
they  were  dealing  with. 

33.  Q.  From  what  place  did  these  papers  come  ? 
A.  From  Xo.  (>  Centre  street. 

(Witness  produces  the  three  fraudulent  certificates,  which  are  annexed 
to  his  testimony  and  marked  Exhibit  A.) 

By  Mr.  Hopkins: 

34.  Q.  The  names  in  these  certificates  corresponded  with  the  names 
which  you  and  Schaffer  made  out  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

35.  Q.  The  names  are  fictitious,  are  they? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

30.  Q.  State  whether  the  seal  impressed  on  these  certificates  is  the  genu- 
ine seal  of  the  supreme  court,  and  Avhether  the  signature  of  the  clerk  is 
the  genuine  signature  of  the  county  clerk. 

A.  I  cannot  state  that,  because  I  am  not  familiar  with  the  signature 
of  the  county  clerk.  I  am  not  sufficiently  familiar  with  the  seal  of  the 
court  to  testify  about  it. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

37.  Q.  It  purports  to  be  the  seal  of  the  court? 

A.  It  purports  to  be  the  seal  of  the  court  and  the  signature  of  the 
county  clerk. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

38.  Q.  When  you  arrested  Bosenberg  the  fact  of  his  arrest  was  pub- 
lished in  the  papers,  aud  you  say  immediately  on  the  publication  of  that 
fact  parties  came  to  you  and  began  to  surrender  fraudulent  certificates? 

A.  Yes.  sir.  two  or  three  lor  days,  I  think,  at  a  time.  Thev  got 
frightened,  and  were  afraid  to  hold  possession  of  these  papers. 

39.  Q.  And  they  said  to  you  they  had  been  offered  these  papers  bv 
parties  coming  to  them  to  sell  them1.' 

A.  Yes.  sir. 

By  the  Chaqoian  : 

40.  Q.  Is  there  any  other  fact  within  your  knowledge  that  will  throw 
light  upon  the  subject  of  this  investigation  ! 

A.  None  that  I  am  acquainted  with. 


6  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

By  Mr.  Kerr: 

41.  Q.  Did  you  ever  become  personally  acquainted  with  Mr.  Rosenberg? 
A.  I  knew  him  years  ago. 

42.  Q.  Give  us  a  general  idea  of  his  character  hitherto,  and  what  was 
his  business. 

A.  I  knew  him  some  10  or  12  or  15  years  ago.  He  resided  in  the  same 
ward  that  I  did.  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  city.  He  was  a  policeman  at 
that. time.  1  did  not  know  when  I  arrested  him  that  lie  was  the  same 
man  ;  neither  should  I  have  known  had  he  not  called  my  attention  to  it. 
When  I  knew  him  in  the  seventh  ward,  New  York,  I  considered  him  a 
pretty  respectable  man — a  man  whom  people  generally  thought  well  of. 
I  knew  but  little  about  him  up  to  this  time. 

43.  Q.  You  do  not  know  what  his  business  has  been  for  several  years 


A.  No,  sir ;  not  of  my  own  knowledge. 

44.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  your  personal  knowledge  whether  any  of  these 
fraudulent  certificates  have  been  voted  upon? 

A.  I  know  it  in  this  way,  that  parties  were  arrested  and  brought  to 
me  for  voting  on  these  fraudulent  certificates.  They  were  arrested  on 
election  day. 

45.  Q.  That  is  all  you  know  about  it ! 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

46.  Q.  State  whether  the  certificates  which  you  destroyed  corresponded 
in  form  with  these  three  which  you  present  to-day. 

A.  They  were  the  fac  simile  of  them  and  I  would  be  willing  to  swear 
that  the  handwriting  and  the  names  were  all  done  by  the  same  person. 

47.  Q.  How  were  the  impressions  of  the  seal  and  the  signature  of  the 
check  ? 

A.  I  think  they  were  the  same. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

49.  Q.  Did  you  give  special  attention  to  the  correspondence  of  the  seal 
and  of  the  signature  of  the  clerk  at  the  time  this  thing  came  to  your 
observation ? 

A.  I  cannot  say  that  I  did. 

51.  Q.  Then  your  answer  is  based  upon  your  general  observation  as 
the  things  came  along  1 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Boss : 

52.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  other  frauds  in  election  in  the  city  of  New 
York? 

A.  I  do. 

53.  Q.  You  may  state  any  within  your  own  knowledge. 

A.  Some  four  or  five  days  before  the  election  a  man  called  at  my  office 
and  stated  to  me  that  with  a  little  help  he  could  get  the  books  of  these 
repeaters. 

54.  Q.  What  books? 

A.  This  thing  is  regularly  systematized  here.  Bepeaters  is  what  we 
call  them  here. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

55.  Q.  That  means  persons  who  vote  more  than  once  ? 

A.  Who  vote  early  and  vote  often.  They  have  got  a  book  made  in 
the  form  of  a  check  book,  a  line  is  drawn  through  each  page  leaving 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  7 

what  is  supposed  to  be  a  margin.  There  is  a  place  for  the  date,  for  the 
name  and  residence  that  the  repeater  takes  and  the  election  district  in 
which  he  is  going  to  register.  The  same  thing  is  put  down  on  the  mar- 
gin. The  captain  of  the  division  (for  they  have  got  the  city  divided  into 
sections)  cuts  off  the  memorandum  and  gives  it  to  one  of  these  repeaters 
registered,  and  when  the  election  day  comes  he  cuts  off  the  correspond- 
ing memorandum  in  the  margin  and  the  fellow  goes  and  votes  upon  it. 
It  was  a  matter  which  I  could  not  take  cognizance  of  inasmuch  as  it  did 
not  involve  any  violation  of  any  law  of  Congress.  But  I  sent  this  man 
to  a  place  where  he  could  get  people  to  take  cognizance  of  it.  I  had  con- 
siderable to  do  with  it  until  it  became  fully  developed  and  we  arrested 
the  parties  and  got  the  books.  I  think  these  books  disclose  1,600  repeat- 
ers. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

56.  Q.  How  many  times  do  these  repeaters  vote,  each  ? 

A.  Twenty,  or  30  or  40  times  each,  according  to  their  nerve  and  their 
courage. 

By  Mr.  Ross : 

57.  Q.  Where  is  this  book  now  ? 

A.  I  think  it  is  in  the  hands  of  Colonel  Bliss,  counsel  of  the  police 
board. 

58  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  money  being  raised  in  this  city  with  a  view 
of  operating  on  the  election  or  controlling  it  ? 

A.  I  have  always  been  in  the  habit  of  contributing  money  myself  for 
election  purposes. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

59.  Q.  It  is  quite  a  practice  among  men  who  take  an  interest  in  elec- 
tions ? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  and  I  suppose  I  shall  always  contribute. 

By  Mr.  Boss : 

60.  Q.  Do  you  know  how  much  wras  contributed  here  in  the  city  of  New 
York  by  yourself  and  furnished  with  a  view  of  controlling  the  elections  ? 

A.  I  did  not  contribute  a  dollar  with  the  view  of  controlling  the  elec- 
tion. 

61.  Q.  With  the  view  of  aiding  in  the  carrying  of  the  election0? 

A.  There  are  certain  legitimate  expenses  of  an  election,  such  as  print- 
ing documents,  advertising,  room  hire,  circulating  documents,  and  all 
that  kind  of  thing.  On  one  occasion  I  contributed  $1,000,  and  on  other 
occasions  I  contributed  more  or  less. 

62.  Q.  How  much  did  you  contribute  last  fall  ? 
A.  Perhaps  $3,000  or  $4,000. 

63.  Q.  Did  you  see  any  list  of  contributions  made  by  your  friends,  so 
you  can  state  with  any  degree  of  accuracy  the  amount  of  them  ! 

A.  I  can  only  state  for  myself. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

64.  Q.  State  if  there  was  any  understanding  with  Rosenberg  as  to  the 
political  party  for  whose  benefit  these  fraudulent  naturalization  certifi- 
cates were  to  be  used. 

A.  I  cannot  answer  that  question,  only  so  far  as  I  had  an  interview 
with  Rosenberg.  After  his  arrest  Rosenberg  sent  a  German  to  me, 
whom  I  did  know,  to  inquire  if  I  had  any  objection  to  having  an  inter- 
view with  Rosenberg ;  and  I  told  him  if  he  would  come  in  the  afternoon 
I  would  give  him  an  answer.  In  the  mean  time  I  saw  Mr.  Courtney, 
the  district  attorney,  and  inquired  of  him  if  there  was  any  objection  to 


8  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

my  having  thia  interview  with  Rosenberg.  He  said,  no,  but  I  must  be 
very  careful  to  make  him  no  promises.    I  told  Rosenberg's  friend  that  I 

would  see  him  the  next  day  in  our  grand  jury  room,  at  11  o'clock;  and 
that  if  he  desired  it  he  could  come  the  back  way,  and  I  would  have  the 
door  left  open.  He  did  not  come  the  next  day,  but  he  came  the  day 
after.  He  objected  to  having  the  interview  in  the  grand  jury  room.  1 
then  took  him  into  a  baggage  room,  a  dark  room,  where  we  put  sailors' 
luggage,  and  all  the  rubbish  about  the  building.  Rosenberg  then  told 
me  who  be  was.  Said  he,  "Where  I  used  to  live  some  10  or  L5  years 
ago,  I  used  to  know  you  pretty  well;  you  ami  I  were  whigS  together." 
I  then  recognized  the  man.  u  Well,"  said  I,  "Rosenberg,  what  do  you 
want  r  "  Why,"  said  he,  "  I  understood  you  wanted  to  see  me."  Said  I, 
"No,  sir;  I  have  not  sent  for  you  at  all.  These  men  who  brought  you  in 
here  stated  that  you  wanted  an  interview  with  me."  Said  he,  "  No." 
Said  I,  "Very  well;  then  this  interview  ends."  Said  he,  "No,  I  want 
to  talk  to  you."  "  Well,"  said  I,  "  What  have  you  got  to  say  T  Said  he. 
"You  knew  me  in  the  seventh  ward  years  ago;  we  were  old  whigs 
together."  Said  I,  "What  has  that  got  to  do  with  this  transaction  r 
Said  he,  "Yon  ought  to  let  up  on  me."  Said  I,  "Rosenberg,  what 
possessed  you  to  go  into  this  business  F  Said  he,  "Mr.  Murray,  every 
certificate  that  you  have  imrchased  from  me  is  genuine,  and  came  out 
of  the  court-room.  I  am  at  work  for  tin1  democratic  party,  and  paid 
for  this  thing.  I  get  but  very  little  of  the  $2  that  is  paid  for  these  cer- 
tificates." Well,  he  evidently  wanted  to  catch  me  some  way  or  other, 
and  so  the  interview  terminated. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

65.  Q.  When  these  men  came  to  you  to  surrender  their  certificates,  did 
they  state  Avhy  they  supposed  they  had  been  furnished  with  them  I 

A.  They  stated  the  conversation  they  had  had  with  the  party  who 
offered  to  get  them  their  papers. 

66.  Q.  With  a  view  to  make  them  voters  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

[Exhibit  A.] 

UNITED  STATES   OF  AMERICA. 

State  of  Iew  Y^ork,  City  and  County  of  New  York,  ss  : 

Be  it  remembered,  that  on  the  twenty-third  day  of  October,  in  the 
year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  sixty-eight,  James  R. 
Smith  appeared  in  the  supreme  court  of  the  State  of  New  York,  held 
in  the  city  and  county  of  Sew  York,  (a  court  of  record,  having  common 
law  jurisdiction,  a  clerk  and  seal,)  and  applied  to  the  said  court  to  be 
admitted  to  become  a  citizen  of  the  United  States  of  America,  pursu- 
ant to  the  provisions  of  the  several  acts  of  the  Congress  of  the  United 
States  of  America,  for  the  purpose  made  and  provided.  And  the  said 
applicant,  having  produced  to  the  said  court  such  evidence,  having  made 
such  declaration  and  renunciation,  and  having  taken  such  oaths  as  are 
by  the  said  acts  required — 

Thereupon,  it  was  ordered  by  the  court  that  the  said  applicant  be 
admitted,  and  he  was  accordingly  admitted,  to  be  a  citizen  of  the  United 
States  of  America. 

In  testimony  whereof,  the  seal  of  the  said  court  is  hereunto  affixed, 
this  twenty -third  day  of  October,  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  sixty- 
eight,  and  in  the  ninety-third  year  of  the  independence  of  the  United 
States. 

Put  cut i a m  .* 

[seal.]  CHAS.  E.  LOEW,  Cleric. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 


UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA. 


State  of  New  York,  City  and  County  of  New  York,  ss  : 

Be  it  remembered,  that  on  the  twenty-third  day  of  October,  in  the 
year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  sixty-eight,  Samuel 
Reynolds  appeared  in  the  supreme  court  of  the  United  States,  held  in 
the  city  and  county  of  New  York,  (a  court  of  record,  having  common 
law  jurisdiction,  a  clerk  and  seal,)  and  applied  to  the  said  court  to  be 
admitted  to  become  a  citizen  of  the  United  States  of  America,  pursu- 
ant to  the  provisions  of  the  several  acts  of  the  Congress  of  the  United 
States  of  America,  for  that  purpose  made  and  provided.  And  the  said 
applicant,  having  produced  to  the  said  court  such  evidence,  having  made 
such  declaration  and  renunciation,  and  having  taken  such  oaths  as  are 
by  the  said  acts  required — 

Thereupon,  it  was  ordered  by  the  court  that  the  said  applicant  be 
admitted,  and  he  was  accordingly  admitted,  to  be  a  citizen  of  the  United 
States  of  America. 

la  testimony  whereof,  the  seal  of  the  said  court  is  hereunto  affixed, 
this  twenty-third  day  of  October,  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  sixty- 
eight,  and  in  the  ninety -third  year  of  the  independence  of  the  United 
States.' 

Per  curiam  : 

[SEAL.]  CHAS.  E.  LOEW,  Cleric. 


UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA. 

State  of  New  York,  City  and  County  of  New  Yorlc,  ss  : 

Be  it  remembered,  that  on  the  twenty-third  day  of  October,  in  the 
year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  sixty-eight,  Patrick 
Bafferty  appeared  in  the  supreme  court  of  the  State  of  New  York,  held 
in  the  city  and  county  of  New  York,  (a  court  of  record,  having  common 
law  jurisdiction,  a  clerk  and  seal,)  and  applied  to  the  said  court  to  be 
admitted  to  become  a  citizen  of  the  United  States  of  America,  pursu- 
ant to  the  provisions  of  the  several  acts  of  the  Congress  of  the  United 
States  of  America,  for  that  purpose  made  and  provided.  And  the  said 
applicant, having  produced  to  the  said  court  such  evidence,  having  made 
such  declaration  and  renunciation,  and  having  taken  such  oaths  as  are 
by  the  said  acts  required — 

Thereupon,  it  was  ordered  by  the  court  that  the  said  applicant  be 
admitted,  and  he  was  accordingly  admitted,  to  be  a  citizen  of  the  United 
States  of  America. 

In  testimony  whereof,  the  seal  of  the  said  court  is  hereunto  affixed, 
this  twenty-third  day  of  October,  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  sixty- 
eight,  and  in  the  ninety-third  year  of  the  independence  of  the  United 
States. 

Per  curiam  : 

[seal.]  CHAS.  E.  LOEW,  Cleric. 

Samuel  G.  Courtney  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

67.  Question.  State  your  residence  and  official  position. 

Answer.  I  reside  in  the  city  of  New  York,  and  am  United  States  attor- 
ney for  the  southern  district  of  New  York;  I  was  appointed  and  con- 
firmed about  the  17th  of  April,  1866. 


10  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

68.  Q.  State  if  you  have  any  fraudulent  naturalization  certificates  in 
your  possession  ;  if  so,  where  they  were  procured,  and  any  proof  within 
your  knowledge  connected  with  them. 

A.  I  have  several  so-called  certificates  of  naturalization ;  I  cannot  say 
whether  they  are  fraudulent  or  not,  but  from  the  evidence  giveD  before 
the  United  States  commissioner  on  a  charge  against  a  man  named  Rosen- 
berg, I  have  not  the  slightest  doubt  about  it.  As  to  the  material  facts 
about  them  I  know  nothing  except  what  came  before  me  officially.  I 
have  here,  in  my  hand,  five  certificates  bearing  date  October  20,  L868. 
They  were  brought  to  my  office  in  the  latter  part  of  October,  1868,  for 
the  purpose  of  causing  me  to  have  a  warrant  issued  for  the  arrest  of  a 
man  by  the  name  of  Benjamin  B.  llosenberg,  from  whom  the  party 
bringing  them  alleged  he  had  purchased  them. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

69.  Q.  Who  produced  them  to  you  ? 

A.  A  man  named  William  T.  Siinms ;  I  did  not  know  him  up  to  that 
time.  I  think  he  was  accompanied  by  Marshal  Murray.  I  gave  instruc- 
tions to  one  of  my  deputies  to  prepare  an  affidavit  and  submit  it  to  the 
commissioner,  which  he  did.  On  that  a  warrant  was  issued  for  the  arrest 
of  Rosenberg,  and  an  examination  was  held  for  several  days.  The  com- 
missioner held  Rosenberg  for  trial  and  sent  the  case  to  the  grand  jury. 
An  indictment  was  found;  counsel  for  the  defendant  moved  to  quash 
the  indictment,  and  the  motion  was  argued  elaborately  in  the  United 
States  circuit  court  before  Judges  Nelson  and  Blatchford.  They  granted 
a  certificate  of  division,  of  opinion,  and  the  case  is  now  in  the  Supreme 
Court  of  the  United  States.  (Witness  produces  a  copy  of  the  record 
which  is  annexed  to  the  testimony,  marked  Exhibit  11.) 

By  the  Chairman: 

70.  Q.  State  the  names  in  the  five  certificates  that  you  have. 

A.  The  names  are  John  J.  Mercer,  Antonio  Gomez,  Alexr.  N.McCann, 
Adolph  Slechelseine,  and  Patrick  O'Brien. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

71.  Q.  Have  you  any  means  of  answering,  with  absolute  satisfaction  to 
yourself,  as  to  the  identity  of  the  seal  attached  to  those  papers,  with  the 
proper  seal  of  the  court  ? 

A.  I  have  not ;  I  have  no  doubt  in  my  own  mind  that  it  is  the  seal  of 
the  supreme  court. 

72.  Q.  Are  you  any  more  familiar  with  the  signature  ? 

A.  It  is  not  Mr.  Lowe's  own  handwriting,  but  I  think  it  is  the  hand- 
writing of  a  clerks  in  thatoffice,  Mr.  John  B.  McKean.  There  is  a  clerk 
for  each  division  of  the  supreme  court.  Whether  he  was  a  deputy  of 
not  I  do  not  know. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

73.  Q.  Are  all  the  clerks  employed  in  the  office  allowed  to  sign  the 
name  of  the  county  clerk  and  to  use  the  seal  of  the  court? 

A.  That  I  cannot  say.  There  is  a  statute  in  reference  to  the  power  or 
deputy  clerks  in  the  offices  of  county  clerks.  Each  clerk  is  to  have  a 
deputy,  with  power  to  issue  papers  and  attach  the  signature  of  the  clerk, 
but  generally  we  have  special  acts  for  the  city  of  New  York. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

74.  Q.  Are  you  an  expert  in  distinguishing  writing? 
A.  I  think  I  can  distinguish  handwriting  very  well. 

75.  Q.  I  now  present  to  you  the  three  certificates  which  are  annexed  to 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  11 

the  testimony  of  Marshal  Murray ;  look  at  them  and  state  what  portion 
of  them  is  in  writing. 

A.  "  23d  October,  1868,  James  R,  Smith,  23d  October,  eight,  third, 
Chas.  E.  Loew,"  is  in  writing*;  all  the  rest  is  in  print. 

70.  Q.  State  how  the  seal  on  the  five  certificates  that  you  have  pre- 
sented compares  with  the  seal  on  the  three  certificates  annexed  to  Mar- 
shal Murray's  testimony. 

A.  The  seal  on  all  appears  to  be  the  same ;  I  have  no  doubt  that  it  is 
the  same  seal. 

77.  Q.  State  whether  the  signature  "  Chas.  E.  Loew"  is  the  same  on  the 
five  certificates  that  you  have  presented  as  on  the  three  certificates 
annexed  to  Marshal  Murray's  testimony. 

A.  In  my  opinion  they  are  in  the  same  handwriting. 

78.  Q.  State  whether  all  those  certificates  have  been  printed  on  the 
same  form. 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  they  all  appear  to  be  on  the  same  form,  and  I  think  it  is 
the  form  used  for  certificates  by  the  court. 

79.  Q.  State  whether  the  filling  in  of  the  dates  and  of  the  names  is  the 
same  handwriting. 

A.  The  filling  in  of  the  dates  is,  in  my  opinion,  different  from  the  fill- 
ing in  of  the  names. 

80.  Q.  State  whether  the  filling  in  of  the  dates,  in  the  whole  eight  cer- 
tificates now  before  you,  is  in  the  same  handwriting. 

A.  I  should  say  not.  In  the  five  that  I  presented  the  filling  in  of  the 
dates  appears  to  be  in  the  same  handwriting,  and  is  different  from  the 
filling  in  of  the  other  three.  The  filling  in  of  the  dates  in  the  certifi- 
cates of  Jas.  E.  Smith  and  Patrick  Eafferty  appears  to  be  in  the  same 
handwriting.  The  filling  in  of  the  dates  in  the  certificate  of  Samuel 
Reynolds  is  in  a  very  different  handwriting. 

81.  Q.  State  whether  the  filling  in  of  the  names  of  the  persons  purport- 
ing to  be  naturalized,  in  the  three  certificates  annexed  to  Marshal  Mur- 
ray's testimony,  is  in  the  same  handwriting. 

A.  I  shoidd  say  it  is. 

82.  Q.  How  as  to  the  names  in  the  five  certificates  that  you  have 
presented  1 

A.  I  should  say  it  is  in  the  same  handwriting.  In  my  opinion  the 
names  of  the  whole  eight  were  in  the  same  handwriting. 

83.  Q.  Have  you  any  other  papers  purporting  to  be  certificates  of 
naturalization  ? 

A.  I  hold  in  my  hand  four  more  certificates  which  were  given  to  me 
during  the  investigation  of  the  Rosenberg  case  before  the  United  States 
commissioner.  They  came  from  a  man  named  Livingstone,  who  testified 
that  he  had  purchased  them  from  Rosenberg ;  I  think  they  came  from 
Marshal  Murray's  office,  and  were  handed  tome  as  part  of  the  testimony 
in  the  case. 

84.  Q.  Do  they  bear  the  same  signature  as  the  other  certificates? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  they  are  filled  up  in  the  names  of  James  Brown,  August 
Betzel,  Henry  Beaun,  and  William  Honig.  The  names  are,  in  my  opin- 
ion, in  the  same  handwriting  as  the  names  in  the  other  eight  certificates. 
In  the  certificate  of  James  Brown  the  filling  in  of  the  dates  is,  in  my 
opinion,  in  the  same  handwriting  as* the  filling  in  of  the  dates  in  the  cer- 
tificates of  James  R.  Smith  and  Patrick  Rafferty.  The  others  appear  to 
be  different.  The  filling  in  of  the  dates  in  the  certificates  of  August 
Betzel  and  Henry  Beaun  appears  to  be  in  the  same  handwriting;  but  I 
think  it  is  different  from  the  others  shown  me. 

85.  Q.  State  whether  the  printing  in  the  last  four  certificates  is  the 
same  as  in  the  others. 


12  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YOUK. 

A.  Yes,  sir;  they  arc  all  in  the  same  form,  and  are  evidently  struck 
from  the  same  plates. 

86.  Q.  What  other  certificates  have  you  I 

A.  I  hold  in  my  hand  three  certificates  issued  on  the  19th  of  October, 
1868,  to  Thomas  Shmitt,  Sebastian  Shneider,  and  John  Winkcns. 

87.  Q.   from  whom  did  you  obtain  them  'I 

A.  They  came  to  me  in  the  investigation  of  the  case,  through  Marsha] 
.Murray's  office.  They  were  purchased  by  a  man  named  Henry  Butts; 
the  filling  in  of  the  dates  of  these  three  appears  to  be  in  the  same  band- 
writing,  and  the  names  are  also  in  the  same  handwriting,  though  differ- 
ent from  the  filling  in  of  the  dates;  the  signature  of  the  clerk  is  the 
same  as  in  the  others;  the  signature  of  all  the  certificates  that  I  have 
seen  is  in  the  same  handwriting.  These  are  all  the  certificates  that  I 
have  had  anything  to  do  with.  There  have  been  several  other  cases  from 
the  country  round  about,  that  have  been  before  the  grand  jury. 

88.  Q.  What  indictments  have  been  found  by  the  grand  jury  against 
persons  for  issuing  or  dealing  in  fraudulent  naturalization  certificates  .' 

A.  1  think  there  are  seven  ox  eight  indictments  against  Benjamin  B. 
Rosenberg.  There  is  an  indictment  against  Abraham  Hyatt,  of  Sing 
Sing.  There  are  two  indictments,  J  think,  against  the  county  clerk  of 
Orange  county,  Lewis  Cuddyback,  and  1  think  there  are  five  against  his 
clerks  and  deputies — one  joint  indictment  against  all  of  them,  and,  I 
think,  live  separate  indictments,  one  against  each.  The  grand  jury  has 
ordered  bills  in  several  other  cases,  which  have  not  yet  been  presented. 
After  the  question  took  the  course  that  it  did  before  the  circuit  court,  I 
did  not  think  it  very  material  to  present  those  cases  until  the  ques- 
tion should  be  disposed  of. 

89.  Q.  After  the  Rosenberg  case  had  been  reserved  for  decision,  you 
ceased  to  make  investigations  .' 

A.  No  ;  those  cases  that  were  presented  had  all  been  investigated,  but 
since  the  Rosenberg  case  has  gone  up  to  the  Supreme  Court  there  has 
been  a  suspension,  a  sort  of  hiatus. 

90.  Q.  Is  there  any  other  fact  occurring  to  you  now  that  will  throw 
light  on  the  investigation  before  the  committee ! 

A.  I  know  of  none. 

William  Thomas  Simms  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

91.  Question.  State  your  residence. 

Answer.  I  reside  in  the  city  of  New  York,  and  have  lived  here  all  my 
life,  with  the  exception  of  live  years  that  1  was  in  the  army. 

92.  Q.  Examine  the  five  papers  purporting  to  be  certificates  of  natu- 
ralization to  Patrick  O'Brien,  John  J.  Mercer,  Antonio  Gomez,  Alex.  N. 
McCann,  and  Adolph  Slechelseine,  which  are  referred  to  in  the  testimony 
of  District  Attorney  Courtney,  and  state  what  you  know  of  them. 

A.  On  a  Monday  morning-,  at  our  office,  83  Cedar  street — the  office  of 
Mr.  E.  D.  Webster,  assessor  of  the  32d  district — Mr.  Webster  sent  for 
me.  I  went  into  his  office.  He  said,  "Major,  tnere  are  a  great  many 
frauds  committed  by  which  naturalization  papers  are  issued" 

By  Mr.  Dickey: 

93.  Q.  In  consequence  of  what  Mr.  Webster  told  you,  did  you  go  to  Mr. 
Marshal  Murray's  office  ? 

A.  He  gave  me  a  letter  to  Marshal  Murray,  and  I  went  to  his  office. 
Marshal  Murray  said  he  wanted  me  to  see  a  gentleman  at  25  Chambers 
street  who  was  at  the  head  of  a  naturalization  committee  for  the  repub- 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  13 

lican  party.  I  saw  that  gentleman,  and  he  told  me  that  at  No.  6  Centre 
street  they  were  issuing  naturalization  papers  for  pay.  I  went  to  No.  o* 
Centre  street  about  half  past  12  o'clock  the  same  Monday,  and  asked 
for  Mr.  Rosenbaum.  A  person,  whom  I  afterwards  discovered  to  be 
Rosenberg,  said  there  was  no  such  person  there.  I  left  the  place,  and. 
on  referring  to  the  memorandum  which  I  had  in  my  pocket,  I  found  that 
the  name  was  Rosenberg.  1  went  back  to  G  Centre  street  and  asked  to 
see  Mr.  Rosenberg.  A  person  responded  to  that  name.  I  walked  to  the 
back  part  of  the  saloon,  in  which  the  naturalization  office  was.  On  one 
side  was  a  lager-beer  counter,  and  on  the  other  side  the  naturalization 
committee  had  a  desk  or  counter.  Rosenberg  asked  me  what  I  wanted 
of  him.  I  told  him  that  I  was  from  Yonkers;  that  I  had  20  or  30  friends 
at  Yonkers  who  wanted  naturalization  papers,  and  that  I  had  no  wit- 
nesses  or  principals.  Said  I,  u  Can  you  or  can  you  not  get  me  papers  for 
those  men  ?  If  you  cannot,  say  it,  because  I  do  not  wish  to  begin  it  and 
then  tail.  If  you  cannot,  I  will  seek  elsewhere."  He  asked  me  what 
party  I  was  from,  and  I  told  him  the  democratic  party.  He  said,  "  I  can 
get  them,  without  fail.  I  have  sold  7,000  of  them."  I  told  him  I  would 
return  later  in  the  afternoon  with  the  names,  as  they  were  then  incom- 
plete. I  did  return  in  the  afternoon,  but  without  the  memorandum  of 
names,  telling  him  that  I  was  still  unable  to  complete  the  names,  but 
that  I  would  return  in  the  morning.  On  Tuesday  morning  I  went  back 
with  a  list  of  these  five  names :  Patrick  O'Brien,  John  J.  Mercer,  Antonio 
Gomez,  Alex.  X.  McCann,  and  Adolph  Slechelseine.  I  handed  him  the 
memorandum,  and  asked  him  to  let  me  have  the  papers  that  afternoon, 
if  he  could.  He  said  that  was  impossible,  but  that  I  could  have  them 
by  0  o'clock.  I  left  the  office  and  went  about  my  business,  and  at  6' 
o'clock  I  returned.  As  I  went  into  the  saloon  he  immediately  arose.  I 
walked  directly  back  to  the  rear  part  of  the  saloon,  where  there  was  a 
dark  room,  which  I  entered.  Rosenberg  followed  me  in.  He  handed  me 
the  live  papers  which  I  now  hold  in  my  hand,  and  I  handed  him  a  ten- 
dollar  bill.  Either  then  or  at  a  prior  interview  he  said  to  me,  "I  do  not 
make  this  money,  but  you  present  me  with  $10,  and  I  give  you  five 
papers."    That  is,  in  substance,  all  I  know  about  these  five  papers. 

94.  Q.  Were  the  names  which  you  furnished  to  him,  and  which  are 
filled  into  these  papers,  real  or  fictitious  names  ? 

A.  They  are  fictitious  names. 

95.  Q.  What  did  you  do  with  the  papers  after  you  got  them? 

A.  I  brought  them  to  Marshal  Murray  and  gave  them  to  him.  I  iden- 
tified them  at  the  time  with  my  initials.  These  are  the  same  papers. 
Rosenberg  showed  me  a  list  of  over  5,000  names  for  which  he  said  he  had 
got  certificates. 

96.  Q.  In  what  form  was  the  list  of  names  kept? 

A.  I  am  inclined  to  think  it  was  on  sheets  either  of  foolscap  or  of  legal- 
cap.  They  folded  over  similarly  to  legal-cap  paper.  To  each  name  was 
a  number,  and  the  number  exceeded  5,000.  I  looked  over  the  list.  He 
turned  the  sheets  over  rather  rapidly.  I  saw  the  last  number,  which,  I 
think,  was  5,900  odd ;  certainly  it  was  in  excess  of  5,000. 

97.  Q.  Was  Rosenberg  connected  with  any  of  the  courts? 
A.  Not  that  I  know  of. 

By  Mr.  Dawes: 

98.  Q.  Did  you  present  to  him  any  applications  for  naturalization  in 
the  names  of  these  men? 

A.  Xone  at  all.  When  I  went  back  about  1  o'clock  on  Tuesday  he 
showed  me  some  papers  which  he  had  coiled  up  in  his  hand,  and  I'saw 


14  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

the  name  of  Adolph  Slechelseine  on  one  of  them.    J  supposed  (diem  to 
be  applications  for  certificates  of  naturalization. 

90.  Q.   Did  you  make  any  statement  to  him  of  what  countries  these 
men  were  from  l 
A.  None  at  all. 

100.  Q.  Of  their  ages? 
A.  None  whatever. 

101.  Q.  Of  how  long  they  were  in  the  country  \ 
A.  None  whatever. 

102.  Q.  Of  whether  they  had  filed  their  hist  papers? 
A.  None  whatever. 

L03.  <,>.  Did  yon  make  any  other  statement,  either  in  writing  or  ver- 
bally,  than  you  have  testified  to  I 

A.  J  stated  to  him  that  the  men  were  too  poor  to  go  to  White  Plains, 
the  county  seat  of  the  county  where  Yonkers  is  situated,  or  to  come  to 
New  York  to  obtain  their  naturalization  papers. 

101.  Q.  Did  you  make  any  other  statement  to  him,  either  verbally  or 
in  writing,  of  the  facts  on  which  they  were  entitled  to  naturalization  \ 

A.  None  whatever. 

By  Mr.  Dickey: 
105.  Q.  Did  you  name  any  vouchers  for  them  \ 
A.  None  whatever. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

100.  Q.  What  papers  were  those  you  saw  with  the  name  of  Slechel- 
seine  on  one  of  them  ! 

A.  When  J  went  back  to  Rosenberg's  office  on  Tuesday  I  asked  him  if 
he  had  the  naturalization  papers  ready.  He  said  he  had  not  time  to  get 
them.  He  had  in  his  hand  papers  coiled  up,  and  he  opened  the  coil  and 
spread  it  out.  J  saw  the  name  of  Slechelseine,  one  of  the  five  names  that 
1  had  furnished  him.  J  took  the  papers  to  be  applications  for  natural- 
ization certificates. 

By  Mr.  Dawes: 

107.  Q.  Was  that  your  own  inference,  or  some  statement  of  his  ? 

A.  It  was  my  own  inference.  1  am  morally  certain  of  it,  but  I  could 
not  swear  to  it.  The  paper  was  partly  printed  and  partly  written.  I 
saw  something  in  ir  about  an  application  and  citizenship.  It  was  a  paper 
similar  to  one  which,  1  believe,  foreigners  fill  up  before  they  are  granted 
certificates  of  naturalization. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins1  : 

108.  Q.  Was  anything  said  by  Rosenberg  in  that  interview  as  to  Avhere 
lie  was  to  get  these  papers  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

109.  Q.  Or  as  to  whether  they  were  genuine  papers  issued  by  the 
court  or  not  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

110.  Q.  He  disclosed  nothing  of  the  kind  ? 
A.  He  disclosed  nothing  of  the  kind. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

111.  Q.  Do  you  know  what  naturalization  papers  cost  in  the  proper 
courts  in  this  city.? 

A.  I  believe  only  the  notary  fees. 

112.  Q.  When  you  went  to  the  place  where  Rosenberg  wras,  did  you  see 
any  persons  there  who  seemed  to  have  anything  to  do  with  the  business  ? 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  15 

A.  None  who  were  concerned  in  the  issue  of  such  papers.  There  were 
20  persons  in  the  saloon. 

113.  Q.  Did  you  count  them  ? 

A.  No ;  but  I  know  there  were  over  20.  There  were  five  sitting  on  the 
right-hand  side  of  the  saloon  at  a  table  at  which  applications  were  made 
out  and  at  which  Rosenberg  was  sitting. 

114.  Q.  Five  others  ? 

A.  Four  besides  Rosenberg. 

115.  Q.  Were  they  drinking ! 
A.  No,  sir. 

116.  Q.  Were  they  there  each  time  you  went  in? 

A.  That  I  cannot  state;  they  were  clerks  to  the  committee. 

117.  Q.  How  do  you  know  they  were  ? 
A.  Because  I  saw  them  writing. 

118.  Q.  What  were  they  writing? 
A.  That  I  cannot  state. 

119.  Q.  Did  you  see  any  blanks  before  them  which  they  seemed  to  be 
filling  up  ? 

A.  I  saw  blanks ;  I  did  not  see  them  filling  them  up. 

120.  Q.  Were  they  all  writing  at  one  time"? 
A.  I  do  not  recollect  that. 

121.  Q.  Were  they  young  men  or  old  men0? 
A.  They  were  middle-aged  men. 

122.  Q.  Were  they  Americans  or  foreigners  ? 
A.  They  looked  to  be  foreigners. 

123.  Q.  Did  you  talk  with  them? 
A.  Not  at  all. 

124.  Q.  You  do  not  know  whether  they  had  any  connection  with 
Rosenberg? 

A.  No ;  except  that  Rosenberg  was  chairman  of  the  naturalization 
committee  that  met  there.     It  was  the  naturalization  office. 

125.  Q.  How  do  you  know  that  ? 

A.  That  was  the  sign  over  the  door ;  it  was  in  German,  but  I  knew 
enough  of  German  to  know  it  was  the  office  of  the  naturalization  coin- 
mittee. 

126.  Q.  Can  you  repeat  the  words  ? 
A.  I  cannot. 

127.  Q.  And  that  is  all  that  leads  you  to  believe  that  what  you  call 
the  naturalization  committee  met  there? 

A.  No ;  Mr.  Fred.  Kromber,  who  was  connected  with  the  naturalization 
committee  that  met  at  25  Chambers  street,  told  me  that  Rosenberg  was 
the  chairman  of  the  German  naturalization  committee  that  met  at  6 
Centre  street.  The  office  had  all  the  appearance  of  being  an  office, 
because  there  were  papers  on  the  table  which  you  could  see  from  the 
sidewalk. 

128.  Q.  As  many  papers  as  you  see  here  now? 
A.  More. 

129.  Q.  You  had  not  a  word  of  conversation  with  these  other  men  ? 
A.  None  whatever. 

130.  Q.  Were  they  in  the  common  room  in  which  beer  was  sold? 
A.  They  were. 

131.  Q.  Persons  were  coming  in  and  going  out  all  the  time  ? 
A.  All  the  time. 

132.  Q.  Of  how  many  did  the  committee  consist  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know ;  I  saw  four  persons  besides  Rosenberg  sitting  at 
that  table. 

133.  Q.  How  large  was  the  table  ? 


16  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

A.  I  suppose  about  12  feet  long. 

134.  Q.  How  many  could  conveniently  sit  at  it? 

A.   Eight  or  nine  at  one  side  and  seven  or  eight  at  the  other. 

135.  Q.  Did  you  know  any  of  the  names  of  the  men  you  supposed  to 
be  the  committee  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

13(J.  Q.  Did  you  inquire  as  to  their  names? 

A.  J  did  not. 

137.  Q.  Did  you  inquire  whether  anybody  but  Rosenberg  had  any- 
thing to  do  with  the  naturalization  business? 

A.  No,  sir. 

138.  Q.  Did  you  ask  Rosenberg  how  he  got  the  certificates  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

131).  Q.  Of  what  nationality  is  Rosenberg? 

A.   I  do  not  know;   I  am  inclined  to  think  he  is  a  German. 

140.  Q.  Did  he  talk  the  English  language  pretty  well? 
A.  Very  well  indeed. 

141.  Q.   He  seemed  to  be  an  intelligent  man? 
A.   Very  intelligent  indeed. 

142.  Q.  The  persons  that  you  saw  sitting  at  the  table,  were  they 
clerks  or  committee  men? 

A.  I  do  not  know  for  certain. 

143.  Q.  Did  they  seem  to  be  under  the  direction  of  Rosenberg? 
A.  1  cannot  say  that. 

144.  Q.  Did  you  hear  any  orders  given  or  see  any  executed? 
A.  None  at  all. 

145.  Q.  Mow  long  were  you  there  at  any  one  time? 

A.  I  think  about  five  minutes  was  the  longest  I  was  there  at  any  one 
time. 

140.  Q.  What  did  you  do  with  the  certificates  when  you  got  them? 
A.  I  brought  them  to  Marshal  Murray's  office. 

147.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  any  person  voted  on  them  or  not? 

A.  I  know  that  nobody  did,  for  they  were  put  in  evidence  in  the  court. 

148.  Q.  Do  you  know,  of  your  own  knowledge,  that  any  of  the  certifi- 
cates issued  from  that  office  was  used  by  any  person  to  vote  upou? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  do  not. 

Henry  Butts  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

149.  Question.  What  is  your  residence? 

Answer.  I  reside  in  Third  avenue,  in  this  city,  and  have  lived  here  all 
my  life,  with  the  exception  of  three  years  that  I  was  in  the  army. 

150.  Q.  I  present  to  you  three  papers,  purporting  to  be  certificates  of 
naturalization,  to  James  Schmitt,  Sebastian  Slmeider,  and  John  Winkeus, 
which  are  dated  the  19th  of  October,  1808,  and  which  were  referred  to  in 
the  testimony  of  District  Attorney  Courtney.  Examine  them,  and  see  if 
you  have  ever  seen  them  before. 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  believe  I  have. 

151.  Q.  Do  you  knowr  where  they  were  procured? 

A.  I  do ;  bought  from  a  man  at  6  Centre  street.  His  name  was  Kosen- 
berg.     I  bought  these  three  papers  from  him  and  paid  him  $5  for  them. 

152.  Q.  When  was  that? 

A.  That  Avas  on  the  19th  of  October,  I  think. 

153.  Q.  Are  the  names  of  the  persons  purporting  to  be  naturalized 
genuine  or  fictitious? 

A.  They  are  fictitious. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YOKE.  17 

h\  Mr.  Dickey: 

154.  Q.  How  did  you  get  the  names  1 

A.  I  put  them  down  myself  on  a  piece  of  paper  just  as  the%v  happened 
to  come  into  my  head. 

155.  Q.  Then  they  were  fictitious! 
A.   Yes.  sir. 

By  the  Chairman: 

lad.  Q.  At  whose  instance  did  you  procure  them  .; 

A.  At  the  instance  of  Marshal  Murray.  The  marshal  spoke  to  me  and 
asked  me  if  I  knew  of  any  frauds  that  were  going  on.  L  told  him  that  1 
knew  of  none.  He  asked  me  if  1  thought  Leonid  find  out  any.  I  told 
him  I  would  try.  I  had  heard  that  there  were  parties  somewhere  in 
Centre  street  selling  naturalization  papers.  I  hud  seen  Marshal  Murray, 
and  1  went  over  there  and  went  down  in  the  office.  1  saw  a  man  sitting 
behind  the  desk,  and  I  called  one  of  them  over  and  asked  him  if  he  would 
take  a  drink.  He  said.  "yes. '  and  I  got  into  conversation  with  him,  and 
told  him  there  were  three  men  for  whom  1  would  like  to  procure  certifi- 
cates of  citizenship.  He  asked  me  if  they  were  all  right,  and  if  they 
could  be  relied  upon  not  to  say  anything.  I  told  him.  yes.  He  asked 
me  whether  I  would  say  anything.  I  told  him  that  it  was  all  right,  and 
that  he  need  not  be  afraid  of  me.  I  had  noticed  him  once  before  that, 
going  in  there  with  politicians:  one  of  those  ward  politicians  of  the  name 
of  McNaughten,  I  think,  and  I  suppose  that  he  considered  me  all  right, 
and  thought  I  could  be  trusted.  He  told  me  it  would  cost  something, 
and  that  he  was  making  nothing.  He  said  it  would  cost  $3  a  piece,  and 
that  he  would  give  me  $4  50.  I  said  1  did  not  care  to  make  anything 
out  of  it,  " but  get  meN the  papers  as  cheap  as  you  can."  He  said  he 
would,  and  T  told  him  I  would  give  him  $5  for  the  three.  He  said  that 
would  do,  when  he  told  me  to  come  again  at  half-past  live  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon.  1  went  again  at  half-past  live  and  handed  him  the  $5.  He 
went  out  and  was  gone  about  fifteen  minutes,  when  he  came  back  and 
handed  me  these  three  papers.  I  brought  them  over  to  Marshal  Murray, 
and  Marshal  Murray  put  them  away.  That  is  as  much  as  1  know 
about  it. 

By  Mr.  DlCKEY: 

Q.  Where  is  this  place  in  Centre  street,  with  reference  to  the  supreme 
court  f 

A.   It  is  right  opposite  to  it.  across  the  street. 

157.  Q.  Was  Rosenberg  gone  long  enough  to  go  over  to  the  court,  and 
come  back,  while  you  were  waiting  for  him! 

A.  Oh,  yes,  that  gives  you  time  to  go  over  to  the  court. 

158.  Q.  In  furnishing  him  with  these  three  names  did  you  tell  him 
where  the  men  lived  I 

A.  I  did.     1  marked  their  residence  on  a  slip  of  paper. 

159.  Q.  Did  you  furnish  him  with  the  names  of  any  one  to  vouch  for 
them ! 

A.  No,  sir. 

160.  Q.  Did  you  state  how  long  each  of  them  had  been  in  the  country '; 
A.  No,  sir. 

161.  Q.  Did  you  state  their  ages  .' 
A.'  No,  sir. 

162.  Q.  Or  their  nationality  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  1  left  him  to  infer  from  their  names  what  their  nationality 
was. 

2  T 


18  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

163.  Q.  Did  you  furnish  him  with  a.  memorandum  of  the  length  of 

time  they  had  been  in  the  country! 
A.  No,  sir. 

By  Mr.  JVlair: 

164.  Q.  Did  you  aim  to  furnish  German  names'? 

A.  I  did,  because  Rosenberg  is  a  German,  and  I  can  speak  German 
myself.    When  1  went  over  there  we  had  our  conversation  in  German. 

165.  Q.  Is  there  any  sign  over  the  door? 

A.  Tnere  was  a  sign  over  the.  door  in  German.  It  was:  Deutsche 
Amerikanische  Naturalizations  Gommitte.  It  was  printed  in  American  let- 
ters with  German  spelling. 

By  Mr.  Kerr: 

166.  Q.  Does  Rosenberg  talk  good  English) 
A.  Yes,  sir;  I  believe  he  does. 

107.  Q.  How  old  is  he? 

A.  I  should  judge  about  45  years  of  age. 

168.  Q.  Did  you  know  anything  of  him  before  this! 

A.  No,  sir. 

269.  Q.  What  sort  of  a  room  was  that? 

A.  It  was  a  Lager-beer  saloon. 

170.  Q.  What  is  its  size? 

A.  I  should  judge  it  to  be  about  12  feet  wide  and  from  25  to  30  feet 
long.  The  counter  was  about  six  to  seven  feet  long — a  small  lager-beer 
counter.  It  was  at  the  forward  end  of  the  saloon,  just  as  you  enter  from 
the  street. 

171.  Q.  What  furniture  was  in  the  room ! 

A.  There  were  tables  and  chairs.  T  should  think  there  were  three  or 
four  tables  in  the  room. 

172.  Q.  Such  tables  as  are  ordinarily  in  beer  saloons  for  guests  to  sit. 
down  at  to  drink  their  beer! 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  should  judge  three  or  four  of  these  tables.  There  were 
two  of  them  standing  together.  I  cannot  say  for  certain  whether  these 
two  were  round  or  square  tables,  but  I  think  they  were  square  tables. 

173.  Q.  How  many  times  did  you  go  there? 
A.  I  was  in  there  three  times. 

174.  Q.  Whom  did  you  see  when  you  went  in  there  on  this  business! 
A.  1  saw  Eosenberg.     The  first  time  I  went  in  there  I  should  think 

there  were  six  or  eight  persons  in  the  room.  There  were  two  employed 
at  the  table  at  which  these  men  were  writing,  and  there  were  several 
standing  up  in  different  parts  of  the  room,  drinking,  talking,  and  con 
versing. 

175.  Q.  Plow  many  were  in  the  next  time  you  went  there? 
A.  I  don't  believe  there  were  more  than  about  four. 

Q.  Were  they  engaged  in  drinking! 

A.  No ;  there  was  one  man  sitting  upon  the  table,  and  Rosenberg  was 
there,  and  the  barkeeper,  and  myself.  The  first  time  I  was  in,  there 
were  a  number  of  people  there,  and  it  seemed  as  if  they  were  doing  a 
good  deal  of  business.     The  plaee  was  much  crowded. 

176.  Q.  At  those  tables  that  were  standing  together  did  you  see  any 
persons  doing  any  writing'? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  saw  men  sitting  there  writing. 

177.  Q.  Who  were  they1? 

A.  I  supposed  they  were  men  who  comprised  the  board  of  naturalisa- 
tion. 

178.  Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  the  board  of  naturalization? 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  19 

A.  It  has  been  usual,  just  before  an  election  in  this  city,  tor  both  the 
republican  party  and  the  democratic  party  to  have  what  they  called  a 
board  of  naturalization. 

170.  Q.  Is  constituted  how? 

A.  Appointed  by  the  general  committee  of  the  party.  They  make 
their  headquarters  somewhere  near  the  court,  and  all  applicants  who 
wish  to  obtain  certificates  of  citizenship  go  there  to  have  their  blank 
applications  filled,  and  to  get  information,  &c.  It  is  done  in  a  legal  way. 
Their  applications  are  made  out  and  handed  to  them  and  they  go  over 
to  the  court  with  their  tickets  and  make  the  necessary  oath.  This  board 
of  naturalization  is  what  I  speak  of  as  the  committee  of  naturalization. 

180.  Q.  Were  there  such  committees  constituted  this  year  by  both 
parties  in  this  city? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

181.  Q.  Where  was  the  one  representing  the  republican  party? 
A.  At  25  Chambers  street. 

182.  Q.  At  some  distance  from  the  other? 

A.  Only  a  few  steps ;  both  were  convenient  to  the  court. 

183.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  of  this  same  kind  of  business  being  car- 
ried on  at  25  Chambers  street  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  spent  a  good  deal  of  time  in  this  place  and  I  could  not 
understand  anything  of  that  kind,  nor  did  I  hear  of  anything. 

184.  Q.  Were  you  not  a  member  of  that  committee  yourself? 
A.  No,  sir. 

185.  Q.  Did  Rosenberg  seem  to  have  a  separate  office  from  those  other 
men  who  belonged  to  the  committee? 

A.  No,  sir ;  he  was  one  of  the  committee  and  used  to  sit  at  the  same 
table  with  the  others.  But  it  seemed  as  if  he  was  doing  this  other 
business  on  his  own  hook,  outside  of  these  parties. 

186.  Q.  He  would  step  aside  and  have  private  conversation  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  saw  him  several  times  conversing  with  different  par- 
ties.   What  the  nature  of  the  conversation  was  I  do  not  know. 

187.  Q.  Can  you  give  the  committee  the  names  of  those  other  men, 
who  you  say  seemed  to  constitute  the  balance  of  this  naturalization 
committee  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  because  I  had  no  dealings  with  them;  I  had  not  even  a 
word  of  conversation  with  one  of  them. 

188.  Q.  Did  you  see  other  persons  go  in  there  who  seemed  to  be  in 
search  of  the  same  sort  of  aid  that  you  professed  to  be  in  want  of;  and 
did  you  see  them  have  conversation  with  the  men  sitting  at  the  table? 

A.  No,  sir ;  that  I  can  say.  I  never  saw  any  one  conversing  with 
these  men,  except  it  was  applicants  on  the  other  side  of  the  table.  I 
saw  persons  having  their  applications  filled  out. 

180.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  these  other  men  were  parties  in  any 
way  to  the  frauds  that  had  been  carried  on  by  Rosenberg? 

A.  I  do  not. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

100.  Q.  What  were  Rosenberg's  politics  ? 
A.  I  do  not  know  what  his  politics  were. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

101.  Q.  WTiat  committee? 

A.  It  was  the  democratic  committee. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

102.  Q.  What  do  you  understand  by  his  asking  you  if  you  were  all 
right  ? 


20  ELECTION    FRAUDS    TN    NEW    YORK. 

A.  I  suppose  h<*  wanted  to  know  if  ]  was  a  man  to  be  relied  on.    He 

asked  me  if  these  men  were  all  right,  too.  u  Yes,  sir,-  said  J.  "they  are 
all  right,  and  they  are  good  fellows,  and  I  want  to  get  their  votes."  I 
Spoke  to  him  as  if  I  was  interested  politically  in  the  election,  and  wanted 
to  get  these  votes. 

I>y  the  Chaikm  \\  : 

193.  Q.  What  party  did  .yon  represent  to  him  t 

A.  I  (lid  not  make  any  mention  of  any  party.  I  let  him  take  that  for 
granted,  whichever  way  he  liked. 

194.  Q.  Was  the  fact  notorious  that  the  committee  with  which  Rosen- 
berg was  acting  was  a  democratic  committee  ? 

A.  (),  yes!  Another  way  that  a  good  many  of  these  panel's  were  pro 
cured  was  by  parties  who  used  to  hang  round  there  just  before  election 
times.  There  are  men  in  New  York  whom  yon  can  buy  to  make  a  false 
oath  for  a  glass  of  beer.  These  men  hang  round  such  places,  and  are 
always  ready  to  go  into  court  to  represent  parties;  one  assuming  such 
a,  name,  the  other  assuming  such  a  name.  That  is  the  modus  operandi 
of  the  whole  affair,  i  think.  I  investigated  as  well  as  1  could,  as  the 
marshal  instructed  me  particularly  to  find  out  all  that  I  could  about  it. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins: 

L95.  Q.  Did  Rosenberg  represent  to  yon  that  he  wanted  time  to  go,  u 
tiie  conn  and  get  these  papers! 

A.  No.  When  I  went  in  he  said  to  me.  tk  Is  it  all  light f  and  1  said 
"Ves."  He  then  put  his  hand  over  the  table,  in  this  way,  indicating  as 
if  he  did  not  want  the  other  men  to  see.  I  handed  him  the  $5  and  he 
put  it  iu  his  pocket. 

By  .Mr.  KERB  : 

196.  Q.  Are  you  in  the  service  of  Marshal  Murray 

A.   Yes,  sir:   I  am  one  of  Marshal  Murray's  deputies. 

Samuel  Reynolds  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

197.  Question.  Where  do  you  reside! 

Answer.  I  reside  at  321  West  Twentieth  street,  in  this  city.  I  have 
always  lived  in  this  city,  pretty  much. 

108.  Q.  State  if  are  acquainted  with  Rosenberg. 

A.  What  acquaintance  I  had  with  him  was  the  day  1  went  to  get  some 
naturalization  papers.    I  think  it  was  about  the  20th  or  21st  of  October. 

100.  Q.  State  what  occurred. 

A.  Some  parties  asked  me  if  1  could  get  some  naturalization  papers. 
As  there  were  a  good  many  frauds  going  on,  and  false  naturalization 
papers  issued,  and  they  wanted  me  to  go  and  get  some,  I  came  down 
town,  made  out  a  list  of  seven  names,  and  went  then  to  the  El  Dorado  in 
Centre  street.  I  inquired  for  Mr.  Rosenberg,  and  I  gave  him  a  list  of 
these  seven  names,  and  lie  was  to  get  me  tin?  papers  for  them. 

200.  Q.  Were  these  the  names  of  real  or  fictitious  persons! 

A.  They  were  fictitious.  He  agreed  to  let  me  have  them  if  1  would 
wait  a  little  while.  I  told  him  that  I  had  business  down  town,  and  that 
I  had  no  money  to  pay  for  them  then,  but  I  only  wanted  to  know  whether 
he  could  get  them,  and  would  come  and  get  them  the  next  morning.  He 
said  that  I  could  get  them  at  any  time;  if  1  would  come  between  4  and 
5  o'clock  I  could  have  the  papers. 

201.  Q.  What  was  the  price  you  were  to  pay  him  If 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN'  NEW  YORK.  21 

A.  I  was  to  pay  him  $2  apiece  for  anything  under  a  hundred,  and  if  I 
got  over  a  hundred  I  was  to  get  them  at  $1  50  each.  I  was  to  pay  $1.4 
for  these  seven. 

202.  Q.  Was  anything  said  about  which  political  party  these  men 
would  vote  for  if  they  got  naturalization  papers  \ 

A.  It  was  a  Tammany  committee.  I  told  them  that  these  men  were 
working  at  gas  works,  and  coidd  not  come  down ;  that  I  did  not  know 
whether  he  could  get  them,  but  thought  if  he  could  I  would  like  to  have 
them. 

203.  Q.  You  say  Rosenberg  occupied  a  room  ? 

A.  lie  had  a  room  down  in  a  lager-beer  saloon  in  <>  Centre  street. 
There  was  a  sign  over  the  door;  the  sign  was,  ••  Union  Tammany  Gen- 
eral Committee,  Naturalization  Papers." 

204.  Q.  Is  there  a  Tammany  Society  in  this  city  ! 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

305.  Q.  What  is  it  ! 
A.  Democratic. 

206.  Q.  Was  the  place  of  business  of  Rosenberg,  and  its  object,  gen- 
erally known  through  the  city  ? 

A.  Yes.  sir:  his  place  of  business  was  not,  I  suppose,  always  there;  it 
was  only  during  the  political  canvass  that  he  went  there. 

207.  Q.  State  if  he  had  any  clerks  or  assistants. 

A.  He  had  some  clerks  there,  men  who  appeared  to  be  writing;  I 
Inquired  for  him,  and  he  told  me  that  was  his  name. 

208.  Q.  Did  you  procure  the  naturalization  papers  ! 

A.  No,  sir  :  1  did  not  procure  them  :  about  an  hour  or  two  after  1  went 
there  the  marshal  arrested  Rosenberg. 
By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

209.  (,).  Are  you  a  deputy  of  Marshal  Murray  ! 
A.  No,  sir. 

210.  Q.  At  the  time  you  speak  of  in  what  service  were  you  acting  ! 
A.  I  was  a  storekeeper. 

211.  Q.  With  what  political  party  were  you  identified  \ 
A.  With  the  republicans. 

212.  Q.  Who  procured  you  to  go  there  ? 

A.  I  was  at  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel  the  night  before,  ami  there  some 
gentlemen  spoke  to  me  on  the  subject.  Marshal  Murray  asked  me  to 
come  to  his  office  at  10  o'clock  the  next  morning ;  and  when  I  came  he 
asked  me  to  make  out  a  list  of  names  and  get  these  papers. 

213.  Q.  Were  you  ever  at  that  place  except  that  one  time  ? 
A.  That  is  all.' 

214.  Q.  How  many  persons  did  you  see  there  .' 

A.  There  were  a  good  many  in  the  bar-room,  but  I  took  no  notice  of 
them;  I  passed  right  through  the  bar-room  to  see  Eosenberg. 

215.  Q.  With  whom  did  you  have  your  interview  ! 
A.  With  Eosenberg  alone. 

216.  Q.  Did  you  show  him  the  names  of  the  persons  for  whom  you 
wanted  certificates  f 

A.  Yes,  sir;  1  gave  him  the  list,  and  he  was  to  get  the  certificates  for 
me  that  afternoon  or  the  next  morning. 

217.  Q.  Where  was  the  naturalization  committee-room  of  the  repub- 
lican party  during  the  last  canvass? 

A.   I  believe  it  was  somewhere  in  Chamber  street. 
By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

218.  Q.  Was  this  place  in  Centre  street  recognized  as  a  kind  of  demo- 
cratic headquarters  for  procuring  naturalization  papers'? 


22  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

A.  So  far  as  I  know,  it  was. 
By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

210.  Q.  How  do  you  know  it  was  so  recognized  1 

A.  Only  by  the  representations  of  others  that  these  were  the  head- 
quarters of  the  Tammany  general  committee,  where  people  might  get 
naturalized  without  any  trouble. 

220.  Q.  Do  you  not  think  Mr.  Rosenberg  would  have  sold  a  repub- 
lican these  papers  as  cheap  as  a  democrat? 

A.  No;  he  wanted  to  know  if  these  men  were  democrats  before  he 
would  get  the  papers  out,  and  I  told  him  they  were. 

LOGAN  MCDONALD  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

221.  Question.  State  yonr  residence. 

Answer.  My  present  ■residence is  250  West  Seventh  street,  in  this  city, 
my  home  has  been  iu  this  city  for  about  17  years. 

222.  Q.  State  if  you  had  an  interview  with  Benjamin  I>.  Rosenberg, 
during  this  year,  about  certificate's  on  naturalization;  and  state  what 
was  said  and  done. 

A.  I  had  an  interview  with  him,  1  think,  on  or  about  the  21st  of  Octo- 
ber. [  went  over  there  and  asked  him  if  he  could  not  furnish  me  with 
three  or  five  naturalization  certificates.  I  gave  him  a  list  of  names  and 
asked  him  if  he  could  nofrfurnish  me  naturalization  papers  for  these  parties. 
He  wanted  to  know  who  sent  me,  and  I  gave  him  the  name  of  a  presi- 
dent of  a  campaign  club  uptown — the  Twentieth-ward  Empire  Club.  J 
named  a  man  whom  I  knew  to  be  president  of  a  club  of  that  kind.  lie 
said  that  he  could  get  them  for  me,  and  wanted  to  know  if  1  was  going 
to  sell  them.  I  told  him  of  course  not.  He  then  said  that  the  papers 
would  be  ready  for  me  about  half-past  5  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  and 
that  I  could  get  them  by  paying  him  two  dollars  for  each  certificate; 
and' that  if  I  needed  500  1  could  have  them  at  the  same  rate  by  simply 
telling  the  names  of  the  men  for  whom  I  wanted  them. 

223.  Q.  Did  he  require  any  witness  to  make  proof  as  to  the  right  of 
the  applicants  to  be  naturalized  ! 

A.  No,  sir;  he  stated  that  the  two  dollars  was  to  pay  the  persons  who 
personated  the  principals  and  the  witnesses;  that  he  did  not  want  to 
make  anything1,  and  he  did  not  want  me  to  make  anything  by  the  opera- 
tion. 

224.  Q.  Then  he  had  persons  to  personate  the  applicants  and  the  wit- 
nesses ? 

A.  So  he  stated  to  me. 

225.  Q.  Were  the  names  you  gave  him  real  or  fictitious  1 

A.  I  believe  they  were  fictitious.     I  got  them  from  Marshal  Murray. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

226.  Q.  Was  the  residence  of  each  person  stated  f 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

227.  Q.  Was  his  nationality? 
A.  No,  sir. 

228.  Q.  Was  any  fact  stated  as  to  how  long  he  had  been  in  the  coun- 
try or  his  age  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  simply  the  name  and  residence. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

229.  Q.  Did  Rosenberg  make  any  inquiry  as  to  which  party  these 
persons  were  to  vote  for  ? 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  23 

A.  He  did  ;  lie  wanted  to  know  if  they  were  democrats  and  if  I  was  a 
democrat.    I  stated  that  I  was. 

230.  Q.  What  was  said  about  the  use  that  was  to  be  made  of  the 
money  paid  for  the  certificates  of  naturalization  % 

A.  Rosenberg*  said  that  one  dollar  woidd  go  to  the  person  persona- 
ting the  principal,  and  the  other  dollar  to  the  person  personating  the 
witness;  that -he  derived  no  benefit  from  it  at  all,  and  that  he  simply 
did  this  for  the  benefit  of  the  party. 

231.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  he  had  any  connection  with  any  demo- 
cratic clubs  of  this  city  ! 

A.  I  do  not.  The  committee  was,  as  I  understand,  a  committee  ap- 
pointed in  the  interest  of  the  democratic  party  for  the  purpose  of  issuing 
naturalization  papers.     It  was  at  6  Centre  street,  in  a  lager-beer  saloon. 

232.  Q.  How  far  was  it  from  the  rooms  of  the  supreme  court? 
A.  It  was  right  across  the  street  from  the  court-house. 

233.  Q.  Did  you  learn  from  Rosenberg  whether  the  papers  were  actu- 
ally procured  from  the  court,  or  whether  he  issued  them  himself. 

A.  Nothing  further  than  his  statement  to  me,  that  it  was  necessary 
for  him  to  pay  one  dollar  to  the  person  personating  the  principal  and 
another  dollar  to  the  person  personating  the  witness. 

234.  Q.  Did  you  understand  that  application  had  to  be  made  in  court  f 
A.  I  so  understood  by  that. 

235.  Q.  What  persons  were  in  that  lager-beer  saloon  connected  with. 
the  naturalization  business  *? 

A.  Two  or  three  clerks,  I  suppose  in  his  enrploy. 

236.  Q.  Did  you  see  any  papers  lying  about  on  the  table  where  these 
clerk*  were  at  work  1 

A.  There  were  papers  lying  around  the  tables;  I  think  they  were 
blank  applications  for  naturalization  papers. 

237.  Q.  Do  you  know  any  other  fact  that  will  throw  light  upon  the 
inquiry  before  the  committee  ? 

A.  On  one  occasion  a  young  man  asked  me  to  help  him  get  out  his 
naturalization  papers-.  I  went  with  him  to  the  court-room,  at  No.  4 
City  Hall,  and  I  saw  his  friends  come  there  at  that  time.  They  ran  them 
through  there  in  a  hurry,  so  that  I  supposed  it  was  the  easiest  matter  in 
the  world  to  run  parties  through  without  any  effort  or  ceremony. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

238.  Q.  Did  you  have  any  conversation  with  RoseiLberg  as  to  the 
number  of  that  kind  of  papers  which  he  furnished  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  nothing  as  to  the  number  which  he  had  furnished ;  but  he 
said  he  would  furnish  me  with  500  if  I  needed  them,  and  with  as  many 
as  I  needed. 

By  Mr.  Ross: 

239.  Q.  Did  you  get  any  If 

A.  I  did  not  get  any,  for  the  simple  reason  that  Rosenberg  was  arrested 
previous  to  the  time  that  I  was  to  call  for  the  papers. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

240.  Q.  You  say  you  saw  one  man  ground  through  1 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

241.  Q.  And  it  was  pretty  rapidly  done"? 
A.  Very  rapidly. 

242.  Q.  It  was  done  with  about  as  much  expedition  for  one  party  as  for 
the  other  ? 

A.  Well,  I  think  not;  this  man  that  I  went  with  went  to  the  repub* 


24  ELECTION     FRAUDS    IN    CTBW    YORK. 

lican  naturalization  office,  and  they  gave  bin  a  red  ticket,  while  in  the 
democratic  naturalization  office  they  gave  white  tickets;  and  in  order 
to  expedite  the  matter,  their  instructions  were  not  to  show  their  tickets 
till  they  were  called  for  by  the  clerk  of  the  court.  The  tickets  were  an 
equivalent  for  the  fees,  and  the  two  parties  had  different  colored  tickets. 

243.  Q.  This  presentation  of  the  tickets  must  have  conic  after  the 
action  of  the  court  l 

A.   I  cannot  say  as  to  that. 

241.  Q.   Did  they  not  first  present  these  to  the  court  for  examination ! 

A.  No  question  was  asked  at  all. 

245.  Q.  How  did  you  go  in  with  your  friend  :; 

A.  I  went  in  and  stood  as  a  spectator,  outside  of  the  railing.  I  did  not 
go  as  a  witness;  1  merely  went  to  see  him  go  through,  and  to  see  tin*, 
performance:  he  brought  a  witness  himself. 

246.  Q.  Where  did  he  bring  him  from/ 
A.   From  when4  he  resides. 

247.  Q.  Did  he  not  bring  him  from  that  radical  committee  room  I 

A.  Xo.  sir,  1  think  not;  he  was  a  member  of  a  club  of  which  1  was 
president,  the  Boys  in  Blue  dub  of  the  10th  ward.  He  came  to  me, 
as  president  of  the  club,  to  go  with  him  and  show  him  how  to  get  his 
papers.  I  told  him  it  was  necessary  for  him  to  have  a  witness,  and  he 
provided  a  witness  himself;  his  name  was  Billingham. 

248.  Q.  Were  yon  familiar  with  the  mode  of  doing  business  in  the 
republican  naturalization  office? 

A.  No,  sir;  1  had  never  been  there  before. 

24(J.  Q.  How  many  of  this  kind  of  committees  were  organized  in  this 
city  by  each  party  \ 

A.  I  cannot  say;  [  think  one  or  two  by  each  party.  The  object  is  to 
fill  up  blanks  and  expedite  matters. 

By  Mr.  I  Joss: 

250.  Q.  Were  not  the  same  lees  charged  in  the  republican  naturaliza- 
tion committee  for  preparing  papers,  and  putting  these  men  through,  as 
were  charged  in  the  democratic  committee  room  \ 

A.  Xo,  sir;  and  I  will  state  further,  that  they  were  not  charged  by  the 
democratic  committee1  either,  when  a  person  went  in  the  regular  way, 
producing  his  witness,  and  asking  to  get  his  papers  regularly. 

251.  Q.  Then  this  seemed  to  be  a  little  thing  tixed  up  by  this  fellow 
Rosenberg '!     ■ 

A.  I  suppose  it  was  fixed  up  by  him  and  the  clerk  of  the  court. 

252.  Q.  You  say  that  no  such  arrangement  was  lmide  at  the  other  com- 
mittee room  ? 

A.  Not  to  my  knowledge.  I  never  was  there  but  once,  with  this  man 
Billingham,  and  they  did  not  charge  him  anything. 

253.  Q.  And  he  went  on  the  ticket,  which  you  understood  to  be  for  the 
fees  of  the  court  f 

A.  Simply  for  the  fees  of  the  court. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

254.  Q.  Do  you  know  the  names  of  any  of  the  other  parties  who  were 
writing  at  0  Centre  street? 

A.  So,  sir. 

255.  Q.  What  sign  was  there  over  the  door  at  that  place? 

A.  I  think  it  was  a  German  sign,  and  most  of  the  clerks  were  German. 
I  believe  the  democratic  party  always  has  a  German  office  for  the  purpose 
of  issuing  papers  to  German  voters. 

256.  Q.  And  another  office  for  other  foreigners'? 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  25 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

257.  Q.  Was  there  a  democratic  committee  whose  business  it  was  to 
procure  naturalization  papers  for  Irish  voters  ? 

A.  I  think  there  were  two  offices.  This  oik1  at  Centre  street  made 
papers  for  Germans  a  specialty. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

258.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  prosecution  or  indictment  being  found 
against  any  of  the  other  parties  that  you  saw  in  that  room,  except 
Kosenberg? 

A.  I  have  not  heard  of  any. 

Charles  W.  Burton  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

250.  Question.  Where  do  you  reside? 

Answer.  In  the  city  of  New  York. 

(Witness  produces  a  paper  purporting  to  be  a  certificate  of  naturali- 
zation issued  by  the  supreme  court  of  New  York  to  Walter  Shirley,  dated 
9th  October,  1868,  and  which  is  annexed  to  his  testimony,  marked  Exhibit 
C.) 

260.  Q.  Where  did  you  obtain  this  paper? 

A.  It  was  shown  to  me  by  the  person  whose  name  is  inserted  on  it. 
I  knew  he  was  not  a  citizen,  and  I  asked  him  how  he  had  obtained  it- 
He  handed  it  to  me,  and  I  put  it  in  my  pocket  and  have  retained  pos- 
session of  it  ever  since  ;  he  did  not  vote  on  it. 

261.  Q.  Do  you  know  any  other  fact  that  would  throw  light  on  the 
matter  of  the  inquiry  before  this  committee  \ 

A.  Only  that  I  attended  the  election  in  one  of  the  wards  of  this  city, 
(the  3d  district  of  the  10th  ward,)  where  some  three  votes  were  received 
which  were  not  on  the  registry.  They  had  been  registered  in  an  adjoining 
district.  I  objected  to  their  being  received,  and  they  were  not  received ; 
but  I  was  informed  by  an  officer  that  they  were  received  afterwards.  I 
was  at  the  polls  when  they  were  closed,  and  one  of  the  canvassers  refused 
to  go  on  with  the  count  while  I  was  there.  One  of  the  canvassers  was 
anxious  to  go  on,  but  the  other  refused. 

262.  Q.  Do  you  know  the  politics  of  Walter  Shirley  f 

A.  He  told  me  he  should  vote  for  Mr.  Seymour  if  he  had  a  vote.  He 
is  about  30  years  of  age  and  an  Englishman.  He  has  been  in  this  country 
about  20  months.  He  has  been  in  my  employment  ever  since  he  came. 
He  told  me  that  he  had  never  been  in  the  court-house  and  had  never 
declared  his  intentions. 

[Exhibit  C] 
UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA. 

State  of  New  York,  City  and  County  of  New  York,  ss: 

Be  it  remembered,  that  on  the  9th  day  of  October,  in  the  year  of  our 
Lord  1868,  Walter  Shirley  appeared  in  the  supreme  court  of  the  State  of 
New  York,  held  in  the  city  and  county  of  New  York,  (a  court  of  record, 
having  common-law  jurisdiction,  a  clerk,  and  seal,)  and  applied  to  the 
said  court  to  be  admitted  to  become  a  citizen  of  the  United  States  of 
America,  pursuant  to  the  provisions  of  the  several  acts  of  the  Congress 
of  the  United  States  of  America,  for  that  purpose  made  and  provided. 
And  the  said  applicant  having  produced  to  the  said  court  such  evidence, 
having  made  such  declaration  and  renunciation,  and  having  taken  such 
oaths  as  are  by  the  said  courts  required — 

Thereupon  it  was  ordered  by  the  court  tfeat  the  said  applicant  be 


26  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

admitted,  and  he  was  accordingly  admitted  to  be  a  citizen  of  the  United 
States  of  America. 

In  testimony  whereof,  the  seal  of  the  said  court  is  hereunto  affixed 
this  9th  day  of  October  1868,  and  in  the  03d  year  of  the  independence 
of  the  United  States. 

Per  curiam : 

[seal.]  CHAS.  E.  LOBW,  Clerk. 

New  York,  Tuesday,  December  22,  1868. 

Walter  Shirley  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

263.  Question.  Of  what  country  are  you  a  native  1 

Answer.  England. 

204.  Q.  How  long  have  you  resided  in  the  United  States! 

A.  Two  years  ami  a  half. 

265.  Q.  1  present  to  you  a  paper  purporting  to  be  a  certificate  of  natu- 
ralization issued  to  you,  and  which  is  referred  to  in  the  testimony  of 
Mr.  Burton  ;  state  if  Vou  ever  had  it  in  your  possession. 

A.  I  had. 

200.  Q.  From  whom  did  you  obtain  it  ! 

A.  It  was  left  at  the  house  where  1  resided  in  Astoria. 

207.  Q.  Who  gave  it  to  you  .; 

A.  It  was  sent  to  me  into  the  dining-room  by  one  of  the  servants.  1 
did  not  see  the  person  who  left  it,  except  his  back  as  he  was  going  down 
the  garden. 

208.  Q.  Did  you  have  any  previous  conversation  with  any  persoi 
about  procuring  a  certificate  of  naturalization  for  you  If 

A.  None  whatever. 

209.  Q.  Had  you  any  previous  knowledge  that  such  a  paper  would  be 
procured  for  you  "I 

A.  1  had  not. 

270.  Q.  Have  you  any  means  of  knowing  who  left  tin-  paper  lor  you? 
A.  None  whatever. 

271.  Q.  Did  you  state  to  any  one  that  you  saw  a  gentleman  have  a 
large  bundle  or  package  of  similar  papers  I 

A.  Not  to  my  knowledge. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

272.  Q.  Did  you  see  any  one  have  a  large  bundle  of  such  papers  1 

A.  Only  the  man  who  left  this  paper.  He  had  a  bundle  of  papers  in 
his  hand  as  he  went  down  the  garden  from  the  house.  They  were,  to  aU 
appearances,  similar. 

273.  Q.  Was  more  than  one  left  at  your  house  / 
A.  No,  sir. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

274.  Q.  Did  you  have  any  previous  conversation  with  any  person  which 
led  you  to  suppose  that  a  paper  like  this  would  be  furnished  to  you,  or 
that  such  papers  were  being  furnished  to  others? 

A.  Yes. 

275.  Q.  Who  were  the  persons! 

A.  Various  persons,  in  casual  conversation.  The  thing  was  notorious 
at  the  time. 

270.  Q.  What  was  notorious?  ' 

A.  The  fact  of  naturalization  papers  being  given  to  parties  not  quali- 
fied and  to  others,  to  influence  them  or  to  increase  the  vote. 

277.  Q.  With  what  political  party  have  you  been  acting? 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  27 

A.  With  neither. 

278.  Q.  With  what  party  would  you  have  voted  if  you  had  been 
entitled  to  vote? 

A.  I  do  not  think  I  should  have  voted  at  all.  I  had  no  sympathy  with 
either  party,  and  would  not  have  voted  at  all. 

279.  Q.  Did  you  tell  Mr.  Burton  that  you  would  vote  for  Seymour  if 
you  had  a  vote? 

A.  Not  since  I  got  that  paper ;  I  do  not  know  but  I  may  have  said  so 
before.  I  may  have  said  four  or  five  months  ago  that  my  sympathies 
were  with  Mr.  Seymour. 

280.  Q.  Did  the  persons  with  whom  you  talked  about  these  fraudulent 
naturalization  papers  act  with  the  democratic  party  or  with  the  repub- 
lican ? 

A.  I  presume  that  they  acted  principally  with  the  democratic  party, 
1  have  spoken  with  men  on  both  sides. 

281.  Q.  From  what  person  did  you  learn  that  fraudulent  naturalization 
papers  were  being  issued? 

A.  I  cannot  say  that  I  learned  it  from  any  person ;  I  learned  it  from 
the  papers.  The  only  persons  I  conversed  with  on  the  subject  have  been 
casual  acquaintances. 

282.  Q.  I  understood  you  to  say  that  you  had  conversations  with  per- 
sons who  induced  you  to  suppose  that  you  would  be  furnished  with  papers 
of  that  sort  and  that  others  had  been  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  think  not.  I  never  was  induced  to  believe  that  in  any 
way,  and  it  occasioned  great  surprise  to  me  when  the  paper  was  handed 
in  to  me. 

283.  Q.  Did  you  have  any  conversation  with  any  politicians,  or  persons 
acting  with  political  clubs  or  societies,  on  the  subject  ? 

A.  None  whatever,  that  I  know  of. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

284.  Q.  Where  were  you  registered  as  a  voter  f 
A.  I  never  was  registered  as  a  voter. 

285.  Q.  You  do  not  know  whether  your  name  was  registered  as  a  voter? 
A.  I  should  say  not.     T  never  attempted  in   any  way  to  register,  or 

make  myself  a  citizen. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

280.  Q.  Have  you  any  suspicion  who  the  person  was  who  left  this 
paper  for  you  ? 

A.  I  have  not  the  least  suspicion.  I  tried  at  the  time  to  find  out  who 
it  was  and  I  could  not,  and  1  gave  up  the  effort. 

By  Mr.  Dawes  : 

287.  Q.  Did  you  ever  make  any  application  to  any  person  or  court  for 
citizenship  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  never. 

288.  Q.  Did  you  ever  sign  any  written  paper  for  the  purpose  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

289.  Q.  Did  you  ever  make  any  statement  to  any  person  before  obtain- 
ing the  paper  as  to  where  you  were  born,  and  where  you  lived  when  you 
came  to  this  country  f 

A.  Never. 

290.  Q.  What  did  yon  do  with  the  paper  ? 

A.  I  put  it  in  my  pocket  and  showed  it  to  Mr.  Burton.  He  asked  me 
to  let  him  have  it,  and  I  did  so. 

292.  Q.  What  is  the  date  of  the  paper? 


28  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NFAV    YORK. 

A.  I  suppose  it  was  dated  in  October,  for  it  was,  I  think,  towards  the 
end  of  that  month  that  I  got  it. 

293.  Q.  Did  any  prison  previous  to  your  getting  possession  of  that 
paper  ask  yon  whom  yon  would  vote  for  if  yon  were  entitled  to  vole* 

A.   No  ;   I  don't  think  so. 

U04.  Q.  What  is  your  business  1  ' 

A.   T  am  secretary  tor  oil  companies. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

295.  Q.  ('an  yon  state  what  person  yon  have  talked  with  about  the 
issuing  of  fraudulent  papers,  or  about  the  fact  that  such  papers  were 
being  issued  .' 

A.  I  have  spoken  iii  ordinary  conversation  with  at  least  a  dozen  on 
the  subject. 

296.  Q.  Von  say  the  tact  was  notorious  that  fraudulent  naturalization 
papers  were  being  issued;  how  did  you  learn  that  I 

A.  I  learned  it  from  the  newspapers  and  from  general  conversation. 
Lt  was  a  matter  on  every  one's  lips.  It  was  spoken  of  in  the  office  at 
least  twenty  times  a  day  to  any  one  who  came. 

By  Mr.  Boss: 

LM>7.  Q.   Von  sav  it  was  notorious  that  papers  were  being  issued  fraud- 
ulently ! 
A.   Yes,  sir. 

298.  Q.  Was  it  notorious  that  both  parties  were  furnishing  their 
friends  with  fraudulent  naturalization  papers  I 

A.  No,  sir;  it  was  particularly  the  democratic  partv. 

299.  Q.  There   was  talk  of  the  other  party  also  \ 

A.  To  a  slight  degree;  but  as  the  majority  was  so  strong  against  it, 
the  frauds  were  on  the  other  side. 

300.  Q.   For  the  reason  that  they  had  more  persons  to  naturalize  1 

A.  That  they  had  more  opportunity  to  use  these  naturalization  papers, 
having  democratic  people  in  charge  who  Mould  do  it.  I  guess  both 
parties  did  it  as  much  as  they  could  under  the  circumstances. 

By  the  CHAIRMAN  : 

301.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  fraudulent  naturalization  papers  having 
been  procured  or  used  by  the  republican  party  I 

A.  Not  one.     I  do  not  know  of  any  other  on  either  side. 

By  Mr.  Jloss: 

302.  Q.  You  do  not  know  whether  this  paper  was  left  for  you  by  a  demo- 
crat or  a  republican  .; 

A.  I  have  not  the  slightest  idea  :  I  cannot  say  on  what  grounds  it  was 
given  me  then. 

John  McAbthur,  Jr.,  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

303.  Question.  With  what  political  party  have  you  acted  ? 
Answer.  The  democratic  party. 

304.  Q.  Have  you  occupied  any  official  position  in  this  city  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  am  connected  with  the  police  board. 

305.  Q.  Look  at  the  two  papers  which  I  now  present— one  purporting  to 
be  a  certificate  of  naturalization,  issued  to  Denis  Fitzpatrick,  dated  the 
9th  of  October,  1868,  and  the  other  a  certificate  of  naturalization,  issued 
to  Denis  Lynch,  dated  the  12th  of  October,  1868,  both  signed  by  Charles 
E.  Loew,  as  clerk — and  state  if  you  ever  saw  them  before,  and  under 
what  circumstances. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  28 

A.  Yes,  sir;  Denis  Fitzpatrick  came  to  the  27th  election  district 
of  the  19th  ward,  situated  on  Third  avenue,  between  Eighty-third 
and  Eighty-fourth  streets,  and  wanted  his  name  registered ;  one  of  the 
inspectors,  Mr.  Reed,  asked  him  how  long  he  had  had  that  paper; 
he  said  about  two  weeks ;  I  then  asked  him  if  lie  had  appeared  in  any 
court  to  get  that  paper;  he  said  he  had  not;  1  asked  him  if  he  had 
made  any  oath  or  affidavit  or  form  to  get  it ;  he  said  he  had  not;  1  asked 
him  where  he  got  it,  and  he  said  that  he  got  it  at  McGinnis's  porter 
house,  in  Eighty-seventh  street,  in  Sixth  avenue;  1  asked  him  if  he  had 
paid  anything  for  it,  and  he  said  he  had  not;  I  asked  him  whb  gave  it 
to  him,  and  he  said  he  did  not  know;  that  it  was  a  little  fellow,  about 
my  size ;  I  then  took  him  to  the  station-house  ;  Denis  Lynch  was  arrested 
by  officer  Barker  and  brought  to  the  station-house;  I  was  in  the  station- 
house  at  the  time, and  Captain  Hutchings  asked  me  to  take  that  matter; 
I  then  said  to  Denis  Lynch  that  he  was  at  liberty  to  answer  all  or  any 
of  the  questions  that  1  put  to  him  touching  the  paper,  and  said  it  might 
be  used  in  evidence  against  him ;  I  asked  him  if  he  had  had  the  paper, 
showing  it  to  him;  he  said  he  had;  I  asked  him  if  he  had  attempted  to 
register  upon  it ;  he  said  he  had;  I  asked  him  if  he  had  appeared  in 
any  court  to  get  a  paper,  and  he  said  he  had  not ;  J  asked  him  if  he  had 
made  any  oath  or  affidavit  to  get  it ;  he  said  he  had  not ;  I  asked  him 
if  he  had  paid  anything  for  it ;  he  said  no ;  I  asked  him  who  had  got  it 
for  him:  he  said  Joe  Moore;  I  asked  if  he  could  identify  Joe  Moore ; 
he  hemmed  and  hawed  and  grumbled  a  good  deal,  and  said  lie  didn't 
think  he  could. 

306.  Q.  Do  you  know  Joe :  Moore ! 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  arrested  Joe  Moore,  and  he  is  now  under  $10,000  bail 
in  these  two  cases. 

307.  Q.  Has  he  been  indicted  ! 
A.  I  do  not  know. 

Q.  What  were  the  charges  against  himl 

A.  Procuring  these  fraudulent  naturalization  papers.  1  arrested  him 
and  took  him  before  the  United  States  commissioner,  Osborne.  Mr. 
Osborne  sent  the  case  up  stairs  to  Commissioner  Betts,  and  he  was  ad- 
mitted to  85,000  bail  in  each  case. 

308.  Q.  How  many  wards  are  there  in  the  city  of  New  York? 
A.  Twenty- two,  I  "believe. 

309.  Q.  How  many  places  of  registry! 
A.  I  do  not  know. 

310.  Q.  How  many  voting  places  ? 

A.  I  believe  there  are  the  same  number  of  voting  places  that  there 
are  of  registers'  offices.    There  are  quite  a  large  number  of  them;  there 
are  31  districts  in  the  19th  ward,  I  believe- 
By  Mr.  Dickey; 

311.  Q.  Of  what  party  was  Joe  Moore  a  memberl 
A.  He  is  a  democrat/ 1  believe. 

By  Mr.  Dawks  : 

312.  Q.  Do  you  know  Denis  Fitzpatrick  yourself? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

313.  Q.  Do  you  know  how  long  he  was  in  the  country? 

A.'  He  said  to  me,  I  think,  that  he  had  been  some  fifteen  or  sixteen 
years  in  the  country.  He  said  to  me  that  he  had  got  his  first  papers 
and  had  lost  them,  but  that  lie  had  never  appeared  in  any  court  or  made 
any  affidavit  or  application  to  get  this  last  paper. 


30  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

314.  Q.  How  was  the  police  force  in  this  city  organized  at  the  lastelec 
tion?  Did  the  hoard  of  police  commissioners  organize  it,  or  any  part 
of  it! 

A.  The  board  issues  orders  to  the  superintendent  of  police,  and  lie 
issues  orders  to  the  different  captains  of  precincts,  and  they  regulate 
the  men  according  to  these  orders.  There  are  generally  two  men — one 
of  each  party — sent  to  each  election  district  to  act  as  policemen ;  I  know 
this  was  so  in  our  district.  The  captains  select,  as  nearly  as  they  can, 
one  republican  and  one  democrat;  that  is  what  they  call  two  men  in 
side;  the  men  outside  are  not  selected  in  that  way,  but  according  to 
whether  there  is  any  trouble  or  not. 

315.  Q.  How  is  the  board  of  election  bfficers'organized,  registers,  and 
the  persons  who  receive  the  votes? 

A.  I  believe  they  are  two  and  two. 

316.  Q.  Who  selects  the  clerks  of  election? 
A.  The  police  commisioners,  I  believe. 

317.  Q.  They  were,  therefore,  ordinarily  all  republicans,  wen'  they  not? 
A.  I  presume  there  was  one  democrat  and  one  republican,  on  account 

of  the  board  being  situated  in  that  way. 

318.  Q.  Do  you  know  what  was  the  conduct  of  the  other  election  officers 
with  reference  to  these  alleged  false  certificates;  was  it  the  same  ^>s 
these  so  far  as  you  know? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  J  suppose  so. 

319.  Q.  You  conducted  the  investigation  in  reference  to  these  two  and 
had  the  men  arrested  1 

A.  I  arrested  Denis  Fitzpatrick,  and  then,  according  to  instructions, 
J  took  hold  of  Denis  Lynch  also;  and  then  there  were  warrants  issued 
for  Joseph  Moore  and  Michael  Kennedy. 

320.  Q.  Did  you  ever  know  of  any  vote  being  cast  on  one  of  these 
fraudulent  certificates  I 

A.  No,  sir. 

321.  Q.  Did  you  do  all  in  your  power  to  prevent  casting  any  such  votes'? 
A.  I  acted  fairly  and  just  as  an  officer,  irrespective  of  any  party  what- 
ever. 

By  the  Chairman: 

322.  Q.  I  present  to  you  three  papers,  purporting  to  be  certificates  of 
naturalization  of  James  R.  Smith,  Samuel  Reynolds,  and  Patrick  Raf 
ferty,  annexed  to  the  testimony  of  Marshal  Murray ;  state  whether  the 
seal  affixed  to  these  papers  corresponds  with  the  seal  affixed  to  the 
naturalization  papers  to  which  you  have  referred  in  your  testimony. 

A.  I  believe  they  are  alike. 

323.  Q.  How  does  the  signature  of  Charles  E.  Loew  correspond? 
A.  I  would  rather  not  pass  an  opinion  upon  that. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

324.  Q.  In  the  discharge  of  your  duties  as  an  officer  did  you  learn  of  any 
of  these  papers  being  procured  by  republican  influence  or  by  republi- 
cans? 

A.  I  have  heard  so. 

325.  Q.  Did  you  learn  the  fact? 

A.  No,  sir,  further  than  that  I  was  down  at  the  City  Hall  one  day,  when 
a  man  said,  "There  is  a  republican  come  in;  they  are  both  into  it." 

326.  Q.  You  learned  nothing  of  the  kind  as  an  officer? 
A.  No,  sir. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  31 

327.  Q.  Those1  papers  you  have  no  doubt  were  procured  under  demo- 
cratic influence  I 

A.  The  men  said  they  got  them  from  Joe  Moore,  and  the  politics  of 
the  two  men  were  democratic. 

328.  Q.  You  have  no  doubt  that  they  would  have  voted  the  democratic 
ticket  if  they  had  voted  at  all  I 

A.   I  think  it  very  likely. 

CHARLES  C.  REED  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 
:'».  Question.  What  official  position  did  you  hold  at  the  last  election 
in  Mew  York.' 

Answer.   I  was  inspector  of  the  27th  district,  19th  ward. 

330.  Q.  1  present  to  you  a  paper,  purporting  to  be  a  certificate  of  natu- 
ralization to  Denis  Fitzpatrick,  and  which  is  referred  to  in  the  testimony 
of  John  Mc  Arthur,  jr.:  state  what  you  know  about  it. 

A.  There  was  such  a  paper  presented  to  him  by  Mr.  Stephenson,  the 
other  inspector,  and  passed  over  to  me.  I  asked  the  person  who  pre- 
sented it  when  he  had  been  last  in  court,  and  he  told  me  he  had  never 
been  there.  I  said.  "I  suppose  you  got  this  at  the  court  on  the  corner 
of  Eighty-ninth  street  and  Fourth  avenue" — a  police  station  which  they 
call  a  court.  He  said  he  had  not;  that  he  had  got  it  at  the  corner  of 
Eighty-seventh  street  and  Third  avenue,  at  McGiunis's  liquor  store.  He 
said  there  were  three  or  four  others  given  out  at  the  same  time.  I  asked 
him  did  he  know  the  names  of  the  persons  who  got  them.  He  said  he 
did  not,  nor  could  he  tell  the  name  of  the  person  who  handed  it  to  him. 

331.  Q.  Did  Fitzpatrick  attempt  to  have  his  name  registered  on  that 
paper? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  L  advised  him  not  to  attempt  it,  as  the  paper  Avas  fraudu- 
lent; and  not  having  appeared  in  court,  and  not  having  complied  with 
the  law.  I  advised  him  to  go  home,  and  McArthur,  the  policeman,  fol- 
lowed him  and  arrested  him.  The  inspectors,  seeing  that  the  man  was 
ignorant,  were  willing  to  let  him  go. 

332.  Q.  Are  you  a  republican  or  democrat? 
A.  I  am  a  republican. 

333.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  fraudulent  naturalization  papers  having 
'teen  issued  or  used,  or  attempted  to  be  used,  for  the  purpose  of  regis- 
tering or  voting  ? 

A.  Not  to  my  own  knowledge;  I  have  been  informed  by  other  regis- 
ters, in  districts  of  the  19th  ward,  that  some  attempt  was  made  to  register 
upon  similar  papers. 

Thomas  Surridge  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

334.  Question.  What  country  are  you  a  native  off 
Answer.  Ireland. 

335.  Q.  How  long  have  you  lived  in  the  United  States? 

A.  I  first  came  here  about  18  years  ago,  and  went  back  three  months 
before  the  war  broke  out,  and  returned  to  this  country  about  October. 
1S67. 

336.  Q.  Did  yon  ever  make  an v  declaration  of  intention  to  become  a 
citizen .' 

A.  No,  sir. 

337.  Q.  Did  you  ever  make  an  application  in  court  to  be  naturalized  ? 
A.  Xo,  sir. 

338.  Q.  Did  you  ever  take  an  oath  to  support  the  Constitution  of  the 
United  States  » 


32  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

A.  ^No,  sir. 

339.  Q.  Jliiv*'  you  ever  voted  in  this  country? 
A.  No,  sir. 

340.  Q.  (present  to  you  a  paper  purporting  a  certificate  of  naturali- 
zation, dated  the  l!)th  of  October,  1868,  issued  to  Thomas  Surridge,  and 
signed  "Charles  B.  Loew.  clerk  of  the  city;"  have  yon  ever  seen  thai 
paper  before? 

A.  Yes,  sir;   1  did. 

341.  Q.   From  whom  did  you  get  it? 

A.  I  do  not  know  the  name  of  the  person  who  give,  it,  to  me,  but  J 
identified  him  to  the  United  States  deputy  marshal. 
242.  Q.   What  did  he  say  when  he  gave  yon  the  pap* 
A.   He  told  me  that  it  was  all  right. 

343.  Q.   Where  did  he  get  the  paper! 

A.  At  the  corner  of  Twenty-first  street  and  Tenth  avenue,  Gibson's 
liquor  store.  I  was  there1  about  some  paper-hanging  that  1  was  doing: 
there  were  a  number  of  persons  there,  and  some  of  them  asked  me  if  1 
had  ever  voted.  1  said  I  had  not;  that  I  had  no  papers.  One  of  them 
said  that  lie  could  get  me  papers,  and  he  referred  to  a  young  man  who 
gave  me  that,  paper. 

344.  Q.  Did  you  pa\  anything  for  it? 
A.  I  paid  $1.' 

345.  Q.  Did  he  ask  von  what  party  you  would  vote  withl 
A.  No,  sir;  he  did  not. 

340.  Q.  Did  you  express  any  opinion  J 

A.  No,  sir. 

347.  Q.    Did  yon  say  how  yon  would  votel 

A.  No,  sir. 

34S.  Q.   What  party  have  you  been  in  favor  ofl 

A.  i  have  not  been  in  favor  of  any  party  particularly.  1  did  not  inter 
fere  with  politics  at  all. 

340.  (J.  Do  you  know  whether  this  young  man  has  ever  been  arrested  I 

A.  L  asked  the  deputy  marshal,  and  he  said  he  had  not  arrested  him 
yet. 

350.  Q.  Did  you  attempt  to  have  your  name  registered  as  a  voter 
upon  this  paper? 

A.  I  presented  the  paper:  my  object  was  just  to  test  the  thing  to  see 
if  it  was  a  legal  paper  or  not. 

By  Mr.  Dickey: 

351.  Q.   Where  did  you  present  it? 

A.  At  the  board  of  registers,  in  Ninth  avenue. 

352.  Q.  Were  you  then  arrested? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  and  brought  to  the  police  office. 

:\r)?>.  Q.  After  attempting  to  register  without  being  entitled  to  do  sot 

A.  I  suppose  that  was  the  ground  of  my  arrest. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

354.  Q.  I  present  to  you  three  papers  purporting  to  be  certificates  of  natu- 
ralization, annexed  to*  the  testimony  of  Marshal  Murray;  state  whether 
the  printing  and  the  seal  of  the  court  annexed  to  these  three  papers  are 
similar  to  the  printing  and  tin1  seal  of  the  court  of  this  paper  which  was 
given  to  you. 

A.  Yes,  sir;  they  appear  to  be  the  same. 

355.  Q.  State  if  the  signature  of  Charles  E.  Loew,  clerk,  on  all  the 
papers,  is  similar. 

A.  Yes.  sir:  it  is  similar  on  all  of  them. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IX  NEW  YORK,  33 

R.  H.  Daly  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

356.  Question.  State  your  residence,  and  what,  official  position  you  have 
held  in  »w  York. 

Answer.  I  live  in  Lamartine  place.  At  the  last  two  elections  I  was 
inspector* in  the  21st  district  of  the  17th  ward,  in  this  city. 

357.  Q.  What  arc  the  duties  of  inspectors ! 

A.  To  register  the  names  of  qualified  voters  belonging  to  the  district, 
and  to  receive  their  votes  on  election  day. 

.  ;:>>.  Q.  I  present  to  you  rive  papers  purporting  t<  >  be  certificates  of  natu- 
ralization issued  by  the  supreme  court  of  the  State  of  New  York  held  in 
and  for  the  city  and  county  of  2Sew  York,  one  to  Charles  Fieliug'.  dated 
October  17.  one  to  William  Schmidt,  dated  October  19,  one  to  John 
Lehmar.  dated  the  22d  of  October,  one  to  Jacob  Scharfer.  dated  the 
9th  of  October,  and  one  to  John  Moelsch.  dated  the  22d  of  October, 
and  all  signed  by  Charles  E.  Loew.  clerk:  examine  these  papers  and 
state  what  you  know  of  them. 

A.  At  the  first  meeting-  of  the  board  of  inspectors  on  the  second  day, 
I  went  from  our  place  where  we  were  holding-  the  board  to  the  next 
board  in  the  same  ward,  and  while  there,  one  of  the  inspectors  asked 
me  if  we  had  any  fraudulent  naturalization  papers;  I  told  him  that  we 
had  not  any  that  1  could  say.  He  picked  up  one  similar  to  these,  and 
said  these  are  all  fraudulent  papers.  Said  I.  "If  they  are  we  have 
taken  a  good  many  of  them  in  our  district."  I  immediately  returned  to 
our  board,  and  the  only  one  of  these  papers  that  1  could  recollect  hav- 
ing been  taken  was  this  one  of  Charles  Fieling.  I  knew  we  had  such  a 
paper  the  day  before.  I  told  the  balance  of  the  board  that  I  thought 
we  had  been  taking  some  fraudulent  papers,  and  they  wanted  to  know 
if  I  could  identify  any  of  them.  I  told  them  that  I  thought  this  one  of 
Fieling's  was  one  of  them :  so  with  the  consent  of  the  other  members  of 
the  board  I  despatched  a  policeman  for  Fieling.  and  told  him  to  bring 
his  papers  with  him.  He  is  a  German,  who  keeps  a  grocery  store.  I 
asked  him  where  he  got  them.  He  said  it  was  sent  to  him  in  an  envel- 
ope. I  asked  about  how  long  he  had  been  in  this  country ;  he  said  he 
had  been  here  13  years.  I  asked  him  if  he  had  declared  his  inten- 
tions to  become  a  citizen :  he  said  he  never  had.  I  asked  him  if  he 
knew  anything  about  where  the  paper  came  from:  he  said  he  did  not; 
that  it  was  sent  to  him:  that  he  thought  it  all  right  to  come  to  register 
in  it.  He  appeared  to  be  an  innocent  sort  of  a  man.  who  would  not  be 
likely  to  do  anything  contrary  to  law.  We  erased  his  name  from  the 
register,  and  told  him  the  proper  course  to  pursue  in  order  to  take  out 
the  legal  paper  of  naturalization.  The  four  other  papers  were  papers 
which  were  presented  to  us  subsequently,  and  which  we  retained.  I 
have  no  doubt  that  there  were  fifty  of  these  papers  registered  at  our  dis- 
trict and  voted  on. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

359.  Q.  Did  the  other  parties  who  presented  these  papers  make  any 
statement  as  to  where  they  got  them  ? 

A.  Y"es,  sir.  They  did  not  tell  correctly  how  thev  got  them.  One  of 
them  brought  a  witness  with  him  to  swear  that  he  was  with  him  in  the 
court  and  saw  him  get  the  paper  and  pay  the  fee:  but  on  closer  ques- 
tioning he  said  he  saw  a  good  many  people  get  their  papers,  but  he 
could  not  say  exactly  that  he  saw  this  paper  got.  One  person  on  the 
board,  on  the  democratic  side,  was  in  favor,  inasmuch  as  we  had  taken 
3t 


34  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

a  number  of  these  papers,  of  going  on  and  taking  the  rest  of  them;  but 
I  and  my  republican  friend  could  not  see  it  in  that  light. 

360.  Q.    How  many  inspectors  are  there  I 

A.  Four,  two  republicans  and  two  democrats. 

361.  Q.  Were  both  the  democrats  in  favor  of  continuing  to  take  these 
papers  $ 

A.  One  of  them  was  drunk  pretty  much  all  of  the  time;  he  did  not  have 
much  to  say  either  way.  We  had  him  removed.  I  went  to  one  of  the 
commissioners  and  refused  to  serve  with  him  any  longer,  and  had  him 
removed. 

Uy  .Mr.  Hopkins: 

362.  <c>.  How  do  these  fraudulent  papers  differ  from  the  genuine  ones.' 
A.  They  appear  to  be  of  a  different  form.     The  others  are  printed  upon 

blue  paper,  and  the  seal  is  different.  The  others  are  much  larger  than 
these,  and  the  seal  is  a  wafer  one,  with  a- piece  of  tissue  paper  or  ribbon 
upon  it.  Some  are  printed  in  quite  an  elaborate  manner,  and  some  are 
framed.  One  of  these  papers  we  were  afterwards  obliged  to  take.  Coun- 
cilman Hartman  came  and  swore  that  he  went  with  the  man  to  the 
supreme  court  and  swore  that  lie  saw  the  paper  issued  by  the  court  and 
signed  by  the  clerk,  ruder  these  circumstances  we  could  not  refuse 
him  registration.     I  do  not  recollect  the  name  of  that  case. 

By  the  Chairman: 

363.  Q.  I  nowproseni  toyouthreepapers,purportingtobecertiflcatesof 

naturalization,  which  are  annexed  to  the  testimony  of  Marshal  Murray; 
state  whether  the  printing  or  signature  of  the  clerk  and  the  seal  of  the 
court  of  these  three  certificates  are  similar  in  all  respects  to  t  he  printing, 
seal,  and  signature  of  the  five  papers  to  which  you  have  testified. 

A.  I  think  the  printed  form  is  the  same,  and  the  seal  is  the  same.  I 
cannot  see  any  difference  in  the  signature,  and  \  should  judge  that  is  the 
same. 

By  Mr.  KERB  : 

364.  Q.  You  say  that  you  thiuk  that  at  least  50  of  a  certain  kind  of 
fraudulent  certificates  were  received  at  your  register's  poll  2 

A.  I  should  think  that  was  a  low  estimate.  The  first  day  we  did  not 
do  much  business  during  the  daytime.  We  kept  open  that  evening,  and 
then  there  was  a  great  rush;  so  much  so  that  two  policemen  had  to  make 
the  men  take  their  turns  in  the  line,  and  there  was  a  long  queue.  1 
know  that  a  great  many  of  these  papers  were  registered  on.  That  night 
there  were  175  names  registered,  and  I  knowr  that  a  majority,  or  a  large 
proportion  of  them,  were  on  these  papers. 

365.  Q.  Do  you  mean  to  say  that  a  majority  of  them  were  registered  on 
this  kind  of  papers  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  that  a  majority  of  them  were.  A  great  many  of 
them  were. 

366.  Q.  Do  you  mean  to  say  that  all  of  this  particular  seal  are  fraudulent. 
A.  That  I  did  not  say. 

367.  Q.  How  do  you  know  kowT  many  were  fraudulent  that  were  taken 
that  night — or  how  can  you  approximate  satisfactorily  to  any  conclusion  ? 

A.  I  would  not  say  there  were  49  of  these  papers  taken,  or  that  there 
were  51  taken;  but  I  say  that  there  were  at  least  50. 

368.  Q.  How  do  you  know  ? 

A.  From  having  handled  them  that  night.  The  next  day  we  registered 
probably  50  persons.  Out  of  that  number  we  threw  out  some  10  or  12 
of  these  papers.  Take  that  same  proportion  on  the  175  of  the  night  pre- 
vious, and  it  will  not  make  much  short  of  50. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  35 

369.  Q.  You  say  you  registered  10  or  12  out  of  the  50  the  next  clay ; 
that  was  one-fifth  the  number  there.  On  the  previous  night  you  took 
175.    What  would  one-fifth  of  that  number  be? 

A.  About  35. 

370.  Q.  Then  do  you  think  you  took  only  about  35  of  those  fraudulent 
papers'! 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  will  not  come  down  one. 

371.  Q.  How  many  officers  did  that  board  consist  oft 

A.  Three,  besides  myself.    Two  republicans  and  two  democrats. 

372.  Q.  Who  were  the  republicans! 

A.  One  was  Theodore  Black,  and  one  was  R.  H.  Daly.  The  democrats 
were  John  Fitzpatrick  and  S.  Grill,  jr.  Fitzpatrick  voted  the  repub- 
lican ticket,  however. 

373.  Q.  Please  explain  how  he  came  to  do  that.  Is  that  the  way  men 
usually  give  evidence  of  their  democracy! 

A.  My  associate  on  the  board  told  me  that  he  gave  Fitzpatrick  a 
republican  ticket,  and  that  he  went  and  voted  on  it.  He  said  he  gave 
him  a  drink  and  a  republican  ticket,  and  he  went  and  voted  it. 

374.  Q.  I  suppose  Fitzpatrick,  being  a  democrat,  was  induced  to  vote 
your  ticket  by  that  drink  of  liquor? 

A.  I  cannot  tell  you  his  motive. 

375.  Q.  Do  you  suppose  he  would  have  voted  it  if  he  had  been  sober? 
A.  I  think  that  any  man  in  his  sober  senses  would  have  done  so  at  the 

last  election.    I  know  a  great  many  democrats  who  voted  our  ticket. 

370.  Q.  Did  your  associate  on  the  board  bribe  this  man  to  vote  your 
ticket  by  giving  him  a  drink  of  liquor? 

A.  I  did  not  say  that  he  bribed  him.  They  went  out  and  took  a  drink, 
and  he  gave  him  a  republican  ticket,  and  Fitzpatrick  went  and  voted  on  it. 

377.  Q.  Was  he  drunk  when  he  voted? 
A.  He  was  pretty  drunk. 

378.  Q.  Did  your  partner,  or  some  other  political  friend  of  yours,  give 
him  the  liquor? 

A.  O,  no,  sir;  he  came  there  drunk  in  the  morning,  at  8  o'clock.  My 
partner  was  complaining  because  Fitzpatrick  was  not  there  to  attend  to 
his  official  duties. 

Theodore  Block  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

379.  Question.  What  position  did  you  hold  in  the  last  election? 
Answer.  I  was  an  inspector  of  elections  in  the  21st  district  of  the  17th 

ward. 

380.  Q.  1  present  to  you  five  papers,  purporting  to  be  certificates  of 
naturalization,  referred  to  in  the  testimony  of  Kichard  H.  Bell,-  state  if 
they  were  presented  to  you  by  the  persons  whose  names  are  inserted  in 
them,  and  if  so,  all  that  was  done. 

A.  I  refused  to  register  their  names. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

381.  Q.  Why? 

A.  On  account  of  their  own  testimony.  I  asked  them  how  they  came 
into  possession  of  these  certificates.  They  said  they  were  sent  to  them 
at  home,  or  that  they  got  them  at  some  place ;  and  that  they  had  never 
seen  any  judge  or  court  in  order  to  get  naturalized.  On  their  own  evi- 
dence I  took  the  papers  and  kept  them.  Fieling  showed  me  his  first 
papers,  which  he  still  had  in  his  pocket.  He  showed  me  his  declaration 
of  intention,  filed  about  ten  years  before. 


36  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NKW    York. 

i 

382.  Q.  Do  I  understand  you  thai  they  all  admitted  that  they  had  not 
been  in  the  court  to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance,  and  that  they  got  the 
papers  at  their  own  house  and  elsewhere! 

A.  Yes,  sir:  on  paying^]  50,  or  different  prices.  If  1  had  known  it  the 
day  before,  1  could  have  got  over  100  of  them. 

By  the  CHAIRMAN: 

383.  Q.  What  do  mean  by  saying  that  \ 

A.  I  mean  that  100  persons  presented  fraudulent  naturalization  papers 

to  which  they  were  not  entitled. 

384.  Q.   Were  they  registered  on  them  J 
A.  They  were. 

385.  Q.  Did  they  vote  at  the  last  presidential  election  '! 
A.  They  did. 

380.  Q.   In  the  ward  where  you  were  Inspector) 

A.  Yes,  sir:  1  have  every  doubtful  one  marked  in  the  register's  book. 

387.  Q.  Do  you  know  to  what  political  party  tin1  men  holding  these 
naturalization  papers  belong  ? 

A.  J  am  pretty  certain  of  it.  1  know-  it  in  regard  to  Pieling  and 
Schmidt,  because  they  were  recommended  to  me  by  an  assemblyman  who 
wanted  to  make  an  affidavit  that  he  was  present  as  a  witness  when  they 
got  their  papers.  I  said  I  would  not  take  his  affidavit,  or  President 
Johnson's  ;  they  are  all  democrats. 

By  Mr.  Kvaui . : 

388.  Q.  How  do  you  know  that  they  are  all  democrats? 

A.  I  have  been  living  15  years  in  the  7th  ward,  and  know  every  voter 
in  the  ward,  or  nearly  every  one.  L  do  not  think  there  are  26  voters  in 
the  ward  whom  I  do  not  know.  I  used  to  be  a  clerk  in  the  fourth  dis- 
trict court;  in  that  way  I  came  to  know  everyone  in  the  ward.  I  ceased 
to  be  clerk  in  1860,  and  am  now  holding  a  situation  in  the  navy  yard,  as 
clerk  in  the  engineer's  department. 

389.  Q.  Where  did  yon  meet  all  these  voters  to  get  so  well  acquainted 
with  them  ? 

A.  I  may  say  I  met  them  in  the  lager-beer  places.  A  great  deal  of 
them  are  Germans;  we  have  not  got  five  American  voters  in  the  elec- 
tion district.  It  is  a  German  district,  and  I  do  not  think  you  will  find 
five  Irish  or  American  voters  in  the  district. 

390.  Q.  Were  these  chaps  who  came  to  vote  on  these  certificates  all  Ger- 
mans'? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

391.  Q.  Did  they  live  in  the  district? 

A.  They  said  they  did.     I  did  not  knowT  them ;  I  took  their  statements. 

392.  Q.  Who  were  the  other  officers  with  you  on  that  board  ? 
A.  Mr.  Daly,  an  Irishman  named  Fitzpatrick,  and  S.  Gill,  jr. 

393.  Q.  What  sort  of  a  man  is  Fitzpatrick? 

A.  He  was  an  Irishman,  but  he  did  not  belong  to  the  district.  He 
could  not  have  voted  in  that  district,  neither  could  I  vote  in  the  district 
in  which  I  was  an  inspector. 

394.  Q.  How^  much  of  the  time  was  Fitzpatrick  drunk  ? 

A.  He  was  drunk  all  the  time,  and  Iliad  him  removed  myself.  I  had 
to  make  out  his  books  myself,  because  he  could  not  write. 

395.  Q.  Do  you  know7  how7  he  voted? 

A.  I  know  he  voted  for  Griswold ;  I  made  him  vote  for  Griswold.  We 
went  to  the  polls  at  the  corner  of  Eleventh  street  and  Avenue  A,  and  he 
promised  to  vote  for  Griswold,  and  did  so. 

396.  Q.  How  did  you  make  him  do  it? 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  37 

A.  As  a  matter  of  friendship. 

397.  Q.  Friendship  to  you,  or  to  Griswold  ! 

A.  I  made  out  his  book  because  lie  could  not  write. 

398.  Q.  Did  you  treat  him  that  day  : 
A.  No,  sir. 

.399.  Q.  Did  you  tell  your  associate  ou  the  board,  Mr.  Daly,  that  you 
gave  Fitzpatrick  a  drink  and  made  him  vote  your  ticket ! 
^  A.  No,  sir ;  I  never  gave  him  a  drink ;  he  knew  how  to  get  drunk 
without  mc. 

400.  Q.  Did  you  tell  Daly  that  you  gave  him  a  drink  1 

A.  No,  I  did  not ;  Mr.  Daly  complained  himself  about  Fitzpatrick,  and 
wanted  me  to  make  a  complaint  and  have  him  removed  ;  but  I  said  he 
might  be  a  poor  man  and  might  want  his  pay. 

401.  Q.  You  bought  his  vote  by  making  out  his  books  \ 

A.  He  said  that  out  of  friendship  for  me  for  that  he  would  do  anything 
for  me.     "  Well,"  said  I,  u  Go  and  vote  for  Grant  and  Griswold." 

402.  Q.  Did  you  see  him  put  in  that  ticket  I 
A.  I  would  swear  to  it. 

403.  Q.  You  said  awhile  ago,  that  if  you  had  time  you  could  have  got  a 
good  many  of  that  sort  of  papers ;  how  do  you  know  that  ? 

A.  I  could  make  a  list  of  over  20  men  who  registered  in  that  district, 
and  who  voted  at  the  November  election,  who  were  not  one  year  in  this 
country.     They  were  Frenchmen  and  Germans ;  I  know  them  personally. 

404.  Q.  Do  you  know  how  they  got  their  papers  : 

A.  Certainly  :  they  bought  them ;  they  were  brought  to  their  houses. 

405.  Q.  How  you  know  that  ? 
A.  They  told  me  so  themselves. 

40G.  Q.  Did  you  ever  buy  one  of  these  papers  yourself  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

407.  Q.  Did  you  ever  send  any  republican  voters  to  buy  any  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

408.  Q.  Did  you  ever  see  any  republican  voters  come  with  that  kind 
of  a  paper  l 

A.  Not  to  my  knowledge. 

409.  Q.  How  do  you  know  that  there  were  so  many  other  papers  of  that 
kind  brought  to  your  precinct ;  how  do  you  know  that  the  papers  were 
fraudulent ! 

A.  The  papers  may  not  have  been  fraudulent,  but  the  parties  were  uot 
entitled  to  vote.  I  could  name  you  two  or  three  dozen,  at  least,  who  had 
naturalization  papers,  and  who  voted,  and  were  not  entitled  to  A'ote. 

410.  Q.  Give  us  their  names? 

A.  I  can  mention  Philip  Yillaret,  No.  Go  Fourth  avenue  ;  Victor  Roger, 
a  wine  merchant,  living  in  Third  avenue,  between  Twelfth  and  Thirteenth 
streets ;  Prosper  Aubrey,  living  at  No.  24  East  Fourth  street,  near  La- 
fayette pla  ce  :  Victor  Godard,  living  at  238  East  Ninth  street,  near  Second 
avenue ;  that  is  all  I  can  recollect  now ;  but  1  have  a  memorandum  of  them 
in  my  book.  These  men  do  not  belong  to  my  ward,  the  1 7th ;  they  belong- 
to  the  15th.  How  many  must  I  know  in  tile  17th,  when  1  know  so  many 
outside  of  the  ward. 

411.  Q.  These  are  all  the  names  that  you  can  give  me  ! 

A.  For  to-day ;  but  1  will  bring  some  more  in  my  book.  I  will  bring 
the  list  of  names  to-morrow  at  L0  o'clock. 

Edward  Mitchell  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

412.  Question.  What  office  did  you  hold  at  the  last  election  8 
Answer.  Inspector  of  election,  and  chairman  of  the  board,  in  the  4th 


38  t  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

election  district  of  the  15th  ward.  My  commission  is  dated  October  0r 
1868,  and  the  law  provides  for  the  holding  of  the  office  one  year  from 
the  time  of  appointment* 

413.  Q.  What  do  yon  know  of  fraudulent  naturalization  papers  having 

been  issued,  or  of  attempts  having  been  made  to  register  or  to  vote  on 
them  :' 

A.  I  know  of  the  case  of  Francis  Oragie,  who  presented  a  paper,  and 
was  registered  by  three  other  inspectors  of  that  district  in  my  absence. 
On  my  return  to  the  place  of  registry,  129  Waverley  place,  they  stated  to 
me  that  they  were  suspicious  Of  the  man,  and  that  his  papers  were  not 
legally  issued  to  him.  A  police  officer  was  sent  for  him.  He  came  back, 
and  I  asked  him  some  questions,  which  he  hesitated  to  answer.  On 
account  of  his  hesitancy  I  swore  him,  and  asked  him  where  he  got  this 
paper.  He  told  me  a  man  gave  it  to  him.  I  asked  him  in  what  place. 
He  said  in  the  bar-room  coiner  of  Eighth  street  and  Sixth  avenue,  a  bar- 
room kept  byaman  named  Mulligan.  I  asked  him  the  name  of  the  man 
who  gave  him  the  paper.  He  said  he  would  not  tell  that.  I  said  he 
must  tell,  or  that  1  would  arrest  him.  He  said  he  did  not  know  the 
name  of  the  man,  but  that  he  would  find  out,  and  come  back  at  7  o'clock 
in  the  evening  and  let  me  know;  he  never  came  back.  He  never  offered 
to  vote,  although  he  was  on  the  registry.  On  his  sworn  statement  to  that 
effect,  1  put  it  to  the  board  whether  his  name  should  be  struck  off  from 
the  list,  and  they  decided  to  strike  it  off.  There  were  several  other 
cases  about  which  the  board  were  suspicions,  on  account  the  naturaliza- 
tion papers  being  dated  some  years  before  1868,  while  they  looked  as 
fresh  as  if  they  had  been  just  issued.  The  name  oi*  the  clerk,  dames  M. 
Sweeney,  appeared  as  if  written  very  recently,  and  was  in  the  same  blue 
ink  and  in  the  same  handwriting  precisely  as  those  recently  issued  by 
him.  All  those  facts  were  noted  on  my  book  of  registry,  which  is  tiled 
in  the  county  clerk's  office. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

414.  Q.  This  case  of  Cragie's,  where  he  acknowledged  that  he  got  the 
paper  in  a  bar-room,  out  of  what  court  did  the  paper  appear  to  have  been 
issued.' 

A.  1  think  from  the  court  of  common  pleas,  on  the  16th  October,  1868. 

415.  Q.  Do  you  know  the  political  party  to  which  this  man  belonged? 
A.  I  do  not. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

416.  Q.  What  is  Cragie's  address  ? 

A.  125  Clinton  place  is  the  address  that  he  gave. 

417.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  other  fraudulent  naturalization  papers 
having  been  issued? 

A.  I  do  not  know  of  any  other.  There  were  other  papers  offered  of 
which  we  were  very  suspicious. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

418.  Q.  Were  they  received  and  registered  on? 

A.  They  were  received  and  the  persons  registered  on  them,  because 
there  was"no  proof  that  they  were  not  legal.  Where  there  was  any  sus- 
picion, the  persons  who  offered  them  were  diligently  questioned,  and,  in 
case  they  answered  all  the  questions  satisfactorily,  they  were  allowed  to 
register.  There  was  one  other  case  of  a  man  who  stated  that  he  had 
never  taken  oirt  his  first  papers,  and  that  he  had  not  come  to  the  country 
under  age;  but  we  were  afterwards  satisfied  that  he  had  misunderstood 
the  questions  that  we  asked  him  about  having  taken  out  his  first  papers. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  39 

By  Mr.  Dickey: 

410.  Q.  In  the  case  where  the  man  admitted  that  he  had  got  the  paper 
at  Mulligan's,  did  he  admit  that  he  had  never  been  in  court1? 

A.  I  asked  him  if  he  had  been  in  court,  and  he  said  he  had  never  been 
in  court  at  all  for  any  purpose.  I  asked  him  also  whether  he  had  taken 
out  his  first  papers,  and  he  said  he  had  not. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

420.  Q.  Did  you  ask  him  how  long  he  was  a  resident  of  this  country  f 
A.  I  do  not  recollect  having  asked  him  that;  I  think  it  very  likely  that 

1  did.  I  believe  he  was  imposed  upon  by  others,  and  was  ignorant  of  the 
requirements  of  the  law,  being  induced  to  believe  that  it  was  proper  for 
him  to  take  the  paper  and  vote  upon  it.  At  the  last  election  a  great 
number  of  persons  offered  to  register  who,  Ave  were  satisfied,  were 
"repeaters."  They  were  registered,  and  we  intended  to  arrest  them  on 
election  day,  but  they  never  came  to  vote;  they  were  frightened  off. 
We  had  one  of  them  arrested. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

421.  Q.  How  many  of  these  "repeaters"  were  registered; 

A.  There  may  have  been  six  who  offered  themselves  and  were  regis- 
tered. We  did  not  know  that  they  were  not  entitled  until  after  they  had 
registered  and  we  questioned  them.  We  were  suspicious  of  them  when 
they  presented  themselves,  but  inasmuch  as  they  stated  their  residences 
we  took  them  down,  as  we  were  bound  to  do ;  and  after  that  we  questioned 
them,  and,  on  questioning  them,  we  were  satisfied  that,  although  they 
answered  the  questions  correctly,  they  were  lying.  They  did  not  vote. 
That  was  at  the  mayoralty  election. 

Albert  Bogert  sworn  and  examined : 

By  the  Chairman: 

422.  Question.  What  official  position  did  you  hold  at  the  last  election  in 
this  city '! 

Answer.  1  was  one  of  the  inspectors  of  registry  at  the  4th  district  of 
the  10th  ward. 

423.  Q.  How  many  wards  are  there  in  the  city? 
A.  Twenty-two. 

424.  Q.  How  many  election  districts ! 
A.  I  forget.    There  are  32  in  our  ward. 

425.  Q.  I  present  to  you  four  papers,  purporting  to  be  certificates  of 
naturalization  issued;  one  to  Joseph  Rush,  dated  Octobers,  1808,  one  to 
John  Wallace,  dated  October  27, 1807,  one  to  William  Malia,  dated  Octo- 
ber 25,  1807,  and  one  to  James  Montgomery,  dated  October  25,  1807,  all 
purporting  to  be  issued  by  the  superior  court  of  the  city  of  New  York, 
all  signed  "James  M.  Sweeney,  clerk,''  and  all  filled  on  printed  blanks; 
examine  them,  and  state  what  you  know  as  to  each  of  them. 

A.  Joseph  Bush  presented  his  paper  and  desired  to  be  registered.  I 
examined  the  paper  and  questioned  him  on  oath.  He  stated  he  had  been 
in  the  country  only  two  years ;  that  his  parents  were  in  the  old  country 
yet;  that  the  paper  was  handed  to  him  by  a  friend,  who  told  him  it  was 
all  right ;  that  he  had  never  been  in  court.  I  retained  the  paper,  and  let 
him  go.  Here  is  a  memorandum  of  another  paper  that  was  offered  to  me 
by  a  man  named  Daniel  Healy.  I  did  not  retain  the  certificate,  as  my 
associate  was  absent  at  breakfast,  and  the  two  democratic  inspectors 
insisted  that  he  should  retain  his  paper.  He  was  not  registered.  Healy's 
statement  was  that  he  was  not  a  citizen,  was  not  in  court,  and  had  his 
naturalization  paper  given  to  him  by  Michael   Fay,  at  the  corner  of 


40  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

Thirty-ninth  street  and  First  avenue.  John  Wallace  presented  hisnatu 
ralization  paper,  and  desired  to  be  registered.    His  paper  was  issued  on 

October  lil',  1S(J7,  and  he  bad  voted  on  it  in  the  elections  of  1S(>7.  He 
stated  that  he  was  50  years  of  age;  that  he  had  been  in  the  country  10 
years;  that  he  had  voted  at  the  last  election  in  1867,  and  thai  lie  bad 
never  got  out  his  first  papers.  He  refused  to  swear  to  his  right  to  be 
registered,  by  the  advice  of  the  two  democratic  registers,  who  told  him 
he  ought  not  to  swear  and  must  not  swear.  He  voluntarily  gave  aphis 
paper.  William  Alalia  presented  his  paper,  and  we  retained  it.  He  stated 
that  he  bad  never  declared  bis  intentions,  and  bad  never  taken  out  bis 
first  papers. 

By  Mr.  Dickey: 

42(J.  Q.  Did  he  state  bow  be  got  that  paper? 

A.  I  do  not  recollect.  This  other  paper  was  presented  by  James  Mont- 
gomery, who  desired  to  be  registered.  When  we  examined  him  with 
reference  to  his  right  to  be  registered,  we  found  that  he  bad  never  got 
out  his  first  papers  and  bad  never  declared  his  intentions.  At  the  time 
that  we  were  examining  Rush  there  were  eight  or  nine  persons  in  line 
with  papers  in  their  hands,  waiting  to  be  registered,  and  I  made  the 
remark,  "We  are  acting  altogether  too  lenient  in  this  matter;  tbe  next 
man  who  offers  a  fraudulent  paper  I  shall  order  bis  arrest.'1  Ami  tbe 
whole  nine  men  who  came  to  be  registered  with  their  papers  in  their 
hands  walked  out,  went  away,  and  did  not  otter  their  papers.  They 
never  returned  to  be  registered  in  tbat  district. 

By  Mr.  HOPKINS: 

427.  Q.  Were  you  in  tbe  habit,  at  your  board  of  inspectors,  of  cross 
examining  all  tbe  applicants  who  presented  naturalization  papers! 

A.   Yes:  we  did  it  in  OUT  district,  and  I  am  satisfied  tbat  if  all  tbe  dis- 
tricts bad  acted  in  tbe  same  way  there  would  not  have  been  20,000  fraud 
ulent  votes  cast  in  tbe  city. 

By  Mr.  BOSS: 

428.  ().  You  think  there  were  no  fraudulent  votes  given  at  your  voting 
place  \ 

A.  1  do  not  think  there  were.     There  may  possibly  have  been. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins: 

429.  Q.  Did  you  have  any  kk  repeaters"  try  to  register  in  your  precinct? 
A.  Not  to  my  knowledge.     Tliere  were  eight  or  nine  u  repeaters"  who 

registered  in  our  ward,  hut  they  did  not  vote.  They  were  put  upon  the 
challenge  list,  and  did  not  offer  to  vote. 

George  G.  Hewett,  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

430.  Question.  What  office  did  you  hold  at  the  last  election  in  this  city  ! 
Answer.    I  was  register  and  inspector  of  the  election  for  the  19th 

district  of  the  20th  ward. 

431.  Q.  What  do  you  know  of  persons  voting  who  had  fraudulent 
naturalization  certificates  1 

A.  I  cannot  swear  that  I  know  of  any  one  who  voted,  but  tliere  were 
a  good  many  who  appeared  there  with  papers  which  I  believed  to  be 
fraudulent.  William  J.  Huttenboeher  had  his  name  registered  without 
my  knowledge.  His  paper  was  filled  up  in  very  indifferent  writing.  In 
filling  up  the  date  "thirteenth  October/'  the  thirteenth  was  commenced 
with  a  small  "  t,"  and  October  was  commenced  with  a  small  "  o." 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  41 

432.  Q.  Did  Huttenbocher  state  where  he  got  his  certificate  of  natur- 
alization ! 

A.  He  said  he  did  not  get  it  from  any  court,  but  that  he  got  it  in  Car- 
mine street,  one  block  below  Bleecker. 

433.  Q.  Who  were  the  inspectors  in  your  district  ! 

A.  A  man  named  Fredericks  was  my  republican  associate;  and  a  rum 
seller  named  Shields,  and  a  carman  named  Murphy,  were  the  two  demo- 
cratic inspectors. 

434.  Q.  Were  all  present  when  Huttenbocher  offered  to  register  .} 
A.  They  were  all  present. 

4:»f>.  Q.  And  he  was  registered  ! 

A.  Yes;  but  it  was  the  general  remark  that  he  would  not  appear  to 
vote. 

By  Mr.  Ross : 

436.  Q.  Did  he  vote  f 
A.  No,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

437.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  other  fraudulent  naturalization  papers 
being  presented J? 

A.  There  was  an  Italian  or  a  Jew  who  appeared  there  with  a  paper, 
and  he  found  that  he  was  questioned  so  close  that  he  left.  He  said  that 
he  had  got  it  in  Tammany  Hall.  There  was  another  one,  a  Greek,  who, 
I  suppose,  had  not  been  three  weeks  in  the  country.  He  had  on  his 
corduroy  pantaloons  and  jacket.  I  think  he  had  no  vest  on,  although  it 
was  cold.  He  was  put  under  oath,  and  he  said  he  got  his  paper  from 
Tammany  Hall.  Finally  one  of  the  democratic  inspectors,  afraid  that  one 
of  his  friends  would  get  into  trouble,  threw  his  paper  back  to  him  and 
told  him  he  had  better  go  away. 

438.  Q.  Did  he  state  how  long  he  had  been  in  the  country  8 
A.  I  cannot  say  that  he  did. 

439.  Q.  You  refused  to  register  him  and  he  took  his  papers  away  ! 
A.  Yes.  sir ;  the  inspectors  appeared  to  be  unanimous  in  that  case, 

although  at  first  the  two  democratic  inspectors  were  disposed  to  register 
him  without  any  question.  They  took  the  ground  that  we  had  no  right 
to  go  behind  a  certificate  of  naturalization  properly  signed  and  bearing 
the  seal  of  the  court. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

440.  Q.  When  you  speak  of  the  democratic  inspectors  fearing  that  their 
friends  would  get  into  trouble,  you  do  not  speak  from  your  personal 
knowledge,  but  from  the  impression  made  on  your  mind  by  surrounding 
circumstances ! 

A.  Oh,  certainly;  that  was  only  my  impression.  We  all  feel  anxious 
about  our  friends. 

Georoe  P.  Barrett  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

441.  Question.  What  official  position  do  you  hold  ! 

Answer.  I  am  a  clerk  employed  by  the  United  States  government  in 
the  New  York  post  office,  since  1862.  At  the  last  election  I  was  chair- 
man of  the  board  of  inspectors  in  the  7th  election  district  of  the  12th 
ward. 

442.  Q.  I  present  to  you  a  paper  purporting  to  be  a  certificate  of  natu 
ralization  issued  from  the  supreme  court  of  the  State  of  New  York, 
held  in  the  city  and  county  of  New  York,  dated  October  20, 1868,  signed 


42  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YOKK. 

"Chas.  E.  Loew,  clerk,''  to  John  Doolan;  state  whether  you  «aw  that 
paper  before,  and  for  what  purpose  it  was  presented  to  .you. 

A.  I  have  been  in  possession  of  this  paper  before.  It  was  given  to  me 
by  a  man  who  represented  himself  as  John  Doolan,  for  the  purpose  of 
registration.  There  were  several  other  papers  of  the  same  character. 
This  one  I  believe  I  gave  to  Judge  White;  the  others  I  gave  to  the  super- 
intendent of  police.  [  made  a  memorandum  at  the  time  in  relation  to 
those  matters. 

443.  Q.   What  was  done  when  Doolan  presented  his  paper  \ 

A.  Be  swore  to  his  right  to  register,  his  father  being  a  citizen.  lie 
said  he  came  here  underage;  that  his  father  was  naturalized,  and  that 
he  had  a  right  to  vote  and  to  register  by  virtue  of  his  lather's  naturaliza- 
tion, but  that  the  committee  had  told  him  he  might  as  well  have  a  paper. 

111.  Q.   What  committee  .' 

A.  Some  committee  of  tin'  1  nth  ward.  John  Barolan,  who  keeps  a 
porter-house  at  One-hundred-and-fourteentb  street  and  Third  avenue, 
was  i he  man  who  gave  the  papers  to  me.  lb'  runs  what  we  call  the 
democratic  il machine v  up  there.  John  Doolan  swore  to  that,  and  fur- 
thermore told  me  that  he  agreed  to  pay. 

445.  Q.  Did  he  state  whether  he  had  ever  made  application  in  court. 

A.  That  1  do  not  remember.  I  took  this  to  the  superintendent  of  police. 
He  told  me  if  he  came  to  vote  to  cause  his  arrest. 

44(1.  (w).  Was  the  man  registered  J 

A.  Yes,  sir;  he  registered  and  voted.  lie  registered  on  his  father's 
citizenship:  but  my  colleagues  would  not  allow  me  to  arrest  him  because 
he  said  he  was  a  citizen  on  account  of  his  father's  naturalization. 

417.  Q.  I  present  to  you  papers  purporting  to  be  naturalization  papers, 
annexed  to  the  testimony  of  Marshal  Murray;  state  whether  the  signa- 
ture of  Charles  E.  Loew,  or  the  naturalization  paper  of  John  Doolan,  is 
the  same  as  the  signature  to  the  papers  marked  tk  Exhibit  A." 

A.  There  is  a  similarity  between  the  signatures. 

44S.  Q,  Is  the  seal  the  same  attached  to  all  the  papc: 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

441).  Q.  Is  the  printed  form  on  which  Doolan's  paper  is  tilled  the  same 
as  the  printed  form  in  the  other  papers  1 

A.  It  is. 

450.  Q.  Mow  is  the  filling  in  of  the  dates  on  Doolan's  paper,  compared 
with  the  filling-  in  on  the  other  papers? 

A.  I  noticed  in  all  the  papers  that  I  handled  that  there  were,  as  a 
general  thing,  three  different  kinds  of  handwriting — the  date,  the  name 
of  the  party,  and  the  county  clerk's  signature;  these  were  different  in 
nearly  all  the  new  papers;  the  old  papers  were  filled  out  very  differently. 

451.  Q.  Are  the  dates  on  Doolan's  paper  filled  in  in  a  different  hand- 
writing to  the  dates  on  "Exhibit  AF 

A.  They  are  decidedly  different. 

452.  Q.  Is  the  name  of  Doolan  filled  in  in  a  different  handwriting  from 
the  names  of  persons  on  those  other  papers  ?     , 

A.  There  is  a  similarity  in  all  of  them.  There  is  a  memorandum  I 
made  this  morning  from  a  copy  of  one  which  I  happened  to  find  in  my 
pocket.  John  Doolan  resides  in  Fourth  avenue,  between  One-hundred 
and-twenty-second  and  One  hundred-and-twenty-third  streets. 

453.  Q.  State  if  you  know  of  any  other  fraudulent  naturalization  papers 
being  presented  by  parties  asking  to  be  registered  as  voters  upon  them, 
at  or  before  the  last  presidential  election  in  this  city. 

A.  During  the  registration  a  man  representing  himself  as  Philip 
Brady,  of  933  Third  avenue,  presented  one  of  those  papers.     He  stated 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  43 

under  oath  that  Mr.  Burke  was  his  witness  when  he  was  naturalized, 
but  that  he  had  not  known  Burke  five  years;  he  believed  he  knew  him 
two  or  three  years.  I  returned  the  paper  to  him,  and  he  did  not  vote  in 
this  district. 

By  Mr.  BOSS : 

454.  Q.  Did  he  testify  that  he  was  entitled  to  vote? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  questioned  him  as  to  how  long  he  had  known  his  wit- 
ness, the  person  who  must  have  sworn  he  knew  him  five  years  ;  he  had 
known  Burke  for  the  prescribed  time. 

455.  Q.  Did  the  man  himself  say  that  he  had  been  in  the  country  five 
years? 

A.  I  don't  recollect  whether  he  did  or  not.  I  retained  his  paper 
because  he  swore  he  had  not  known  the  person  five  years  who  vouched 
for  him.  He  went  away  and  left  his  paper,  and  I  sent  it  to  the  superin- 
tendent of  police.  Denis  McCabe,  One-lmndred-and-twenty-first  street,, 
between  First  and  Second  avenues,  declined  to  take  the  oath,  and  on 
examination  he  said  he  could  not  tell  whether  he  had  known  his  witness 
over  a  year  or  not.  I  challenged  his  right  to  register,  and  he  declined  to 
be  sworn.  Philip  Ling,  One-hundred-and-twenty-first  street,  between 
Third  and  Fourth  avenues,  presented  himself  to  register.  I  challenged 
his  right,  and  he  stated  under  oath  that  lie  had  never  declared  his 
intentions  to  become  a  citizen.  Jeremiah  Buckley,  One-hundred- 
and-twenty-fifth  street,  corner  of  Third  avenue,  desired  to  register,  and 
swore  that  the  naturalization  paper  was  given  him,  but  he  would  not 
divulge  the  name  of  the  party  who  gave  it ;  he  paid  two  dollars  for  it. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 
450.  Q.  Did  he  admit  that  he  had  never  been  in  court  'f 
A.  Yes,  sir;  he  said  that  the  committee  came  and  told  him  that  it 
was  not  necessary  for  him  to  go  to  court.  He  is  a  pretty  honest  kind  of 
a  fellow — a  plumber.  He  said  he  could  not  afford  to  lose  his  time  going 
to  become  naturalized;  they  said  it  was  not  necessary,  as  they  would  get 
his  paper  for  him.  He  was  very  honest  about  it,  and  paid  them  two 
dollars  for  it. 

457.  Q.  What  committee  ? 

A.  Mr.  Harolan  is  the  principal  man,  and  a  person  whom  they  call 
Counsellor  Hart — a  lawyer  I  believe ;  this  was  the  man  who  got  the 
paper.  Brady  came  back  to  me  in  company  with  Hart,  and  I  declined 
to  give  them  to  him  and  reported  to  the  superintendent  of  police.  He 
told  me  to  send  the  papers  to  his  office,  which  I  did;  I  never  have  heard 
from  Counsellor  Hart  since. 

458.  Q.  What  committee  do  Counsellor  Hart  and  Mr  Haroland  belong 
to? 

A.  They  were  both  candidates  of  the  democratic  party  at  the  last 
election  for  members  of  the  board  of  council. 

459.  Q.  Were  they  elected  ? 

A.  No,  sir,  they  were  both  defeated. 

By  Mr.  Boss : 

400.  Q.  None  of  those  persons  that  you  have  been  speaking  of  voted  ? 
A.  None  of  them  except  the  first — Doolan,  who  voted  on  the  strength 

of  his  father  being  a  citizen. 

401.  Q.  He  made  satisfactory  proof  of  being  a  legal  voter,  and  you  let 
him  vote  without  reference  to  his  paper  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  although  he  admitted  in  his  evidence  that  he  did  not 
come  by  the  paper  legally. 


44  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

462.  Q.  There  were  no  illegal  votes  given  at  that  voting  place  that  you 

know  of? 

A.  1  think  now  of  some.  I  think  that  Joseph  Cobnrn,  the  prize- 
fighter, was  an  illegal  voter,  inasmuch  as  he  had  been  a  convict  He 
voted  there,  and  I  wanted  to  challenge  his  vote,  but  the  people  told  me 
I  had  better  keep  still  and  allow  him  to  vote. 

463.  Q.   Were  there  any  other  illegal  votes  that  yon  know  of? 
A.  Not  of  my  own  personal  knowledge. 

4(>4.  Q.  Who  had  yon  a  conversation  with  since1  the  committee  has 
been  in  session? 
A.   With  nobody. 

465.  Q.  With  no  lawyer  about  the  court-house? 
A.  No,  sir. 

Henry.  Beenv.  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  Chairman: 

466.  Question.  What  office  did  von  hold  at  the  last  election  in  New 
York  ! 

Answer.  I  have  been  for  a  number  of  years  an  Inspector  and  register 

of  elections,  and  was  so  at  the  last  election  in  the  ninth  district  of  the 
6th  ward. 

4(>7.  Q.  State  if  yon  have  any  knowledge  of  persons  presenting  them 
selves  to  be  registered  as  voters,  and  having  naturalization  papers,  who 

had  not  been  in  the  Tinted  States  live  years. 

A.  I  cannot  say  of  my  own  personal  knowledge  that  I  know  A,  B,  or 
C  to  have  obtained  his  naturalization  papers  Illegally  or  that  he  was 
not  entitled  to  them.  On  the  day  1  registered,  persons  presented  them- 
selves with  naturalization  papers.  On  questioning  them  as  to  how  or 
where  they  obtained  them,  they  gave  no  satisfactory  answer.  Some  of 
them  had  received  them  at  their  houses.  I  administered  the  oath  to 
them  before  questioning  them.  A  number  of  these  were  rejected  on  the 
ground  that  they  could  not  give  satisfactory  answers  to  the  questions. 
In  one  case  1  retained  the  paper.  I  think  I  would  have  retained  a  num- 
ber of  them,  but  there  was  such  objection  that  I  retained  only  one  paper. 
The  person  presenting  himself  with  that  paper  made  no  objection  to  our 
retaining  It,  because,  as  he  said,  the  paper  had  been  sent  to  him.  In 
quite  a  number  of  instances  they  were  refused  on  the  ground  that  they 
could  not  make  any  satisfactory  explanation  of  how  or  where  they 
obtained  the  papers. 

468.  Q.  What  number  of  persons  were  denied  the  right  to  register,  so 
far  as  you  know,  on  that  ground? 

A.  I  can  clearly  recollect  about  10  or  12  in  our  district  who  could  not 
answer  the  question  as  to  where  they  got  the  papers,  and  they  were 
rejected  on  the  ground  that  they  did  not  know  where  or  how  they  got 
them. 

4G9.'  Q.  Did  you  swear  all  who  presented  certificates  of  naturalization  i 

A.  No,  sir;  I  don't  think  we  swore  half  of  them. 

470.  Q.  What  number  of  those  papers  were  there  in  your  district  ? 
A.  I  should  think  that  about  half  or  perhaps  a  little  more  than  half 

were  naturalized  voters.     There  were  registered  in  the  district  381  voters, 
I  think. 

471.  Q.  How  long  have  you  lived  in  this  city  I 
A.  Ever  since  I  was  a  child. 

472.  Q.  Have  you  sufficient  knowledge  of  the  nationality  of  the  people 
of  this  city  to  know  what  proportion  of  the  male  citizens  over  21  years  of 
age  are  native-born  citizens,  and  what  proportion  are  foreigners'? 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  45 

A.  The  foreign-born  element  so  predominates  and  preponderates  over 
the  native,  that  it  is  hard  to  risk  a  calculation.  T  should  think  that  two- 
thirds  at  least  are  of  foreign  birth. 

By  Mr.  Dickey: 

47.').  Q.  Those  parties  whose  names  were  excluded  from  the  registration 
because  they  could  give  no  account  of  how  they  came  by  the  papers, 
did  they,  in  any  case,  establish  the  fact  that  they  had  been  in  the  court 
to  get  their  papers  ! 

A.  No,  sir.  In  some  cases  they  said  they  had  been  in  court,  but  in 
cross-questioning  them  they  told  different  stories,  and  finally  we  came  to 
the  conclusion  that  they  had  no  right  to  the  papers  and  we  rejected  them 
as  voters. 

By  Mr.  ROSS: 

474.  Q.  If  a  man  could  not  recollect  when  and  where  he  got  his  papers 
you  rejected  him  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir  ;  if  he  could  not  answer  clearly  how  he  came  into  possess- 
ion of  his  papers  we  rejected  them  as  illegal. 

By  Mr.  Dickey: 

475.  Q.  Did  any  of  them  admit  that  they  had  never  been  in  court  ? 
A.  Some  of  them  admitted  that  they  never  were  in  court,  and  some 

admitted  that  Mr.  so  and  so  got  them  for  them. 
476*.  Q.  Were  any  of  them  fresh  arrivals  ! 
A.  I  cannot  say  that. 

By  Mr.  Boss : 

477.  Q.  Have  you  sent  any  communication  to  any  person  here  with 
reference  to  your  testimony  ? 

A.  I  drew  up  an  affidavit,  sworn  to  by  myself  and  by  my  republican 
colleague,  and  handed  it  to  the  Loyal  League  club.  I  never  heard  any- 
thing of  it  since. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

478.  Q.  How  long  have  you  lived  in  this  city  ? 

A.  Since  1824.  I  served  my  apprenticeship  as  a  shoemaker  for  10 
years.  I  followed  the  business  for  10  years.  I  afterwards  went  to  Cali- 
fornia. For  seven  years  I  had  charge  of  a  factory  for  manufacturing  fire- 
arms, then  I  went  into  the  Union  army.  After  I  came  back  I  was  offered 
a  political  situation,  and  hold  one  now,  as  deputy  tax  commissioner  for 
the  city  and  county  of  New  York. 

479.  Q.  By  whom  appointed? 

A.  By  Commissioners  Brown  and  Allen.  I  have  held  my  present 
position  for  two  years. 

480.  Q.  What  is  the  district  covered  by  your  collection? 
A.  The  9th  and  loth  wards. 

481.  Q.  In  all  your  experience,  covering  20  years  or  more,  what  has 
there  been  to  familiarize  you  in  any  special  way  with  the  population  of 
the  city  as  to  its  component  parts  ? 

A.  I  am  hardly  prepared  to  answer  that  question ;  there  was  a  time 
when  I  could  have  answered  it.  In  1844  myself  and  a  few  others  asso- 
ciated ourselves  together  and  called  ourselves  a  land  reform  association. 
^Ye  went  for  the  homestead  bill  and  worked  for  it  till  it  was  passed. 
At  the  time  I  was  working  for  that  movement  I  could  have  answered 
this  question  much  more  satisfactorily  to  myself  and  to  the  committee. 
I  have  almost  lost  my  interest  in  reibrmatory  measures,  having  spent 
most  of  my  life  and  all  the  money  I  could  spare  in  advocating  some 


46  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

measure  of  reform,  and  I  have  ceased  almost  to  think  about  the  people. 
I  can  answer  the  question  with  no  satisfaction  to  myself. 

482.  Q.  Then  yon  have  not  answered  with  any  satisfaction  to  yourself  I 
A.  I  have  said  that  two-thirds  were  foreigners.     I  think  the  foreign 

population  of  New  York  is  more  than  two-thirds. 
By  Mr.  ROSS: 

483.  (J.  When  yon  speak  of  two-thirds,  do  yon  mean  population  or 
voters  ? 

A.  I  speak  of  population. 

184.  ($.  What  proportion  of  the  foreign  population  are  voters 
A.  There  are  undoubtedly  a  good  many  of  foreign  birth  who  are  not 
voters. 

485.  Q.  Are  there  one-third  or  one-fourth  of  the  males  21  years  of  age 
who  are  not  voters  .; 

A.  I  should  think  there  are  not  so  many  as  that;  there  are  not  more 
than  one-eighth,  I  should  think,  who  would  be  entitled  to  vote  by  nat- 
uralization, who  are  not  so  naturalized  and  entitled  to  vote.  There 
is  only  one  class  of  foreign  population  that  does  not  desire  to  become 
voters. 

486.  Q.  What  class  is  that  ! 

A.  The  English  predominate  in  that. 

New  York,  Tuesday,  December  22,  L868. 

.John   IIj;m;\    SPRINGER  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  CHAIRMAN  : 

487.  Question.   What  office  did  yon  hold  at  the  last  election  in  this  city  I 
Answer.   1  was  register  ami  inspector  in  the  6th  district  of  the  19th 

ward. 

488.  Q.  State  whether  yon  know  of  any  persons  seeking;  to  be  regis- 
tered as  voters  in  this  district  who  were  refused  registration  because  they 
presented  fraudulent  naturalization  papers. 

A.  There  was  one  man  by  the  name  of  Rupert  who  had  his  citizen's 
papers.  We  registered  his  name  and  he  voted  at  the  presidential  elec- 
tion. 1  understood  from  the  statement  of  two  men  who  came  to  this 
country  with  him,  that  he  was  only  a  year  and  a  half  in  the  country. 

489.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  persons  who  voted  who  had  not  been  in 
the  country  five  years  I 

A.  No,  sir. 

490.  Q.  Do  you  know  how  Rupert  voted  8 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  he  voted  for  Seymour  and  Blair.  I  was  an  inspector, 
and  we  knew  almost  every  ticket  that  came  in.  I  knew  them  by  the  size 
and  the  printing  of  the  endorsement.  The  Grant  and  Colfax  tickets  had 
the  largest  print. 

Gabriel  A.  Arnoux  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

491.  Question.  What  office  did  you  hold  in  the  city  at  the  last  election  ? 
Answer.  I  was  an  inspector  of  elections  in  the  3d  district  of  the  17th 

ward. 

492.  Q.  Do  you  know  August  Mueller  I 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

493.  Q.  I  present  to  you  a  paper  purporting  to  be  a  certificate  of  natu- 
ralization issued  to  August  Mueller,  dated  the  20th  of  October,  1868, 
signed  by  Charles  E.  Loew,  the  clerk  of  the  city;  state  if  you  have  ever 
seen  it  before  and  what  you  know  of  it. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  47 

A.  I  have.  On  the  o  1st  of  October,  about  7  o'clock  in  the  evening, 
Mueller  came  in  to  be  registered  as  a  voter  in  the  9th  district.  My  col- 
league, Mr.  Bust,  talked  to  him  in  German,  interpreting  to  me  his 
answers  under  oath.  Rust  asked  him  where  he  lived;  he  told  him. 
The  next  question  was  ••  Where  did  you  get  this  paper  V  Mueller  said. 
"  1  got  it  in  Avenue  0."  Rust  asked,  "Did  you  go  to  a  court  to  get  that 
paper  f "  The  answer  was,  "  No."  Rust  then  said,  "  You  cannot  register 
here,?  and  he  turned  around  to  me  :  "Mr.  Arnoux,  what  do  you  think?" 
Said  I,  "That  paper  I  want;  it  will  be  useful  to  us."  Mr.  White  had 
been  particular  to  tell  us  to  stop  any  fraudulent  naturalization. 

494.  Q.  Was  the  man  registered? 
A.   lie  was  not. 

495.  Q.  Did  he  say  whether  he  had  ever  made  an  application  to 
naturalize  himself  I 

A.  He  did  not  say  whether  he  had  or  not. 

49f>.  Q.  I  present  to  you  three  papers  annexed  to  the  testimony  of  Mar- 
shal ;  compare  the  signature  of  the  clerk,  the  seal,  and  the  printed  form 
with  the  paper  presented  by  Mueller,  and  state  whether  they  appear  to 
be  similar  ? 

A.  I  should  say  they  were  alike  in  all  particulars. 

497.  Q.  State  how  the  name  of  August  Mueller  in  the  body  of  his  cer- 
tificate compares  with  the  names  in  those  other  certificates  ? 

A.  I  should  think  the  writing  was  the  same. 

498.  Q.  State  whether  the  tilling  in  of  dates  corresponds. 
A.  They  are  in  different  handwriting. 

By  Mr.  Ross : 

499.  Q.  This  man  did  not  pay  ! 
A.  No. 

500.  Q.  lie  was  not  registered? 

A.  Xo,  sir ;  I  would  not  allow  him  to  register. 

501.  Q.  What  was  the  reason? 

A.  On  account  of  his  not  getting  his  certificate  by  going  to  the  court 
and  swearing  in  court. 

502.  Q.  Did  he  say  that  he  had  not  been  to  court? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

503.  Q.  Were  there  any  illegal  votes  given  at  your  voting  place? 
A.  I  guess  not. 

504.  Q.  It  was  ail  kept  pure  and  right  'I 
A.  We  tried  to  keep  it  pure  and  right. 

505.  Q.  And  you  think  you  did? 
A.  We  think  Ave  did. 

500.  Q.  What  proportion  of  the  foreigners  registered  on  the  certificates 
of  naturalization  were  sworn  in  your  district  ? 

A.  Nearly  every  one-  We  made  every  man  swear  before  he  was  regis- 
tered, unless  he  was  personally  know  to  the  registrar. 

507.  Q.  What  was  the  complexion  of  the  board? 

A.  Two  republicans  and  two  democrats,  and  were  in  session  together. 

WilliA3I  W.  Young  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

508.  Question.  What  office  did  you  hold  in  the  last  election  in  New 
York ! 

Answer.  I  was  one  of  the  inspectors  in  the  4th  election  district  of  the 
17th  ward. 

509.  Q.  I  now  present  to  you  four  papers  purporting  to  be  certificates 


48  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

of  naturalization  issued  by  the  supreme  court  of  this  city,  each  signed 
"Charles  E.  Loew.  clerk," and  dated  October,  L868;  one  to  Henry  stein, 
dated  the  21st  of  October;  one  to  Charles  Warneck,  dated  the  L9th  of 
October;  one  to  William  Lucas,  dated  the  L5th  of  October;  one  to  Gott- 
lieb Kaftenberger,  dated  the  23d  of  October;  state  if  these  papers  were 
each  presented  by  the  person  in  whose  favor  it  purports  to  have  been 
issued  for  the  purpose  of  being  registered  as  a  voter. 

A.  Yes.  sir.  The  paper  of  Henry  Stein  was  presented  at  the  meeting 
of  the  board  of  registrars  in  October.  We  asked  him  where  he  had 
obtained  it.  His  answer  was  not  satisfactory  to  us, and  we  did  not  regis- 
ter him.  I  asked  him  whether  he  had  been  live  years  in  this  country, 
and  he  said  he  Lad  not  been.  Charles  Warneck  presented  his  paper, 
and  said  he  had  obtained  it  in  court.  I  asked  him  what  court,  and  lie 
said  lie  could  not  say,  as  it  was  dark.  I  asked  him  where  the  court  was 
Bitting — lown  town  or  up  town.  lie  said  that  he  could  not  tell  exactly, 
but  that  he  thought  it  was  down  town.  I  asked  him  it'  it  was  in  the 
City  Hall.  He  said  he  thought  it  was.  1  asked  him  if  he  went  np  stairs 
in  the  City  Hall.  He  could  not  recollect  whether  he  did  or  not.  Said 
[,uDidyouget  it  in  Centre  street?"  He  did  not  know  where  Centre 
street  was.  We  rejected  his  paper.  The  other  two  men  I  cannot  exactly 
remember.  One  of  them  stated  that  lie  obtained  his  papers  at  tin'  Essex 
market  police  court,  but  he  said  afterwards  that  he  got  it  from  a  man 
by  the  name  of  Frederick  Eteper.  Kaftenberger  said  he  got  his  paper 
from  a  friend  of  his.  I  asked  him  who  the  friend  was.  I  only  recollect 
that  his  name  was  Fred.  The  other  name  I  cannot  recollect.  He  said 
"Fred"  had  gone  with  him  as  a  witness.  I  asked  him  how  long  ''Fred'' 
had  known  him — for  a  year,  and  he  was  pretty  positive  he  had  known 
him  for  two  years.  I  asked  him  how  long  he  had  known  uFred."  He 
said  he  had  known  him  pretty  nearly  tin1  same  Length  of  time.  There 
was  a  little  difference  in  their  knowledge  of  each  other.  We  rejected 
his  paper.  Afterwards  we  came  to  find  out  that  he  got  it  from  a  man 
in  Houston  street.  In  all  of  these  cases  we  could  not  get  the  names 
of  witnesses  except  " Fred'1  or  "  John,1' or  some  Christian  name. 

By  Mr.  Ross: 

510.  Q.  And  where  a  man  could  not  recollect  the  name  of  the  witness 
you  rejected  his  paper. 

A.  Yes,  sir;  being  satisfied  that  the  papers  were  not  issued  in  a  regu- 
lar wray. 

511.  Q.  None  of  these  men  registered  or  voted  I 
A.  No,  sir. 

512.  Q.  Were  there  any  illegal  votes  given  at  your  precinct? 
A.  I  think  not. 

513.  Q.  You  kept  them  all  out. 

A.  We  were  very  cautious.  I  have  been  an  inspector  for  six  or  seven 
years,  and  I  had  made  up  my  mind  that  we  might  as  well  have  the  thing 
go  on  straight.     Everything  we  thought  illegal  wras  thrown  out. 

514.  Q.  If  any  man  could  not  recollect  where  he  got  his  papers,  or  who 
his  witness  was,  you  threwT  out  his  vote. 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

William  A.  Jenneii  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

515.  Question.  What  office  did  you  hold  at  the  last  election  in  New 
York? 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IX  NEW  YORK.  49 

Answer.  I  was  chairman  of  the  board  of  registers  and  inspection,  in 
the  5th  election  district  of  the  18th  ward. 

510.  Q.  State  whether  any  persons  presented  themselves  claiming  regis- 
tration or  certificates  of  naturalization  which  yon  ascertained  to  be 
fraudulent. 

A.  The  first  one  presented  himself  the  Saturday  preceding  election. 
The  certificate  was  of  recent  date,  and  I  supposed  it  to  have  been  ille- 
gally obtained.  I  challenged  him  and  administered  the  oath.  He  gave 
his  name  as  James  Rourke,  residing  at  142  East  Twenty-fourth  street. 
He  exhibited,  at  the  time  of  presenting  himself  for  registration,  a  certifi- 
cate of  naturalization.  The  certificate  was  dated  the  10th  of  October, 
18G8,  purporting  to  be  issued  from  the  supreme  court ;  was  sealed  with 
the  seal  of  the  court,  and  was  signed  by  the  signature  of  the  county 
clerk,  Charles  E.  Loew;  and  in  reply  to  my  questions  he  said  he  had 
been  in  the  country  only  three  years,  and  no  longer  :  that  he  had  never 
been  in  the  army,  had  never  taken  any  oath  of  allegiance,  and  had  never 
appeared  in  any  court  in  any  country;  that  he  had  been  directed  there 
by  one  Florence  Scanel,  or  by  one  of  his  agents,  to  apply  at  a  place  in 
Second  avenue,  near  Thirty-second  street,  where  he  could  get  his  certifi- 
cate ;  that  he  went  there,  and  they  told  him  to  come  again  in  a  few  days 
and  obtain  the  certificate.  He  went  through  no  ceremony  whatever  to 
obtain  it — that  is,  he  took  no  oath  of  allegiance,  and  was  asked  no  ques- 
tions. He  was  in  the  room,  and  a  number  of  men  gathered  together  at 
one  or  two  tables  and  engaged  in  writing.  On  the  same  day,  or  on  a 
subsequent  day,  another  man  offered  a  certifiate  of  naturalization,  resem- 
bling the  previous  one  which  had  been  rejected.  Having  been  chal- 
lenged he  said,  under  oath,  that  he  had  been  in  the  country  but  two 
years ;  that  he  had  never  taken  any  oath  of  allegiance ;  that  he  had 
never  been  in  any  court-house  ;  had  never  been  to  the  City  Hall ;  that 
his  certificate  was  brought  to  him;  that  his  application  was  simply 
handed  to  him,  and  he  was  directed  to  vote  upon  it.  His  name  and  resi- 
dence I  took  down  at  the  time,  but  the  memorandum  of  it  was  put  in 
with  the  other  papers  of  the  board,  and  what  has  become  of  it  I  do  not 
know. 

517.  Q.  Are  you  a  lawyer  t 
A.  I  am. 

518.  Q.  How  long  have  yon  been  practicing  law  in  this  city  ? 
A.  Xearly  two  years. 

519.  Q.  What  courts  in  this  city  and  county  are  authorized  to  grant 
certificates  of  naturalization! 

A.  The  United  States  court,  the  supreme  court,  the  superior  court,  and 
the  court  of  common  pleas. 

520.  Q.  Is  there  any  court  in  Second  avenue,  near  Thirty-second  street, 
that  is  entitled  to  grant  them  ? 

A.  There  is  no  court  of  record  in  Second  avenue,  and  no  court 
authorized  to  grant  certificates  of  naturalization. 

521.  Q.  Do  you  know  anything  of  the  character  of  this  place  in  Second 
avenue  and  Thirty-second  street ! 

A.  Xo,  except  by  rumor. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

522.  Q.  What  party  did  these  men  who  presented  these  papers  be- 
long to ! 

«  A.  I  think  they  belonged  to  the  democratic  party.     The  ground  of 
my  knowledge  is  this :  in  each  case  they  were  brought  in  by  some  person 
who  was  of  some  political  notoriety  in  the  ward.     And  they  were  brought 
4  T 


50  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

in  to  register  under  his  auspices;  brought  in  by  a  member  of  the  demo 
cratic  committee.    I  believe  Florence  Scanel  brought  in  the  first  one. 

523.  Q.  Who  brought  in  the  second I 

A.  I  cannot  recollect. 

524.  Q.  How  do  yon  know  he  was  a  democrat  .; 

A.  Simply  from  the  expressions  he  used  at  the  time,  and  the  persons 
with  him  used. 

525.  Q.  What  expressions  did  he  use  J 

A.  That  I  cannot  recollect ;  but  I  remember  that  at  the  time  lie  was 
there,  there  we re  comments  made  by  the  board,  by  which  we  judged 
that  he  was  a  democrat. 

520.  Q.   Is  it  not  true  that  you  did  not  know  a  single  thing  about  it  I 

A.  No,  sir. 

527.  Q.  How  do  you  know  I 

A.  From  the  expressions  used  at  the  time. 

528.  Q.  What  were  theyl 

A.  I  cannot  recollect ;  but  the  impressions  they  made  I  do  recollect. 
I  can  testify  to  the  impressions  made  on  my  mind  at  the  time,  though  1 
cannot  testify  to  the  thing-  which  created  them. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

529.  Q.  What  political  parties  existed  in  New  York  at  the  last  election! 
A.  Republican  and  democrats. 

530.  Q.  And  who  were  tin1  candidates  for  governor  I 

A.  John  T.  Hoffman  was  the  candidate  of  the  democratic  party  and 
John  A.  Griswold  was  the  candidate  of  the  republican  party. 

By  Mr.  Koss: 

531.  Q.  How  was  the  board  of  inspectors  constituted  politically  '! 
A.  Two  republicans  and  two  democrats. 

532.  Q.  Did  you  permit  any  illegal  votes  to  be  given  there? 
A.  Not  to  our  knowledge. 

533.  Q.  You  think  there  were  none  given  l 
A.  I  think  there  was  one. 

534.  Q.  Whose  was  that? 

A.  His  name  I  do  not  recollect,  but  I  think  he  was  what  is  called  a 
repeater. 

535.  Q.  What  made  you  think  he  was  a  repeater) 

A.  For  two  reasons.  At  the  elections  in  November  there  were  from 
30  to  50  persons  registered  from  the  Compton  House.  Most  of  them 
were  young  men,  ranging  from  21  to  25  years  of  age.  They  used  to  come 
in  late  in  the  evening,  in  groups  of  four  or  five.  With  most  groups 
Florence  Scanel  came.  Each  of  these  young  men  was  challenged,  by 
me,  and  the  oath  administered.  On  each  occasion  Scanel  prompted  them 
to  answer  correctly  the  questions.  Each  of  them  said  that  he  lived  at 
the  Compton  House,  and  on  my  attempting  to  inquire  what  they  under- 
stood as  a  residence  at  the  Compton  House,  they  would  in  some  cases 
say  that  they  paid  their  board  by  the  day ;  in  some  cases  by  the  week. 
That  they  slept  there  two  or  three  nights  out  of  the  week,  and  the  rest 
of  the  time  they  slept  with  their  mistresses. 

By  Mr.  Koss : 

536.  Q.  And  Scanel  used  to  come  all  the  time? 
A.  Not  all  the  time ;  I  think  about  half  the  time. 

537.  Q.  How  many  of  these  groups  told  you  that  they  slept  with  their 
mistresses  ? 

A.  I  think  they  told  that  in  about  a  d#zen  instances. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  51 

538.  Q.  Did  you  ever  see  these  repeating  books? 

A.  We  did  have  a  repeating  book  furnished  to  us,  1  believe,  by  the 
Union  League  committee,  or  by  the  police  commissioners.  It  contained 
the  names  of  most  of  those  parties.  The  names  were  also  published  iu 
the  Tribune  the  day  of  election,  which  was,  I  believe,  the  3d  day  of 
November.  The  same  edition  of  the  Tribune  furnished  an  item  of  news 
to  the  effect  that  Florence  Scanel  had  been  indicted  before  the  grand 
jury  in  Philadelphia;  that  a  requisition  had  been  forwarded  to  Governor 
Feiiton  for  his  rendition  in  Philadelphia.  During  election  day  Florence 
Scanel  was  not  present  at  the  polls.  I  was  informed  he  was  nowhere  to 
be  found  in  the  cil  y.  None  of  those  whom  we  had  on  the  list  as  repeaters 
appeared  to  vote,  though  they  Avere  all  registered  except  perhaps  four  or 
five ;  and  I  think  that  only  one  or  two  of  those  did  vote.  1  thought  at 
the  time  they  were  entitled  to  vote.  One  also  did  vote ;  but  he  answered 
the  questions  so  extremely  vague  that  I  did  not  think  he  was  entitled  to. 

539.  Q.  Those  25  or  30  men  that  you  suspected  of  being  repeaters, 
were  they  registered  J 

A.  They  were  registered ;  they  are  the  men  I  refer  to. 

540.  Q.  Where  does  this  man  Scanel  live  now  1 

A.  He  is  one  of  the  proprietors  of  the  Compton  House,  corner  of 
Twenty-third  street  and  Fourth  avenue. 

541.  Q.  You  do  not  know  of  any  illegal  vote  except  that  one  or  two  ; 
you  do  not  know  of  any  illegal  vote,  unless  it  was  that  one  $ 

A.  That  was  the  only  one  I  detected ;  there  were  some  whom  I  sus- 
pected, but  the  suspicion  I  did  not  venture  to  act  upon. 

54l\  Q.  Bid  you  swear  all  the  persons  having  certificates  of  naturaliza- 
tion when  they  presented  them  for  registration  ? 

A.  I  did  swear  every  one  while  I  was  there.  It  was  not  the  custom  of 
the  board  to  swear  them  all,  but  I  did  so  while  I  was  there. 

Kobert  Murray,  United  States  marshal,  recalled  and  examination 
continued. 

0 

By  Mr.  Kerr: 

543.  Question.  State  how  many  election  precincts  or  districts  there  are 
in  the  city  of  New  York. 

Answer.  Three  hundred  and  forty. 

544.  Q.  How  are  the  officers  by  whom  the  elections  in  these  several  dis- 
tricts are  to  be  held  appointed! 

A.  We  have  a  board  of  registrars  in  each  election  district.  Two  of 
these  registrars  are  supposed  to  represent  one  party,  and  the  other  two 
to  represent  the  other  party.  Their  duties  are  to  take  the  registration 
of  voters  and  to  receive  the  ballots  on  the  day  of  election.  At  sundown, 
when  the  poll  closes,  two  canvassers  make  their  appearance ;  one  is  sup- 
posed to  represent  one  party,  and  the  other  is  suposed  to  represent  the 
other  party.  They  count  the  votes  and  report  the  results.  The  men 
who  take  the  votes  have  nothing  to  do  with  the  counting.  Those  regis- 
trars and  canvassers  are  appointed  by  the  board  of  police  commissioners 
in  Xew  York. 

545.  Q.  By  reason  of  what  law  is  it  that  they  are  made  to  represent 
the  respective  parties  in  that  way  ? 

A.  I  cannot  tell  you  about  that;  the  fact  is,  however,  that  they  are 
supposed  to  represent  each  party. 
546.^  Q.  How  is  the  peace  preserved  at  the  respective  polling  places? 
A.  There  are  two  policemen  at  each  polling  place. 
547.  Q.  By  whom  are  they  appointed  ? 
A.  By  the  police  commissioners. 


52  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IX  NEW  YORK. 

548.  Q.   In  the  same  way  '! 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

549.  Q.  Ob  the  same  principle  as  to  politics? 

A.  No;  I  don't  think  politics  have  anything  to  do  with  that. 

550.  Q.  As  a  general  thing  in  the  Last  election,  were  those  policemen  all 
of  one  party,  or  of  both  parties:  and  if  all  of  one  party,  what  party  was  it  I? 

A.  The  police  force  of  New  York  amounts  to  2,200  or  2,300  men.  About 
80  per  cent,  of  these  men  are  democrats;  the  balance  are  republicans; 
that  is  a  genera]  estimate  which  I  have  heard  made,  and  it  is  my  own 
calculation. 

551.  Q.  Have  you  that  information  from  the  board  of  police  commission 
ers  or  from  the  chief  of  police,  or  is  it  simply  your  genera]  impression  1 

A.  I  have  talked  with  the  superintendent  of  police,  I  have  talked  witli 
the  president  of  the  board  of  police,  and  I  think  that  is  about  their  idea. 

552.  Q.  As  to  the  persons  who  act  as  policemen  at  the  polling  places, 
how  are  they  constituted  as  to  their  politics  I 

A.  I  don't  think  there  is  any  reference  made  to  their  polities. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins: 

553.  Q.  They  are  not  special  police,  but  detailed  police  1 

A.  They  are  detailed.  The  police  is  divided  into  precincts;  each  pre- 
cinct has  so  many  men — perhaps  00  ;  perhaps  80.  Half  of  these  men  are 
on  duty  and  the  other  half  are  in  the  house  or  at  home.  On  election  day 
they  are  all  on  duty;  two  men  are  detailed  to  each  polling  place,  and 
then  there  is  a  reserve  kept  in  the  bouse  in  case  of  disturbance. 

551.  Q.   Who  makes  the  details.' 

A.  The  captain  of  tin4  precinct.  This  police  force  is  organized,  as  to 
the  mode  or  manner  of  discharging  its  duties,  by  the  chief  of  police,  Mr. 
Kennedy;  but  in  these  specific  cases  the  captain  orders. 

555.  Q.  In  the  organization,  as  a  general  system  throughout  the  city. 
it  is  controlled  by  the  superintendent  .' 

A.  To  a  certain  extent  it  is.  In  the  matter  of  details,  that  matter  is 
in  the  Jjower  of  the  president  of  the  board,  Mr.  Acton. 

55G.  Q.  What  is  he  politically? 

A.  He  is  a  republican.  The  superintendent  simply  carries  out  the 
orders  of  the  president.  Perhaps  he  has  power  to  some  extent,  but  to 
what  extent  I  do  not  know  ;  but  in  the  general  detail  of  the  whole  estab- 
lishment I  am  very  confident  that  the  power  is  in  the  power  of  the  presi- 
dent. 

557.  Q.  In  view  of  the  general  organization  of  the  police  force  of  the 
city,  is  it  not  difficult  for  any  party,  or  any  number  of  men  belonging  to 
either  party,  successfully  to  practice  many  frauds  upon  election  day  f 

A.  Nb,  sir. 

oSS.  Q.  Why  not ! 

A.  It  depends  altogether  upon  the  man  whom  they  have  got  to  deal 
with.  If  I  were  superintendent  of  this  police  there  would  not  be  any 
election  frauds  committed  in  ISTew  York.  I  think  I  understand  the  busi- 
ness, and  I  think  I  have  got  the  courage  to  carry  it  out.  I  take  for 
granted  that  the  stuffing  of  ballot-boxes  is  as  great  a  crime  against  the 
law  as  the  commission  of  burglary  or  highway  robbery.  It  is  just  as 
much  the  duty  of  the  police  to  prevent  the  one  as  to  prevent  the  other. 
To  take  this  sixth  ward :  there  are  from  1,500  to  1,600  legal  voters  in  it — 
no  more  ;  they  repeat  in  this  ward  to  the  amount  of  3,000  or  4,000  beyond 
the  legal  votes.  If  I  were  the  superintendent  of  police,  I  would  send  for 
the  captain  and  his  sergeants  four  or  five  days  before  the  day  of  regis- 
tration, and  would  say  to  the  captain,  "  Sir,  there  are  about  1,G00  legal 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  53 

voters  iii  your  ward ;  it  is  just  as  much  your  duty  to  prevent  illegal  votes 
going  into  the  ballot-box  as  it  is  to  prevent  a  man's  going  into  a  man's 
house  forcibly;  and  I  expect  you  to  do  it;  if  you  don't,  I  will  dismiss  you 
and  every  man  of  you ;"  and  I  would  do  it. 

559.  Q.  From  all  that,  are  we  to  infer  that  Superintendent  Kennedy 
does  not  act  with  sufficient  vigor  or  courage  ? 

A.  I  have  given  you  my  idea. 

560.  Q.  And  you  also  have  perplexed  us  by  saying  that  these  frauds 
are  committed;  do  you  mean  us  to  infer  that  other  officers  do  not  do 
their  duty  ? 

A.  According  to  my  idea  of  it,  they  do  not. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

561.  Q.  As  I  understand  you,  the  police  do  not  regard  ballot-box 
stuffing  as  one  of  the  offences  for  which  they  are  to  arrest  parties,  as  they 
would  arrest  for  robbery  or  other  offences  ? 

A.  It  is  quite  evident  they  do  not. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

562.  Q.  In  the  organization  of  this  board  of  police  commissioners  two 
were  democrats  and  two  were  republicans! 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

563.  Q.  The  superintendent  of  police  is  a  republican  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

564.  Q.  How  is  he  appointed  % 
A.  By  the  board. 

565.  Q.  So  one  democrat  had  to  vote  for  him  as  superintendent? 

A.  Originally  there  were  three  republicans  on  the  board  to  one  demo- 
crat. 

566.  Q.  And  it  was  during  that  constitution  of  the  board  that  he  was 
elected  % 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

567.  Q.  And  he  has  continued  in  the  place  ever  since  \ 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

568.  Q.  At  present  the  board  is  a  tie  % 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  and  they  cannot  remove  the  superintendent  nor  change 
him. 

569.  Q.  Is  it  a  practice  or  not  that  Superintendent  Kennedy  is  at  any 
time,  or  under  any  circumstances,  a  member  of  the  board,  so  as  to  give  a 
casting  vote  % 

A.  He  controls  nothing,  except  to  execute  the  orders  of  the  board. 

570.  Q.  And  the  board,  therefore,  can  only  make  orders  by  a  majority 
of  the  four  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  there  are  some  facts  in  respect  to  the  appointment  of 
inspectors  and  canvassers  which  I  had  occasion  to  interfere  with  during 
last  fall.  I  will  state  them  to  the  committee  if  they  desire.  It  does 
not  make  any  difference  here  in  New  York  how  many  ballots  you  have 
got  in  the  ballot-box. 

571.  Q.  We  are  advised  here  that  certain  officers  received  ballots  and 
that  at  a  certain  hour  of  the  day  they  turn  over  the  ballot-boxes  to  two 
other  officers  called  the  canvassers  % 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

572.  Q.  And  that  the  canvassers  are  constituted  in  the  same  way  \ 
A.  They  are  supposed  to  be  so  constituted ;  I  was  going  to  explain 

that  to  you.  I  discovered  in  September  last  that  some  forty  or  more  of 
these  canvassers,  who  were  the  most  noisy  men  in  the  republican  party 
in  this  city, invariably  turned  up  as  canvassers;  and  that  they  were  at 


54  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IX  NEW  YORK. 

the  same4  time  holding  sinecure  positions  in  the  streel  commissioner's 
office  at  $3  a  day;  and  that  the  only  duties  that  they  performed  was  to 
act  as  canvassers,  and  to  get  this  appointment  with  a  view  to  counting 
the  votes;  [knew  what  that  meant,  and  I  called  the  attention  of  our 
State  central  committee  to  the  fact.  I  know  all  about  this  counting  a 
man  out  and  counting  a  man  in  ;  I  knew  it  was  done  for  money  ;  I  knew 
that  if  yon  and  I  were  canvassers  in  a  certain  election  district  in  New 
York,  and  that  it"  there  were  1,000  votes  polled  in  that  district;  thai 
if  John  Doe  got  550  and  Richard  Hoe  450,  John  Doe  had  a  majority  of 
100  ;  but  I  could  not  understand  that  John  Doe  would  get  050  and  Rich- 
ard lioe  only  50  unless  yon  and  I  understood  each  other.  I  probed  the 
thing  pretty  fully,  and  went  before  our  State  central  committee  and 
made  a  statement  of  the  facts;  they  appointed  a  committee,  of  which] 
was  chairman,  to  ventilate  these  tacts,  and  we  did  it  pretty  thoroughly. 
Instead  of  forty  men  being  in  that  position  I  found  three  times  the  num- 
ber— scaly  fellows  who  were  in  the  market ;  I  struck  out  myself  225 
names  from  this  ei dire  list.  They  held  the  office  of  registrars  and  can- 
vassers. 

573.  Q.  Professing  to  be  republicans  I 
A.  They  were  in  point  of  fact. 

574.  Q.  And  were  bought  over  and  were  acting  in  the  interest  of  the 
democratic  party  I 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

By  Mr.  IIopkins  : 

575.  Q.  Does  the  law  require  that  the  votes  shall  be  canvassed  in  the 
presence  of  other  parties  than  the  canvassers  .; 

A.  The  law  requires  that  they  shall  be  canvassed  publicly,  but  during 
the  investigation  which  I  had  occasion  to  make,  I  found  some  cases  where 
they  had  locked  themselves  up  in  a  room,  taken  the  ballot-box  in  there, 
and  canvassed  it  to  suit  themselves. 

57G.  Q.  Violating  the  law  entirely  I 

A.  Violating  the  law ;  the  poll-list  shows  that  so  many  votes  were 
polled,  and  that  the  candidates  have  run  pretty  even,  but  the  canvas- 
sers took  so  many  from  A  to  give  them  to  B,  and  the  total  tallies. 

By  Mr.  Kerk  : 

577.  Q.  You  say  that  these  fellows  who  were  thus  in  the  market  are 
allowed  to  hold  sinecure  places ;  about  what  office  ? 

A.  In  the  street  commissioner's  office. 

578.  Q.  You  mean  by  sinecure  offices,  places  where  they  have  no  ser- 
vice to  perform  for  the  public  % 

A.  None  at  all. 

579.  Q.  And  their  only  service  is  to  individuals  and  to  those  in  whose 
interest  they  are  acting  and  who  employ  them  \ 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

580.  Q.  And  they  draw  for  that  $3  a  day  for  the  whole  year  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

581.  Q.  Who  is  the  street  commissioner  I 

A.  A  democrat,  George  TV.  McOlane.  William  M.  Tweed  is  his 
deputy. 

582.  Q.  Is  his  deputy  a  democrat,  too  '? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

583.  Q.  Is  the  street  commissioner  elected  by  the  people,  or  appointed  \ 
A.  He  is  appointed. 

584.  Q.  By  whom  * 

A.  By  the  mayor  and  the  common  council,  I  think. 


ELECTION    FEAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  55 

585.  Q.  The  police  board  has  no  jurisdiction  over  the  streets? 
A.  STo,  sir. 

586.  Q.  Who  employs  Mr.  Whiting  to  Glean  the  streets  ? 

A.  He  has  got  a  contract  from  the  city.  Other  parties  got  the  con- 
tract originally,  and  I  believe  he  piu'chased  it  from  them. 

587.  Q.  I  want  to  know  how  you  ascertained  that  this  condition  existed 
•  to  such  an  alarming  extent ;  this  condition  of  fraud  and  infidelity  on  the 

part  ©f  your  political  friends,  to  their  duty  ? 
A.  By  a  most  searching  examination. 

588.  Q.  Give  us  au  illustration. 

A.  It  would  be  impossible  for  me  to  give  you  one  case  in  detail  at  pres- 
ent. 

589.  Q.  Did  you  make  this  investigation  yourself  ? 

A.  I  got  the  information  through  other  parties,  and  then  I  made  the 
investigation. 

590.  Q.  Were  these  other  parties  in  your  employment ! 
A.  Some  of  them  were  and  some  were  not. 

591.  Q.  Did  you  employ  any  person  to  seek  this  kind  of  service  ? 

A.  After  I  had  been  appointed  on  the  committee,  I  sent  for  different 
men  in  the  city  and  consulted  with  them  as  to  their  opinion  in  regard 
to  this  man,  and  that  man,  and  the  other  man — what  his  fidelity  and 
integrity  was. 

592.  Q.  I  asked  you  whether  you  employed  persons  to  represent  such 
characters,  and  thus  to  seek  employment  and  then  to  sell  out  ? 

A.  I  did  not. 

593.  Q.  Your  opinion  you  obtained  by  your  own  inquiries  and  by  those 
of  others,  in  such  a  general  way  as  you  coidd  command  ! 

A.  I  am  entirely  satisfied  with  it  that  I  am  correct. 

594.  Q.  The  whole  impression  you  have  is  based  upon  inquiries  made 
in  that  general  way  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

595.  Q.  You  could  get  at  nothing  more  specific  than  what  you  men- 
tioned ! 

A.  In  some  cases  it  was  very  specific. 

596.  Q.  Give  us  an  example. 

A.  In  relation  to  the  7th  ward,  where  I  formerly  resided,  it  was 
very  specific.  It  was  represented  to  me  by  citizens  living  up  there  that 
these  men  were  on  the  pay-roll  at  the  street  commissioner's  office,  and 
that  they  were  acting  in  the  interest  of  the  democratic  party,  although 
professing  to  be  republicans.  There  are  perhaps  500  or  600,  or  perhaps 
800  republican  votes  polled  in  that  section  of  the  city  on  any  local  ticket 
that  we  run  there,  and  sometimes  upon  the  general  ticket  you  find  it 
mixed  up,  as  if  it  was  a  democratic  ticket,  and  as  if  it  was  entirely  in 
that  interest.  I  took  all  the  means  in  my  power  to  investigate  this  thing 
till  I  satisfied  myself  that  the  statement  was  correct.  In  the  7th  ward 
I  think  there  are  11  districts.  Perhaps  7  or  8  of  the  11  were  wrong, 
while  the  other  3  or  4  were  right. 

597.  Q.  By  wrong  and  right  what  do  you  mean  ? 
A.  I  mean  that  these  men  were  selling  out. 

598.  Q.  The  men  who  pretended  to  represent  you ! 

A.  Yes  sir ;  but  if  you  desire  to  go  into  that  question  you  can  send 
for  the  men  and  examine  them. 

Mr.  Kerr.  I  request  you  now,  at  a  convenient  time,  to  furnish  the 
chairman  of  the  committee  with  the  names  of  the  men  from  whom  you 
got  this  information. 


56  K LECTION    FRAUDS    IN   NEW   YORK. 

599.  Q.  So  far  as  you  know,  and  as  your  investigation  developed  the 
fact,  were  all  of  these  frauds  and  deceptions  on  the  part  of  your  political 
friends,  or  were  not  both  parties  bought  and  sold  for  money?  In  other 
words,  do  you  say  that  that  mode  of  fraud  was  eontined  to  men  pro- 
fessing to  act  with  you  and  who  were  purchased  by  the  democratic  party! 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

GOO.  (t).  Were  they  also  practiced  by  your  friends  towards  the  dem- 
ocrats ? 

A.  No,  sir:   I  think  not.     I  never  heard  of  a  ease  of  that  kind. 

001.  <c>.  rondo  not  think  the  republicans  have  bought  up  any  dem- 
ocrats ? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  think  they  could  not. 

602.  (}.  Almost  all  the  patronage  of  the  street  commissioner's  office  is 
entirely  democratic,  I  believe? 

A.  Entirely  democratic. 

603.  Q.  Do  they  employ  men  of  the  republican  party  in  that  office  .; 
A.  Not,  except  for  a  purpose.      Here  are    live  naturalization   papers 

which  Kruger  obtained  in  the  supreme  court  from  one  of  the  clerks  who 
handed  them  to  him.  They  have  not  been  out  of  my  hand  since.  I 
have  written  on  them  "Clerk  Court."  I  desire  to  put  them  in  here  and 
Kruger  will  identify  them  when  you  send  for  him.  These  certificates 
only  cost  a  dollar  apiece. 

004.  Q.  Describe  the  papers  purporting  to  be  certificates  of  naturaliza- 
tion, so  that  they  may  be  hereafter  identified  if  necessary. 

A.  I  wrote  out  the  list  of  these  names  myself  and  handed  to  this  man 
Kruger.  They  are  all  fictitious.  I  have  written  on  each  of  the  certifi- 
cates, "Clerk  Court."  They  are  each  dated  the  20th  of  October.  1868, 
signed  Charles  E.  Loew,  clerk,  and  are  tilled  in  with  the  names  of  Patrick 
rHeimey,  Joseph  Herbert,  Michael  Dunn,  dames  McCarty,  and  Hugh 
Smith." 

By  Mr.  Dickey: 

605.  Q.  I  understand  you  that  these  fictitious  names  were  furnished  to 
Kruger  and  that  he  brought  back  these  papers  ! 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

000.  Q.  And  these  were  the  same  papers  that  were  returned  to  you  by 
Kruger? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Henry  Kruger  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

007.  Question.  State  your  residence. 
Answer.  I  reside  in  272  Mulberry  street.     I  have  been  a  resident  of 

this  city  for  10  years. 

008.  Q.  I  now  present  to  you  five  papers,  purporting  to  be  certificates 
of  naturalization  referred  to  in  the  testimony  of  Marshal  Murray  and 
which  he  has  identified  by  writing  thereon  "Clerk  Court."  Please  state 
where  they  were  procured,  and  how. 

A.  A  man  named  Kromberg,  in  the  marshal's  office,  handed  me  a  five- 
dollar  bill  and  told  me  to  get  naturalization  papers  for  a  certain  list  of 
names.  I  gave  the  five-dollar  bill  to  John  Ey,  and  he  handed  it  to  a  man 
in  the  supreme  court  who  went  into  the  court  to  get  the  papers.  He 
handed  Ey  the  five  papers  and  Ey  handed  him  the  money.  I  saw  them 
handed  out  from  the  supreme  court  by  a  little,  small  man  with  a  black 
moustache  to  John  Ey.  The  five  papers  were  then  handed  to  Krom- 
berg, who  had  given  me  the  five  dollars. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  57 

C09.  Q.  Who  furnished  the  names  in  the  five  papers'? 
A.  I  do  not  know. 

By  Mr.  Dickey: 

610.  Q.  If  I  understand  you  Kroinberg  gave  you  five  dollars,  you  gave 
it  to  Ey,  Ey  gave  it  to  the  little  man  with  the  black  moustache,  and  the 
little  man  went  into  the  court  and  brought  out  these  papers  to  Ey  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

611.  Q.  How  long  was  it  then  after  Ey  went  into  the  court-room  before 
the  little  man  with  a  black  moustache  came  out  and  gave  the  papers 
toEy? 

A.  About  a  quarter  of  an  hour. 

G12.  Q.  Were  any  witnesses  sworn  in  this  case? 

A.  I  was  not  in  the  court-room;  neither  was  Ey. 

By  Mr.  Kerr: 

613.  Q.  Bo  vou  know  that  these  papers  were  the  same  that  were  handed 
to  Ey? 

A.  I  cannot  swear  they  were  the  same  papers  as  the  little  man  handed 
to  Ey. 

614.  Q.  You  only  know  some  papers  were  handed  to  him? 
A.  Yes  sir;  five. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

615.  Q.  Here  are  three  papers  (marked  "Exhibit  A")  purporting  to  be 
certificates  of  naturalization  annexed  to  the  testimony  of  Marshal  Murray. 
They  have  been  torn  and  pasted  together.  State  what  you  know  about 
them. 

A.  I  thought  to  catch  that  little  man,  and  I  met  him  in  the  park  the 
next  day,  and  gave  him  six  names — fictitious  names  which  I  had  written 
on  a  piece  of  paper.  I  met  him  the  same  night  and  he  told  me  to  wait 
for  him  in  Chambers  street,  and  he  would  be  back  in  half  an  hour  and 
give  me  the  six  certificates.  He  came  back  with  three  papers  and  asked 
me  for  three  dollars.  I  told  him  I  would  give  him  no  money  until  he 
gave  me  the  six  papers.  So  he  took  the  three  papers  and  tore  them  into 
pieces  before  my  eyes,  and  then  threw  them  on  the  saloon  floor.  Another 
man  came  down  and  picked  the  pieces  up  and  took  them  to  the  mar- 
shal's office  and  he  pasted  them  together.  These  are  the  same  papers. 
The  names  are  fictitious. 

By  Mr.  Kerr: 

616.  Q.  Who  was  the  little  man  who  brought  them  to  you  in  Chambers 
street? 

A.  At  that  time  I  used  to  meet  him  every  day,  and  he  gave  me  sev- 
eral false  names. 

John  Ey  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman: 

617.  Question.  How  long  have  you  resided  in  the  city  of  New  York? 
Answer.  Over  11  years. 

618.  Q .  I  present  to  you  five  papers  purporting  to  be  certificates  of  natu- 
ralization, referred  to  in  the  testimony  of  Kruger  and  marshal  Murray; 
state  if  you  ever  saw  these  papers  before. 

A.  I  had  these  five  papers  once. 

619.  Q.  Where  did  you  get  them? 

A.  Mr.  Kruger  handed  me  five  dollars  one  night  and  asked  me  to  go 
over  to  the  court  and  see  the  man  who  has  got  a  stand  there  selling 


58  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

apples  and  sandwiches.  So  I  went  over  there  and  the  man  was  not 
there.  There  was  one  boy  there.  Another  young  fellow  at  the  same 
stand  asked  me  what  I  wanted.  I  told  him  I  was  looking  for  that  man, 
and  that  he  was  not  there,  and  that  I  was  willing  to  wait.  Said  he, "  gi  ve 
me  that  money  and  I  will  get  you  the  citizen  papers;  I  can  do  it  just  as 
well  as  he  can."  I  gave  him  the  names  and  he  came  back  in  five  or 
six  minutes  with  the  papers.  I  looked  at  the  five  papers  and  handed  him 
the  five  dollar  bill.  I  took  the  five  papers  and  gave  them  to  Kromberg, 
and  these  are  they. 

G20.  Q.  Who  gave  you  the  papers  f 

A.  A  young  man.  I  saw  him  a  couple  of  times  in  the  court.  I  do  not 
know  his  name.    If  I  should  see  him  again  I  would  know  him. 

621.  Q.  What  business  is  he  engaged  in? 
A.  He  is  running  a  naturalization  office. 

622.  Q.  What  court-room  was  it  that  you  got  these  papers  in  I 

A.  The  supreme  court.  I  gave  him  the  names  and  waited  in  the  hall 
outside  while  he  went  in,  and  in  five  minutes  he  returned  with  the  papers 
complete. 

By  Mr.  Eoss : 

623.  Q.  You  went  to  seeone  man,  and  you  got  the  papers  from  another  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  the  man  I  went  to  see  I  could  not  find.  This  other  fel- 
low said  he  could  get  them,  and  he  went  into  the  court-room  and  brought 
them  out  right.    He  said  he  could  do  it  just  as  well  as  any  other  man. 

624.  Q.  I  present  to  you  three  papers  purporting  to  be  certificates  of 
naturalization  annexed  to  the  testimony  of  Marshal  Murray,  and  marked 
"Exhibit  A;"  look  at  the  seal,  the  printing,  and  the  signature,  and  state 
whether  they  are  in  all  respects  similar  to  those  which  you  procured. 

A.  Yes,  sir  j  they  are  all  the  same. 

Joseph  Cottrell  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

625.  Question.  What  is  your  official  position  if 

Answer.  I  am  a  metropolitan  police  officer,  and  have  been  for  the  last 
eleven  years. 

626.  Q.  Are  you  acquainted  with  Charles  Edward  Norton? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

627.  Q.  In  what  business  has  he  been  engaged  during  this  year  \ 
A.  I  do  not  know  of  any,  except  doing  naturalization  business. 

628.  Q.  With  what  political  party  does  he  act? 

A.  He  styles  himself  president  of  the  Young  Men's  Democratic  Club 
of  the  22d  ward. 

629.  Q.  State  whether  you  arrested  him,  and  if  so,  for  what? 

A.  Between  the  20th  and  26th  of  October  I  was  informed  by  a  German 
that  Charles  E.  Norton  was  getting  naturalization  papers  out  for  Ger- 
mans in  the  upper  part  of  our  ward,  without  their  going  to  court — merely 
taking  their  names,  getting  their  naturalization  papers,  and  delivering 
them  to  them  at  two  dollars  apiece.  He  has  been  indicted  for  it  in 
the  United  States  court. 

630.  Q.  I  now  present  to  you  five  papers  purporting  to  be  certificates  of 
naturalization  issued  by  the  supreme  court  of  the  State  of  New  York, 
held  in  the  city  and  county  of  New  York,  all  dated  19th  October,  1868 — 
one  to  Melchior  Henibuch,  one  to  Mathias  Wolf,  one  to  Peter  Eohl,  one 
to  Charles  Fox,  and  one  to  Timothy  Hurrelle;  state  what  you  know 
of  them. 

A.  This  German  told  me  that  he  knew  of  Mathias  Wolf  obtaining  a 
naturalization  paper.    I  went  to  Wolf.    He  could  not  speak  English. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  59 

I  then  went  to  his  employer,  Mr.  Michael  Gran,  who  keeps  a  brewery, 
corner  of  Sixtieth  street  and  Ninth  avenue,  and  asked  him  if  he  knew  any- 
thing' of  one  of  his  men,  Mathias  Wolf,  obtaining  a  naturalization  paper. 
He  said  he  did  ;  that  he  had  just  told  him  about  it,  and  that  he  (Gran) 
had  told  him  not  to  use  it  under  any  circumstances,  or  he  would 
get  himself  into  trouble.  He  brought  Wolf  before  me  and  acted  as 
interpreter.  Wolf  handed  me  the  paper  and  said  that  Charles  E.  Norton 
had  given  it  to  him  for  two  dollars.  He  said  he  knew  of  several  others 
whom  he  had  got  papers  for ;  that  he  knew  him  to  get  30  in  a  day.  1 
then  looked  for  Norton  for  a  couple  of  days  and  failed  to  find  him. 

631.  Q.  State  whether  all  of  those  papers  were  surrendered  to  you  by 
the  persons  whose  names  appear  in  them  ? 

A.  They  were. 

By  Mr.  Dickey: 

632.  Q.  Did  they  all  allege  that  they  got  them  from  Norton  ? 
A.  Yes. 

633.  Q.  Did  they  state  whether  or  not  they  had  been  in  a  court! 

A.  They  said  they  had  not  been,  and  had  not  left  their  places  of  busi- 
ness. They  told  me  of  four  others  who  had  procured  papers.  I  went 
to  them.  They  said  they  had  heard  of  those  fellows  getting  into  trouble 
and  had  destroyed  their  papers. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

634.  Q.  Where  is  Norton  now  ? 

A.  In  Ludlow  street  jail,  in  this  city,  for  the  offence. 
[Witness  identifies  the  five  papers  as  corresponding  in  seal,  signature, 
and  form  with  those  of  Exhibit  A.] 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

635.  Q.  State  with  what  political  party  yon  acted  in  the  last  canvass? 
A.  I  am  a  republican,  but  I  sometimes  vote  for  democrats  too. 

By  the  Chairman  : 
'  636.  Q.  Do  you  know  what  political  party  those  men  belonged  to  or 
acted  with  whose  names  appear  in  these  certificates  ? 

A.  Only  from  their  own  words.  They  are  democrats.  Norton  told 
me  himself  that  he  was  president  of  a  democratic  club. 

New  York,  December  23,  1868. 
Charles  Fox  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

637.  Question.  Where  have  you  resided  during  the  present  year? 
Answer.  In  this  State. 

638.  Q.  I  present  to  you  a  paper,  purporting  to  be  a  certificate  of  natur- 
alization, referred  to  in  the  testimonv  of  Joseph  Cattrell,  dated  Octo- 
ber 19, 1868,  to  Charles  Fox,  signed  " Charles  E.  Loew,  Clerk;"  state  if 
you  ever  saw  it  before  \ 

A.  I  did.     It  was  given  to  me  by  Charles  Edward  Norton. 

639.  Q.  Did  you  apply  to  the  court  for  this  certificate  of  naturalization  ! 
A.  No,  sir;  I  had  a  certificate  in  1856,  and  lost  it  in  the  battle  of 

Fredericksburg.  Parties  in  my  neighborhood  asked  me  if  I  was  going 
to  vote.  I  told  them  I  could  not  vote  on  account  of  my  not  being  long 
enough  in  the  State,  and  because  I  had  lost  my  citizen  papers,  but  that 
I  intended  to  go  down  town  and  get  out  new  papers  whenever  I  had 
time. 


60  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

640.  Q.  This  paper  you  got  from  Norton  I 
A.  Yes. 

641.  Q.  You  never  were  in  the  court  to  be  sworn  to  get  it? 

A.  No,  sir.  After  the  paper  was  brought  to  me  I  knew  it  to  be  what 
I  call  a  counterfeit,  and  I  did  not  use  it;  I  threw  it  away,  but  my  wife 
picked  it  up  and  put  it  on  the  mantel-piece. 

642.  Q.  Did  you  pay  Norton  anything  for  it! 
A.  Yes,  sir  5  75  cents. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

643.  Q.  What  are  your  politics? 

A.  I  do  not  know.     I  did  not  go  into  politics  since  the  war  broke  out? 

G44.  Q.  How  did  you  vote  before  that  time  J 

A.  I  voted  once  for  President  Lincoln  and  the  republican  ticket,  and 
I  voted  for  some  democrats  who  I  thought  Avere  good  men.  I  did  not 
know  Norton  before  he  got  me  the  paper.  I  have  seen  him  two  or 
three  times  since.  I  told  him  he  should  look  out,  as  he  had  made  some 
false  papers.  He  said  they  were  not  false,  and  for  me  to  look  out  for 
myself.  He  asked  me  whether  1  was  not  going  to  register.  I  told  him 
I  was  not,  as  I  had  no  right  to  register.  I  live  at  338  Fifty-third  street, 
between  Eighth  and  Ninth  avenues.  Norton  eaine  with  two  papers — 
one  for  me  and  one  for  my  workman  (Peter  Pohl) — and  said  lie  wanted 
$2  for  his  time.  I  gave  him  £1  50,  and  said  I  did  not  give  it  to  him  for 
the  papers,  but  only  for  his  time  and  to  prevent  trouble  between  me  and 
the  neighbors — a  lot  of  loafers  that  were  around  Norton.  I  said  the 
papers  were  not  good  for  anything.  I  knew  it  at  the  time  he  handed 
them  to  me. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 
045.  Q.  Did  you  see  Norton  when  he  was  arrested  and  brought  before 
the  grand  jury  ? 
A.  I  did. 

646.  Q.  You  identified  him  as  the  same  man  f 
A.  Yes. 

647.  Q.  Did  your  workman  go  to  the  court  to  get  his  naturalization 
paper? 

A.  No,  sir;  Norton  furnished  it. 
048.  Q.  What  regiment  were  you  in  during  the  war? 
A.  I  beg  your  pardon — in  the  1st  South  Carolina.    I  lived  in  Charles- 
ton when  the  war  broke  out,  and  I  was  impressed  into  the  rebel  army. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

649.  Q.  Did  you  testify  before  Commissioner  Osborn  on  the  trial  of 
Eosenberg? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  was  here  six  or  seven  times,  but  I  was  never  called  as 

a  witness. 

Charles  Henry  Siep  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

650.  Question.  Where  do  you  reside  ? 

Answer.  I  reside  up  town.  My  business  is  at  No.  6  Centre  street,  in 
the  basement.  I  keep  a  lager-beer  saloon,  and  have  kept  it  since  last 
July. 

651.  Q.  How  near  is  your  place  of  business  to  the  rooms  of  the  supreme 
court  in  this  city  ? 

A.  It  is  just  opposite,  across  the  street. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  61 

652.  Q.  Do  you  own  the  building  where  you  do  business  I 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  rent  it. 

663.  Q    Do  you  know  Benjamin  B.  Rosenberg? 

A.  Yes. 

654.  Q.  Did  he  occupy  the  same  premises  for  business  purposes  I 

A.  He  did  not  occupy  the  place  at  all.  The  naturalization  committee  of 
the  German  general  committee  made  arrangements  with  me  for  so  many 
clerks  for  six  weeks.  The  chairman  of  the  naturalization  committee  was 
Supervisor  Hermann — supervisor  of  the  county.  He  appointed  Rosen- 
berg chief  clerk. 

055.  Q.  Did  anybody  except  Hermann  speak  to  you  about  renting  the 
room  f 

A.  The  whole  committee. 

656.  Q.  Who  is  the  whole  committee ! 

A.  Supervisor  Hermann,  Colonel  Levi,  Jacob  Kohler,  G.  Weitschel, 
and  August  Taufner. 

G57.  Q.  How  much  were  they  to  pay  for  the  room  \ 

A.  Fifty  dollars.  I  got  my  money  from  the  Tammany  Hall  board  by 
a  check  of  Supervisor  Hermann  on  the  Broadway  Bank. 

65$.  Q.  Who  were  the  other  clerks  besides  Rosenberg? 

A.  Augustus  Hennet,  Emanuel  S.  Goldstein,  Major  Bromson,  Mr. 
Kem merer,  Ludwig  Stunipf,  and  Dr.  G.  Johnson. 

659.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  of  them  furnishing  naturalization  papers 
to  persons  without  their  having  to  go  to  the  court  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

660.  Q.  Did  you  see  naturalization  papers  delivered  to  persons  who 
came  there  for  them  ! 

A.  I  did  see  them  after  they  went  to  court  with  their  witnesses  and 
got  examined.     They  woidd  come  over  and  have  refreshments. 

661.  Q.    Did  you  see  the  witnesses  examined  in  court'? 
A.  No. 

662.  Q.  Did  vou  see  naturalization  papers  delivered  to  persons  at  that 
table? 

A.  No. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

663.  Q.  What  ticket  did  you  vote  at  the  last  election  in  this  State  J 
A.  The  full  democratic  ticket. 

664.  Q.  Had  Rosenberg  anything  to  do  with  the  renting  of  the  room? 
A.  He  had  nothing  to  do  with  it.     He  had  charge  over  the  other 

clerks.     Rosenberg  was  sitting  there  the  whole  day. 

665.  Q.  Who  would  go  to  the  court  and  get  the  naturalization  papers? 
A.  The  men  who  applied  for  them,  with  their  witnesses,  went  to  the 

supreme  court. 

666.  Q.  Did  not  somebody  generally  go  with  them  to  the  court-room? 

A.  No,  sir.  The  men  came  there  with  their  witnesses,  got  the  infor- 
mation they  wanted,  and  went  off  to  the  judge.  If  found  correct  the 
j»dge  signed  the  papers; -if  not,  he  tore  them  up. 

667.  Q.  Did  you  take  any  part  in  fixing  up  these  papers? 
A.  Xo. 

668.  Q.  How  long  did  they  occupy  your  room? 
A.  About  six  weeks. 

669.  Q.  Have  you  any  means  of  telling  us  how  many  persons  came 
therefor  information  about  naturalization  papers? 

A.  It  is  impossible  for  me  to  tell  you. 

670.  Q.  Did  you  know  Rosenberg  before  he  came  there  ? 
A.  Yes ;  I  knew  him  many  years. 


62  ELECTION    FRAUDS   IN    NEW   YORK. 

071.  Q.  What  ha«  been  his  business! 

A.  He  has  been  doing  a  little  law  business. 

(372.  Q.  Is  he  a  lawyer? 

A.  He  is  not  exactly  a  lawyer.  I  [e  gave  a  little  information  and  went 
with  persons  to  lawyers. 

G73.  Q.  Did  he  have  any  office! 

A.  No,  sir. 

G74.  Q.  Hid  any  of  these  members  of  the  naturalization  committee  go 
in  there  to  direct  the  business! 

A.  Yes,  sir;  they  came  almost  everyday  once  or  twice  to  inspect  and 
see  if  everything  was  going  on  right.  Hermann  has  been  there  several 
times;  Levi  has  been  there  almost  every  day.  The  men  were  all  en- 
gaged in  honest  and  fair  business.  If  anything  wrong  was  done  there 
was  no  authority  for  it  and  there  was  nothing  known  about  it. 

G75.  Q.  These  committee  men  came  there  to  see  that  the  business  was 
honestly  done? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

076.  Q.  State  Avhether  the  German  democrats  had  another  naturaliza- 
tion office  where  this  kind  of  information  coidd  be  had  during  these  six 
weeks. 

A.  The  only  regular  place  was  this  place  at  So.  6  Centre  street.  It 
was  said  that  they  did  a  little  business  in  No.  13  Centre  street,  but  I 
could  not  say.  J  do  not  know  how  much  business  was  done  there.  I 
do  not  know  who  gave  them  power  or  authority  there. 

G77.  Q.  State  generally  whether  during  all  these  weeks  you  knew  of 
auy  fraudulent  naturalization  papers  being  made  or  sent  to  anybody. 

A.  Not  to  the  best  of  my  knowledge. 

678.  Q.  Did  you  see  anything  that  excited  your  suspicion  that  this  man 
Rosenberg  acted  dishonestly — selling  these  papers,  or  making  money  to 
put  it  in  his  pocket? 

A.  No,  sir;  no  mouey  at  all  was  handled  there. 

G79.  Q.  Had  he  any  right  to  take  money  from  any  of  these  persons! 

A.  No ;  nobody  was  allowed  to  take  money,  and  anybody  reported  for  it 
would  be  discharged;  that  was  the  bargain.  The  expenses  Avere  all  to 
be  paid  by  the  party  generally. 

G80.  Q.  Did  you  know  Major  Simms,  a  deputy  in  the  internal  revenue 
department? 

A.  I  knew  him  since  this  fall,     1  did  not  knowT  him  before. 

G81.  Q.  Do  you  recollect  ever  seeing  him  at  No.  G  Centre  street? 

A.  I  saw  him  there  once. 

682.  Q.  Did  you  see  him  paying  any  money  to  Rosenberg? 

A.  I  saw  nobody  paying  money.  If  Rosenberg  did  such  business  he 
wrould  not  let  it  be  known  to  me. 

By  the  Chaiioian  : 

G83.  Q.  Was  this  naturalization  committee  elected  by  the  German  gen- 
eral committee,  or  was  it  appointed  by  the  Tammany  Society? 

A.  It  was  elected  by  the  Germans  in  our  own  body.  We  have  our 
own  headquarters.  We  organize  ourselves  every  year,  elect  a  chairman, 
treasurer,  vice-president,  secretary,  &c,  and  appoint  all  the  committees 
for  the  year. 

G84.  Q.  What  did  people  come  to  Rosenberg  for? 

A.  To  get  naturalized. 

G85.  Q.  Did  he  furnish  to  any  that  came  there  little  red  tickets  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  for  the  fee  of  the  clerk.     That  paid  the  costs. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  63 

By  Mr.  Dawes  : 
686.  Q.  What  did  you  understand  Rosenberg's  business  to  be  there  ? 
A.  He  was  head  clerk  over  this  naturalization  business. 

087.  Q.  The  naturalization  is  done  in  court,  is  it  not? 

A.  The  blanks  were  to  be  made,  and  the  applicant  and  witness  had  to 
sign  them,  and  they  were  to  be  sent  over  to  court  where  the  judges 
examined  them,  and  where  the  person  got  his  citizen  papers. 

088.  Q.  Was  the  witness  sworn  down  there  at  your  place  ? 

A.  O,  no ;  the  witness  went  to  the  judge.  The  blanks  w^ere  only  filled 
up  there,  and  signed  by  the  applicant  and  the  witness. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

089.  Q.  In  other  words,  persons  went  there  for  information  how  to  get 
naturalized? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Dawes  : 

090.  Q.  Did  Rosenberg  fill  up  the  blanks  himself? 

A.  No ;  he  superintended  and  ordered.  There  were  various  blanks ; 
some  for  minors,  some  for  soldiers,  &c. 

091.  Q.  How  many  men  had  he  employed  there  as  clerks? 
A.  Sometimes  two,  sometimes  three,  sometimes  five. 

By  the  Chairman: 

092.  Q.  I  present  to  you  five  naturalization  papers  referred  to  in  the 
testimony  of  Joseph  Cottrell.  Can  you  tell  in  whose  handwriting  the 
names  are  filled  up  ? 

A.  I  cannot ;  but  it  is  not  Rosenberg's. 

693.  Q.  Is  it  in  the  handwriting  of  any  of  his  clerks. 

A.  It  is  in  the  handwriting  of  one  of  the  clerks  of  the  court. 

Thomas  Gould  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

691.  Question.  State  your  residence. 

Answer.  387  Cherry  street,  New  York. 

095.  Q.  State  whether  you  Avere  present  in  the  supreme  court  of  this  city 
on  the  10th  and  12th  of  October  last,  and  whether  you  saw  naturaliza- 
tion papers  there. 

A.  I  was  not  in  court.    I  saw  no  papers  whatsoever. 

090.  Q.  Did  you  see  Mr.  McKean  give  anybody  a  bundle  purporting 
to  be  naturalization  papers  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  the  gentleman  at  all. 

097.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  naturalization  papers  having  been  sent  to 
Staten  island? 

A.  No,  sir. 

098.  Q.  Did  you  tell  any  person  that  you  were  present  in  the  supreme 
court  and  saw  naturalization  papers  delivered  in  bundles,  or  in  a  bundle 
to  anybody? 

A.  No,  sir.  If  I  were  aware  that  any  papers  were  got  out  fraudulently 
I  would  have  hunted  them  up  myself.  I  was  the  republican  candidate 
for  the  assembly  in  the  7th  ward. 

099.  Q.  Have  you  told  any  person  that  you  were  in  the  supreme  court 
and  saw  a  bundle  or  bundles  of  naturalization  papers  delivered  to  any- 
body? 

A.  No  j  I  did  not  tell  anybody,  but  I  am  satisfied  1  could  workup 
parties  who  have  seen  them  come  out  of  the  court. 
700.  Q.  In  what  business  are  you  engaged  now? 


64  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW   YORK. 

A.  None  at  all. 

701.  Q.  Have  you  been  employed  in  the  office  of  the  Croton  Board  I 
A.  No,  sir. 

702.  Q.  Do  you  know  Mr.  S.  J.  Glasses  and  Mr.  John  A.  Foster! 
A.   L  do  not  know'  them  by  name;  1  may  know  them  by  Bight 

703.  Q.  Did  you  tell  theafe  gentlemen,  or  either  of  them,  that  you  saw 
naturalization  papers  in  the  supreme  court  of  this  city  ? 

A.  1  do  not  know  the  gentleman  by  name. 

704.  Q.  Did  you  tell  any  person  that  you  saw  a  quantity  of  naturali- 
zation papers,  signed  by  the  clerk  of  the  supreme  court,  and  with  the 
seal  of  the  court,  but  otherwise  in  blank  I 

A.    1  have  seen  them. 

705.  Q.  Where  did  you  see  them? 
A.  Circulating. 

70G.  Q.  Where? 
A.  In  the  court. 

707.  Q.  For  what  purpose  were  they  in  circulation  I 

A.   For  the  purpose  of  naturalizing  and  making  citizens  of  persons, 

708.  Q.  Did  you  see  any  such  papers  being  used  by  persons  not  being 
naturalized  I 

A.  No,  sir. 

709.  Q.  Did  you  vote  the  republican  ticket  at  the  last  election? 

A.  I  ought  not  to  answer  that  question,  but  1  wilL  Yes,  sir;  and  L 
did  more  for  the  republican  party  in  the  district  than  any  young  man  in  it. 

710.  Q.  Did  you  vote  the  entire  republican  ticket? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  and  I  always  did  since  ever  I  was  entitled  to  vote.  That 
is  not  a  question,  however,  for  you  to  ask  me. 

By  Mr.  DAWES : 

711.  Q.  What  was  it  you  said  you  coidd  work  up? 

A.  I  think  that  by  a  little  ferreting  I  could  hunt  up  the  right  parties 
who  were  interested  in  making  fraudulent  naturalization  papers.  Papers 
were  got  out  in  this  way:  parties  would  come  into  court  representing 
persons  and  witnesses,  and  swear  each  other  to  get  out  papers.  The 
men  Avere  professional  witnesses  and  principals. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

712.  Q.  You  said  you  saw  blank  certificates  circulating  in  court;  did  1 
understand  you  to  say  that  the  blanks  were  filled  up,  and  the  seal 
attached  before  naturalization  ? 

A.  I  am  not  aware  of  that.  The  question  was  whether  I  saw  some 
papers  with  the  seal  of  the  court  and  the  signature  of  the  clerk,  and 
I  say  yes,  I  have  seen  them  in  blank.  The  court  was  full  of  persons 
waiting  to  be  naturalized,  and  the  papers  were  all  signed  and  sealed  and 
ready  in  advance,  except  writing  in  the  name  of  the  party. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

713.  Q.  From  whom  did  you  learn  thatlthis  mode  of  naturalization  was 
adopted  f 

A.  From  nobody. 

714.  Q.  Did  you  know  the  fact  that  way  as  you  have  described  ! 
A.  No,  I  have  not  seen  it  myself,  but  parties  have  told  me. 

715.  Q.  Give  us  the  names. 

A.  I  do  not  want  to  have  anything  to  do  with  giving  names;  it  would 
be  an  injury  to  me  in  my  district  if  I  did  such  a  thing;  not  only  in  my 
district  but  through  the  citv. 

716.  Q.  In  what  way? 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  65 

A.  I  do  not  want  to  be  a  stool -pigeon  for  anybody. 

717.  Q.  Would  it  create  an  influence  against  you  that  would  be 
injurious1? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  injurious  to  me  and  injurious  to  the  party;  they  would  put 
me  down  as  an  informer.  I  know  numbers  of  men  in  the  7th  ward  who 
always  voted  the  democratic  ticket,  and  who  now,  through  me,  vote  the 
republican  ticket.  I  would  be  regarded  as  a  "  sucker,"  as  they  call  it, 
vulgarly. 

By  Mr.  Boss : 

718.  Q.  Did  the  republicans  furnish  you  with  any  money  to  do  this 
thing? 

A.  ]STo,  sir ;  not  a  dollar. 

By  the  Chairman  : 
710.  Q.  Give  us  the  name  of  the  person  from  whom  you  learned  this 
thing. 
A.  His  name  is  James  Clark;  his  residence  I  do  not  know. 

720.  Q.  You  say  you  know  nothing  of  papers  being  sent  to  Staten 
island? 

A.  I  know  nothing  of  it. 

721.  Q.  You  were  not  in  the  supreme  court  during  this  naturalization 
committee  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  was  down  there  one  evening,  and  that  is  when  I  saw 
the  papers. 

722.  Q.  How  are  parties  sworn  in  the  supreme  court  ?  Is  each  man 
called  up  separately  to  swear,  or  are  they  sworn  in  groups? 

A.  Each  man  was  called  up  separately,  so  far  as  I  saw. 

723.  Q.  Were  they  examined  by  the  judge  ? 
A.  They  were  examined  by  the  judge. 

724.  Q.  By  himself  personally  1 
A.  By  himself  personally. 

725.  Q.  What  court  was  this? 
A.  The  supreme  court. 

726.  Q.  Who  was  the  judge? 
A.  Judge  Barnard. 

By  the  Chairman: 

727.  Q.  Did  you  ever  have  information  that  fraudulent  naturalization 
papers  were  sent  to  Staten  island? 

A.  No,  sir. 

728.  Q.  At  what  time  in  the  evening  were  you  in  Judge  Barnard's  court  ? 
A.  I  think  about  7  o'clock;  I  am  not  positive  as  to  the  time. 

729.  Q.  Do  you  know  how  late  the  court  sat  ? 
.A.  I  do  not  know. 

730.  Q.  How  long  did  you  stay? 
A.  About  five  minutes. 

By  Mr.  Kerr: 

731.  Q.  Did  you  know  any  republi  can  naturalization  committee  in  exist- 
ence during  the  last  canvass? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  did  not. 

732.  Q.  Did  you  know  any  room  employed  and  set  apart  by  the  republi- 
can party  to  be  occupied  by  persons  acting  in  their  interest  for  the  purpose 
of  aiding  those  seeking  naturalization? 

A.  No,  sir. 

733.  Q.  What  ward  were  you  running  for  the  assembly  in? 
5  T 


66  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

A.  The  7th  ward,  on  the  east  side  of  the  city. 

734.  Q.  Were  you  ever  in  No.  6  Centre  street  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

735.  Q.  Were  you  ever  in  there  during  business  hours? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

73G.  Q.  Did  you  know  Rosenberg  personally? 
A.  Not  personally,  but  by  sight  and  reputation. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

737.  Q.  Is  there  any  political  society  or  organization  in  this  city  known 
as  the  Tammany  Society  ? 

A.  There  is  what  we  call  the  Tammany  Hall  organization. 
[Messrs.  Glassey  and  Foster  having  come  before  the  committee,  the 
witness's  attention  was  called  to  them. J 

738.  Q.  Have  you  seen  these  gentlemen  before? 
A.  I  believe  I  saw  them  before. 

739.  Q.  Do  you  recollect  telling  either  of  these  persons  that  yon  saw  a 
bundle  of  naturalization  papers  in  the  supreme  court  signed  by  the 
clerk,  and  having  the  seal  of  the  court,  but  otherwise  in  blank ;  or  have 
you  told  them  that  you  heard  the  clerk  say  that  there  were  360  in  one 
bundle,  and  that  you  knew  or  heard  of  300,  or  any  other  number  of  cer- 
tificates being  sent  over  to  Staten  island  f 

A.  No,  sir. 

Melciiior  Heinbuch  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

740.  Question.  I  present  to  you  a  paper  purporting  to  be  certificates  of 
naturalization  issued  out  of  the  supreme  court  and  referred  to  in  the  testi- 
mony of  Joseph  Cottrell;  state  whether  you  ever  saw  it  before. 

Answer.  I  did.     I  had  that  paper. 

741.  Q.  From  whom  did  you  get  it  ? 

A.  From  Norton — I  don't  know  his  first  name ;  they  call  him  Charley. 

742.  Q.  Did  you  pay  him  any  money  for  it1? 

A.  I  did  not ;  I  promised  to  pay  him  two  dollars. 

743.  Q.  How  long  have  you  lived  in  the  United  States? 
A.  Four  years  on  the  3d  of  August  last. 

744.  Q.  What  was  said  between  you  and  Norton  when  he  gave  you  the 
paper ? 

A.  He  gave  me  the  paper  and  said :  "Mel choir,  here  is  a  citizen's 
paper." 

745.  Q.  Had  anything  been  said  about  it  between  you  and  him  before 
that? 

•746'.  Q.  Did  he  say  anything  about  your  voting? 
A.  No  ;  he  only  gave  me  the  paper. 

747.  Q.  Did  he  tell  you  to  register  f 
A.  Yes,  sir ;  he  told  me  to  register. 

By  Mr.  Dawes  : 

748.  Q.  Where  were  you  when  he  gave  it  to  you  ! 

A.  In  the  grocery  store  at  the  corner  of  Sixty-second  street.  I  live  in 
the  same  block ;  he  had  never  said  a  word  about  it  to  me  before. 

749.  Q.  Was  this  paper  all  ready  for  you  then  ? 

A.  It  was  just  the  same  as  it  is  now.  • 

750.  Q.  Was  that  name  written  on  it  then  f 

A.  It  was ;  but  that  is  not  my  right  name.    It  is  not  spelled  right. 

751.  Q.  Did  you  ever  give  any  pay  for  vour  papers? 
A.  No. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  67 

752.  Q.  Did  anybody  ask  you  to  go  into  court  for  your  papers? 
A.   N<>. 

753.  Q.  Did  you  swear  before  anybody ! 
A.  No. 

754  Q.  Did  you  know  this  Norton  before  lie  gave  you  this  paper? 

A.  Yes,  sir  :  I  guess  I  knew  him  oyer  a  year. 

755,  (c>.  Did  he  inquire  of  you  who  could  proye  how  long  you  had  been 
here  ? 

A.  No. 

(>.  Did  you  take  any  witness  to  him  to  tell  him  how  long  you  had 
been  in  the  country  ! 

A.  No. 

757.  Q.  How  old  are  you  iioat? 
A.  Thirty-four. 

758.  Q.  Did  you  tell  him  how  old  you  were? 
A.  No. 

7.")!).  Q.  Did  he  inquire  ? 

A.  No. 

TOO.  Q.  You  neyer  made  any  application  to  be  a  citizen? 

A.  No. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

701.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  he  was  president  of  a  democratic  club 
in  that  ward  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know. 

702.  Q.  You  do  not  belong  to  the  club? 
A.  No ;  I  do  not  belong  to  any  club. 

By  Mr.  Dawes  : 

703.  Q.  Did  vou  vote? 
A.  No. 

7(34.  Q.  What  did  you  do  with  the  paper  ? 

A.  I  had  it  at  home,  and  one  morning  a  policeman  came  and  took  it 
away  from  me.  He  said  that  the  man  who  gave  it  to  me  was  arrested, 
and  he  told  me  to  give  him  the  paper ;  so  I  gave  it  to  him. 

765.  Q.  What  is  your  business  I 

A.  A  butcher. 

700.  Q.  What  is  Norton's  business  ! 

A.  That  is  more  than  I  know.  He  used  to  keep  house  and  have  a 
woman.  She  lias  gone  to  California  while  he  was  house-keeping ;  he 
used  to  come  in  to  my  shop  once  in  a  while,  and  so  used  the  woman  and 
the  servant,  and  that  is  how  I  knew  him. 

Math  lis  Wolfe  sworn  and  examined  through  Melchoir  Heinbuch, 
who  was  sworn  as  interpreter. 

By  the  Chaeeoian  : 

707.  Question.  I  present  to  you  a  paper  purporting  to  be  a  certificate  of 
naturalization  to  you.  dated  October  19,  1808,  referred  to  in  the  testimony 
of  Joseph  Cottrell ;  state  if  you  ever  had  that  paper. 

Answer.  Yes.  sir  :  I  had  the  paper. 

708.  Q.  Who  did  you  get  it  from? 

A.  I  was  in  the  grocery  store,  and  Xorton  gave  it  to  me  there. 

769.  Q.  What  did  you  pay  him  for  it  ? 
A.  I  paid  him  two  dollars. 

770.  Q.  Where  Avere  you  born  f 
A.  In  Germany. 


68  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN   NEW   YORK. 

771.  Q.  How  long  hare  you  been  in  the  United  States? 
A.  Twenty-two  months. 

772.  Q.  Were  von  ever  naturalized  ? 
A.  No. 

773.  Q.  What  did  Norton  tell  you  to  do  when  he  gave  you  this  paper  ? 
A.  He  said  I  was  fit  to  be  a  citizen,  and  that  I  could  go  and  vote 

if  I  liked. 

774.  Q.  What  did  you  do  with  that  paper? 
A.  I  gave  it  to  my  boss. 

Timothy  Hurrelle  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  Chairman: 

775.  Question.  I  present  to  you  a  paper  purporting  to  be  a  certificate  of 
naturalization  to  you,  dated  October  19,  18G8,  referred  to  in  the  testi- 
mony of  Joseph  Cottrell ;  state  if  you  ever  saw  it  before. 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  that  is  my  paper. 

776.  Q.  Where  did  you  get  it? 
A.  I  got  it  from  Charles  Norton. 

777.  Q.  Hid  you  pay  him  anything  for  it? 
A.  I  paid  him  two  dollars. 

778.  Q.  Where  were  you  born? 
A.  In  Germany. 

779.  Q.  How  long  were  you  in  the  United  States? 
A.  Three  years  and  seven  months. 

780.  Q.  Did  you  ever  go  into  any  court  to  be  naturalized? 

A.  No,  sir.  I  had  been  down  once  in  the  City  Hall  to  look  for  my  first 
paper.  Norton  told  me  that  I  need  not  go  down,  and  he  would  bring 
me  both  papers.  He  said,  "Do  you  want  a  paper?"  I  said,  "  Yes,  I  have 
been  down  looking  for  it."  "Oh,"  said  he,  "I  will  fetch  the  paper;  it  is 
not  necessary  for  you  to  go  and  fuss  any  more  about  it."  "  Well,"  said 
I,  "fetch  me  the  paper,  and  I  will  pay  you  for  your  trouble."  He  said, 
"It  is  all  right;"  and  two  days  after  he  brought  me  the  paper. 

Patrick  McLaughlin,  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  Chairman: 

781.  Question.  What  country  are  you  a  native  of? 
Answer.  Ireland. 

782.  Q.  Hoav  long  have  you  been  in  the  United  States? 
A.  Since  May,  1805. 

783.  Q.  Have  you  ever  been  in  the  army? 
A.  No,  sir. 

784.  Q.  I  present  to  you  a  paper,  signed  "  Charles  E.  Loew,  clerk,"  dated 
October  10,  1868,  purporting  to  be  a  certificate  of  naturalization  to  you ; 
state  whether  you  ever  had  that  paper. 

A.  Yes,  sir;  John  Cook  gave  it  to  me.  He  came  to  my  brother's  house 
and  asked  me  if  I  wanted  my  papers.  I  told  him  I  did  not  care  much 
about  it.  He  told  me  that  I  would  never  get  them  with  less  trouble  than 
at  this  election.    I  said,  "  Go  ahead,  then,  and  get  them." 

785.  Q.  Did  you  pay  him  anything  for  them  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  not  a  cent.  He  took  my  name  and  got  me  the  papers  in 
five  or  six  days  afterwards;  that  is  all  I  know  about  it. 

786.  Q.  Where  does  Cook  live? 

A.  He  keeps  a  store  at  18  Downing  street,  a  little  grocery  store;  he  is 
a  carpenter  himself. 

787.  Q.  Do  you  know  what  political  party  he  acts  with? 
A.  I  guess  he  must  be  a  democrat. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  69 

By  Mr.  Dickey: 

788.  Q.  Were  you  ever  sworn  in  any  court? 
A.  No,  sir. 

789.  Q.  Were  you  registered  as  a  voter  in  this  paper  1 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

790.  Q.  Where? 

A.  In  Bleecker  street,  near  Jones. 

791.  Q.  Did  you  show  this  naturalization  paper? 
A.  No;  they* only  asked  me  where  I  lived. 

792.  Q.  Did  youVote? 
A.  No,  sir. 

793.  Q.  Were  you  arrested  before  the  election  came  round? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

794.  Q.  Did  you  register  more  than  once? 
A.  No,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

795.  Q.  Did  you  ever  vote? 
A.  No,  sir. 

E^ianuel  S.  Goldstein  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  Chairman  : 
79G.  Question.  State  what  business  you  are  engaged  in. 
Answer.  I  was  clerk  at  6  Centre  street  from  the  13th  to  the  23d  of 
October  last. 

797.  Q.  Who  employed  you? 

A.  The  Union  general  German  committee. 

798.  Q.  Who  paid  you  ? 

A.  The  chairman  of  the  German  naturalization  committee. 

799.  Q.  Who  was  that  8 
A.  Supervisor  Herman. 

800.  Q.  What  did  you  do  there? 

A.  1  made  out  applications  for  citizenship. 

801.  Q.  Did  you  use  printed  blanks  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir.  [Witness  furnishes  the  committee  with  copies  of  the 
several  blanks  used  in  the  office,  which  are  annexed  to  his  testimony.] 

802.  Q.  If  persons  went  to  the  court  to  be  naturalized,  were  they  fur- 
nished with  a  ticket ! 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  with  a  red  ticket. 

803.  Q.  Who  was  chief  clerk  ? 

A.  Mr.  Bosenberg,  and  after  Bosenberg  was  arrested  I  took  charge. 

80-1.  Q.  I  now  present  to  you  live  papers,  purporting  to  be  certificates 
of  naturalization  referred  to  in  the  testimony  of  Joseph  Cottrell ;  can 
you  state  in  whose  handwriting  the  names  of  the  persons  purporting  to 
be  naturalized  is ;  in  whose  handwriting  is  this  name,  Peter  Pohl  ? 

A.  I  cannot  say  very  well;  if  I  am  not  mistaken,  it  is  in  the  handwrit- 
ing of  Isaac  Heyman. 

805.  Q.  In  whose  handwriting  is  this  name,  Charles  Fox  ? 
A.  That  is  the  same. 

806.  Q.  And  Timothy  Hurrelle? 
A.  That  is  the  same. 

807.  Q.  Mathias  Wolfe! 
A.  That  is  the  same. 

808.  Q.  MelchiorKeinbuch? 
A.  That  is  the  same. 


70  ELECTION   FRAUDS    IN   NEW   YORK 

By  Mr.  Koss : 

809.  Q.  Is  Heyman  one  of  the  clerks  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

810.  Q*  Employed  in  Rosenberg's  office  ? 

A.  O,  no.  He  is  employed  in  the  county  clerk's  office  in  the  supreme 
court. 

811.  Q.  Do  you  know  whose  handwriting  that  filling  up  is? 
A.  No,  sir. 

812.  Q.  In  whose  handwriting  is  the  signature  "Charles  E.  Loewf 
A.  I  should  say  it  is  Mr.   McKean's   handwriting.     There   are   two 

clerks  allowed  to  sign  Mr.  Loew's  name;  one  is  Kent  and  the  oilier 
McKean. 

813.  Q.  I  now  present  to  you  five  certificates  of  naturalization  referred 
to  in  the  testimony  of  Marshal  Murray,  given  yesterday,  and  in  the  testi- 
mony of  JEruger ;  state  in  whose  handwriting  the  names  of  the  parties 
purporting  to  be  naturalized  is? 

A.  It  is  Isaac  Heyman's. 

814.  Q.  Can  you  state  in  whose  handwriting  the  date  is  filled  in? 

A.  I  cannot.  The  dates  are  in  the  same  handwriting,  but  they  are  not 
the  same  as  the  names. 

815.  Q.  I  now  present  to  you  a  certificate  ofnaturalization  purporting 
to  be  issued  to  Dennis  Fitzpatrick;  in  whose  handwriting  is  the  name 
Dennis  Fitzpatrick ? 

A.  Isaac  Heyman's. 

816.  Q.  I  now  present  to  you  a  certificate  ofnaturalization  purporting 
to  be  issued  to  Dennis  Lynch.  In  whose  handwriting  is  the  name  Dennis 
Lynch  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know;  that  is  in  a  different  handwriting. 

817.  Q.  I  now  present  to  you  four  papers  purporting  to  be  certificates  of 
naturalization  issued  to  William  Honig,  James  Brown,  August  Betsel, 
and  Henry  Baun;  in  whose  handwriting  are  those  names  I 

A.  In  Isaac  Heyman's.  I  wrote  the  applications  ;for  these  very  men, 
and  the  applications  are  to  be  found  in  the  supreme  court  chambers.  I 
know  William  Honig  very  well.  [To  Mr.  Boss.]  The  application  is  a 
very  different  paper  from  this  certificate. 

818.  Q.  Is  the  seal  of  the  supreme  court  attached  to  these  four  papers 
the  genuine  seal? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

819.  Q.  Is  this  the  printed  blank  that  is  generally  used  ? 

A.  There  are  different  blanks  used,  but  this  form  costs  nothing  if  a 
ticket  is  presented.  If  a  party  wants  another  form  he  has  to  pay  for  it, 
but  this  is  one  of  the  forms  in  general  use. 

820.  Q.  Do  you  know  who  was  the  witness  for  Honig  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  but  if  you  look  at  the  record  of  the  supreme  court  you  can 
find  it. 

821.  Q.  Do  you  recollect  any  of  the  others  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  recollect  Henry  Blaune,  I  wrote  the  application  for 
him. 

822.  Q.  I  present  to  you  a  paper  purporting  to  be  a  certificate  of  natu- 
ralization issued  to  John  Doolan,  and  referred  to  in  the  testimony  of 
George  P.  Barrett ;  in  whose  handwriting  is  the  name  John  Doolan  ? 

A.  Isaac  Heyman's. 

823.  Q.  I  present  to  you  a  similar  naturalization  paper  issued  to  August 
Muller,  referred  to  in  the  testimony  of  Gabriel  A.  Arnoux ;  in  whose 
handwriting  is  the  name  August  Muller  ? 

A.  Isaac  Heyman's. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  71 

8124.  Q.  I  present  to  you  four  similar  certificates,  referred  to  in  the 
testimony  of  William  W.  Young;  in  whose  handwriting' arc  the  names 
of  the  persons  Henry  Stern,  Charles  Warneck,  William  Lukas,  and  Got- 
ttiebKaffenberger ! 

A.  Isaac  Hey  man's. 

825.  Q.  I  now  present  to  you  five  similar  papers,  referred  to  in  the 
testimony  of  Theodore  Block;  in  whose  handwriting  are  the  names 
Charles  Fieling,  William  Smith,  John  Lehman,  Jacob  Schlatter,  and  John 
Noelsch  I 

A.  Fieling's  name  does  not  look  to  be  in  Heyman's  handwriting,  the 
other  names  are  in  his  handwriting. 

826.  Q.  Look  at  the  filling  in  of  the  dates. 

A.  They  are  filled  in  in  three  different  handwritings. 

827.  Q.  Are  you  familiar  with  the  handwriting  of  the  clerk  of  the 
superior  court  I 

A.  There  are  two  clerks  there :  Captain  Thomson  and  Mr.  Gillespie. 
This  paper  of  Kerwin's  is  in  the  handwriting  of  Gillespie,  and  the  paper 
of  Andrew  Signaub  is  in  the  handwriting  of  Thomson. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

828.  Q.  You  say  you  were  employed  by  the  general  German  naturali- 
sation committee  to  aid,  at  No.  6  Centre  street,  in  the  preparation  of 
naturalization  papers  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

829.  Q.  Who  paid  you  for  that  service  ? 
A.  The  general  German  committee. 

830.  Q.  Who  is  the  chairman  I 
A.  Supervisor  Hermann. 

831.  Q.  When  you  were  employed  by  him,  what  instructions  did  he 
give  you  as  to  your  duties  I 

A.  He  told  me  Bosenberg  would  give  me  all  instructions  what  to  do  ; 
that  it  was  to  make  out  applications  for  men  coming  there,  and  to  give 
them  all  necessary  instructions. 

832.  Q.  How  many  clerks  were  emi>loyed  there  at  one  time  ? 
A.  Four  besides  Bosenberg. 

833.  Q.  Were  you  there  much  of  the  time  during  the  six  weeks  prior 
to  election  $ 

A.  I  was  only  there  from  the  13th  to  the  23d  of  October,  inclusive. 
Some  of  the  other  clerks  were  there  from  the  28th  of  September  to  the 
23d  of  October  ;  we  had  to  stop  ten  days  before  election. 

831.  Q.  Tell  the  committee  whether,  at  any  time  during  the  time  you 
were  about  that  room,  you  knew  of  any  fraudulent  naturalization  papers 
having  been  made  up  and  given  or  sold  to  anybody. 

A.  No,  sir ;  none  in  the  least — not  in  our  office. 

835.  Q.  Tell  the  committee  whether  you  know  that  Bosenberg,  the  chief 
clerk,  was  engaged  in  the  sale  of  fraudulent  certificates  to  anybody. 

A.  No,  sir.  He  was  stricter  than  anybody  I  had  ever  seen  in  that 
business,  because  he  asked  more  questions  than  the  judge  or  any  court 
would  ask  ;  and  if  they  did  not  answer  to  his  satisfaction  he  sent  them 
away. 

83G.  Q.  Did  you  ever  know  any  persons  to  be  rejected  there  by  the 
clerks,  of  whom  you  were  one,  because  they  were  not  qualified  to  be 
naturalized  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  a  great  many  of  them.  I  can  bring  you  proof  of  it. 
Bosenberg  was  arrested  on  a  Wednesday,  and  we  kept  open  until  Friday 
night  of  the  same  week. 


72  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

837.  Q.  Did  you  ever  see  any  of  these  committee  men  in  the  room 
during  the  days  that  you  were  there? 

A.  Yes,  sir  ;  there  was  always  one  there. 

838.  Q.  Was  it  always  the  same  one? 
A.  No,  sir;  they  would  take  turns. 

839.  Q.  What  was  it  your  general  duty  to  do ;  you  and  all  the  other 
clerks? 

A.  To  make  out  applications. 

840.  Q.  Did  you  ever  administer  an  oath  to  a  man  who  desired  to  be 
naturalized  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

841.  Q.  Did  you  ever  tell  him  he  could  be  naturalized  in  any.  way, 
except  by  going  to  the  court-house  and  appearing  before  the  court ! 

A.  No,  sir. 

842.  Q.  What  did  you  do,  except  to  give  him  instructions  how  to  go 
there? 

A.  We  gave  him  instructions.  After  he  made  the  application  he  bad 
to  sign  his  name,  and  the  witness  had  to  sign  his  name.  It  the  man  had 
his  first  papers,  there  were  two  blanks  where  he  had  to  sign  his  name. 
After  that  we  gave  him  a  ticket  and  told  him  where  to  go  and  get  his 
citizen  papers,  and  to  pay  this  ticket  for  it. 

843.  Q.  Was  it  the  practice  of  persons  who  wanted  to  be  naturalized 
to  bring  along  with  them  their  witnesses j  or  was  it  the  duty  ol*  your 
committee  to  furnish  witnesses? 

A.  Every  man  who  came  to  us  had  to  bring  his  witnesses  along  with 
him.    We  had  nothing  whatever  to  do  with  witnesses. 

844.  Q.  Tell  us  whether  you  know  of  any  hangers  on  or  loafers  about 
the  court-house  who  were  hired  by  you  clerks  or  by  Rosenberg  in  this 
committee  room  to  go  in  and  swear  these  men  through. 

A.  None  whatsoever,  that  I  know.  I  took  one  man  around  to  25 
Chambers  street  before  I  was  employed  at  Centre  street.  He  said  he 
was  in  the  7th  regiment.  I  made  out  the  application  for  him,  and  the 
clerk  who  had  charge  told  me  to' take  the  man  to  the  court. 

845.  Q.  What  is  your  business  ? 

A.  I  have  been  a  clerk  formerly.  I  have  been  in  the  provost  mar- 
shal's office. 

846.  Q.  Are  you  extensively  acquainted  with  Germans  here  f 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

847.  Q.  How  long  have  you  lived  here  ? 
A.  Twelve  years. 

848.  Q.  Are  you  naturalized  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

849.  Q.  Do  you  know  Major  Simms  ? 

A.  I  have  seen  him  here  in  this  court-room. 

850.  Q.  Did  you  ever  see  him  in  No.  6  Centre  street  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

851.  Q.  How  often? 
A.  Three  times. 

852.  Q.  With  whom  was  he  in  conversation  there  ? 
A.  Rosenberg. 

853.  Q.  Was  it  Rosenberg's  habit,  while  you  were  there,  to  sometimes 
take  men  aside  and  talk  with  them  some  distance  from  you,  or  in  another 
part  of  the  room  ? 

A.  No,  sir.  Rosenberg  would  get  up  from  his  chair  and  talk  over  the 
table  to  them.     I  sat  right  near  to  him. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  73 

854.  Q.  Did  you  ever  see  money  paid  to  Rosenberg  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

855.  Q.  Did  you  see  Simms  or  McDonald  pay  him  any  money1? 
A.  This  Simms  came  down  one  day  about  12  o'clock 

85G.  Q.  Were  you  examined  in  either  of  the  prosecutions  against 
Rosenberg,  as  a  witness  ? 

A.  No,  sir.  I  remember  that  it  was  on  Monday,  the  19th  of  October, 
Mr.  Simms  came  doAvn  about  12  o'clock.  He  inquired  for  Mr.  Rosen- 
berg. He  asked  the  landlord,  who  said  to  him,  "  There  sits  Mr.  Rosen- 
berg." He  came  there  and  said:  "Mr.  Rosenberg,  I  want  to  see  you." 
Rosenberg  got  up  from  his  chair.  He  said:  "Rosenberg,  I  am  from  the 
country — from  Yonkers ;  I  have  about  30  or  40  laboring  men  whom  I 
want  to  get  citizens,  if  I  can  get  them."  Rosenberg  said:  "Bring  these 
men  here  and  I  will  get  citizens'  papers."  He  said :  "  They  cannot  very 
well  get  off,  but  I  will  see  about  it."  In  the  afternoon,  about  5  o'clock, 
Simms  came  in  again,  and  said :  "  Rosenberg,  here  is  a  list  of  five  men, 
and  in  case  they  come  in  to-day,  get  them  up  as  fast  as  you  can,  for  they 
live  in  the  country  and  are  laboring  men."  They  did  not  come  that  clay. 
The  next  day,  about  half-past  5  o'clock,  these  five  came,  and  had  a  witness 
with  them.  One  was  a  Spaniard — Antonio  Gomez.  Rosenberg  spoke 
Spanish  to  them,  and  we  made  out  the  papers  for  them.  They  went 
over  to  the  court,  and  were  gone  about  half  an  hour.  They  came  back 
and  said :  "  We  have  been  sworn,  and  we  cannot  get  our  citizen  papers 
yet."  Rosenberg  said :  "  You  have  got  to  wait  until  your  names  are 
called."  They  said :  "  Rosenberg,  we  can't  wait;  we  live  in  the  country." 
They  gave  their  red  tickets  back  to  Rosenberg,  and  said  to  Rosenberg : 
"  Please  to  get  these  papers  for  us ;  you  can  send  any  child  for  the 
papers  after  they  are  sworn ;  Mr.  Simms  will  come  in  again,  and  please 
hand  him  the  papers."  Rosenberg  went  to  get  the  papers.  About  a 
quarter  of  an  hour  afterwards  Simms  came  and  inquired  if  the  men  had 
been  there.  Rosenberg  said:  "Yes;  and  here  are  the  five  papers." 
Simms  said  to  Rosenberg:  "Here,  take  a  drink;"  and  he  handed  him 
something.    I  do  not  know  what  it  was. 

857.  Q.  Was  any  ever  paid  to  him  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

858.  Q.  Was  any  ever  paid  to  you  clerks,  that  you  know  of  I 
A.  No,  sir. 

859.  Q.  How  was  the  cost  of  these  applications  in  court  paid  by  the 
democratic  party u? 

A.  By  the  general  committee. 

860.  Q.  How  did  they  indicate  that  payment  to  the  clerk  of  the  court  ? 
A.  Through  one  of  these  tickets.    A  man  had  to  hand  over  a  ticket, 

and  he  got  his  paper  for  it.     Every  citizenship  paper  costs  50  cents,  and 
if  it  is  for  an  alien  it  costs  75  cents. 

861.  Q.  State  whether  Rosenberg  himself  was  in  the  habit  of  filling  up 
many  of  these  naturalization  papers. 

A.  He  filled  up  none  of  them.  We  clerks  filled  up  the  applications. 
Rosenberg  examined  the  men  and  we  made  out  the  applications. 

862.  Q.  Who  paid  you  for  your  services  ? 
A.  Supervisor.  Herman. 

863.  Q.  Do  you  know  where  the  other  clerks  are  to  be  found  ?' 

A.  One  of  them  is  outside  waiting  now;  Karmerer  lives  at  154  Delancy 
street ;  another  of  them  lives  up  in  Third  avenue — I  do  not  remember 
the  number. 

864.  Q.  I  understand  you  to  say  that  the  persons  for  whom  Simms  made 
applications  for  the  papers  came  back  afterwards  with  their  witnesses. 


74  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

A.  With  their  witnesses ;  and  from  our  place  we  sent  them  over  to 
the  court-room  with  their  witnesses. 

865.  Q.  Or  with  somebody  who  pretended  to  be  their  witnesses  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir.  I  only  knew  thai  one  name  of  the  five — Antonio  Gomez 
— who  wanted  to  be  naturalized.  I  am  the  one  who  wrote  the  applica- 
tion for  him.  Nobody  was  there  but  myself  and  Rosenberg,  and  I  wrote 
the  application  for  him. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

800.  Q.  Did  I  understand  you  that  Simms  brought  five  men  there? 

A.  No,  sir;  he  brought  a  slip  of  paper  with  these  names,  and  told 
Mr.  Rosenberg  when  these  men  did  come  to  hurry  them  up  as  fast  as 
they  could,  and  favor  him,  because  they  lived  in  the  country. 

807.  Q.   Was  that  all  he  said? 

A.  At  tin4  same  time  he  brought  the  slip  of  paper. 

SOS.  Q.  \Y hereabouts  did  he  say  they  lived? 

A.  Yonkers. 

869.  Q.  Did  he  say  he  had  brought  them  down? 

A.  Oh,  no;  the  first  time  he  came  in  at  12  o'clock  and  applied  to  get 
papers  tor  30  or  40  men  without  bringing  them  before  the  court. 

870.  Q.  And  tin1  live  men  he  said  would  come  down  I 

A.  That  is  what  he  said  in  the  afternoon,  when  he  came  the  second 
time,  about  half-past  4  o'clock. 

871.  Q.  Then  when  the  men  came  there  were  none  of  the  clerks  there 
but  you  and  Rosenberg  I 

A.  Yes,  sir.  The  other  clerks  were  gone  to  supper,  and  I  went  and 
wrote  tin1  applications. 

872.  Q.  Were  there  other  parties  in  while  they  Avere  there? 
A.  Yes,  sir;  a  good  many  men. 

873.  Q.  But  there  were  none  of  the  other  clerks  there? 
A.  None  of  the  other  clerks. 

874.  Q.  Did  you  keep  a  list  of  the  applications  to  the  general  commit- 
tee! 

A.  I  did. 

875.  Q.  Who  has  got  that  list  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know.  I  gave  it  to  the  landlord,  Mr.  Siep,  the  proprietor 
of  the  house. 

870.  Q.  You  gave  that  book  to  him? 

A.  Yes,  sir.     It  is  a  book  containing  the  list. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

877.  Q.  How  many  names  were  in  that  list ? 

A.  I  do  not  know.  We  numbered  them.  I  do  not  recollect  the  num- 
ber— from  5,000  to  0,000.  They  commenced  on  the  21st  of  September 
and  continued  until  the  23d  of  October. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

878.  Q.  There  were  from  5,000  to  0,000  naturalized  from  that  office? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

879.  Q.  Was  the  list  in  the  form  of  a  book? 
A.  No,  sir ;  in  folio  size,  fastened  together. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

880.  Q.  Were  the  names  of  these  five  persons  put  upon  the  list  ? 

A.  That  is  what  I  do  not  know.  Every  name  we  put  on  that  was  nat- 
uralized. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  75 

881.  Q.  Were  the  names  of  these  five  persons  who  were  brought  by 
Simins  put  upon  the  list  ? 

A.  Every  name  naturalized  through  our  office  has  been  put  upon  the 
list. 

882.  Q.  Did  you  put  those  names  down? 

A.  They  are  certain  to  have  been  put  down. 

883.  Q.  One  of  them  was  a  Spaniard  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

884.  Q.  They  brought  their  vouchers  with  them  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

885.  Q.  Did  you  see  Simins  give  Eosenberg  money? 

A.  I  do  not  know  what  he  gave  him.  He  handed  him  something,  and 
told  him  to  take  a  drink  for  it.  And  Eosenberg  called  Simins  up,  and 
Simms  took  a  drink.     He  called  me  up  and  I  took  a  cigar. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

886.  Q.  Was  there  a  little  dark  room  opening  out  of  the  bar  saloon? 
A.  There  is  a  wine  cellar,  where  the  landlord  keeps  his  Avine. 

887.  Q.  Did  you  see  Eosenberg  and  Simms  go  into  that  room? 

A.  In  the  morning  we  sat  in  the  front,  because  we  had  light ;  and  in 
the  evening  there  was  but  one  gas-light,  and  that  was  right  in  the  rear 
of  the  room ;  and  we  sat  right  in  front  of  it.  Mr.  Simms  passed  me 
and  opened  that  door  and  stood  inside,  and  Mr.  Eosenberg  stood  outside 
and  near  the  door. 

888.  Q.  Coidd  you  hear  at  that  time,  standing  where  they  were,  what 
they  said  ? 

A.  I  was  closer  to  them  than  to  you  now,  (about  two  feet,)  and  I  heard 
one  of  them  speak. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

889.  Q.  Simms  came  for  these  papers  and  they  were  given  to  him  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

890.  Q.  Rosenberg  had  got  them  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

891.  Q.  You  say  you  were  not  a  witness  in  Eosenberg's  case  ? 
A.  I  have  not  been  on  the  stand  yet. 

892.  Q.  Have  you  not  been  subpoenaed  by  Eosenberg  ? 

A.  I  have  not  been  subpoenaed  by  anybody,  for  there  has  been  no 
trial.  I  made  out  an  application,  and  if  there  is  any  trial  I  shall  be  sub- 
poenaed. 

893.  Q.  Is  Eosenberg  at  liberty? 
A.  I  believe  he  is  on  bail. 

894.  Q.  Do  you  know  where  he  is  to  be  found  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  saw  him  this  morning,  at  6  Centre  street. 

895.  Q.  Eosenberg,  you,  and  who  else  were  there  this  morning ? 

A.  There  was  another  clerk  there ;  when  the  officer  handed  me  a  sub- 
poena, a  clerk  came  in. 
890.  Q.  How  often  do  you  meet  Eosenberg  there? 
A.  He  occupies  an  office  upstairs  ;  he  is  a  real-estate  agent. 

897.  Q.  And  you  are  there  every  day  ? 
■  A.  Almost  every  day. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

898.  Q.  Have  you  had  any  conversation  with  Eosenberg  with  relation 
to  your  testimony  before  this  committee  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  did  not  know  I  would  be  called  up  before  this  committee. 


76  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

899.  Q.  Youhave  not  seen  him  to  have  a  conversation  with  hiin  aboutit? 
A.  No,  sir. 

900.  Q.  How  many  clerks  were  at  6  Centre  street. 
A.  Four  with  Rosenberg. 

901.  Q.  What  Avere  your  office  hours? 
A.  From  8  o'clock  till  9  o'clock  at  night. 

902.  Q.  Were  you  kept  busy  all  the  time  ? 
A.  Most  of  the  day. 

'903.  Q.  Filling  applications? 
A.  Filling  applications. 

904.  Q.  Rosenberg  was  the  chief  man,  was  he? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

905.  Q.  In  the  great  number  of  applicants  for  naturalization,  you  and 
the  other  clerks  of  course  personally  did  not  know  all  the  men  who  applied 
for  naturalization  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

906.  Q.  You  knew  nothing  about  what  they  were,  except  as  they  came 
and  gave  you  their  names  and  told  you  themselves? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

907.  Q.  You  did  not  personally  know  the  witnesses,  as  a  general  rule 
there,  did  you  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

908.  Q.  You  knew  nothing  about  the  character  of  the  applicants  or  the 
witnesses  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

909.  Q.  Neither  for  honesty  or  truth  as  a  general  rule? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  only  asked  how  long  they  had  been  in  the  country;  if 
they  were  aliens,  and  if  they  had  made  a  declaration  of  intentions  to 
become  citizens.  The  court  asked  about  their  behavior — it  was  none  of 
our  business. 

910.  Q.  You  could  not  recollect  from  day  to  day  all  the  persons  who 
had  made  application  to  you? 

A.  No,  sir. 

911.  Q.  Did  the  witnesses,  as  a  general  rule,  come  into  the  office  with 
the  applicants,  or  did  they  go  to  the  court  ? 

A.  They  had  to  come  first  into  the  office  and  then  to  the  court. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

912.  Q.  Who  furnished  you  those  blanks  for  filling  up  applications  for 
naturalization  papers  ? 

A.  They  were  furnished  to  the  court. 

913.  Q.  You  filled  them  up,  and  the  party  signed  his  application  in  that 
office,  and  his  witness  signed  it? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

914.  Q.  Then  you  gave  him  a  ticket  to  go  to  the  court? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

915.  Q.  What  proportion  of  these  naturalization  papers  were  used  in 
the  respective  courts. 

A.  There  Avere  two  courts  in  session  during  the  daytime — the  common 
pleas  and  the  superior  court.  They  were  in  session  from  10  o'clock  until 
4 ;  and  at  5  or  half-past  5  the  supreme  court  opened ;  and  at  last,  about 
a  week  before  they  stopped  naturalization,  the  supreme  court  kept  open 
at  night  until  10  o'clock. 

916.  Q.  Then  the  supreme  court  did  not  meet  for  that  purpose  until 
half-past  five  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  77 

917.  Q.  How  late  did  it  sit  for  that  purpose  f 
A.  Ten  o'clock ;  sometimes  it  was  later. 

918.  Q,  How  late? 

A.  I  cannot  tell ;  they  only  sat  until  9  o'clock,  and  I  went  away.  The 
court  sat  as  long  as  there  were  men  there. 

919.  Q.  In  what  proportion  were  the  naturalization  papers  in  those 
courts  you  had  the  most? 

A.  Sometimes  one  clerk  made  them  for  this  court  and  made  them  for 
that  court;  I  cannot  say  which  court  had  the  most.  (To  Mr.  Kerr.) 
Rosenberg  examined  the  men  and  said :  first,  second,  or  third  clerk  make 
out  applications  for  these  men.  One  clerk  had  the  blanks  for  the  supe- 
rior court,  one  for  the  court  of  common  pleas,  and  another  again  had 
applications  for  soldiers. 

920.  Q.  Which  of  the  clerks  lrad  the  applications  for  the  supreme  court? 
A.  All  of  us,  in  the  evening. 

921.  Q.  You  ran  the  supreme  court  in  the  evenings  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  some  evenings  the  supreme  court  was  not  in  session,  and 
the  superior  court  was  in  session. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

922.  Q.  Did  not  most  parties  come  in  the  evening  after  their  work  was 
done  ? 

A.  The  laboring  men  did. 

By  Mr.  Dickey: 

923.  Q.  Are  not  .the  great  majority  of  the  men  who  are  naturalized 
laboring  men? 

A.  There  are  a  great  many  other  men  wanting  to  be  naturalized,  and 
there  was  a  good  many  laboring  men. 

924.  Q.  Do  you  know  Charles  Edward  Norton? 
A.  No,  sir. 

New  York  Common  Pleas. 

In  the  matter  of  the  application  of 


to  be  admitted  a  citizen  of  the  >  E.  L.  G. 
United  States  of  America.  ) 

State  of  New  York,  city  and  county  of  New  York,  ss : 

,  the  above  named  applicant,  being  duly  sworn,  says, 

that  he  resides  at ;  that  he  has  arrived  at  the  age  of  21  years; 

that  he  has  resided  in  the  United  States  three  years  next  preceding  his 
arrival  at  that  age,  and  has  continued  to  reside  therein  to  the  present 
time;  that  he  has  resided  five  years  within  the  United  States,  including 
the  three  years  of  his  minority,  and  one  year,  at  least,  immediately  pre- 
ceding this  application,  within  the  State  of  New  York ;  and  that  for 
three  years  next  preceding  this  application  it  has  been,  bona  fide,  his 
intention  to  become  a  citizen  of  the  United  States. 


Sworn  in  open,  court,  this day  of ,  18G-. 

,  Clerk. 

State  of  New  York,  city  and  county  of  New  York,  ss : 

,  being  duly  sworn,  says,  that  he  resides  at ,  and 

that  he  is  well  acquainted  with  the  above  named  applicant;  and  that  the 
said  applicant  has  resided  in  the  United  States  for  three  years  next  pre- 
ceding his  arrival  at  the  age  of  21  years ;  that  he  has  continued  to  reside 
therein  to  the  present  time ;  that  he  has  resided  five  years  within  the 


78  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

United  States,  including  the  three  years  of  his  minority,  and  in  the  State 
of  New  York  one  year,  at  least,  immediately  preceding  this  application; 
and  that  daring  that  time  he  lias  behaved  as  a  man  of  good  moral  char- 
acter, attached  to  the  principles  of  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States, 
and  well  disposed  to  the  good  order  and  happiness  of  the  same;  and 
deponent  verily  believes  that  for  three  years  next  preceding  this  appli- 
cation it  has  been,  bona  fide,  the  intention  of  the  said  applicant  to  become 
a  citizen  of  the  United  States. 


Sworn  in  open  court,  this day  of ,  18G-. 


Clerk. 


State  of  New  York,  City  and  County  of  New  York,  an: 

I, ,  the  above-named  applicant,  do  declare,  on  oath,  that 

it  is,  bona  fide,  my  intention,  and  has  been  for  three  years  next  preceding 
this  application,  to  become  a  citizen  of  tin1  United  States,  and  to 
renounce    forever    all    allegiance    and   fidelity  to  every  foreign    prince, 

potentate,  state  or  sovereignty  whatever,  particularly  to  the ,  of 

whom  I  am  now  a  subject. 


Sworn  in  open  court,  this day  of ,  18G-. 

,  Clerk. 

State  of  New  York,  City  and  County  of  New  York,  .s.s*  : 

I, ,  the  above-named  applicant,  do  solemnly  swear  that 

I  will  support  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States,  and  that  L  do  abso- 
lutely and  entirely  renounce  and  abjure  all  allegiance  and  fidelity  to  every 
foreign  prince,  potentate,  state  or  sovereignty  whatever,  and  particularly 
to  the ,  of  whom  I  was  before  a  subject. 


Sworn  in  open  court,  this day  of ,  180-. 

,  Clerk. 

At  a  special  term  of  the  court  of  common  pleas  for  the  city  and  county 

of  New  York,  held  at  the  City  Hall  of  the  city  of  New  York,  on  the 

day  of ,  18G-. 

Present,  Hon. ,  judge. 

In  the  matter  of  the  application  of  the  within-named  applicant  to  be 
admitted  a  citizen  of  the  United  States  of  America. 
The  said  applicant  appearing  personally  in  court,  producing  the  evi- 
dence required  by  the  acts  of  Congress,  and  having  made  such  declara- 
tion and  renunciation,  and  having  taken  such  oaths  as  are  by  the  said 
acts  required,  it  is  ordered  by  the  said  court,  that  the  said  applicant  be 
admitted  to  be  a  citizen  of  the  United  States  of  America. 


Superior  Court  of  the  City  of  New  York. 

In  the  matter  of ,  on  his  } 

application  to  become  a  citizen  of  >  E.  L.  G. 
the  United  States.  ) 

State  'of  New  York,  City  and  County  of  New  York,  ss: 

,  of  ,  being  duly   sworn,   says,  that  he  is  well 

acquainted  with  the  above-named  applicant,  and  that  the  said  applicant 
has  resided  within  the  United  States  for  the  continued  term  of  five  years 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  79 

at  least  next  preceding  the  present  time,  and  within  the  State  of  New 
York  one  year  at  least  immediately  preceding  this  application  5  and 
that  during  that  time  he  has  behaved  as  a  man  of  good  moral  char- 
acter, attached  to  the  principles  of  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States, 
and  well  disposed  to  the  good  order  and  happiness  of  the  same. 

Sworn  in  open  court,  this day  of ,  18-. 

,  Cleric. 

State  of  Xetv  York,  City  and  County  of  New  York,  ss  : 

I, ,  of ,  do  solemnly  swear  that  I  will  support  the 

Constitution  of  the  United  States,  and  that  I  do  absolutely  and  entirely 
renonnee  and  abjure  all  allegiance  and  fidelity  to  any  foreign  prince, 
potentate,  state  or  sovereignty  whatever,  and  particularly  to  the  Queen 
of  the  United  Kingdom  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  of  whom  I  was 
before  a  subject. 

Sworn  in  open  court,  this day  of ,  18-. 

,  Cleric. 


Superior  Court  of  the  City  of  Xew  York. 

In  the  matter  of :,  on  his  } 

application  to  become  a  citizen  of  >  Minor,  E.  L.  G. 
the  United  States.  ) 

State  of  New  York,  City  and  County  of  New  York,  ss : 

,  of ,  being  duly  sworn,  doth  depose  and  say,  that 

he  is  well  acquainted  with  the  above-named  applicant ;j  that  the  said 
applicant  has  resided  in  the  United  States  for  three  years  next  preced- 
ing his  arrival  at  the  age  of  21  years ;  that  he  has  continued  to  reside 
therein  to  the  present  time:  that  he  has  resided  five  years  within  the 
United  States,  including  three  years  of  his  minority,  and  that  he  has 
resided  in  the  State  of  Xew  York  one  year  at  least  immediately  preced- 
ing this  application j  and  that  during  that  time  he  has  behaved  as  a  man 
of  good  moral  character,  attached  to  the  principles  of  the  Constitution 
of  the  United  States,  and  well  disposed  to  the  good  order  and  happiness 
of  the  same ;  and  deponent  verily  believes,  that  for  three  years  next 
preceding  this  application  it  has  been  the  real  and  honest  intention  of 
the  said  applicant  to  become  a  citizen  of  the  United  States. 

Sworn  in  open  court,  this day  of ,  186-. 


-,  Clerk. 


State  of  New  York,  City  and  County  of  New  York,  ss: 

,  of ,  the  above-named  applicant,  being  duly  sworn, 

says,  that  he  has  arrived  at  the  age  of  21  years ;  that  he  has  resided  in 
the  United  States  three  years  next  preceding  his  arrival  at  that  age,  and 
has  continued  to  reside  therein  to  the  present  time;  that  he  has  resided 
five  years  within  the  United  States,  including  the  three  years  of  his 
minority,  and  that  he  has  resided  one  year  at  least,  immediately  preced- 
ing this  application,  within  the  State  of  New  York,  and  that  for  three 
years  next  preceding  this  application  it  has  been  his  real  and  honest 
intention  to  become  a  citizen  of  the  United  States. 

Sworn  in  open  court,  this day  of ,  186-. 

,  Clerk. 


80  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK 

I  do  declare  on  oath,  that  it  is  my  bona  fide  intention,  and  has  been 
for  the  three  years  next  preceding  this  application,  to  become  a  citizen 
of  the  United  States,  and  to  renounce  forever  all  allegiance  and  fidelity 
to  any  foreign  prince,  potentate,  state  or  sovereignty  whatever,  and 

particularly  to  the ,  of  whom  I  was  before  a  subject. 

Sworn  in  open  court,  this day  of ,  ISO-. 

,  Cleric 

I, ,  do  solemnly  swear  that  I  will  support  the  Constitu- 
tion of  tlie  United  States,  and  that  I  do  absolutely  and  entirely 
renounce  and  abjure  all  allegiance  and  fidelity  to  any  foreign  prince, 
potentate,  state  or  sovereignty  whatever,  and  particularly  to  the 
,  of  whom  1  was  before  a  subject. 

Sworn  in  open  court,  this day  of ,  18G-. 

Clerk. 


New  York  Common  Pleas. 

In  the  matter  of  the  application  of 


to  be  admitted  a  citizen  of  the  >  E.  L.  G. 


5 

United  States  of  America.  ) 

State  of  New  York,  City  and  County  of  Neiv  Yorl\  ss : 

,  being  duly  sworn,  says,  that  he  resides  at  ,  and 

that  he  is  well  acquainted  with  the  above-named  applicant,  and  that  the 
said  applicant  has  resided  within  the  United  States  for  the  continued 
term  of  five  years,  at  least,  next  preceding  the  present  time,  and  within 
the  State  of  New  York  one  year,  at  least,  immediately  preceding  this 
application;  and  that  during  that  time  he  has  behaved  as  a  man  of  good 
moral  character,  attached  to  the  principles  of  the  Constitution  of  the 
United  States,  and  well  disposed  to  the  good  order  and  happiness  of  the 
same. 


Sworn  in  open  court,  this day  of ,  186-. 

,  Clerl\ 

State  of  New  York,  City  and  County  of  New  York,  ss: 

I, ,  residing  at  ,  do  solemnly  swear  that  I  will 

support  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States,  and  that  I  do  absolutely 
and  entirely  renounce  and  abjure  all  allegiance  and  fidelity  to  every 
foreign  prince,  potentate,  state  or  sovereignty  whatever,  and  particu- 
larly to  the ,  of  whom  1  wTas  before  a  subject. 


Sworn  in  open  court,  this day  of ,  186-. 

,  Clerl: 

At  a  special  term  of  the  court  of  common  pleas  for  the  city  and 
county  of  New  York,  held  at  the  City  Hall  of  the  city  of  New  York,  on 
the day  of ,  186-. 

Present,  Hon. ,  judge. 

In  the  matter  of  the  application  of  the  within-named  applicant  to  be 
admitted  a  citizen  of  the  United  States  of  America. 

The  said  applicant  appearing  personally  in  court,  producing  the 
evidence  required  by  the  acts  of  Congress,  and  having  made  such  decla- 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  81 

ration  and  renunciation,  and  having  taken  such  oaths  as  are  by  the  said 
acts  required,  it  is  ordered  by  the  said  court  that  the  said  applicant  be 
admitted  to  be  a  citizen  of  the  United  States  of  America, 


Supreme  Court,  City  and  County  of  New  York: 

In  the  matter  of ,  on  his  } 

petition  to  become  a  citizen  of  the  >  E.  L.  G. 

United  States.  ) 

To  the  supreme  court  of  the  State  of  New  York  : 

The  petition  of ,  residing  at ,  respectfully  shows : 

That  he  is  of  the  age  of  twenty-one  years  and  upwards,  and  has  resided 
within  the  United  States  for  the  continued  term  of  one  year  next  preced- 
ing the  present  time ;  that  your  petitioner  enlisted  in  the  army  of  the 

United  States,  in  the  regiment  of  New  York  volunteers,  on  the 

day  of ,  186-,  at  ,  in  the  State  of  New  York,  and 

was  honorably  discharged  therefrom  on  the day  of  ,  186-, 

at ;  your  petitioner  therefore  asks  to  be  admitted  to  become  a  cit- 
izen of  the  United  States,  pursuant  to  sec.  21  of  the  act  of  Congress 
passed  July  17, 1862,  entitled  "An  act  to  define  the  pay  and  emoluments 
of  certain  officers  of  the  army,  and  for  other  purposes." 


State  of  New  York,  City  and  County  of  New  York: 

,  the  within-named  petitioner,  being  duly  sworn,  says 

that  the  matters  contained  in  the  foregoing  petition  are  true. 

Sworn  in  open  court,  this day  of ,  18G-. 


Clerk, 


State  of  New  York,  City  and  County  of  Neiv  York,  ss : 

,  being  duly  sworn,  says  that  he  resides  at ,  and 

that  he  is  well  acquainted  with  the  above-named  petitioner,  and  that  the 
said  petitioner  has  resided  within  the  United  States  for  the  continued 
term  of  one  year,  at  least,  next  preceding  the  present  time,  and  within 
the  State  of  New  York  one  year,  at  least,  immediately  preceding  this 
application ;  and  that  during  that  time  he  has  behaved  as  a  man  of  good 
moral  character,  attached  to  the  principle*  «l  the  Constitution  of  the 
United  States,  and  well  disposed  to  the  good  order  and  happiness  of  the 
same ;  and  that  he  knows  the  said  applicant  to  be  the  identical  person 
mentioned  and  described  in  the  foregoing  petition,  and  in  the  certificate 
of  discharge  from  the  service  of  the  United  States  army,  now  produced 
to  the  court. 


Sworn  in  open  court,  this day  of ,  180-. 

,  Clerk. 

State  of  New  York,  City  and  County  of  New  York,  ss  : 

!> ,  residing  at  ,  do  solemnly  swear  that  I  will 

support  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States ;  and  that  I  do  absolutely 
and  entirely  renounce  and  abjure  all  allegiance  and  fidelity  to  every  for- 
eign prince,  potentate,  state  or  sovereignty  whatever,  and  particularly 
to  the ,  of  whom  I  was  before  a  subject. 

Sworn  in  open  court,  this day  of ,  186-. 

6  t 


82  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YOIiK. 

At  a  special  term  of  the  supreme  court,  held  ar  tin*  City  Hall  of  the 

city  of  .New  York,  on  the day  of ,  106-. 

Present,  Hon. ,  justice. 

[n  the  matter  of  the  application  ol'  the  within-named  applicant  to  he 
admitted  a  citizen  of  the  Tinted  States  of  America. 
The  said  applicant  appearing  personally  in  court,  and  producing  his 
certificate  of  discharge  from  the  service  of  the  United  States  army,  and 
the  evidence  required  by  the  acts  of  Congress,  and  having  made  such 
declaration  and  renunciation,  and  having  taken  such  oaths  as  are  by  the 
said  acts  required, it  is  ordered  by  the  said  court  that  the  said  applicant 
be  admitted  to  be  a  citizen  of  the  United  States  of  America. 


[Exhibit  E,  in  Goldstein's  testimony.] 

Supreme  Court,  City  and  County  of  New  York: 

In  the  matter  of  the  application  of 


to  be  admitted  a  citizen  of  the  >E.  L.  (1. 


United  States  of  America.  ) 

State  of  New  York,  City  and  County  of  New  York,  m: 

,  being  duly  sworn,  says  that  he  resides  at ,  arid  that 

he  is  well  acquainted  with  the  above-named  applicant,  and  that  the  said 
applicant  has  resided  within  the  United  States  for  the  continued  term 
of  five  years,  at  least,  next  preceding  the  present  time,  and  within  the 
State  of  New  York  one  year,  at  least,  immediately  preceding  this  appli- 
cation ;  and  that  during  that  time  he  has  behaved  as  a  man  of  good 
moral  character,  attached  to  the  principles  of  the  Constitution  of  the 
United  States,  and  well  disposed  to  the  good  order  and  happiness  of  the 
same. 


Sworn  in  open  court,  this day  of ,  186-. 

,  Clerk. 

State  of  Xew  York,  City  and  County  of  New  York,  88  : 

I, ,  residing  at ,  do  solemnly  swear  that  1  will  sup- 
port the  Constitution  of  the  United  States ;  and  that  I  do  absolutely  and 
entirely  renounce  and  abjure  all  allegiance  and  fidelity  to  every  foreign 
prince,  potentate,  state  or  sovereignty  whatever,  and  particularly  to  the 
,  of  whom  I  was  before  a  subject. 


Sworn  in  open  court,  this day  of ,  186-. 

,  Clerk. 

At  a  special  term  of  the  supreme  court,  held  at  the  City  Hall  of  the 

city  of  New  York,  on  the day  of ,  186-. 

Present,  Hon. ,  justice. 

In  the  matter  of  the  application  of  the  Avithm-named  applicant  to  be 
admitted  a  citizen  of  the  United  States  of  America. 
The  said  applicant  appearing  personally  in  court,  producing  the  evi- 
dence required  by  the  acts  of  Congress,  and  having  made  such  declara- 
tion and  renunciation,  and  having  taken  such  oaths  as  are  by  the  said 
acts  required,  it  is  ordered  by  the  said  court  that  the  said  applicant  be 
admitted  to  be  a  citizen  of  the  United  States  of  America. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IX  NEW  YOKE.  83 

Supreme  Court,  city  and  County  of  New  York: 

Tu  the  matter  of  the  application  of ,  } 

to  be  admitted  a  citizen  of  the  United  States  of  >  E.  L.  G. 
America.  ) 

State  OF  New  York,  City  and  County  of  New  York,  ss : 

,  the  above-named  applicant,  being  duly  .sworn,  says, 

that  he  resides  at ;  that  he  has  arrived  at  the  age  of  21  years; 

that  he  lias  resided  in  the  United  States  three  years  next  preceding  his 
arrival  at  that  age,  and  has  continued  to  reside  therein  to  the  present 
time ;  that  he  has  resided  five  years  within  the  United  States,  including 
the  three  years  of  his  minority,  and  one  year,  at  least,  immediately  pre- 
ceding this  application,  within  the  State  of  New  York  ;  and  that  for 
three  years  next  preceding  this  application  it  has  been,  bona  fide,  his 
intention  to  become  a  citizen  of  the  United  States. 


Sworn  in  open  court,  this day ,  186- 


-,  Clerk. 


State  of  New  York,  City  and  County  of  New  York,  ss : 

,  being  duly  sworn,  says,  that  he  resides  at  ,  and 

that  he  is  well  acquainted  with  the  above-named  applicant;  and  that 
the  said  applicant  has  resided  in  the  United  States  for  three  years  next 
preceding  his  arrival  at  the  age  of  21  years;  that  he  has  continued  to 
reside  therein  to  the  present  time :  that  lie  has  resided  live  years  within 
the  United  States,  including  the  three  years  of  his  minority,  and  in  the 
State  of  Xew  York  one  year,  at  least,  immediately  preceding  this  appli- 
cation:  and  that  during  that  time  he  has  behaved  as  a  man  of  good 
moral  character,  attached  to  the  principles  of  the  Constitution  of  the 
United  States,  and  well  disposed  to  the  good  order  and  happiness  of  the 
same ;  and  deponent  verily  believes  that  for  three  years  next  preceding 
this  application  it  has  been,  bona  fide,  the  intention  of  the  said  applicant 
to  become  a  citizen  of  the  United  States. 


Sworn  in  open  court,  this day  of ,  ISO-. 


-,  Clerk. 


State  of  New  York,  City  and  County  of  New  York.  88  : 

1. ,  the  above-named  applicant,  do  declare  on  oath  that 

it  is.  bona  fide,  my  intention,  and  has  been  for  three  years  next  preced- 
ing this  application,  to  become  a  citizen  of  the  United  States;  and  to 
renounce  forever  all  allegiance  and  fidelity  to  every  foreign  prince, 
potentate,  state  or  sovereignty  whatever,  particularly1  to  the  Queen  of 
the  United  Kingdom  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  of  whom  I  am  now  a 
subject. 


Sworn  in  open  court,  this day  of ,  186- 


Clerk 


State  of  New  York,  City  and  County  of  New  York,  ss : 

J- <  the  above-named  applicant,  do  solemnly  swear  that 

1  will  support  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States ;  and  that  I  do  abso- 
lutely and  entirely  renounce  and  abjure  all  allegiance  and  fidelity  to 
every  foreign  prince,  potentate,  state  or  sovereignty  whatever,  and  par- 


84  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

ticularly  to  the  Queen  of  the  United  Kingdom  of  Great   Britain  and 
Ireland,  of  whom  I  was  before  a  subject. 


Sworn  in  open  court,  this day  of ,  180-. 

,  Clerk. 

At  a  special  term  of  the  supreme  court,  held  at  the  City  Hall  of  the 
city  of  New  York,  on  the day  of ,  186-. 

Present,  Hon. ,  justice. 

In  the  matter  of  the  application  of  the  within-named  applicant  to  be 
admitted  a  citizen  of  the  United  States  of  America. 

The  said  applicant  appearing  personally  in  court,  producing  the  evi- 
dence required  by  the  acts  of  Congress,  and  having  made  such  declara- 
tion and  renunciation,  and  having  taken  such  oat  lis  as  are  by  the  said  acts 
required,  it  is  ordered  by  the  said  court  that  the  said  applicant  be 
admitted  to  be  a  citizen  of  the  United  States  of  America. 

Porter  G.  Sherman  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

025.  Question.  What  position  did  von  hold  at  the  last  election  in  New- 
York! 

Answer.  I  was  register  and  inspector  in  the  <Sth  district  and  17tli 
ward. 

02G.  Q.  Ipresenttoyou  four  papers  purporting  to  be  naturalization  cer- 
tificates, referred  to  in  the  testimony  of  William  \Y.  Soung,  and  signed 
"  Charles  E.  Loew,  clerk,''  and  issued,  one  to  Henry  Sterne,  one  to 
Charles  Warneck,  one  to  William  Lucas,  one  to  Gottlieb  Kaffenberger  ; 
state  what  you  know  of  these  papers. 

A.  The  paper  of  Sterne  was  brought  by  a  man  named  Henry  Sterne, 
who  presented  himself  for  registration.  I  inquired  how  he  got  the  paper, 
or  in  what  court :  he  said  he  got  it  in  the  City  Hall.  I  inquired  from 
him  as  to  what  room  or  what  court  in  the  City  Hall,  and  he  said  he  did 
not  know.  I  asked  him  whether  it  was  up  stairs  or  down  stairs,  and  he 
could  not  tell  about  that;  he  understood  that  it  was  in  the  City  Hall. 
I  asked  him  who  were  there  ;  he  said  the  hall  was  crowded.  I  asked 
him  if  it  was  crowded  up  stairs  and  down  stairs ;  he  said  it  was.  I  asked 
him  if  he  was  sworn  ;  he  said  he  was.  I  asked  him  who  swore  him ;  he 
said  he  did  not  know.  I  asked  him  who  was  with  him  ;  he  said  the  whole 
crowd  were  sworn  and  he  was  sworn  with  them;  and  that  after  being 
sworn  they  got  the  papers ;  he  did  not  know  who  gave  him  the  paper, 
but  he  got  it.  I  asked  him  if  he  had  a  witness  with  him  ;  he  said  he  had. 
I  asked  him  how  long  he  knew  him  ;  he  said  about  a  year.  I  asked  him 
if  he  knew  him  longer  than  that ;  he  said  no,  about  a  year  or  nearly  two 
years.    I  asked  him  his  name;  he  said  his  name  was  Cook. 

927.  Q.  Did  Sterne  say  whether  he  himself  had  been  in  the  country 
five  years. 

A.  !No;  he  said  he  had  been  here  about  four  years.  As  to  Warneck\s 
papers,  Charles  Warneck,  of  263  East  Houston  street,  presented  himself 
with  this  paper  to  register,  at  the  4th  election  district,  17th  ward.  He 
said  he  got  the  paper  in  Centre  street;  he  thought  ^No.  6 ;  it  was  in  the 
basement ;  somebody  there  gave  him  this  naturalization  paper ;  he  said 
he  was  not  in  court  and  did  not  get  the  paper  in  any  court.  [To  Mr. 
Boss.]  The  statement  was  not  made  under  oath.  William  Lucas  pre- 
sented this  paper ;  he  said  he  got  it  from  Mr.  Rupert,  of  Essex  market 
court.     He  said  first,  "  I  got  it  in  court;"  we  then  inquired  from  him 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  85 

what  court,  and  then  we  found  out  it  was  the  Essex  market  court;  it 
was  not  any  other  court.  There  is  no  Essex  market  court  authorized  to 
issue  naturalization  papers. 

By  Mr.  Boss  : 

928.  Q.  Was  that  testified  to  ! 
A.  It  was  his  answer  under  oath. 

By  Mr.  Dawes: 

929.  Q.  It  was  a  statement  made  when  he  presented  the  naturalization 
paper  for  registration  ' 

A.  Yes,  sir.  Gottlieb  Kaffenberger  presented  this  paper ;  he  said  he 
got  it  in  Centre  street,  in  the  basement,  not  in  any  court ;  that  was  his 
statement,  not  under  oath. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

930.  Q.  Did  you  refuse  these  parties  registration  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

931.  Q.  About  what  proportion  of  voters  in  your  district  were  foreign- 
born  citizens  ? 

A.  The  great  majority  of  them  were  foreign  born  ;  it  is  rather  a  Ger- 
man district. 

932.  Q.  Did  you  generally  swear  them ! 

A.  No,  sir ;  we  found  it  no  kind  of  use  to  swear  them;  they  came  up 
there  to  swear  right  through  that  they  were  citizens,  or  whatever  it  was. 

933.  Q.  What  proportion  of  them  were  sworn  ! 

A.  We  swore  very  few — perhaps  one  in  20.  When  I  came  to  ques- 
tion them  as  to  how  they  got  their  papers,  I  found  they  got  them  in 
that  way ;  there  was  the  seal  of  the  court  and  the  signature  of  the  clerk. 
One  of  my  associates  came  back  and  said  that  we  could  not  go  behind 
the  court ;  that  the  court  held  itself  responsible  for  what  they  did. 

By  Mr.  KERR  : 

934.  Q.  In  other  words,  when  you  examined  them  they  told  you  the 
truth  and  you  excluded  their  votes.  Do  you  think  it  is  hardly  fair  for  you 
to  say  that  they  came  prepared  to  swear  the  thing  through  ! 

A.  I  do  not  know ;  I  believe  these  men  told  the  truth ;  some  told  a 
pretty  crooked  story  and  I  took  away  their  papers  from  them. 

By  Mr.  Ross : 

935.  Q.  You  kept  out  the  illegal  votes  pretty  well ' 

A.  ^Ye  registered  a  good  many  of  them  which  I  think  were   spurious. 

936.  Q.  Did  they  vote  ! 

A.  We  registered  414  and  there  were  380  votes  polled. 

937.  Q.  Did  you  know  of  any  illegal  votes  having  been  given  at  your 
precinct  I 

A.  Xo.  sir  ;  1  do  not  positively  know  of  any  :  1  know  if  1  had  it  to  do 
over  again  1  would  retain  all  of  these  papers  instead  of  allowing  any- 
body to  vote  upon  them. 

John  Osborxe  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  CHAIRMAN: 

938.  Question.  What  office  did  you  hold  at  the  last  election? 
Answer.  I  was  chairman  of  the  board  of  registers  and  inspectors  of 

election.  1  have  been  so  ever  since  there  has  been  a  registration  law  in 
this  city,  except  the  three  years  I  was  in  the  army. 

939.  Q.  AYh at  do  you  know  of  fraudulent  naturalization  papers  being 
presented  to  procure  registration  of  voters  on  ? 


86  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

A.  Last  year  I  saw  there  was  something  of  the  sort  coming,  to  have 
naturalization  papers  without  the  men  going  down  to  the  court  to  pro 
cure  them  themselves  ;  that  is,  they  were  furnished  by  committees  any 
where.  I  saw  it  coming  last  year,  and  I  used  every  opportunity  to  chal- 
lenge all  those  that  were  dated  in  the  month  of  October,  last  year.  I 
made  them  swear,  and  I  found  that  several  of  them  had  got  them  fraud- 
ulently; and  I  found  the  same  thing  this  year,  and  I  seized  four  or  five 
of  these  papers*.  One  of  them  I  was  mistaken  about,  so  that  I  had  to 
withdraw  it  in  order  to  hand  it  to  the  man  to  whom  it  belonged,  but  he 
never  called  for  it  afterwards;  that  is  one  of  four  or  five.  Myself  and 
Mr.  Bogart  ceased  taking  the  responsibility  of  this. 

940.  Q.  What  proportion  of  the  adult  male  citizens  of  your  district  arc 
foreign-horn,  and  what  proportion  are  native-born  ? 

A.  There  are  over  90  per  cent,  of  foreign  birth. 

941.  Q.  About  what  percentage  of  them  were  sworn  when  they  were 
registered  ? 

A.  Quite  a  number  of  them.  I  swore  every  one  whose  paper  was 
dated  in  October,  18G7,  and  October,  1868.  After  they  were  sworn  a 
memorandum  was  put  on  the  paper  by  Mr.  Bogart,  so  that  the  registra- 
tion could  not  be  repeated  in  another  district. 

942.  Q.  If  you  have  a  paper  in  your  possession  purporting  to  be  a  nat- 
uralization paper,  present  it  and  describe  it. 

A.  I  present  this  paper,  issued  to  Daniel  (VDonohue,  dated  18th  of 
October,  1868,  and  signed,  "Charles  E.  Loew,  clerk." 

943.  Q.  State  what  O'Donohue  said  when  he  presented  it  for  registra- 
tion. 

A.  I  asked  him  if  he  went  into  court  to  get  that  paper  from  the  judge; 
he  said  he  did.  I  asked  him  if  he  was  properly  sworn;  he  said  he  was. 
I  asked  him  if  he  had  a  witness  with  him;  he  said  no,  he  had  no  witness. 
Said  I,  "Did  you  ever  declare  your  intention  to  become  a  citizen,  or 
get  your  first  papers?"  he  said  he  did  not.  I  asked  him  why;  he  said 
because  he  was  told  by  several  persons  that  it  was  no  use  to  do  anything 
of  the  kind,  as  the  law  had  been  altered  in  some  way  so  that  it  did  not 
require  a  man  to  declare  his  intentions  to  get  out  his  first  papers.  Then 
there  was  a  question  brought  up  before  the  court  whether  lie  should  be 
arrested  or  not,  as  he  was  not  entitled  to  the  paper.  Our  associates 
decided  that  the  man  had  been  made  a  dupe  of,  and  that  we  had  better  not 
punish,  but  go  a  little  further,  and  expose  what  the  court  was  doing. 
We  decided  to  do  that;  I  kept  this  paper;  but  before  he  went  out  lie 
stated  he  had  served  three  years  in  the  army,  and  had  got  an  honorable 
discharge  which  would  entitle  him  to  this  paper,  but  we  still  held  it 
because  the  judge  did  not  question  him  upon  that.  It  would  have  been 
the  same  thing  if  he  had  not  been  in  the  army,  and  had  not  been  honor- 
orably  discharged.  However,  I  think  the  man  was  entitled  to  the 
paper,  and  I  withdrew  it  so  as  to  return  it,  but  he  never  called  for  it.  If 
he  had  applied  to  the  judge  and  mentioned  that  he  was  a  soldier,  he 
would  have  got  his  paper,  but  in  the  other  papers  there  was  no  such 
excuse  at  all. 

944.  Q.  Do  you  know  any  other  facts  tending  to  show  the  existence  of 
naturalization  papers  ? 

A.  No  more  than  that  I  had  three  or  four  such  papers  as  this ;  I  believe 
they  are  in  the  hands  of  some  committee. 
By  Mr.  Boss. 

945.  Q.  There  were  no  illegal  votes  polled  at  your  place  that  you  knoi 
of? 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  87 

A.  None  that  I  know  of.  They  were  attempted  but  they  could  not  go 
through.  There  were  three  young  men  of  whom  I  was  doubtful  whether 
they  were  of  age  or  not.  They  swore  they  were  of  age,  but  they  could  not 
tell  their  birthday.  We  had  to  register  them,  but  they  never  came  up 
to  vote. 

94G.  Q.  You  think  you  protected  your  polls  so  that  no  illegal  votes  got 
in  there '! 

A.  I  think  so. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

947.  Q.  What  are  your  politics? 
A.  Republican.    * 

Charles  Henry  Siep  recalled. 
By  Mr.  Dickey: 

948.  Question.  Have  you  the  list  of  naturalization  papers  which  the 
clerk,  Goldstein,  says  he  left  with  you  as  a  member  of  the  general  com- 
mittee f 

Answer.  He  did  not  leave  any  list  with  me ;  if  the  list  be  there,  Mr. 
Kosenberg  must  have  it. 

949.  Q.  Goldstein  says  that  after  Eosenberg  was  arrested  he  acted  as 
chief  clerk,  and  that  he  left  a  list  of  naturalizations  with  you. 

A .  He  did  not  leave  any  list  there  at  all.  Rosenberg  kept  his  papers 
in  his  private  possession — in  his  pocket.  He  left  only  the  blanks  and 
his  pen  and  ink,  &c,  there  in  the  evening. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

950.  Q.  Are  you  a  member  of  the  German  naturalization  committee? 
A.  No,  sir ;  I  am  a  member  of  the  general  committee,  but  not  of  the 

naturalization  committee. 

951.  Q.  Are  you  a  member  of  the  committee  that  appointed  the  nat- 
uralization committee  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

952.  Q.  You  say  that  no  list  was  left  with  you  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

953.  Q.  Do  you  know  where  it  is  ? 

A.  No,  sir.  Eosenberg  ought  to  know  that.  He  had  this  list  in  his 
possession,  and  he  must  have  it,  or  know  all  about  it.  Goldstein  is 
mistaken  about  that. 

Patrick  T.  Feeny  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman: 

954.  Question.  Are  you  a  native  of  the  United  States  I 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  I  came  here  when  I  was  about  two-and-a-half  years 
old. 

955.  Q.  Did  you  ever  go  into  any  court  to  procure  naturalization 
papers  % 

A.  I  went  over  to  6  Centre  street  to  get  a  paper  there,  and  from  there 
I  was  sent  over  to  the  chambers  of  the  board  of  councilmen  in  the 
City  Hall. 

956.  Q.  Did  you  go  into  any  court  to  be  naturalized  ! 
A.  Only  that  room  in  the  City  Hall. 


88  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

By  Mr.  Dickey: 

957.  Q.  Were  you  sworn  in  court ! 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

958.  Q.  Did  you  have  a  witness  with  you  ? 
A.  Yes;  Michael  Deuham. 

959.  Q.  How  old  are  you? 
A.  Twenty-two  next  March. 

960.  Q.  Did  you  get  a  naturalization  paper? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

961.  Q.  Do  you  recollect  the  name  of  the  clerk  who  signed  your 
naturalization  paper  ? 

A.  James  M.  Sweeney. 

By  Mr.  Dickey: 

962.  Q.  Were  you  examined  in  court,  and  had  yon  a  witness  along 
with  you  to  get  your  paper  I 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Dawes: 

963.  Q.  What  did  they  ask  you  in  court ! 

A.  I  don't  belieYe  they  asked  me  anything  in  that  court.  There  were 
four  of  us  sworn  together,  and  they  said  it  so  fast  that  I  eon  Id  not  exactly 
understand  what  was  said. 

964.  Q.  What  did  the  man  say  who  went  with  yon  .' 

A.  When  he  got  the  papers  at  Centre  street  In*  said  lie  knew  me 
ten  years. 

By  Mr.  Dickey: 

965.  Q.  When  he  went  to  the  court  what  did  lie  say  I 

A.  The  gentleman  spoke  so  fast  that  I  could  not  exactly  understand. 

966.  Q.  What  did  you  say  to  the  court  in  answer  to  the  questions  I 
A.  I  put  my  hand  on  the  book. 

967.  Q.  Did  you  tell  the  conrt  anything  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

968.  Q.  Did  the  court  ask  you  anything? 
A.  No,  sir. 

969.  Q.  Did  he  ask  the  witness  anything  t 
A.  How  long  he  knew  me. 

By  Mr.  Daayes: 

970.  Q.  Did  any  one  ask  yon  in  the  courtroom  how  old  you  were  when 
you  came  to  this  country  8 

A.  N*o,  sir.  They  asked  me  where  the  papers  were  made  out :  if  I 
came  under  eighteen. 

971.  Q.  Did  they  ask  you  that  in  the  court-room  ? 
A.  I  don't  recollect  it. 

972.  Q.  Who  administered  the  oath  to  you? 

A.  That  I  cannot  say.     I  belieYe  Judge  Stewart  was  there. 

973.  Q.  Who  told  you  he  was  there  ! 
A.  My  witness. 

By  the  CHAIRMAN: 

974.  Q.  What  room  in  the  City  Hall  was  this  ? 
A.  Boom  No.  16,  I  belieYe. 

975.  Q.  Who  was  your  witness  \ 
A.  Michael  Denham. 

976.  Q.  How  long  had  he  known  you? 
A.  I  guess  he  knew  me  OYer  ten  years. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IX    NEW    YORK.  89 

977.  Q.  You  have  been  in  the  country  that  long? 
A.  Yes,  sir;  I  have* been  here  since  I  was  a  child. 

By  Mr.  Boss : 

978.  Q.  Did  you  vote  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

970.  Q.  Did  they  take  your  paper  away  from  you  :; 
A.  Xo,  sir. 

980.  Q.  But  you  did  not  vote  ! 

A.  This  gentleman,  Mr.  Stewart,  who  reported  me,  said  that  my  papers 
were  fraudulent,  and  a  deputy  marshal  came  and  looked  at  my  papers 
and  asked  me  if  I  would  go  before  the  commissioner.  I  said  yes.  I 
had  my  name  registered,  but  I  could  not  vote.  I  had  an  engagement 
that  night — an  engagement  at  Hooley\s  Minstrels,  and  I  thought  I  might 
be  arrested  and  could  not  go  there,  and  so  I  would  lose  my  job. 

981.  Q.  So  you  were  frightened  away  from  the  exercise  of  your  right 
to  vote  by  these  marshals? 

A.  Yes.  sir. 

By  Mr.  Dawes  : 

982.  Q.  You  were  induced  to  stay  away  for  fear  you  could  not  have  a 
job  the  next  day ! 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

983.  Q.  How  would  you  have  voted  ! 

A.  I  was  to  vote  for  both  parties.  I  was  to  vote  for  Griswold  for 
governor,  and  for  all  the  other  candidates  of  the  other  party. 

984.  Q.  So  far  as  you  know  you  were  lawfully  entitled  to  vote  f 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

085.  Q.  You  made  the  proper  oath  '? 

A.  Yes.  sir. 

986.  Q.  You  got  the  proper  certificate  ? 

A.  Yes.  sir. 

087.  Q.  But  for  fear  of  being  arrested  you  desisted  from  voting? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Charles  Baeneoat  sworn  and  examined. 

■• 

By  the  CHAIRMAN: 

!>88.  Question.  Did  you  vote  at  the  presidential  election  in  this  city? 

Answer.  Xo,  sir. 

989.  Q.  Have  you  a  naturalization  paper  ! 

A.  I  got  one. 

890.  Q.  Where  did  you  get  it  ? 
A.  In  the  supreme  court. 

891.  Q.  Have  you  it  with  you  ? 
A.  Xo,  sir. 

092.  Q.  How  long  have  you  been  in  the  United  States  I 
A.  Xine  years. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 
993.  Q.  How  old  are  you ! 

A.  Thirty  years.  The  first  day  I  was  in  court  to  get  my  papers  there 
I  saw  in  the  newspapers  that  I  could  get  the  papers  all  at  once. 

004.  Q.   \Yere  you  in  the  army  ? 
A.  Xo,  sir. 

005.  Q.  You  did  not  get  your  first  papers  out? 

A.  Xo.  sir;  I  got  them  all  at  once  in  the  supreme  court. 


90  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

A.  1  do  not  know  that  he  had  any  papers. 
996.  Q.  Who  was  your  witness  t 

A.  Charles  Jew. 

9<)7.  Q.  How  old  were  you  when  you  came  to  the  United  States! 

A.  I  was  about  18. 

908.  Q.  You  say  you  are 30  years  of  age  and  have  been  only  nine  years 
in  this  country  1 

A.  Well,  1  was  first  in  the  south  before  1  came  here;  I  was  six  years 
in  New  York;  I  was  three  years  in  New  Orleans,  St.  Louis,  Memphis, 
and  other  places. 

By  the  CHAIRMAN: 

999.  Q.  Were  you  registered  as  a  voter  at  the  last  election  \ 

A.  No,  1  did  not  register,  and  they  said  the  paper  was  not  good  and  I 
went  home  again. 

1000.  Q.  Did  they  swear  you  when  you  went  to  register  I 

A.  No,  sir.  I  said,  "what  is  the  matter?"  He  asked  me  where  I  got 
the  paper.  1  told  them  that  I  got  it  in  the  supreme  court,  and  that  it 
must  be  good.  They  said  no,  and  a  policeman  told  me  I  had  better  go 
home,  and  I  went  home ;  and  now  I  got  a  notice  to  come  here. 

By  Mr.  Boss: 

1001.  Q.  What  age  were  you  when  you  came  to  this  country  I 
A.  May  be  18. 

1002.  Q.  Were  you  under  or  over  18  \ 
A.  I  think  it  must  be  under  18. 

1003.  Q.  Did  your  witness  testify  that  you  came  to  this  country  before 
you  were  18? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

1004.  Q.  And  I  think  the  court  gave  you  a  certificate  of  naturalization  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

1005.  Q.  You  got  your  papers  all  at  once  in  that  way? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

1006.  Q.  And  they  would  not  let  you  vote  ? 
A.  No,  they  would  not  let  me  vote. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

1007.  Q.  What  year  were  you  born  in ! 
A.  I  do  not  recollect. 

1008.  Q.  How  long  ago  was  it? 
A.  Well,  I  am  30  now. 

1009.  Q.  What  year  did  you  come  to  this  country  f 

A.  I  do  not  recollect;  some  time  before  the  war  commenced. 

1010.  Q.  How  long  before  the  war  commenced? 
A.  I  do  not  know ;  may  be  three  or  four  years. 

1011.  Q.  How  long  did  you  know  this  man  who  was  your  witness? 

A.  I  knew  him  just  since  I  have  been  here ;  he  was  in  New  Orleans 
with  me. 

By  Mr.  DAWES : 
Q.  He  went  around  with  you  ? 
A.  Yes,  he  went  with  me. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

1012.  Q.  When  did  he  get  his  papers  I 
By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

1013.  Q.  Did  you  pay  anything  for  your  papers  I 
A.  No,  sir,  I  had  to  pay  nothing  for  them ;  there  were  about  500  put 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  91 

through  at  the  same  time  ;  there  was  a  whole  lot  of  them ;   I  was  smashed 
up,  almost,  to  get  in. 

By  Mr.  Dickey: 
1014.  Q.  Did  you  go  up  to  court  to  take  the  oath,  or  did  you  all  stand 
in  the  room  and  hold  up  your  hands? 

A.  Some  had  their  hands  on  the  hack  of  the  Bible,  and  some  were 
pointing  that  way. 

By  Mr.  Dawes  : 

1014.  Q.  Did  you  kiss  the  Bible? 
A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  How  far  were  you  from  the  Bible  f 
A.  Six  or  eight  feet. 

1015.  Q.  You  say  the  court  was  full? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

1016.  Q.  Were  they  all  naturalized  at  once  f 
A.  Not  at  once ;  at  several  times. 

By  Mr.  DiCKEY: 

1017.  Q.  How  many  at  a  time? 
A.  I  suppose  about  eight  or  nine. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

1018.  Q.  You  are  satisfied  that  when  you  came  to  this  country  you 
were  under  18  years  of  age  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

1019.  Q.  Whom  would  you  have  voted  for  if  vou  had  been  permitted  to 
vote? 

A.  I  always  voted  for  the  republican  party,  because  I  respect  Abraham 
Lincoln  and  General  Grant,  and  have  got  pictures  of  them  in  my  room. 

By  Mr.  Dawes: 

1020.  Q.  And  these  fellows  would  not  let  you  vote  ! 
A.  No,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Kerr: 

1021.  Q.  Do  you  know  that  policeman  who  told  you  to  go  home? 

A.  I  do  not  know  him.     He  said,  "how  is  the  matter  ;  how  is  this?" 
and  he  said  I  had  better  go  home. 

1022.  Q.  Did  you  tell  him  you  wanted  to  vote  the  republican  ticket  ? 
A.  No,  I  did  not  tell  him  that. 

1023.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  he  was  a  democrat  or  republican  ? 

A.  No  -j  but  I  know  that  the  man  at  the  registry  was  a  republican  ; 
they  did  not  say  anything  to  democrats. 

1024.  Q.  You  wanted  to  vote  the  republican  ticket  and  the  republican 
oflicers  would  not  let  you  2 

A.  They  did  not  know  it, 

Andrew  B.  Leuchtner  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

1025.  Question.  Where  do  you  live  ? 
Answer.  652  YVashington  street. 

102a  Q.  What  country  are  you  a  native  of? 
A.  Germany. 

1027.  Q.  Have  you  ever  been  before  the  court  to  procure  naturalization 
papers  ? 

A.  I  got  my  first  papers  about  five  years  ago. 


92  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

1028.  Q.  Has  any  person  offered  to  procure  naturalization  papers  for 
you  without  your  going  into  court ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

1029.  Q.  Who? 

A.  Kelley;  I  do  not  know  his  first  name. 

1030.  Q.  When? 
A.  Before  election. 

1031.  Q.  Wliat  did  he  say  to  you? 

A.  He  asked  me  if  I  got  my  papers  yet.  1  said,  u  I  got  my  first  papers ; 
not  my  second."  So  he  said  he  could  get  them  for  me.  I  told  him  that 
if  there  was  any  trouble  about  it  I  did  not  want  them.  Said  I,  "  Do  you 
want  me  along  V '  He  said,  "  O  no,  we  do  not  want  you  at  all :  all  I  want 
is  your  name."  Said  I,  "  Do  you  want  my  first  papers  F  Be  said  he  did 
not  want  them,  but  give  my  name  and  he  would  give  me  tin4  papers. 

1032.  Q.  Did  you  pay  him  anything  for  it  \ 
A.  I  paid  him  $2. 

1033.  Q.  Is  this  the  paper? 
A.  That  is  the  paper. 

1031.  Q.  This  appears  to  have  been  issued  from  the  superior  court  of  the 
city  of  New  York;  did  you  ever  appear  in  court  to  be  sworn  to  get  it? 
A.  No,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Dawes  : 

1035.  Q.  Where  were  you  when  you  were  first  spoken  to  about  this 
paper? 

A.  I  was  hitching  up  my  horse1  to  go  up  West  street. 
1030.  Q.  Wxhat  is  your  business  \ 
A.  Driving  a  hay-cart. 

1037.  Q.  How  long  was  that  before  you  got  the  paper? 

A.  He  spoke  to  me  in  the  morning;  in  the  afternoon,  about  3  o'clock, 
he  gave  me  the  paper.  He  came  and  brought  it  to  me  on  the  West  Tenth 
street  dock. 

1038.  Q.  Did  you  tell  him  where  he  could  find  you? 
A.  No ;  but  he  knew  the  place  where  he  could  find  me. 

1039.  Q.  You  never  left  your  work  from  the  time  you  were  first  spoken 
to  about  it  until  it  was  delivered  to  you  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

1010.  Q.  Did  you  know  Kelley  before? 

A.  I  am  not  acquainted  with  him,  but  I  suppose  he  knew  me. 

1041 .  Q.  Did  vou  register  on  that  paper  ? 
A.  I  did. 

1042.  Q.  Did  you  vote  on  it? 

A.  I  did  ;  I  asked  if  1  would  get  into  trouble  on  it,  and  he  said  "no. 

1043.  Q.  What  precinct  and  what  ward  did  you  vote  in? 

A.  In  the  ninth  ward,  corner  of  West  Tenth  and  Greenwich  streets. 

1044.  Q.  You  voted  on  it  during  the  last  congressional  and  presi- 
dential election? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

1045.  Q.  Do  you  know  what  political  party  Kelley  belonged  to  ? 
A.  I  do  not. 

1046.  Q.  What  ticket  did  you  vote? 

A.  I  do  not  know  exactly  ;  I  voted  a  ticket  that  was  given  me. 

1047.  Q.  Did  you  get  it  of  a  democratic  distributor  f 

A.  No,  1  do  not  know  him  myself;  he  is  a  good  friend  of  my  boss. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  !)."> 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

1048.  Q.  What  is  your  boss  1 
A.  He  is  a  republican. 

By  Mr.  Dickey: 

1049.  Q.  Did  you  vote  for  Seymour  or  for  Hoffman  J 
A.  I  cannot  tell. 

1050.  Q.  Have  you  been  a  democrat  heretofore ! 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

1051.  Q.'  Are  you  still  a  democrat! 
A.  I  never  voted  before. 

By  Mr.  Dawes  : 

1052.  Q.  Are  you  conscious  of  having  experienced  any  change  of 
politics ! 

A.  No,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Boss : 

1053.  Q.  Did  you  vote  the  same  way  as  your  boss  did  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  how  he  voted.    My  boss  did  not  give  me  the  ticket. 

1054.  Q.  But  the  man  who  gave  you  the  ticket  was  a  great  friend  of  your 
boss? 

.V.  I  think  so. 

1055.  Q.  And  your  boss  is  a  republican  ? 
A.  I  believe  he  is. 

[The  naturalization  certificate  referred  to  in  the  testimony  of  this  wit- 
ness is  annexed  to  his  testimony  and  marked  "Exhibit  E."j 


LExhibitE.] 


United  States  of  America,  State  of  New  York, 

City  and  County  of  New  York,  ss: 

Be  it  remembered  that,  on  the  19th  day  of  October,  in  the  year  of  our 
Lord  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  sixty-eight,  Andrew  B.  Seigner 
appeared  in  the  superior  court  of  the  city  of  New  York,  (the  said  court 
being  a  court  of  record,  having  common  law  jurisdiction,  and  a  clerk  and 
seal,)  and  applied  to  the  said  court  to  be  admitted  to  become  a  citizen  of  the 
United  States  of  America,  pursuant  to  the  provisions  of  the  several  acts  of 
the  Congress  of  the  United  States  of  America  for  that  purpose  made  and 
provided.  xAnd  the  said  applicant  having  thereupon  produced  to  the 
court  such  evidence,  made  such  declaration  and  renunciation,  and  taken 
such  oaths  as  are  by  the  said  acts  required :  Thereupon,  it  was  ordered 
by  the  said  court  that  the  said  applicant  be  admitted,  and  he  was  accord- 
ingly admitted  by  the  said  court  to  be  a  citizen  of  the  United  States  of 
America. 

In  testimony  whereof,  the  seal  of  the  said  court  is  hereunto  affixed, 
fsEAL  1  ^s  19th  day  of  October  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  sixty- 
*J  eight,  and  in  the  93d  year  of  our  independence. 

By  the  court : 

JAMES  M.  SWEENY,  Clerk. 

Michael  Kerwin  sworn  and  examined. 
/By  the  Chairman: 

1056.  Question.  In  what  country  were  you  born  ? 
Answer.  Ireland. 


94  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

L057.  Q.  How  long  have  you  been  in  the  United  States? 

A.  Over  1 1  years. 

L058.  Q.  Did  yon  ever  go  into  any  court  to  be  naturalized  f 

A.   No,  sir. 

1051).  Q.  Was  any  oath  ever  administered  to  you? 

A.   No,  sir. 

1000.  Q.   Did  you  vote  at  the  last  election  for  President  in  this  eitv? 

A.   Yes,  sir. 

L061.  Q.  Where? 

A.    In  the  9th  ward. 

1062.  Q.  Were  you  registered! 

A.    Yes,  sir. 

KM).').  Q.   Did  you  present  the  naturalization  certificate  which  1   now 
hold  in  my  hand  for  registration  I 

A.   Yes,  sir. 

1004.  Q.  Were  you  sworn  when  you  were  registered  '! 

A.   No,  sir. 

1065.  Q.   Whom  did  you  get  this  naturalization  paper  from  I 

A.  From  Thomas  Kelley  and  Charles  M alloy. 

1000.  Q.  What  did  yon  pay  for  itl 

A.  Two  dollars. 

L067.  Q.  What  did  they  say  to  you  about  it  when  they  gave  it  to  you? 

A.  Kelley  came  to  me  and  wanted  me  to  get  out  my  papers.  I  told 
him  I  did  not  want  them.  I  said  1  would  lose  a  couple  of  dollars  by 
going  down  town  to  get  them.  He  said  he  would  go  down  town  and  get 
them  if  I  would  give  him  $2;  so  I  consented  to  give  it  to  him. 

L068.  Q.  How  soon  after  that  did  he  bring  the  paper  back  \ 
A.  1  le  brought  it  back  about  a  quarter-past  5  o'clock.     When  he  came 
to  me  in  the  morning  it  was  between  S  and  9  o'clock. 
L069.  Q.  How  long  have  you  been  in  this  country  :; 
A.  I  am  in  the  country  11  or  12  years. 

1070.  Q.  But  you  never  have  got  any  papers? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  never  wanted  them,  and  I  would  not  want  them  now,  only 
they  came  to  me. 

1071.  Q.  Where  did  you  vote/ 

A.  At  the  corner  of  Perry  and  Greenwich  streets. 

1072.  Q.  Did  anybody  question  you  at  the  polls? 
A.  Xo,  sir. 

107.').  Q.  What  ticket  did  you  vote? 

A.  The  republican  ticket.  The  fellow  gave  me  a  ticket;  and  said  it 
was  a  republican  ticket. 

By  Mr.  Dickey: 

1074.  Q.  What  did  Kelley  say  to  you,  at  the  time  he  gave  you  this 
paper,  about  the  danger  of  using  it? 

A.  Kelley  said  there  was  no  danger  about  using  it ;  that  a  great  many 
had  the  same  kind  of  paper,  and  there  was  no  danger. 

1075.  Q.  What  did  he  say  about  protecting  you  f 
A.  He  said  that  Pop  Oulpin  would  make  that  all  right.     He  is  one  of 

the  assistant  aldermen  of  the  9th  ward. 

1076.  Q.  Is  he  a  democrat? 
A.  I  guess  so. 

1077.  Q.  When  did  you  last  see  the  man  who  gave  you  the  ticket  t< 
vote? 

A.  I  did  not  see  him  ever  since  •  I  would  not  know  him  if  I  met  him. 
(The  paper  referred  to  in   the  testimony  of  this  witness  is  signe< 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  95 

"James  M.  Sweeny,  clerk,"  and  is  in  all  respects  similar  to  the  paper 
marked  "  Exhibit  E.») 

Wtt.t.tatm  ,T.  McMurray  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman: 

L078.  Question.  What  office  do  yon  hold? 

Answer.  Roundsman  and  policeman  in  the  22d  precinct  of  the  metro- 
politan police  in  this  city. 

1070.  Q.  I  present  to  yon  a  paper  purporting  to  be  a  certificate  of 
naturalization  signed  "Charles  E.  Loew,"  dated  the  15th  of  October, 
L868,  andissned  to  August  A.  Sanger:  what  do  yon  know  of  that  paper? 

A.  I  took  a  paper  similar  to  this  from  a  man  named  Sanger,  and  deliv- 
ered it  to  a  clerk  in  the  Uhited  States  district  attorney's  office. 

L080.  Q.  What  information  have  you  about  the  paper? 

A.  I  received  information  the  morning  of  the  3d  of  November  that 
this  man  Sanger  had  registered.  I  received  information  from  a  man 
named  Speck,  and  I  went  and  arrested  him  on  the  complaint  of  Speck, 
and  brought  him  to  the  station-house.  He  there  admitted,  so  I  am 
informed,  that  he  arrived  in  this  country  last  May;  that  he  went  down 
to  Xo.  6  Centre  street,  and  procured  the  certificate  of  naturalization  for 
$3,  I  took  him  there  to  see  if  he  could  identity  the  parties,  but  he  did 
not  see  them,  so  I  brought  him  back.  I  got  these  facts  through  Speck 
as  interpreter;  he  was  sworn  as  interpreter. 

.    By  Mr.  Kerr  : 
L081.  Qi  What  are  your  politics? 
A.  As  a  general  thing  1  vote  the  republican  ticket  lately. 

Daniel  Sullivan  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman: 

1082.  Question.  In  what  country  were  yon  born  8 
Answer.  Ireland. 

1083.  Q.  How  long  have  yon  been  in  the  United  States? 
A.  Seven  years  next  May. 

10S1.  Q.  Were  yon  ever  naturalized  in  any  court? 

A.  No,  sir. 

1085.  Q.  1  present  to  yon  a  paper  signed  James  M.  Sweeny,  clerk, 
purporting  to  be  a  certificate  of  naturalization  made  from  the  superior 
court  of  the  city  of  Xew  York,  dated  the  7th  of  October,  1808;  did  you 
have  that  paper? 

A.   I  got  a  paper  to  vote  and  it  was  taken  from  me. 

L086.  Q.  Whom  did  you  get  the  paper  from  ? 

A.  It  was  left  in  the  house  where  my  boss  was  working.  1  do  not 
know  who  put  it  there.  It  was  left  in  the  house  where  my  boss  was 
living. 

1087.  Q.  Did  yon  vote  at  the  last  election? 
A.  Xo,  sir. 

1088.  Q.  Who  took  the  paper  from  yon  ! 
A.  A  person  at  the  registry. 

1080.  Q.  Did  they  swear  you? 
A.  Xo ;   they  only  questioned  me. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins: 

1000.  Q.  Were  there  other  papers  of  this  kind  left  at  the  house  of  that 
man  ? 
A.  Xo ;  only  for  myself. 


96  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

1091.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  other  papers  of  this  kind  being  given  to 
men  like  you  ? 

A.  I  heard  something  about  it,  but  I  do  not  know  the  fact. 

1092.  Q.  Did  you  pay  any  money  for  it? 
A.   I  did  not. 

By  Mr.  Dawes  : 

1093.  Q.  Whom  did  you  work  for? 
A.  Paddy  Burke. 

1094.  Q.  Did  lie  give  you  the  paper ! 

A.  I  do  not  know  who  gave  it  to  me;  it  was  handed  to  me  that  night ; 
it  was  put  in  the  house  450  Cherry  street.  (The  paper  exhibited  to  wit- 
ness is  the  same  in  all  respects  as  the  paper  marked  "  Exhibit  E,w  except 
it  has  got  a  five-cent  revenue  stamp  attached.) 

1095.  Q.  Did  you  ever  talk  with  Burke  about  this  paper  I 
A.  I  did  not. 

1090.  Q.  Didn't  you  tell  the  man  who  took  it  from  you  that  you  got  it 
from  Paddy  Burke ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  whether  it  was  Paddy  Burke  or  the  children  :  some- 
body or  other  gave  it  to  me. 

By  Mr.  Boss : 

1097.  Q.  You  do  not  know  who  brought  it  to  the  house? 
A.- 1  do  not  know  who  brought  it  to  the  house. 

1098.  Q.  Do  you  know  who  gave  it  to  you? 
A.  Some  girls  or  boys. 

Patrick  Burke  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

1099.  Question.  Do  you  know  Daniel  Sullivan? 
Answer.  I  do ;  he  worked  for  me  four  or  live  years. 

1100.  Q.  Did  you  give  him  a  certificate  of  naturalization  $ 

A.  I  did  not ;  I  had  nothing  to  do  with  it.  I  know  nothing  about  the 
paper  at  all;  I  took  the  paper  off  the  table  and  handed  it  to  John  Sulli- 
van ;  said  I,  "  Here  is  a  paper  for  you."     u  All  right,"  says  he. 

1101.  Q.  Who  left  it  at  the  house? 
A.  I  don't  know. 

1102.  Q.  Did  you  see  the  man  who  left  it J? 
A.  I  did  not. 

By  Mr.  Dawes  : 

1103.  Q.  How  did  you  know  it  was  a  paper  for  him ! 
A.  The  children  told  me  it  was  for  him. 

1104.  Q.  Did  you  ever  tellany  body  that  you  had  a  man  in  your  employ- 
ment who  was  not  naturalized  ! 

A.  I  did  not. 

Dugold  Stewart  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

1105.  Question.  What  office  did  you  hold  at  the  last  election  % 
Answer.  Inspector  of  election  and  registration,  in  the  17th  districl 

20th  ward. 

1106.  Q.  State  if  you  know  of  any  person  having  registered  on  natui 
ization  papers  who  was  not  entitled  to  be  registered. 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  do  not  know  of  any  in  that  district. 


ELECTION    FBAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  97 

By  Mr.  Dickey: 

I  LOO.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  person  being  there  with  naturalization 
papers  for  the  purpose  of  registering  who  were  not  entitled  to  do  so  ? 

A.  There  was  one  man  eaine  there  and  tried  to  register,  but  we  did 
not  allow  him.     I  did  not  know  his  name. 

1107.  Q.  Had  he  a  paper? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  but  he  would  not  swear  to  it;  at  least  he  woidd  not  swear 
that  he  was  the  age  of  21.  He  said  he  swore  once  when  he  got  it  at 
the  City  Hall,  and  they  told  him  there  not  to  swear  again.  1  believe  his 
name  was  Mueller. 

1108.  Q.  Did  he  vote  at  the  last  election? 

A.  That  is  more  than  I  can  say;  to  the  best  of  my  knowledge  he  did 
not. 

1100.  Q.  Do  yon  know  whether  he  had  naturalization  papers? 
A.  Yes,  sir;  1  saw  them. 

1 1 10.  Q.  Did  he  tell  you  he  was  21  years  of  age  ! 

A.  Yes,  sir;  he  told  me  so  several  times  before;  1  think  he  looks 
younger  than  that  now.  He  never  told  me  what  his  age  was,  but  he 
never  said  he  was  21. 

1111.  Q.  Did  he  say  he  was  not  f 

A.  I  cannot  say  exactly  that  he  said  he  was  not;  he  never  gave  me 
any  satisfaction.  He  always  told  me  that  he  had  a  right  to  vote  and  he 
would  vote.  I  told  him  I  would  try  to  stop  him  if  I  could.  I  believe 
he  did  not  vote. 

1112.  Q.  Y^ou  were  one  of  the  officers,  and  do  you  think  you  protected 
the  polls  pretty  well  i 

A.  1  think  we  did. 

New  York,  December  23,  1868. 
Joseph  A.  Miller,  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

I I  K>.  Question.  State  what  you  know  about  persons  procuring  or  being 
able  to  procure  naturalization  papers  without  going  into  court  to  get  them. 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  anything  about  it. 

1111.  Q.  Did  you  have  a  conversation  with  Charles  Fox  about  getting 
naturalization  papers? 

A.  He  came  and  spoke  to  me  in  relation  to  citizen  papers.  I  did 
not  have  anything  to  do  with  them  ;  I  never  got  any.  I  keep  a  public 
house.  I  know  there  were  citizen  papers  given  out'  there,  for  I  have 
seen  them. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

1 1 15.  Q.  Who  gave  them  out  t 

A.  That  1  cannot  say;  I  did  not.  1  saw  Norris  give  out  papers,  but 
I  could  not  say  that  they  were  citizen  papers. 

1116.  Q.  Did  you  hear  him  ask  people  if  they  wanted  citizen  papers? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

1117.  Q.  Did  you  hear  him  tell  them  that  they  need  not  come  down 
town  ;   that  he  could  get  the  papers  for  them  ? 

A.  I  am  not  positive  about  that. 

1118.  Q.  Did  yon  see  him  give  papers  to  the  same  persons  that  yon 
heard  him  ask  if  they  wanted  citizen  papers! 

A.  1  cannot  say  positively  as  to  that.  I  have  seen  him  have  papers 
in  my  house. 

1 1 10.  Q,  Do  yon  know  what  price  he  charged  for  them? 
7  T 


98  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

A.  Two  dollars. 

1120.  Q.  And  lie  offered  to  get  papers  for  persons  iit  two  dollars  .' 
A.  Yes. 

1121.  Q.  And  yon  saw  hini  have  sonic  papers  there  ? 
A.  Yes. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

1122.  Q.  Many  of  them  J 

A.  1  saw  him  have  five  or  six  in  his  hand. 

1123.  Q.  At  different  times  f 

A.  No  ;  only  atone  time.     I  think  about  the  19th  of  October. 

By  Mr.  Kerr: 

1121.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  the  papers  that  you  saw  with  Noma 
Avere  citizen  papers  J 

A.  No,  sir. 

112.").  Q.  Bid  you  ever  know  any  of  those  men  who  had  any  of  that 
kind  of  papers  vote  upon  them? 

A.  No,  sir;  none  of  them  voted  on  them.  Office]"  Gottrell  told  me  if 
1  knew  any  of  them  to  stop  them  from  voting. 

112G.  Q.  Are  you  a  democrat  or  a  republican  ? 

A.  A  republican. 

1127.  Q.  And  you  helped  to  keep  a  way  the  men  who  had  these  papers  i 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

1 .128.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  they  were  republicans  or  democrats  I 

A.  I  suppose  they  would  have  gone  democratic.  I  never  heard  of 
any  frauds  being  practiced  except  by  democrats. 

1120.  Q.  Is  not  that  because  you  associate  mainly  with  republicans  on 
Subjects  of  a  political  nature  I 

A.  That  has  been  always  my  politics. 

1  L30.  Q.  And  therefore  all  that  you  ever  heard  talk  of  frauds  in  this 
city  would  be  republicans  ? 

A.  Well,  perhaps  so. 

By  Mr.  Dickev  : 

1131.  Q.  What  position  did  Norton  hold  in  your  ward  I 
A.  He  was  president  of  a  democratic  club. 

1132.  Q.  What  did  he  say  about  the  frauds  that  were  being  practiced 
before  Judge  Barnard  9 

A.  He  said  that  men  went  before  Judge  Barnard  and  got  their  paperl 
easy,  without  any  "trouble. 

New  York,  December  23,  18GS. 
Peter  Foul  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

1133.  Question.  Of  what  country  are  you  a  native  ? 
Answer.  Baden,  Germany. 

1134.  Q.  How  long  have  you  been  in  the  United  States \ 
A.  Twenty  years. 

•  1135.  Q.  Did  you  ever  appear  in  any  court  to  be  naturalized  ? 

A.  I  got  my  first  papers  in  1852. 

1136.  Q.  How  did  you  get  your  naturalization  certificate  ? 

A.  My  boss,  Charles  Fox,  ordered  the  paper,  and  I  paid  75  cents  for 
it,  I  did  not  go  into  any  court  to  get  it,  and  did  not  take  any  oath.  I 
did  not  go  to  be  registered.  I  put  thejpaper  in  my  trunk,  and  the  officer 
came  and  took  it  away  from  me. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  99 

New  York,  December  24,  1868. 
John  T.  Hoffman  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  Chairman  : 
1137.  Question.  State  how  long  yon  were  mayor  of  New  York  city. 
Answer.  A  little  less  than  three  years. 

113&  Q.  State  if  yon  issued  a  proclamation  on  the  31st  of  October, 
1808,  as  mayor. 
A.  1  issued  a  proclamation  ;  I  do'not  recollect  the  date  of  it. 

1139.  Q.  Is  this  a  correct  copy  of  it  ? 

A.  1  think  that  is  a  correct  copy;  there  may  be  some  verbal  discrep- 
ancies, but  it  is  the  substantial  proclamation. 

1140.  Q.  It  may  be  made  a  part  of  yonr  testimony,  I  suppose? 
A.  Yes. 

The  following  is  the  proclamation : 

PROCLAMATION. 

Mayor's  Office.  New  York,  October  31,  1888. 
To  the  people  of  the  city  of  Xcic  York  : 

We  are  on  the  eve  of  an  important  election.  Intense  excitement  pervades  the  whole 
community.  Unscrupulous,  designing,  and  dangerous  men,  political  partisans,  are  resorting 
to  extraordinary  means  to  increase  it.  Gross  and  unfounded  charges  of  fraud  are  made  by 
them  against  those  high  in  authority.  Threats  are  made  against  naturalized  citizens,  and  the 
authority  of  the  judges  and  the  seal  of  the  supreme  court  is  defied.  A  grand  jury  of  the 
United  States  court,  summoned  through  the  agency  of  those  who  are  in  this  scheme,  has,  as 
I  have  been  informed,  been  induced,  without  that  preliminary  examination  which  is  usual, 
and  which  is  afforded  by  law  for  the  protection  of  character,  to  find  in  great  haste  and  secrecy 
bills  of  indictment  against  divers  persons  for  the  purpose,  openly  avowed,  of  intimidating 
them  in  the  discharge  of  their  public  duties.  The  United  States  marshal,  a  violent  political 
partisan,  has  assumed  to  himself  the  power  and  duty  of  appointing  swarms  of  special  depu- 
ties to  take  their  place  at  the  polls,  and  to  threaten  and  awe  the  electors  of  the  State  of  New 
York  in  the  exercise  of  their  high  privilege  of  casting  their  votes  for  the  chief  officers  of  the 
nation  and  State.  It  is  the  first  time  in  the  history  of  the  country  that  United  States  gov- 
ernment officials  have  attempted  to  interfere  with  free  elections  in  the  Empire  State,  and  the 
act  is  attended  with  danger. 

Evidence  is  accumulating  that  the  combination  of  daugerous)men  who  have  set  on  foot  and 
thus  far  carried  into  execution  these  unusual  and  unjustifiable  movements  have  done  so  for 
two  purposes : 

First.  To  conceal  and  cover  their  own  schemes  of  fraud,  which  they  hope  to  consummate 
by  the  aid  of  untried  or  pardoned  criminals. 

Second.  So  to  excite  the  masses  of  people  in  this  city,  who  are  opposed  to  them,  as  to  lead 
them  into  acts  of  disorder  and  violent  resistance. 

In  the  exercise  of  my  duty  as  chief  magistrate  of  this  city.  I  call  upon  all  good  people  to 
unite  in  preventing  the  consummation  of  this  scheme.  Let  them  watch  carefully  the  move- 
ments of  those  who  seek  to  perpetrate  great  frauds,  while  they  charge  frauds  upon  others, 
and  above  all  things  let  them  see  to  it  that  there  shall  be  no  scenes  of  violence  or  disorder  on 
the  day  of  election.  Perfect  peace  and  order  are  essential  to  the  welfare  of  the  city  and  pros- 
perity of  the  State,  and  the  maintenance  of  the  rights  of  the  people. 

Nothing  but  evil  and  calamity  can  came  from  any  disturbance  of  the  public  peace.  Those 
in  authority  and  those  out  of  it  alike  find  their  protection  in  the  maintenance  of  law  and  the 
preservation  of  order. 

Let  no  citizen,  however,  be  deterred  by  anv  threats  or  fears  from  the  discharge  of  his  duty 
at  the  polls  or  elsewhere,  but  let  him  assert  his  rights  boldly,  resolutely,  and  at  the  same  time 
with  calmness  and  dignity,  and  he  will  find  his  perfect  protection  under  the  laws  and  law- 
fully constituted  authorities  of  the  State  of  New  York. 

By  virtue  of  authority  vested  in  me  by  law,  I  hereby  offer  a  reward  of  $100,  to  be  paid  on 
the  arrest  and  conviction  of  any  person  charged  with  a  violation  of  the  election  laws  of  this 
State,  and  a  like  sum  to  be  paid  on  the  arrest  and  conviction  of  any  person  charged  with 
intimidating,  obstructing,  or  defrauding  any  voter  in  the  exercise  of  his  right  as  an  elector. 

In  witness  whereof  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  official  seal,  at  the  City  Hall,  in  the 
city  of  New  York,  this  31st  dav  of  October,  V.- 
JOHN T.  HOFFMAN,  Mayor 


100  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  FORK. 

1141.  (,).  State  what  evidence  you  had,  at  or  prior  to  the  time  of  issu- 
ing this  proclamation,  that  threats  wove  made  against  naturalized  citi- 
zens. 

A.  Before  answering  the  question,  I  should  like  to  know  whether  the 
object  of  this  inquiry  is  to  question  the  policy  or  wisdom  of  my  procla- 
mation, because  I  do  not  recognize  the  right  of  Congress  to  sit  in  judg- 
ment on  my  official  action  as  mayor  of  the  city  of  New  York. 

The  Chairman.  The  committee  is#  charged  simply  with  the  duty  of 
investigating  alleged  frauds  in  the  recent  election  ;  I  will  show  you  the 
resolution  under  which  the  committee  is  acting.. 

WITNESS.  I  do  not  wish  to  delay  the  committee  by  any  undue  objec- 
tion; I  am  quite  ready  to  answer  every  question  relating  to  frauds  or 
alleged  frauds  in  the  city  of  New  York,  or  relating  to  naturalized  voters, 
but  if  anything  is  asked  relating  to  the  mere  wisdom  or  policy  of  my 
action  as  mayor,  I  do  not  propose  to  answer  it. 

The  Chairman.  I  have  no  purpose  to  inquire  into  the  wisdom  of  any 
of  those  matters. 

Witness.  I  should  like  to  have  it  entered  on  the  minutes  that  the 
committee  does  not  propose  to  inquire  into  the  policy  of  my  official  acts; 
and  that  the  questions  are  simply  put  to  ascertain  facts  in  relation  to  the 
naturalization  of  foreigners. 

The  Chairman.  There  is  no  objection  to  that. 

Witness.  Then  I  will  answer  the  question  by  saying  that  it  was  com- 
mon report,  based  on  the  statements  of  many  individuals  and  on  the 
reported  proceedings  of  some  committees,  that  an  organized  system  of 
challenging  all  persons  claiming  to  be  citizens  by  naturalization  would 
be  carried  out  on  the  day  of  election,  not  only  with  a  view  of  intimidat- 
ing them,  but  of  delaying  the  receipt  of  votes  at  the  polls. 

1142.  Q.  Can  you  state  what  persons  gave  you  information  that  there 
was  such  an  organized  purpose  ? 

A.  I  cannot  now  give  the  names. 

1143.  Q.  Can  you  give  any  of  them? 
A.  I  think  not. 

1144.  Q.  Can  you  furnish  the  committee  with  the  proceedings  of  thd 
committees  to  which  you  have  referred  ? 

A.  I  only  read  them  in  the  daily  journals  as  the  proceedings  of  what 
I  suppose  may  be  called  committees,  organizations  in  political  interest ; 
I  cannot  now  give  even  the  dates  at  which  they  appeared. 

1145.  Q.  In  your  proclamation  you  say :  the  authority  of  the  judges 
and  the  seal  of  the  supreme  court  is  defied ;  will  you  state  to  the  com- 
mittee what  evidence  you  had  of  that ! 

A.  It  was  announced  in  many  of  the  papers,  and  I  think  some  legal 
opinions  were  also  given,  that  the  registers,  whose  duty  it  was  to  register 
persons  claiming  the  right  to  vote,  had  the  right  to  go  behind  the  certi- 
ficates of  naturalization  issued  by  a  court  of  record,  to  deny  the  validity 
of  them,  to  examine  into  their  genuineness  or  regularity,  and  to  refuse 
to  register,  if  in  their  judgment  they  thought  proper  so  to  do ;  whereas 
the  claim  of  those  who  agreed  with  me  was  that  the  registers  had  no 
right  to  go  behind  any  certificate  issued  by  a  court  of  record,  and  that  i 
it  was  their  duty,  when  the  oath  Avas  offered  to  be  taken,  to  receive  it 
and  leave  the  man,  if  he  committed  any  offence,  to  be  prosecuted  under 
the  laws  of  the  State ;  it  was  in  that  way  that  the  seal  of  the  court  was 
to  be  defied,  and  was  defied — as  was  commonly  understood — by  some  of 
the  registers ;  it  was  very  clear  to  us  who  understood  the  largeness  of 
the  population  and  vote  of  this  city,  that  if  the  registers  should  under- 
take to  try  the  genuineness  of  papers  bearing  the  seal  of  the  supreme 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  101 

court,  a  very  large  proportion  of  the  vote  would  fail  to  be  registered ; 
that  the  time  allowed  for  registration  was  too  short  to  get  the  vote  of 
the  city  registered. 

114G  Q.  Did  you  advise  that  the  registers  had  no  right  to  inquire 
into  the  genuineness  of  certificates  of  naturalization? 

A.  I  gave  no  advice  on  the  subject,  and  was  not  consulted. 

1147.  Q.  State  if  that  opinion  was  expressed  in  your  presence  and 
intercourse  with  citizens  of  New  York,  and  whether  you  assented  or  ob- 
jected to  it. 

A.  It  was  mentioned  to  me,  I  think,  in  conversation  by  the  district 
attorney  of  the  city,  who  was  also  the  counsel  for  the  board  of  police 
commissioners  avIio  had  charge  of  the  appointment  of  registers.  I  have 
no  doubt  that  1  did  assent  to  it  though  it  was  not  stated  to  me  in  any 
official  way.  I  also  so  understood  Judge  Davies's  opinion  to  read  when 
it  was  first  published. 

1148.  Q.  Can  you  furnish  the  committee  with  references  to  the  news- 
papers, and  their  dates,  in  which  you  allege  there  were  articles  the 
object  of  which  was  to  deny  the  authority  of  the  supreme  court  and  to 
defy  its  seal  ? 

A.  I  have  no  file  of  them  and  have  no  time  to  examine  them. 

1149.  Q.  State  if  it  was  notorious,  at  and  prior  to  the  last  presiden- 
tial election,  that  fraudulent  naturalization  papers  had  been  procured 
or  used  in  this  city. 

A.  I  have  no  knowledge  of  any  such  fact.  I  know  that  such  charges 
were  made  in  the  papers. 

1150.  Q.  Did  you  take  any  steps  to  ascertain  the  correctness  of  the 
charges  ? 

A.  Ko,  sir:  I  was  in  the  city  very  little  during  the  six  weeks  preced- 
ing the  election. 

1151.  Q.  You  say  in  your  proclamation,  "A  grand  jury  of  the  United 
States  court,  summoned  through  the  agency  of  those  who  are  in  this 
scheme,  has.  as  I  have  been  informed,  been  induced,  without  that  pre- 
liminary examination  Avhich  is  usual,  and  which  is  afforded  by  law  for 
the  protection  of  character,  to  find,  in  great  haste  and  secrecy,  bills  of 
indictment  against  divers  persons,  for  the  purpose,  openly  avowed,  of 
intimidating  them  in  the  discharge  of  their  public  duties." -  State  what 
evidence  you  had  that  such  purpose  was  openly,  or  otherwise,  avowed. 

A.  I  cannot  give  names,  but  it  was  generally  understood  in  this  city, 
at  the  time,  that  persons  prominent  in  the  organization  of  the  republi- 
can party  had  declared  that  every  means  should  be  resorted  to  to  break 
down  the  democratic  majority  in  this  city;  that  they  had  bet  largely  on 
it:  that  one  of  the  persons  who  had  made  such  declaration,  and  had 
either  made  or  was  interested  in  such  wagers,  was  the  marshal  of  this 
district,  who,  1  believe,  is  the  officer  empowered  by  law  to  summon  juries. 
I  say  1  cannot  give  the  names  of  the  persons  who  stated  this,  because 
it  was  common  report,  generally  understood — no  concealment  about  it. 
I  do  not  give  names  because  that  would  necessarily  be  followed  by  the 
question,  ••  What  conversation  had  you  with  this  particular  person  V  and 
I  could  not  recollect. 

1152.  Q.  Can  you  give  the  name  of  any  person? 

A.  Mb,  1  cannot  now.  And  on  this  subject  I  would  like  to  say  here, 
(it  is  due  to  myself  and  due  to  the  judge 'of  the  court,  who,  I  am  told, 
considered  it  might  be  some  reflection  upon  him,)  that  the  whole  burden 
of  that  charge  in  the  proclamation  was  that  indictments  were  found 
without  the  preliminary  examinations  which  I  understood  to  be  usual  in 
the  United  States  criminal  courts,  as  it  is  in  our  State  criminal  courts. 


102  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  TORE. 

It  had  no  application  to  the  case  of  Rosenberg,  because  Rosenberg  had 
had  his  preliminary  examination  and  an  opportunity  to  defend  himself. 
But  other  indictments  were  found  (at  least  I  was  so  informed  and  had 
no  doubt  about  it)  against  men  in  the  city,  and  against  men  out  of  the 
city,  in  adjoining  counties,  without  any  notice  to  them  or  any  complaint. 
One  of  them,  a  very  respectable  gentleman  in  the  county  of  Westches- 
ter, told  me  that  on  coming  to  this  city,  after  being  notified  that  his 
presence  was  required,  on  asking  who  his  accusers  were,  or  what  the 
charge  was,  he  was  denied  the  information,  and  had  to  remain  over  the 
election  without  knowing  it. 

1153.  Q.  In  what  court  was  this  grand  jury  summoned  I 

A.   1  understood  it  to  be  in  the  United  States  district  court. 

11T)4.  Q.  Had  you  any  information  that  that  grand  jury  was  sum- 
moned through  the  agency  of  republicans! 

A.  I  believe  Marshal  Murray  is  a  republican  and  that  he  summoned 
the  grand  jury.  He  was  very  active  as  a  republican,  I  know,  during 
the  canvass. 

By  Mr.  DiCKEY: 

1155.  Q.  I  should  like  to  know  whether  the  marshal  summons  a  grand 
jury  whenever  he  wishes,  is  he  the  agency  by  which  grand  juries  are 
summoned,  or  is  he  the  mere  instrument  to  summon  them  .' 

A.  I  suppose  he  is  the  instrument  to  summon  them.  The  word 
"agency"  hardly  expresses  the  idea.  Therefore  "instrumentality" 
would  be,  probably,  the  more  accurate  word.  I  am  not  familiar  with 
the  practice  in  the  United  States  courts,  but  1  suppose  it  is  a  pretty 
well  understood  fact  that  the  marshal  summons  grand  juries,  and  it  is 
understood,  also,  that  in  relation  to  petit  juries,  at  all  events,  he  sum- 
mons pretty  much  whom  he  pleases. 

1  lot;.  Q.  I  presume  he  summons  by  the  order  of  the  court! 

A.  O,  1  presume  so;  in  the  regular  course  of  business. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

1157.  Q.  Did  you  have  information  to  induce  you  to  suppose  that  that 
grand  jury  had  been  summoned,  or  procured  to  be  summoned,  in  any 
other  than  the  legal  and  usual  way  I 

A.  No,  sir;  I  do  not  think  my  proclamation  implies  any  such  thing. 
The  whole  point  of  the  matter,  in  my  mind,  was  this:  that,  on  the  eve 
of  an  election,  with  the  great  excitement  prevailing  in  the  community, 
whatever  might  be  the  practice  of  the  court  in  ordinary  times,  it  was  a 
great  outrage  to  indict  men  of  well-known  respectability  without  any 
preliminary  charge  and  without  an  opportunity  to  defend  themselves 
before  a  commissioner;  and  one  effect  of  it  was  to  produce  very  great 
excitement,  not  only  here  but  elsewhere. 

1158.  Q.  State  whether  it  is  not  usual  for  grand  juries  to  find  indict- 
ments without  any  preliminary  examination  before  a  commissioner,  and 
whether  the  law  does  not  authorize  it. 

A.  I  suppose  the  law  authorizes  it.  My  acquaintance  with  practice  in 
the  United  States  courts  is  such  that  1  cannot  say  whether  it  is  usual. 
I  have  always  understood  that  the  practice  conformed  to  that  of  the 
State  courts.  During  the  five  years  that  I  was  judge  of  a  criminal  court 
in  this  city,  whose  jurisdiction  covered  all  cases,  including  capital  ones, 
I  do  not  think  that  half  a  dozen  indictments  were  found  against  any- 
body without  a  preliminary  examination,  unless  it  was  in  cases  where  the 
accused  persons  were  fugitives  from  the  State,  and  where  the  indict- 
ments were  found  in  order  that  they  might  be  the  basis  of  a  requisition 
from  the  governor  for  the  return  of  the  accused. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  103 

1 159.  Q.  About  what  time  did  the  grand  jury  sit? 

A.  I  do  not  know  the  duration  of  the  session.  I  understood  it  was  in 
session  at  the  time  my  proclamation  was  issued,  or  that  it  had  been  a 
few  days  before.  The  fact  that  the  practice  of  preliminary  examinations 
was  an  ordinary  one  was  to  be  inferred  from  the  case  of  Rosenberg,  who 
was  the  first  person  charged  with  fraud  under  the  naturalization  laws, 
and  who  was  permitted  to  have  that  opportunity  of  defending  himself 
before  a  commissioner. 

1100.  Q.  Did  you  have  any  information  that  any  person  had  avowed 
that  the  object  in  having  the  grand  jury  summoned  was  to  intimidate 
any  person  or  officer  in  the  discharge  of  any  duty  ? 

A.  I  had  heard  no  such  specific  declaration.  I  had  no  doubt,  from  all 
the  signs  of  the  times,  that  that  was  the  object  of  many  of  those  who 
instituted  complaints. 

1161.  Q.  I  refer  now  to  the  summoning  of  the  jury. 

A.  O,  no,  sir ;  the  expression  about  summoning  the  grand  jury  had 
reference  solely  to  the  connection  of  Marshal  Murray  with  it,  who  was 
known  to  be  an  exceedingly  bitter  partisan  in  that  contest. 

1162.  Q.  Did  you  have  any  information  that  Marshal  Murray  had 
any  agency  whatever  in  procuring  the  grand  jury  to  be  summoned ;  and, 
if  so,  what  was  it  ? 

A.  No  other  than  the  usual  agency.  I  did  not  understand  that  that 
grand  jury  was  summoned  for  that  specific  purpose.  There  is  no  such 
charge. 

1163.  Q.  Did  you  have  any  information  that  Marshal  Murray  had  any 
agency  in  procuring  this  grand  jury  to  be  summoned '?  If  so,  what  was 
that  information? 

A.  The  fact  that  the  grand  jury  was  assembled — summoned,  as  usual, 
by  the  marshal ;  that  was  all. 

1164.  Q.  Do  you  mean  to  say  that  the  indictments  found  by  that  grand 
jury  were  found  without  the  examination  that  is  usual  by  grand  juries 
in  that  court ;  if  so,  what  examination  that  is  usual  did  that  grand  jury 
omit  % 

A.  I  do  not  mean  to  say  so,  and  have  not  said  so  in  the  proclamation. 

1165.  Q.  Did  you  have  any  evidence  that  that  grand  jury  was  sum- 
moned through  the  agency  of  any  persons  who  had  a  scheme  by  means  of 
which  they  sought  to  intimidate  any  person  or  officer  in  the  discharge 
of  his  duty  % 

A.  I  had  this  fact  before  me,  that,  as  I  understood,  it  was  the  usual 
custom  in  the  United  States  courts,  as  it  was  in  the  State  courts,  to  give 
to  every  person  accused  of  crime  an  opportunity  to  defend  himself  before 
a  committing  magistrate,  as  he  is  called  in  the  State  courts,  or  before  a 
commissioner  in  the  United  States  court.  I  had  also  the  fact  stated  to 
me  that  this  grand  jury,  (who  composed  it  I  did  not  know,)  on  the  eve  of 
an  election,  surrounded  by  officers  of  the  United  States,  the  chief  of 
whom  was  marshal  of  this  district,  devoted  itself  to  inquire  into  election 
cases,  and  found  a  very  considerable  number  of  indictments  against  per- 
sons in  and  out  of  the  city,  without  giving  to  any  of  them  an  opportunity 
to  defend  themselves  on  a  preliminary  examination.  This  was  the  evi- 
dence that  satisfied  my  mind  that  it  was  part  of  the  general  scheme 
which,  I  believed,  was  then  being  carried  on  in  this  city,  to  intimidate 
voters  and  to  break  down  what  was  known  to  be  the  large  democratic 
majority  vote. 

1166.  Q.  When  you  issued  the  proclamation  did  you  know  what  per- 
sons had  been  indicted  and  for  what  offences ;  or  did  you  know  anything 
in  reference  to  the  question  of  their  guilt  or  innocence  ? 


104  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IX  NEW  YORK. 

A.  I  only  knew  that  it  was  stated  that  a  Large  batch  of  indictments 
had  been  found ;  the  officers  connected  with  the  court  refusing  to  declare 
the  names  of  the  persons  against  whom  the  indictments  were  found. 

1167.  Q.  You  did  not  know  the  persons  l 

A.  I  heard,  anion  g  others,  that  one  gentleman  residing  in  the  county  of 
Westchester  (personally  well  known  to  me  as  a  highly  respectable  man) 
was  included  in  the  list ;  and  it  turned  out  afterwards  to  be  so.  1  prefer 
not  to  mention  his  name,  because  I  do  not  want  any  publicity  to  be 
given  to  it. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

1168.  Q.  This  information  about  tin4  number  of  persons  indicted,  &c, 
did  you  get  it  from  personal  inquiry  or  from  rumor  I 

A.  It  was  reported  to  me  at  my  office  by  some  official  connected  with 
my  office;  and  it  was  stated  in  some  papers  next  day. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

1161).  Q.  Did  you  take  any  steps  yourself  to  ascertain  who  were 
indicted,  and  whether  they  were,  or  were  not,  probably  guilty  of  the 
offence  with  which  they  were  charged  I 

A.  I  did,  as  soon  as  I  heard  of  the  man  in  Westchester  county ;  partic- 
ularly in  reference  to  his  case. 

1170.  Q.  Did  you,  prior  to  issuing  the  proclamation  \ 
A.  I  cannot  tell  about  that. 

1171.  Q.  Did  you  make  any  inquiry  as  to  any  except  this  one  case  J 
A.  No,  sir;  for  I  was  not  informed  of  the  names. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

1172.  Q.  You  do  not  recollect  whether  that  was  before  or  after  the 
proclamation  ? 

A.  I  think  it  was  before,  but  I  am  not  positive. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

1173.  Q.  From  whom  did  you  make  the  inquiry  in  relation  to  him  \ 
A.  From  persons  in  the  village — from  his  counsel  in  fact,  and  from 

himself. 

1174.  Q.  Did  you  make  any  inquiry  of  the  proper  officer  of  the  court, 
charged  with  the  duty  of  prosecuting  him  I 

A.  No,  sir. 

1175.  Q.  State  whether  the  United  States  marshal  appointed  special 
deputies  to  take  their  places  at  the  polls  ? 

A.  I  was  so  informed. 
By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

1176.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  that  was  the  fact  or  not  ? 

A.  I  have  no  doubt  of  it.  I  cannot  swear  to  it.  1  know  that  on  the 
Friday  preceding  the  election,  (I  believe  the  proclamation  was  issued  on 
Saturday,)  on  going  to  my  native  town  in  Westchester  county  to  address 
a  meeting  in  the  evening,  one  man  in  that  village  reported  himself  as 
having  been,  that  day,  sworn  in  by  the  United  States  marshal  to  be  a 
deputy  at  the  polls.  He  was  a  man  of  the  name  of  Sniffen.  This  was 
at  Sing  Sing,  Westchester  county.  It  was  a  matter  of  common  notor- 
iety that  the  marshal  did  appoint  deputies,  and  that  the  sheriff  was 
going  to  appoint  his.  And  it  seemed  to  me  that  if  things  went  on  s< 
there  would  be  a  collision.  It  was  generally  understood  that  in  the  cit> 
of  New  York  the  marshal  had  sworn  in  a  large  number  of  deputies. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

1177.  Q.  Did  you  take  any  steps  to  ascertain,  from  the  marshal 
any  other  official  source,  whether  lie  had  appointed  such  deputies  \ 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  -NEW  YORK.  105 

A.  No,  sir.  I  liad  no  communication  with  Marshal  Murray  during 
the  election  or  since. 

1178.  Q.  Did  you  have  any  evidence  that  such  deputies  were 
appointed  by  the  marshal  with  instructions  or  with  a  purpose  to  threaten 
and  awe  the  electors  of  the  State  ?     If  so,  what  was  that  evidence  I 

A.  1  had  no  evidence  of  any  instructions  that  the  marshal  ^ave  them. 
I  inferred  it  from  the  appointments.  When  a  United  States  officer 
appoints  deputy  marshals  to  attend  an  election  in  the  State  of  Xew 
York  I  do  not  stop  to  inquire  what  instructions  he  gave  them.  I  draw 
the  inference  from  the  fact  of  the  appointment ;  and  I  found  that  that 
was  the  inference  drawn  by  other  people. 

1179.  Q.  Do  you  know  any  instance  in  which  any  deputy,  appointed 
by  the  marshal,  attempted  to  interfere  with  the  free  exercise  of  the 
elective  franchise  ?    If  so,  state  what  that  interference  was  I 

A.  No,  sir.  I  do  not.  I  think  the  idea  was  abandoned  after  they  were 
appointed. 

1180.  Q.  Can  you  furnish  the  committee  with  any  evidence  that  any 
such  purpose  was  entertained  by  the  marshal  or  by  any  deputy  appointed 
by  him  ? 

A.  No,  sir.     Marshal  Murray  was  not  much  disposed  to  convey  to 
me  any  idea  of  what  his  intentions  or  purposes  were.     1  could  not  get 
them  from  anybody  except  from  him. 
By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

1181.  Q.  You  had  no  information  of  any  such  intention  except  the 
inference  that  you  drew  \ 

A.  And  from  those  appointments. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

1182.  Q.  Can  you  give  us  the  names  of  any  deputies  appointed  by 
him,  so  that  they  may  be  summoned  before  the  committee  to  state 
whether  they  did  attempt  to  interfere  with  men  in  the  exerckse  of  the 
elective  franchise,  or  whether  they  were  appointed  for  any  such  pur- 
pose, or  entertained  any  such  purpose  \ 

A.  I  do  not  know  the  name  of  any  of  them  except  the  one  I  men- 
tioned at  Sing  Sing ;  and  very  certainly  he  did  not  attempt  to  do  any 
thing.     It  seemed  very  clear,  from  the  temper  of  the  people,  that  it 
would  not  be  very  wise  for  him;  and  I  have  no  doubt  that  the  same 
temper  prevailed  here. 

1183.  Q.  Do  you  know  that  he  was  appointed  recently,  prior  to  that 
time,  a  deputy  \ 

A.  It  was  so  stated  by  a  gentleman  in  whom  I  had  confidence,  who 
stated  that  he  had  the  information  from  himself. 

1184.  Q.  Did  you  have  any  evidence  that  there  existed  a  combina- 
tion of  dangerous  men  \ 

A.  Before  you  go  on  to  that  I  would  like  to  state  that  there  is  one 
statement  in  that  proclamation  which  I  believe  is  not  true — that  is,  that 
it  was  the  first  time  in  the  history  of  the  country  for  the  United  States 
government  to  interfere  with  an  election  in  the  State  of  Xew  York.  An 
old  gentleman  lately  called  my  attention  to  the  fact  that  De  Witt  Clin- 
ton, in  one  of  his  messages  to  the  legislature,  called  its  attention  to  a 
similar  state  of  facts  in  1820,  and  hoped  that  proceedings  would  be  taken 
to  prevent  any  repetition  of  it. 

1185.  Q.  State  if,  when  you  issued  the  proclamation,  you  had  any 
information  of  the  existence  of  a  combination  of  men  whose  object  was 
to  consummate  fraudulent  schemes  by  the  aid  of  untried  or  pardoned 
criminals,  and  if  so,  what  untried  or  pardoned  criminals  \ 


106  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

A.  I  had  information  from  the  district  attorney  of  this  city,  thai  he 
had  issued  bench  warrants  for  the  arrest  of  certain  persons  under  indict- 
ment for  crime  ;  that  for  some  reason  or  other,  which  he  could  not  explain, 
the  police  authorities  would  not  execute  the  warrants.  One  of  them  I 
understood  to  be  a  man  quite  notorious  in  the  eighth  ward  of  this  city, 
of  the  name  of  Theodore  Allen;  the  names  of  the  others  lie  did  not 
mention  to  me.  It  was  reported  to  me  on  confidential  authority  that 
certain  persons,  whose  names  I  would  rather  not  mention,  (because  the 
election  is  over,  and  [do  not  desire  to  have  personal  collision  with  them,) 
but  who  are  well  known  to  this  committee,  were  in  the  habit  of  holding 
frequent  meetings  with  a  view  of  affecting  results  at  the  election,  and 
that  this  man  Allen  was  one  of  the  party  who  joined  the  meetings.  I 
would  rather  not  mention  the  names  of  the  parties  unless  insisted  upon 
by  the  committee;  some  of  them  I  have  never  had  any  persona]  differences 
with.  They  were  known  partisans  in  the  contest,  and  very  bitter  ones: 
but  I  see  no  necessity  of  drawing  them  in  unless  to  defend  my  procla- 
mation, and  I  do  not  care  whether  it  is  defended  or  not,  except  to  my 
constituents:  if  I  give  the  names  it  will  be  under  the  pressure  of  the 
committee. 

118(>.  Q.  State  what  purpose  was  to  be  accomplished  by  the  aid  of 
untried  or  pardoned  criminals,  and  what  evidence  you  have  of  such  pur- 
pose/? , 

A.  I  believed  it  to  be  the  organization  of  a  system  of  fraud  in  regis- 
tering  and  in  voting,  and  possibly  in  canvassing;  but  that  I  cannot  say. 

1187.  Q.  Will  you  furnish  the  evidence  which  you  had  of  that  .' 
A.  No,  sir. 

1188.  Q.  Or  do  you  have  any  I 

A.  1  had  merely  the  statements  made  tome  by  confidential  friends,  of 
the  meetings  held  in  this  city,  at  which  this  man  Allen  was  one  of  the 
persons  present — a  man  whose  reputation  is  so  notoriously  bad  that  it 
required  no  legal  evidence  to  satisfy  any  magistrate  that  whatever  he  is 
engaged  in  is  wrong.  I  once  sentenced  his  brother  to  State  prison  for 
five  years  for  pocket-picking,  (after  being  three  times  before  me,)  but 
Governor  Fenton  pardoned  him  after  six  months,  on  the  eve  of  my  elec- 
tion as  mayor,  and  he  was  used  in  the  party  against  me,  although  I  do 
not  suppose  Governor  Fenton  intended  it ;  he  says  he  did  not. 

1189.  Q.  What  other  untried  or  pardoned  criminals  were  to  be  used  \ 
A.  I  have  already  said  that  I  cannot  give  their  names.     The  district 

attorney  said  he  had  issued  bench  warrants  for  several,  and  that  tin1 
police  refused  to  execute  the  warrants. 

1190.  Q.  Did  you  take  any  steps  to  ascertain  the  number  of  them  \ 
A.  iNo,  sir.     And  here,  perhaps,  it  may  be  well  for  me  to  say  a  word 

about  this  proclamation,  because  it  comes  in  properly  in  connection  with 
this  question.  I  do  not  say  it  to  defend  the  proclamation,  for  1  do  not 
think  it  necessary  to  do  so ;  but  I  say  it,  as  this  testimony,  1  suppose, 
will  be  ultimately  printed  for  the  information  of  any  gentleman  who 
may  take  an  interest  in  it.  1  had  been  absent  from  the  city  of  New 
York  a  good  deal ;  1  came  here  just  on  the  eve  of  the  election,  and  I 
found  a  very  excited  state  of  feeling  in  the  community.  The  city  was 
filled  with  rumors,  some  of  them  very  absurd,  some  of  them  very  prob- 
able. In  all  my  official  life,  excepting  only  about  the  time  of  the  riots  in 
1863,  I  never  had  seen  so  much  evidence  of  deep  excitement  in  the  com- 
munity as  there  was  then.  It  looked  to  me  very  much  as  if  it  might  end 
in  very  serious  results,  which  I  desired,  for  many  reasons,  to  avoid.  I 
felt  assured  that  a  word  from  me  would  quiet  a  great  many  elements  in 
the  city  that  were  excited.     I  called  my  clerk  in  my  office  about  half-pasl 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  107 

two  on  Saturday  afternoon,  and  dictated  this  proclamation  to  liim ;  sent 
it  to  the  printers  by  3  o'clock,  and  it  was  published  on  Saturday  morn- 
ing. I  was  very  conscious  that  in  certain  quarters  it  would  lose  me  a 
great  deal  of  support  from  moderate  men  in  the  city  who  would  be 
alarmed  at  its  tenor ;  but  I  believe  it  tended  to  preserve  the  peace  of  the 
city  of  Few  York,  and  to  allay  the  excitement ;  I  think  now  that  it  did 
more  towards  it  than  the  presence  of  all  the  National  Guards  in  the  city. 

1191.  Q.  At  the  time  that  you  issued  the  proclamation  did  you  have 
any  evidence  that  any  republicans  were  engaged  in  the  contemplated 
schemes  of  fraud ;  and  if  so,  can  you  furnish  the  committee  with  that  eyi- 
dence  so  that  we  may  inquire  into  it  ! 

At  I  supposed  I  had.  Besides  these  meetings  to  which  I  have  referred, 
and  the  names  of  the  parties  to  which  I  have  asked  leave  not  to  mention, 
it  was  very  well  understood  that  immense  sums  of  money  were  being 
contributed  by  very  wealthy  men,  candidates  for  office  and  others ;  so 
large  that  it  was  hard  to  find  any  way  that  it  could  be  expended  unless 
it  was  to  consummate  some  other  measures  than  those  contemplated  by 
the  statute.  I  am  told  that  some  of  these  gentlemen,  and  many  of  them, 
have  since  declined  under  oath  to  give  any  statement  of  their  subscrip- 
tions. They  were,  however,  very  well  understood  at  the  time,  and  one  of 
them  for  $20,000  was  pretty  well  published  through  the  country. 
By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

1192.  Q.  To  affect  the  election  in  the  State  of  New  York? 
A.  It  was  sent  here  ;  I  do  not  knoAv  how  it  was  expended. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

1193.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  your  own  knowledge  of  the  use  of  money  by 
republicans  ? 

A.  ^"o,  sir ;  nor  by  democrats  either. 

1194.  Q.  Are  you  able  to  furnish  the  committee  with  evidence  as  to 
what  was  said  or  done  at  or  by  these  meetings  to  which  you  have  referred  \ 

A.  Xo,  sir  ;  they  took  very  good  care  not  to  let  me  know. 

1195.  Q.  Did  you  take  any  steps  to  ascertain  the  truth  or  falsity  of 
what  Avas  alleged  to  have  been  said  or  done  at  these  meetings  ? 

A.  I  was  satisfied  officially  by  statements  made  to  me,  and  by  the 
character  of  the  men  who  made  them,  that  I  was  warranted  in  issuing 
my  proclamation — all  that  I  needed  was  to  be  satisfied  officially  what  my 
duty  was — not  whether  it  Avas  legal  eAidence  or  not,  but  whether  I  was 
satisfied. 

1196.  Q.  Can  you  furnish  the  committee  with  any  evidence  that  any 
republicans  Avere  engaged  in  making  false  registrations  or  in  the  issue 
of  false  naturalization  papers,  or  in  procuring  any  AToter  or  Alters  to 
vote  more  than  once,  or  in  any  other  frauds  on  the  ballot  % 

A.  I  think  you  will  have  to  apply  to  the  other  side  of  the  house  for 
this  information.  I  cannot  give  it.  I  was  too  busy  about  other  matters 
to  look  after  their  frauds. 

1197.  Q.  Did  you  have  any  information  Avhen  you  issued  the  proclama- 
tion that  any  republican  or  republicans  were  engaged  in  any  scheme,  or 
had  any  purpose  to  excite  the  masses  of  the  people  of  this  city,  or  any 
portion  of  them  to  acts  of  disorder  or  violent  resistance  ;  if  so,  what  evi 
dence  had  you  ? 

A.  The  acts  of  this  committee  to  which  I  have  referred,  the  avowed 
purpose  of  an  organized  system  of  challenging  at  the  polls,  obstructing 
the  registration,  delaying  the  voting,  finding  indictments  without  pre- 
liminary examination,  preventing  the  arrest  of  criminals  on  bench  war- 
rants issued  by  the  district  attorney,  Aiolent  denunciations  of  a  parti- 


108  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

san  press,  and  other  things  calculated  to  produce  great  excitement.  Not 
an  avowed  purpose  of  course,  for  no  one  would  be  foolish  enough,  I  sup- 
pose, to  declare  it. 

1198.  Q.  Can  you  give  the  names  of  any  republicans  whose  duty  it 
was  to  make  arrests  and  who  refused  to  do  so  '! 

A.  No,  sir. 

1199.  Q.  Can  you  give  the  names  of  any  criminals  or  others  accused 
of  crime  who  were  not  arrested  and  who  should  have  been  \ 

A.  I  can  give  you  no  other  information  on  that  subject  than  that  I 
have  already  given. 

1200.  Q.  Can  you  give  the  names  of  any  republicans  who  were  engaged 
in  procuring  false  registration  of  voters  l 

A.  No,  sir. 

1201.  Q.  Can  you  give  the  names  of  any  republicans  who  were  falsely 
registered ! 

A.  No,  sir. 

1202.  Q.  Can  you  give  the  names  of  any  republicans  who  voted  more 
than  once? 

A.  No,  sir. 

1203.  Q.  Can  you  furnish  the  means  by  which  any  evidence  of  any 
of  those  facts  can  be  given  to  the  committee  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  whether  I  can  or  not.  I  have  no  knowledge  on  the 
subject  one  way  or  the  other  on  either  side.  I  paid  no  attention  to  it, 
and  I  know  nothing  about  it. 

1204.  Q.  Did  you  have  such  evidence  at  the  time  the  proclamation 
was  issued  % 

A.  None  except  what  I  stated  in  my  testimony. 

1205.  Q.  Can  you  furnish  any  evidence  that  any  republicans  were 
engaged  in  acts  of  disorder  affecting  the  free  exercise  of  the  elective 
franchise  1 

A.  I  never  knew  a  more  quiet  election  than  it  turned  out  to  he, 
although  we  had  Governor  Fenton  here,  and  although  the  National 
Guard  turned  out.  I  went  to  police  headquarters  the  night  before  the 
election  by  invitation  to  meet  the  governor  and  the  sheriff.  The  gover- 
nor did  not  come  and  the  sheriff  did  not  come.  I  found  the  police  authori- 
ties in  a  great  state  of  excitement,  and  I  told  them  I  did  not  think  there 
would  be  any  trouble,  it  would  be  all  pleasant. 

1206.  Q.  State  whether  you  heard  rumors  or  had  information  prior  to 
the  election  that  fraudulent  naturalization  papers  were  being  issued u? 

A.  I  read  of  the  charges  in  the  Eosenberg  case.  I  read  the  allega- 
tions made  in  the  papers. 

1207.  Q.  Did  you  take  any  steps  to  ascertain  whether  fraudulent  nat- 
uralization papers  were  being  issued  ? 

A.  I  did  not.     I  had  no  means  of  ascertaining. 

1208.  Q.  State  if  there  were  rumors  or  reports  of  fraudulent  registra- 
tion "I 

A.  There  were  such  rumors. 

1209.  Q.  Did  you  take  any  steps  to  ascertain  the  truth  or  falsity  of 
these  charges? 

A.  No,  sir ;  it  was  no  part  of  my  business ;  it  Avas  the  business  of  the 
police  commissioners,  who  were  supposed  to  appoint  the  registers — one 
half  from  each  political  party — and  who  had  all  the  facilities  of  determin- 
ing whether  there  were  any  frauds  in  the  registration.  I  had  not.  I  had 
no  police  force  at  my  command  or  any  machinery  at  my  command.  The 
mayor  of  the  city  has  nothing  to  do  with  the  police  of  the  city ;  he  has 
merely  two  policemen  detailed  at  his  office  by  the  courtesy  of  the  com- 
missioners. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  109 

1210.  Q.  State  if  you  ever  saw  a  circular  like  the  printed  one  which 

1  now  present  to  you? 
The  circular  is  as  follows: 

[Private  and  strictly  confidential.] 

Rooms  of  Democratic  State  Committee, 

October  27,  J  868. 

My  Dear  Sir:  Please  at  once  to  communicate  with  some  reliable  person  in  three  or  four 

principal  towns,  and  in  each  city  of  your  county,  and  request  him  (expense  duly  arranged 

for  this  end)  to  telegraph  to  Wm.  M.  Tweed,  Tammany  Hall,  at  the  minute  of  closing  the 

p0U — not  waiting  for  a  count — such  person's  estimate  of  the  vote.      Let  the  telegraph  be  as 

follows:   "This  town  will  show  a   democratic  gain  (or  loss)  over  last  year  of ."     Or 

this  one,  if  sufficiently  certain  :   "This  town  will  give  a  republican  or  democratic  majority 

of •" 

There  is  of  course  an  important  object  to  be  attained.  By  a  simultaneous  transmission  at 
the  hour  of  closing  the  poll,  but  not  longer  waiting,  opportunity  can  be  taken  of  the  usual 
half-hour  lull  in  telegraphic  communication  over  lines  before  actual  results  begin  to  be 
declared,  and  before  the  Associated  Press  absorb  the  telegraph  with  returns  and  interfere  with 
individual  messages  ;  and  give  orders  to  watch  carefully  the  count. 
Very  truly  yours, 

SAMUEL  J.  TILDEN, 

Chairman. 

A.  I  have  seen  what  seemed  to  be  like  this,  published  in  the  news- 
papers after  the  election,  but  I  never  saAv  or  heard  anything  of  it  before. 

1211.  Q.  Who  is  Mr.  Tilden? 

A.  A  leading  lawyer  in  this  city;  chairman  of  the  Democratic  State 
Central  Committee. 

1212.  Q.  When  did  you  first  hear  of  that  circular  ? 

A.  Some  time  after  the  election.  I  read  it  in  the  newspapers — never 
before. 

1213.  Q.  State  if  you  have  any  knowledge  as  to  whether  that  was  sent 
to  various  parts  of  the  State? 

A.  I  have  no  knowledge  about  it  at  all. 

1214.  Q.  Nor  information  ? 

A.  Nor  information ;  except  that  I  have  seen  Mr.  Tilden's  card  in  the 
papers  stating  that  he  did  not  sign  it.  I  know  nothing  about  it  except 
what  I  have  seen  in  the  neAvspapers. 

1215.  Q.  Are  you  acquainted  with  James  O'Brien  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

1216.  Q.  What  office  did  he  hold  during  the  vear  ? 
A.  Sheriff. 

1217.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  he  appointed  special  deputies  ? 
A.  I  was  informed  that  he  did. 

1218.  Q.  Do  you  know  to  what  extent  ? 
A.  I  do  not.    A  large  number  I  heard. 

1219.  Q.  Can  you  state,  from  information  or  otherwise,  whether  many 
of  ^the  deputies  that  he  appointed  Avere  men  who  had  been  guilty  of 
crime  ? 

A.  I  have  no  information  on  the  subject. 

1220.  t^.  Can  you  furnish  the  committee  with  the  names  of  republicans 
Avho  resorted  to  unusual  means  to  increase  the  excitement  during  the  elec- 
tion, in  any  way  affecting,  or  designed  to  affect,  the  purity  of  the  ballot? 

A.  No  ;  I  should  not  undertake  to  do  that. 

By  Mr.  Dickey. 

1221.  Q.  You  have  stated  that  one  of  the  reasons  of  your  issuing  the 
proclamation  was  an  arrangement  for  universal  challenge.  Is  chal- 
lenging unusual  or  improper? 

A.  A  system  of  challenging,  by  which  men  were  to  stand  at  the  polls 


110  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IX  NEW  YORK. 

and  challenge  every  man  who  came  op  with  his  papers  as  a  naturalized 
citizen  is  unusual. 

1222.  Q.  Is  there  any  impropriety  in  that ! 

A.  Yes  sir;  because  it  would  destroy  (if  carried  on  as  an  organized 
system)  the  facilities  for  voting  and  prevent  half  the  voters  getting  their 
votes  in.  If  every  man  who  came  up  as  a  naturalized  citizen  were  chal- 
lenged, and  if  he  were  to  stop  and  take  the  oath  and  answer  the  ques- 
tions put  to  him,  the  delay  wonld  be  so  great  that  the  vote  could  not  be 
got  in  in  the  city,  with  all  the  polling  places  that  we  have  provided. 

By  the  Chairman. 

1223.  Q.  Unless  that  right  of  challenge  is  permitted  to  be  freely  exer- 
cised, is  there  not  great  danger  of  fraud  being  practiced  \ 

A.  No  one  ever  objected  to  its  being  freely  exercised,  if  exercised  in 
good  faith  and  for  no  other  purpose  but  to  get  at  the  truth ;  but,  if  exer- 
cised in  a  partisan  spirit,  for  the  purpose  of  obstructing  voting  rather 
than  of  guarding  against  fraud,  that  is  a  very  different  thing.  Police 
are  stationed  at  each  poll  to  guard  every  challenger  in  his  rigid  to  chal- 
lenge everybody  that  may  be  objectionable. 

By  Mr.  Dickey. 

1224.  Q.  What  evidence  had  you  that  there  was  any  combination  to 
exercise  this  right  of  challenge  in  any  way  but  in  good  faith? 

A.  My  recollection  of  the  proceedings  of  some  committees  thai  were 
published  in  some  of  the  papers  was  that  there  were  general  assurances 
made  in  those  meetings  by  some  parties  engaged  in  them  that,  by  rea- 
son of  what  they  said  were  the  enormous  and  gross  frauds  in  naturaliz- 
ation, it  was  their  duty  to  scrutinize  every  man  who  came  up  with  a 
naturalization  paper,  and  to  interpose  this  challenge  without  hesitation. 
Of  course  it  was  not  said  in  so  many  words  that  every  man  who  came 
should  be  challenged,  but  the  idea  was  that  there  should  be  such  a  free 
use  of  the  challenge  as  would  necessarily  result  in  the  obstruction  of  the 
polls. 

1225.  Q.  Then  one  of  the  purposes  of  this  proclamation  was  to  repress 
the  exercise  of  the  right  of  challenge  beyond  what  yon  considered  or 
what  might  be  considered  its  usual  exercise  >. 

A.  Not  beyond  what  I  considered  its  reasonable  exercise,  but  beyond 
what  would  be  its  reasonable  exercise.  It  was  to  indicate  to  men  in  this 
city  who  might  undertake  to  unduly  obstruct  electors  in  casting  their 
votes  that  they  had  better  avoid  it. 

1226.  Q.  That  they  should  be  careful  in  exercising  this  right  of  chal- 
lenge? 

A.  Discreet. 

1227.  Q.  You  have  spoken  of  the  reports  of  large  sums  of  money 
raised  for  election  purposes;  do  you  speak  of  it  from  report  or  from 
knowledge  of  the  facts  ? 

A.  I  have  no  knowledge  of  the  facts — nothing  that  I  can  swear  to  as 
facts.  * 

1228.  Q.  Did  not  that  report  apply  to  both  parties  in  the  election  ? 
A.  Yes ;  but  hardly  to  ours  as  it  did  to  yours.    We  would  have  spent 

it  probably  if  we  had  it,  but  we  did  not  have  it. 

1229.  Q.  I  suppose  that  money  was  raised  by  your  party  ? 
A.  Yes.     I  spent  some  myself. 

1230.  Q.  Is  it  anything  unusual  in  New  York  to  raise  money  for 
election  purposes  ? 

A.  If  half  the  stories  are  true  of  the  large  sums  contributed  in  this 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  Ill 

city,  then  it  is  very  unusual.     It  is  only  from  rumor  I  know  that  the  sums 
were  unusually  large. 

"  By  the  Chairman  : 

1231.  Q.  Had  you  known,  or  did  you  hear  of  any  assessment  or  assess- 
ments haying  been  made  on  any  railroad  company  or  gas  company? 

A.  I  heard  something  since  the  election  about  a  requisition  having 
been  made  upon  a  railroad  company  by  one  of  your  people. 

1232.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  contribution  by  any  of  those  companies  ? 
A.  Ko,  sir ;  I  do  not. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

1233.  Q.  You  alluded  to  one  very  large  contribution  on  the  republican 
side,  which  was  largely  published  over  the  country.  Was  it  not  a  fact 
that  one  of  your  party  doubled  that  amount '! 

A.  The  fact  was,  I  believe,  that  a  patent  medicine  man  advertised 
himself  in  that  way.  but  I  never  heard  of  his  having  given  any  money. 

By  Mr.  Kerr: 

1234.  Q.  You  are  mayor  of  the  city  something  like  three  years  8 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  resigned  about  the  last  of  November.  The  month  of 
December  would  have  made  three  years. 

1235.  Q.  Tell  the  committee  how  the  police  board  of  this  city  is  con- 
stituted, both  in  numbers  and  politics  ? 

A.  The  police  board  is  made  up  of  four  gentlemen.  It  is  now  equally 
divided  politically.  This  year  is  the  first  time  that  it  has  been  so  for 
many  years. 

1236.  Q.  Hitherto  how  has  it  been  '! 

A.  At  first,  when  the  board  was  organized,  it  was  organized  of  a  non- 
partisan character — half  and  half.  Mr.  Win.  McMurray,  Avho  was  ap- 
pointed by  Governor  Seymour  as  one  of  the  board,  died;  and  then  Mr. 
Manierre,  an  extreme  republican,  was  appointed  to  succeed  him.  That 
made  the  board  three  republicans  and  one  democrat.  It  continued  so  till 
last  winter,  when,  one  of  the  republicans  having  died,  the  legislature, 
being  democratic  on  joint  ballot,  elected  Mr.  Brennan  as  a  democrat  to 
'succeed  him,  so  that  the  board  is  now  equally  divided. 

1237.  Q.  By  whom  are  the  registry  boards  of  the  city  and  county  of 
New  York  appointed  I 

A.  By  the  police  commissioners. 

123S.  Q.  Is  it  a  tact  that  they  are  appointed  so  that  each  board  shall 
have  an  equal  number  of  men  of  each  party  ? 

A.  1  am  told  by  the  commissioners  that  that  is  the  design  always ;  that 
they  do  it  as  nearly  as  they  can  now. 

1239.  Q.  Is  that  required  by  any  law  of  the  State  of  New  York,  or  is 
it  the  result  of  a  voluntary  action  of  the  board? 

A.  I  think  it  is  the  result  of  voluntary  action  of  the  board,  for  I  am 
certain  there  is  nothing  in  the  law  that  requires  it.  The  law  gives  the 
commissioners  the  power  to  make  the  appointments,  but  does  not  say 
how  they  shall  exercise  it. 

1240.  Q.  How  are  the  boards  of  canvassers  appointed? 
A.  By  the  same  authority. 

1241.  Q.  With  the  same  division  in  polities  I 
A.  Yes,  sir;  so  it  is  understood  to  be. 

1242.  Q.  How  are  the  police  appointed? 
A.  By  the  same  commissioners. 


112  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 


124.*).  (,).  By  whom  arc  the  police  officers  derailed  whose  duty  it  is  to 
guard  this  registration  of  voters  and  the  elections? 

A.  They  are  detailed  either  by  general  older  of  the  superintendent,  or 
by  the  captains  of  precincts — L  presume  it  is  b\  the  captains  of  the 
different  precincts. 

1244.  Q.  Either  on  their  own  'motion,  or  by  the  order  of  the  superin- 
tendent ? 

A.  Yes.  As  I  understand  it  each  precinct  has  SO  many  policemen. 
They  are  distributed  through  the  precinct  on  election  day,  just  as  the 
officer  in  command  of  the  precinct  chooses  to  assign  them. 

1245.  Q.  Do  you  know  anything  about  alleged  naturalization  frauds 
in  this  city  prior  to  the  ('lection  I 

A.  No,  sir. 

1240.  Q.  Were  you,  in  the  course  of  the  last  canvass,  familiar  with  the 
committee  organizations  in  the  city  ! 

A.  No,  sir;  not  at  all.  I  do  not  know  anything  about  the  details  of 
the  canvass,  hardly  anything.  1  think  1  was  in  tin1  State  committee 
rooms  only  twice  during  the  last  canvass. 

By  Mr.  Dickey: 
1247.  Q.  How  many  voting  places  are  there  in  the  city  of  New  York? 
A.   I  think  340. 

New  York.  December 24,  1868. 
SAMUEL  J.  GLASSEY  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  Chairman  : 
124S.  Question.  State  if  you  are  acquainted  with  Thomas  Gould? 
Answer.  I  am  slightly  acquainted  with  him.     I  had  two  or  three  inter- 
views with  him  in  the  month  of  November  last. 

1249.  Q.  State  if  he  was  a  candidate  for  any  office. 

A.  He  was  a  candidate  for  member  of  assembly  in  the  fourth  assembly 
district  of  this  city,  the  seventh  ward,  at  the  general  election  in  Novem- 
ber.    He  is  the  person  who  was  examined  by  the  committee  yesterday. 

1250.  Q.  If  you  had  an  interview  with  him  state  what  lie  said  in  rela- 
tion to  naturalization  frauds. 

(Objected  to  by  the  minority  of  the  committee,  on  the  grounds,  first," 
that  the  chairman  had  no  right  to  contradict  his  own  witness,  and  second, 
that  the  testimony  was  only  hearsay.     Objection  overruled.) 

A.  Gould  called  upon  me  to  see  me  in  company  with  General  Foster, 
the  12th  or  13th  of  November  last.  He  told  me  that  on  the  10th  or  12th 
of  October,  1868,  he  was  in  the  first  part  of  the  supreme  court  of  this  city 
when  the  business  of  naturalization  was  going  on ;  that  he  saw  a  clerk 
who  was  attending  to  that  business  deliver  to  a  person  who  came  and 
asked  for  350  certificates,  a  large  bundle  of  certificates  which  were  signed 
and  sealed,  but  otherwise  in  blank,  the  clerk  saying  to  this  man  as  he 
delwered  them,  "  There  are  three  hundred  in  this  package."  He  also 
stated  that  he  knew,  and  he  could  i^rove  it,  of  three  hundred  bogus  cer- 
tificates being  sent  to  Staten  island  to  use  there.  He  was  asked  whethea 
he  was  willing  to  swear  to  that,  and  he  said  he  A\as.  Quite  a  number  of 
questions  were  asked  him  as  to  the  details,  some  in  the  nature  of  a  cross- 
examination,  and  he  adhered  to  that  statement.  General  Foster  wrote 
down  the  statement  of  what  he  had  said,  at  the  time,  in  his  presence  and 
in  my  presence,  which  statement  I  saw  here  yesterday.  He  called  once 
or  twice  afterwards  and  asked  questions  as  to  what  we  were  doing,  and 
whether  we  were  willing  to  employ  him  to  work  lip  the  cas;e.     We  told 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  113 

him  we  saw  no  reason  for  doing  that.  We  had  some  conversation  at  the 
same  time  as  to  the  vote  in  the  district  in  which  he  was  a  candidate. 
He  stated  that  there  had  been  a  great  many  illegal  votes  there,  and  that 
he  believed  that  he  had  been  cheated. 

Mr.  Boss  moved  that  all  this  testimony  be  struck  out,  it  being  irrelevant 
and  hearsay.    The  motion  was  rejected. 

1251.  Q.  State  what  office  you  held  in  connection  with  the  election  in 
New  York  at  the  last  election. 

A.  I  was  inspector  of  registrations  and  elections  in  the  16th  district, 
20th  ward. 

1252.  Q.  State  what  you  know  of  fraudulent  naturalization  papers 
being  presented  for  the  purpose  of  registering  voters. 

A.  Three  fraudulent  certificates  were  presented  on  the  evening  of 
the  30th  of  October,  1868,  and  one  on  the  evening  of  the  31st.  About  7 
o'clock,  on  the  evening  of  the  30th,  a  man  came  in  who  said  his  name 
was  Bichard  Dargan,  who  wanted  to  be  registered.  He  had  been 
naturalized,  and  he  presented  a  paper  purporting  to  be  a  certificate  of 
naturalization.  I  examined  him  as  to  how  he  got  it.  He  said  that  he 
had  never  been  in  any  court;  did  not  know  what  witness,  if  any,  had 
testified  to  his  residence  in  this  country;  he  had  never  taken  any  oath, 
and  said  the  paper  was  given  him  at  a  place  which  he  pointed  to,  a  liquor 
store,  corner  of  Thirty-fourth  street  and  Ninth  avenue.  He  stated  that 
the  paper  was  given  to  him  by  the  man  in  there.  He  was  informed  that 
he  could  not  be  registered  or  vote,  and  I  took  possession  of  the  paper  and 
retained  it.  I  subsequently  made  complaint  against  him  and  caused  his 
arrest,  and  he  was  held  to  bail  by  the  commissioner  and  the  case  sent 
before  the  grand  jury.  The  certificate  I  delivered  to  the  commissioner 
before  whom  I  made  complaint,  and  I  saw  it  subsequently  in  the  posses- 
sion of  the  grand  jury. 

1253.  Q.  What  court  did  the  certificate  purport  to  be  issued  from  % 
A.  It  Avas  a  certificate  signed  by  "  Charles  E.  Loew,  Clerk/'  bearing 

the  same  signature  as  that  one  you  hold  in  your  hand,  and  bearing  the 
seal  of  the  cotinty.  It  was  dated  late  in  October,  1868.  It  was  precisely 
like  this  paper,  except  the  date,  which  may  have  been  different.  Com- 
missioner Osborne  heard  the  complaint  and  committed  him,  and  the  case 
was  sent  to  the  grand  jury.  A  few  minutes  after  that  man  had  gone 
away  another  man  appeared  and  gave  his  name  as  Joseph  Bernhardt. 
He  presented  a  certificate  precisely  like  the  other,  issued  from  the 
supreme  conrt  and  bearing  the  signature  and  seal  of  the  court.  He  stated 
he  had  been  to  court  and  got  it ;  he  did  not  know  who  was  his  witness ;  that 
he  had  never  taken  any  oath,  and  that  the  paper  was  given  to  him  by  a  man 
by  the  name  of  John  Perrine,  who  was  clerk  in  a  shoe  factory  in  Forty- 
second  street.  He  had  never  made  any  declaration  of  intentions,  and  had 
never  taken  any  oath.  He  knew  nothing  about  the  paper,  except  that 
Perrine  got  it  for  him  and  gave  it  to  him.  I  did  not  get  possession  of 
that  paper.  It  was  returned  to  Bernhardt  by  one  of  the  other  inspec- 
tors, and  he  left  the  place  with  it  in  his  posession.  I  made  a  complaint 
against  Bernhardt  and  Perrine,  and  a  warrant  was  issued  for  their 
arrest,  and  I  believe  it  was  never  served.  In  the  evening  of  Saturday, 
the  31st  of  October,  the  last  day  of  registration,  a  man  came  and,  stating 
that  his  name  was  Pat.  Duffey,  he  asked  to  be  registered.  He  brought 
as  evidence  of  his  naturalization  this  certificate,  and  stated  on  examina- 
tion that  he  had  never  declared  his  intentions  and  did  not  know  any- 
thing about  his  witnesses;  had  never  been  in  court,  had  never  taken 
any  oath,  and  that  the  paper  was  given  him  by  Mr.  Moore,  who  kept 
8  T 


114  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

the  liquor  store  across  the  way,  on  {lie  southeast  corner  of  Thirty-fifth 
street  and  Ninth  avenue.  Registration  was  refused  and  I  took  posses- 
sion of  the  paper.  Duffey  came  back  in  a  little  time  afterwards,  beg- 
ging me  to  give  it  up  to  him,  saying  he  would  make  no  use  of  it.  I  de- 
clined, and  Moore  then  called  upon  me  and  asked  me  to  give  it  to  him. 
I  told  him  I  would  not;  that  I  proposed  to  find  out  who  it  was  issued  it. 
I  asked  him  what  he  knew  about  it.  He  said  that  he  knew  nothing 
about  it  except  that  it  was  left  at  his  place  for  Duffey,  and  that  he  gave 
it  to  Duffey.  The  name  of  Moore  was  written  in  pencil,  as  it  now  apt 
pears  on  the  back  of  the  paper,  when  it  came  into  my  possession,  and 
there  was  pencil-writing  in  the  same  hand  on  the  back  of  the  Dar 
gan  paper,  indicating  that  both  papers  passed  through  the  hands  of  the 
same  party.  I  made  a  complaint  against  Duffey  and  Moore  and  both 
were  arrested,  and  Moore,  I  believe,  has  been  indicted. 

By  Mr.  Ross : 

1255.  Q.  How  many  of  these  certificates  were  there? 

A.  There  were  three  presented,  two  of  which  I  took  possession  of  and 
the  other  was  returned  to  the  party  by  the  other  inspectors. 

1256.  Q.  Were  you  one  of  the  inspectors  of  election? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

1257.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  fraudulent  votes  being  given  in  your 
voting  place? 

A.  There  were  two  or  three  as  to  which  I  had  suspicion,  but  knew 
nothing. 

1258.  Q.  They  were  passed  upon  by  a  majority  of  the  board  as  good, 
and  were  allowed  to  vote? 

A.  There  was  no  controversy  in  the  board.    There  were  nineteen  men 
registered  who  did  not  vote,  some  of  whom  I  had  marked  to  challenge. 

1259.  Q.  To  what  political  party  do  you  belong? 
A.  To  the  republican  party. 

1260.  Q.  Do  you  belong  to  any  secret  organization  of  the  party  ? 

A.  I  hardly  know  whether  I  do  or  not.  Some  years  ago  I  became 
member  of  the  Union  League  in  the  ward  that  I  then  lived  in,  but 
never  attended  a  meeting.     That  is  some  four  years  ago. 

1261.  Q.  Were  you  in  any  of  these  secret  meetings  before-the  election ' 
A.  No,  sir ;  I  attended  two  or  three  meetings  of  republican  inspectors 

1262.  Q.  Were  they  composed  of  republicans  exclusively? 
A.  So  I  understood. 

1263.  Q.  Why  did  you  hold  those  meetings? 
A.  I  only  know  from  the  invitations  addressed  to  me,  which  were, 

meet  for  consultation  and  to  receive  advice  as  to  the  discharge  of  oi 
duties. 

1264.  Q.  Whom  did  you  get  that  invitation  from? 
A,  I  think  the  note  sent  to  me  was  signed  "John  H.  White." 

1265.  Q.  Is  that  the  attorney  who  is  looking  after  this  case? 
A.  He  is  one  of  the  counsel  who  is  looking  after  the  matter. 

1266.  Q.  Was  he  one  of  the  board  of  inspectors? 
A.  I  think  not.     I  am  not  aware  that  he  was.     I  am  under  the  i) 

pression  that  he  was  not  an  inspector. 

1267.  Q.  He  sent  a  communication  to  you  to  meet  the  rest  of  the  repul 
lican  inspectors  at  a  particular  place? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

1268.  Q.  Where  did  you  meet? 
A.  At  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel. 

1269.  Q.  Who  were  there  beside  the  republican  inspectors? 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  115 

A.  Nearly  all  the  poisons  whom  I  remember  meeting  there  were  in- 
spectors, there  was  quite  a  number  of  persons  there  whom  I  did  not 
know,  hut  I  can't  tell  whether  they  were  inspectors  or  not. 

1270.  Q.  Is  Mr.  White  the  only  man  you  knew  there  whom  you  did  not 
know  to  be  an  inspector? 

1  saw  Tolonel  Bliss  there;  I  do  not  know  whether  he  was  an  in- 
tor  or  not.    I  saAv  Isaac  Dayton  there;  I  am  under  the  impression 
that  he  was  an  inspector,  but  I  do  not  know. 

1271.  Q.  Was  Marshal  Murray  there,  or  any  of  his  deputies? 

A.  Not  to  my  knowledge;  I  didn't  see  Marshal  Murray  there  upon 
any  occasion ;  I  was  there  two  or  three  times. 

i272.  Q.  Did  you  sit  with  closed  doors? 

A.  No,  sir;  they  had  three  or  four  rooms  on  the  first  floor  of  the  hotel : 
the  rooms  were  all  full,  and  the  passages  were  full.  There  must  have 
been  two  or  three  hundred  persons  there,  and  people  were  running  in 
and  out  all  the  time. 

1273.  Q.  Did  you  organize  by  calling  any  one  to  the  chair? 

A.  No,  sir ;  not  while  1  was  present ;  there  was  very  little  order  or 
organization  of  any  kind. 

1274.  Q,  State  what  instructions,  if  any,  Mr.  White  gave  you  after  you 
got  there ! 

A.  He  did  not  give  me  any  at  all. 

1275.  Q.  Did  he  give  any  to  the  inspectors? 

A.  I  heard  Mr.  White  in  conversation  with  a  number  of  persons.  I 
did  not  hear  him  give  any  definite  instructions  or  directions  to  anybody. 

1270.  Q.  Was  there  anybody  who  gave  general  instructions  as  to  what 
you  should  do  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

1277.  Q.  Was  there  anv  determination  come  to  as  to  what  von  should 
do ! 

A.  There  was  not.  I  myself  went  there  to  get  advice  and  to  give 
advice  on  certain  points,  and  I  did  not  succeed  in  doing  either.  The 
invitation  was  to  be  there  at  a  certain  horn1,  and  it  was  some  time  after 
that  hour  when  I  arrived. 

1278.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  the  others  had  come  to  any  conclusion 
before  you  came ! 

A.  I  do  not. 

1279.  Q.  Was  it  agreed  there  that  night  that  all  persons  having  natur- 
alization papers  should  be  challenged?" 

A.  No,  sir. 

1280.  Q.  Was  there  anything  said  of  any  action  taken  with  a  view  to 
prevent  democratic  voters  from  depositing  their  votes  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  nor  anything  approaching  to  it. 

1281.  Q.  Was  there  anything  done  there  in  the  way  of  raising  fund* 
with  a  view  to  controlling  elections ! 

A.  No,  sir ;  there  was  not  a  word  said  about  money. 

1282.  Q.  You  came  to  no  conclusion  on  any  point  for  which  you  went : 
A.  I  am  not  aware  of  any  definite  conclusion  being  arrived  at ;  the 

meeting  was  not  called  for  the  purpose  of  arriving  at  any  definite  con- 
clusion.    Mr.  White  invited  us  for  the  purpose  of  receiving  advice. 

1283.  Q.  From  whom? 
A.  That  was  not  stated. 

1284.  Q.  Did  you  get  the  advice? 
A.  I  did  not  get  any. 

1285.  Q.  Was  there  any  advice  given  ? 

A.  I  heard  a  good  many  questions  asked  and  answered. 


116  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

1286,  Q.  Was  there  any  advice  given  1 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

L287.  Q.  By  whom! 

A.  I  heard  Mr.  Dayton  answer  questions  that  were  put. 

1288.  Q.  What  were  the  questions  and  answers'? 
A.  I  do  not  recollect. 

1289.  Q.  How  long  were  you  in  session?  \ 
A.  I  don't  know  how  long  other  parties  were  there;  I  was  there  only 

15  or  20  minutes. 

1290.  Q.  Did  you  leave  before  the  meeting  broke  up  ? 

A.  It  was  not  an  organized  meeting;  there  was  an  assemblage  of  peo- 
ple there,  all  talking.  I  found  a  great  many  engaged  in  that  general 
conversation,  and  I  left  them  there. 

1291.  Q.  Did  you  meet  any  democratic  inspectors  there  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  did  not  see  any  person  whom  I  recognized  as  democrats 
in  the  whole  party. 

1292.  Q.  It  was  exclusively  a  meeting  of  republican  inspectors  with  a 
view  to  the  coming  election  I 

A,  I  understood  so. 

1 293.  Q.  How  many  persons  did  your  board  refuse  to  permit  to  be  regis- 
tered ? 

A.  I  think  only  these  three. 

1291.  Q.  How  many  did  you  refuse  to  permit  to  vote? 

A.  Only  two ;  and  there  was  no  dispute  about  them. 

1295.  Q.  I  thought  I  understood  you  to  say  that  quite  a  number  were 
rejected? 

A.  No  ;  I  said  there  were  19  registered  who  did  not  vote,  some  of  whom 
I  had  marked  to  challenge.  They  did  not  appear  to  vote.  There  were 
some  half  a  dozen  challenged  who  swore  in  their  votes,  and  gave  expla- 
nations satisfactory  to  the  whole  board. 

1290.  Q.  How  many  votes  were  given  at  your  precinct  ? 

A.  Four  hundred  and  eleven,  I  think. 

1297.  Q.  And  you  think  the  polls  were  kept  substantially  free  there 
from  illegal  votes  ? 

By  Mr.  Dickey: 

1298.  Q.  This  meeting  of  republican  inspectors  that  was  called,  was 
there  any  secrecy  about  it  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

1299.  Q.  Was  there  a  doorkeeper,  or  anything  of  that  kind? 
A.  I  noticed  nothing  of  the  kind. 

1300.  Q.  What  was  the  purpose  of  it, — to  consult  as  to  what  their 
legal  duties  were  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  the  special  purpose,  as  I  understood  it,  and  the  matter 
which  I  heard  discussed  was,  what  action  should  be  taken  in  the  event 
of  peremptory  mandamus  being  issued  on  the  last  day  of  registration, 
directing  them  to  register  men  whom  they  did  not  think  entitled  to  reg- 
istration. It  was  rumored,  and  was  believed  by  a  good  many  inspectors, 
and  many  republicans,  that  application  would  be  made  to  some  judges 
for  peremptory  mandamus  to  compel  inspectors  to  register  names  after 
rejection,  and  there  were  one  or  two  cases  of  that  kind.  There  was 
some  consultation  also  as  to  the  course  to  be  adopted  in  regard  to  certi- 
ficates of  naturalization,  it  being  believed  that  there  were  a  great  many 
irregular  and  improper  ones  issued;  these  matters  were  talked  over,  but 
whether  there  was  any  formal  organization  effected  before  my  arrival  I 
do  not  know.    I  found  Mr.  Dayton  at  one  end  of  the  table  and  heard 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  117 

him  addressed  as  chairman,  but  there  was  a  great  deal  more  conversa- 
tion between  the  persons  present,  among  themselves,  than  there  was 
addressed  to  him.  There  were  more  people  in  the  room  than  it  would 
comfortably  accommodate.  The  only  two  subjects  which  I  have  any 
recollection  of  hearing  discussed  were,  first,  what  should  be  done  in  the 
event  of  mandamus  being  served ;  and  second,  what  was  the  proper 
course  to  be  taken  in  cases  of  certificates  of  naturalization  where  fraud 
was  suspected. 

By  Mr.  Boss : 

1301.  Q.  Who  is  Mr.  Dayton? 

A.  A  lawyer  of  many  years'  standing  in  this  city,  and  one  of  the 
registrars  in  bankruptcy. 

1302.  Q.  He  was  not  one  of  the  board  of  inspectors  % 
A.  I  do  not  know  whether  he  was  or  not. 

1303.  Q.  Do  you  know,  or  have  you  any  reason  to  believe,  that  any 
republican  organization,  or  any  one  or  more  republican  citizens,  were 
engaged  in  any  purpose  to  exclude  any  legal  voters  from  the  right  to  exer- 
cise the  elective  franchise  % 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  never  heard  such  a  suggestion  except  once  in  the  news- 
papers, and  I  know  it  to  be  utterly  without  foundation. 

1304.  Q.  Did  you  know  or  hear  of  any  purpose  on  the  part  of  any 
republican  to  obstruct  or  intimidate  voters  in  their  right  to  vote? 

A.  I  did  not. 

1305.  Q.  Did  you  know  of  any  purpose  of  making  challenges  except  in 
cases  where  fraud  or  illegal  voting  were  suspected  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  and  I  know  that  precautions  were  taken  to  see  that  chal- 
lenges were  made  only  in  proper  cases. 

1300.  Q.  State  whether  in  the  registration  districts,  generally,  it  was  the 
practice  to  swear  all  persons  presenting  certificates  of  naturalization. 

A.  A  very  small  proportion  of  them  Avere  sworn.  The  general  prac- 
tice was  not  to  swear  them. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

1307.  Q.  Was  not  the  register  liable  to  be  imposed  upon  by  naturaliza- 
tion papers  apparently  good  upon  their  face,  but  which  were  illegally 
procured  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  because  the  fraudulent  certificates  are  precisely  the  same 
in  appearance  as  the  genuine  ones,  and  it  is  only  by  the  examination  of 
the  parties  presenting  them  that  any  fact  tending  to  impeach  them  can 
be  ascertained.  The  democratic  inspectors  very  generally  stated  that 
they  had  been  advised  by  counsel  that  the  certificate  was  conclusive  evi- 
dence of  all  that  it  stated  and  of  the  right  of  the  holder  to  be  registered. 
That  .question  was  very  often  discussed  in  our  own  board,  and  the  two 
democratic  inspectors  objected  to  my  action  very  strenuously  on  that 
ground,  and  informed  me  that  Mr.  A.  Oakey  Hall,  and  other  prominent 
lawyers,  had  advised  them,  and  had  issued  instructions  to  that  effect. 

1308.  Q.  How  many  persons  voting  on  naturalization  papers  were  chal- 
lenged on  the  day  of  election  in  the  district  in  which  you  acted  % 

A.  Not  more  than  10  at  most :  I  think  not  more  than  six. 

1309.  Q.  Who  is  Mr.  A.  Oakey  Hall  I 

A.  He  has  been  for  many  years  the  district  attorney  for  this  county, 
and  is  now  mayor  elect. 

1310.  Q.  Is  he  a  democrat  or  a  republican  % 

A.  He  used  to  be  a  sort  of  republican  a  good  many  years  ago,  but  he 
has  been  for  many  years  a  very  decidedly  pronounced  democrat  and  a 
member  of  Tammany  Hall. 


118  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IX  NEW  YORK. 

1311.  Q.  Who  was  tlie  sheriff  of  the  county  \ 

A.  James  O'Brien. 

1312.  Q.  A  democrat  \ 

A.  A  democrat  of  the  most  decided  character. 

1313.  Q.  State  whether  he  appointed  a  large  number  of  deputies  to 
act  on  the  day  of  election. 

A.  I  have  no  personal  knowledge  of  the  fact ;  I  have  information  to 
that  effect,  some  of  it  under  oath. 

1314.  Q.  Were  there  any  deputies  appointed  by  the  United  States 
marshal? 

A.  Not  one  to  my  knowledge ;  I  heard  nothing  of  it  except  the  sug- 
gestion contained  in  Mr.  Hoffman's  proclamation. 

By  Mr.  Boss : 

1315.  Q.  Did  Mr.  Dayton  give   any  instructions   to  the   republican 
inspectors  at  the  meeting  to  which  yon  have  referred  ? 

A.  I  heard  him  answering  questions  put  to  him  by  a  great  many  dif- 
ferent persons. 

New  York,  December  24,  18G8. 
John  A.  Foster  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

1316.  Question.  State  whether  you  are  acquainted  with  Thomas  Gould  ? 
Answer.  I  know  a  person  who  calls  himself  Thomas  Gould ;  it  is  the 

party  I  saw  in  this  room  yesterday  testifying. 

1317.  Q.  Did  you  have" an  interview  witl i  lum  in  relation  to  natural- 
ization papers  f  If  so,  state  when  and  what  it  was. 

Mr.  Kerr.  We  object  to  this,  as  before,  on  the  ground  that  it  is  hear- 
say, immaterial  and  irrelevant. 

A.  About  a  week  or  so  after  the  election  a  man  who  called  himself 
Thomas  Gould,  and  whom  I  saw  here  yesterday  testifying  as  a  witness, 
called  at  the  office  of  the  sub-committee  of  the  Union  League  club,  ami 
stated  that  he  was  in  possession  of  valuable  information  in  regard  to  the 
frauds  in  the  naturalization  of  voters,  at  and  before  the  last  November 
election.  He  made  a  long  statement  of  what  he  knew  and  of  what  lie 
had  seen ;  he  stated  among  other  things  that  he  had  been  in  the  supreme 
court,  part  1,  in  which  Judge  Barnard  was  then  presiding,  and  had  seen 
the  clerk,  John  B.  McKean,  Avith  a  large  number  of  papers  that  seemed 
to  be  naturalization  papers ;  that  a  man  came  in  the  door  and  passing 
him  requested  to  be  given  350  naturalization  papers,  and  that  McKean 
counted  out  what  he  said  was  350  such  papers.  He  said  he  was  near 
enough  so  that  he  could  see  the  nature  of  the  papers,  the  clerk's  name 
and  the  seal  upon  it ;  and  that  the  clerk  told  the  man  that  there  were 
350  papers  there ;  he  said  the  man  receivecj.  them,  ran  over  them  as 
though  to  count  them,  and  left  a  check  of  some  sort — a  small  check — for 
them ;  he  said  he  had  witnessed  this ;  and  we  then  requested  him  to 
make  an  affidavit  of  the  fact ;  he  asked  to  be  employed  in  some  way. 
We  told  him  that  there  was  no  employment  to  be  had  for  him,  and  he  then 
said  that  he  wanted  some  money  to  work  up  the  case,  as  he  called  it. 
We  informed  him  that  we  did  not  intend  to  pay  any  person  for  testifying, 
but  that  we  wanted  him  to  give  any  evidence  on  the  subject  that  he 
might  have.  He  said  that  he  knew  of  300  of  these  papers  that  had  been 
sent  to  Staten  Island  to  be  voted  on.  I  attempted  to  get  him  to  make 
an  affidavit  to  that  fact;  he  went  away.  I  think  he  called  within  two  or 
three  days  from  that  time  and  again  wanted  money.  Mr.  Glassey  was 
there  and  myself— both  times  I  think — I  am  certain  Mr.  Glassey  was 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  119 

there  the  first  time.  I  told  this  man  that  we  could  not  give  him  any 
money,  but  that  if  he  would  testify,  he  could  be  put  in  a  position  where 
he  could  give  his  testimony,  and  wanted  him  again  to  make  an  affidavit 
to  the  facts  he  had  stated  ;  I  told  him  that  we  had  no  money  to  pay  him 
but  that  I  wished  he  would  give  his  testimony ;  I  took  down  what  he 
stated  on  a  slip  of  paper,  and  he  then  seemed  to  become  rather  excited 
at  not  1  laving  been  paid,  and  left  apparently  angry;  I  sent  for  him  quite 
recently,  but  he  did  not  come ;  I  furnished  the  Sergeant-at-arms  with  his 
name,  to  be  subpoenaed;  I  heard  him  testify  yesterday,  but  I  did  not 
hear  apparently  more  than  a  portion  of  his  testimony. 

By  Mr.  Kerr: 

1318.  Q.  What  is  this  man's  business  ! 
A.  I  do  not  know  him,  sir. 

1319.  Q.  What  is  your  business  ? 
A.  Counsellor-at-law. 

1320.  Q.  You  do  not  know  whether  he  was  one  of  that  kind  or  not  ? 
A.  I  presume  that  he  was  not ;  he  did  not  talk  like  a  lawyer. 

By  Mr.  Boss : 
1320.  Q.  He  was  a  republican  candidate  for  the  legislature  ! 
A.  He  was  nominated  by  the  republican  party,  but  he  was  understood 
to  be  a  democrat. 

1322.  Q.  Is  the  republican  party  in  the  habit  of  nominating  such  men? 
A.  Sometimes  ;  in  that  district  they  are  very  apt  to. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

1323.  Q.  In  cases  where  there  is  no  chance  of  their  winning  the  elec- 
tion * 

A.  Yes ;  and  there  is  no  chance  of  our  coming  out  third,  or  even 
fourth,  in  that  district. 

New  York,  December  24,  18G8. 
Montague  Bichard  Leverson  sworn  and  examined. 
By  Mr.  Lawrence  : 

1324.  Question.  State  whether  you  reside  in  New  York,  and,  if  so,  how 
long  you  have  resided  here. 

Answer.  I  have  resided  in  New  York  city  about  two  years. 

1325.  Q.  State  whether  you  have  observed  the  mode  in  which  natur- 
alization certificates  are  issued  and  naturalization  had,  in  any  of  the  courts 
of  this  city;  and,  if  so,  state  when  you  have  made  such  observations,  and 
what  opportunities  you  have  had  of  knowing  anything  about  it. 

A.  I  noticed  the  proceedings  for  several  days  in  the  supreme  court  of 
this  city  and  in  the  superior  court,  and  on  one  occasion  in  the  court  of 
common  pleas ;  but  as  everything  was  apparently  conducted  with  per- 
fect regularity  in  the  court  of  common  pleas,  I  did  not  again  visit  it. 

1326.  Q.  What  is  your  business  ! 

A.  I  am  a  member  of  the  bar  of  the  United  States. 

1327.  Q.  State  to  what  extent  you  have  had  your  attention  turned  to 
the  subject  of  the  exercise  of  the  elective  franchise  and  the  laws  upon 
that  subject. 

A.  I  may  say  that  for  the  last  18  years  my  attention  has  been  speci- 
ally devoted  to  what  may  be  termed  the  philosophy  of  legislation.  I 
am  a  diciple  of  Jeremy  Bentham,  the  great  father  of  the  modern  school 
of  legislation,  and  have  had  the  benefit  of  the  personal  teaching  of  John 
Stuart  Mills  and  William  Ellis. 


120  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

1328.  Q.  State  what  occurred  under  your  own  observation  intheseNew 
York  courts;  and  if  you  have  prepared  a  statement  which  contains  the 
whole  truth  and  nothing  but  the  truth,  you  can  adopt  that  statement 
and  present  it  to  the  committee;  or  you  can  give  it  in  such  other  form 
as  you  may  deem  best. 

A.  I  am  not  aware  that  there  is  anything  which  I  would  change  in 
this  statement.  [Producing  a  printed  statement.]  I  prepared  this  state] 
inent,  which  is  published. over  my  own  signature  in  the  Xew  York  Tribune 
of  October  23,  1808,  and  which  1  now  present  to  this  committee  as  perl 
fectly  true. 

Mr.  Kerr  objected  to  the  statement  being  received  on  the  ground  that 
it  was  not  competent  testimony  in  any  legal  acceptation  of  the  word. 

The  chairman  put  the  question  on  sustaining  the  objection  and  it  was 
sustained. 

1329.  Q.  Take  the  article,  and  refresh  your  recollection  with  it,  if  you 
please,  and  state  the  facts  which  you  observed;  take  up  each  court  sep- 
arately, ami  state  what  you  observed  there,  in  the  words  of  that  state- 
ment, or  otherwise,  as  you  prefer. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

1330.  Q.  You  were  in  the  courts  witnessing  the  naturalization  of 
persons  desiring  to  be  naturalized? 

A.  Yes.  I  first  went  into  a  room  in  the  basement  of  the  old  City 
J I  all  building,  which  used  to  be  the  sheriffs  office.  When  I  first  went 
into  it  in  the  daytime  there  were  about  four  gangs  of  four  clerks  to  each 
gang,  one  of  whom  acted  in  what  may  be  termed  the  capacity  of  foreman 
to  each  gang.  On  this  occasion  I  did  not  stay  to  notice  closely  what  was 
going  on,  but  that  same  evening  1  went  again.  There  was  only  one 
gang  with  one  foreman  at  work  at  this  time.  The  foreman  had  before 
him  a  list  of  names  and  addresses,  and  he  would  keep  the  other  three 
at  work,  giving  to  each  man  a  name  and  address  which  that  man  would 
fill  into  one  of  the  forms  before  him.  There  were  on  the  table  two  or 
three  piles  of  papers.  One  of  them  was  a  pile  of  blank  forms,  affidavits, 
&c.  The  first  form  was  one  in  which  the  applicant  is  required  to- swear 
that  lie  has  arrived  at  the  age  of  21  years,  that  he  has  resided  in  the 
United  States  three  years  next  proceeding  his  arrival  at  that  age,  and 
has  continued  to  reside  therein  to  the  present  time ;  and  that  he  has 
resided  five  years  within  the  United  States,  &c.  On  the  front  sheet 
there  were  also  the  other  affidavits  which  are  given  in  this  communica- 
tion to  the  Tribune.  I  have  in  this  paper  as  a  copy  thereof.  The  three 
clerks  would  fill  in  each  the  name  furnished  to  him  as  that  of  the  appli- 
cant. It  would  be  filled  in  as  that  of  the  applicant  in  three  places,  and 
the  clerk  would  then  sign  the  name  of  the  applicant  in  each  instance. 
In  every  case  which  I  saw  each  of  the  clerks  filled  in  the  name  of  Pat- 
rick Goff  as  that  of  the  attesting  witness  for  the  applicant  without  a  sin- 
gle exception.  The  name  of  "  Patrick  Goff"  Avas  inserted  as  the  wit- 
ness by  each  of  the  three  clerks,  inserted  as  the  name  of  the  person 
who  was  well  acquainted  with  the  applicant,  &c.  The  clerks  did  not 
sign  the  name  of  "Patrick  Goff"  but  put  it  "  Patrick  Goff — his  mark." 
The  clerks  wrote  the  name  of  Patrick  Goff  and  made  the  mark  also. 

1331.  Q.  Without  his  being  there? 

A.  Yes.  Whether  Patrick  Goff  exists  or  not  I  do  not  know;  at  any 
rate  he  was  not  there,  nor  any  one  of  the  applicants  whose  names  were 
signed.  This  was  common  to  nearly  every  case.  In  a  few  instances, 
however,  there  would  be  a  varation  in  the  cases  of  men  who  were  sup- 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  121 

posed  to  have  been  in  the  armed  forces  of  the  United  States.  It  would 
berather  important  to  have  the  form  for  the  judge's  endorsement.  We 
have  in  this  paper  only  the  endorsement  for  a  person  who  has  been 
in  the  service.  The  more  common  form,  and  the  one  which  was  used  in 
ninety-nine  cases  out  of  the  hundred,  would  be  the  other  form. 

1332.  Q.  The  ordinary  form  of  the  judge's  certificate  on  the  back  ? 

.V.  Yes  sir:  the  form  ordinarily  used.  I  did  not  on  that  evening 
trace  the  papers  which  I  then  saw  as  passing  through  the  court  in  any 
way  but  that  same  day,  and  also  on  two  or  three  other  occasions,  I  wit- 
nessed tin1  scene  in  the  supreme  court  where  Judge  Barnard  holds  his 

court. 

1333.  Q.  What  communication  have  these  rooms  where  you  saw  these 
clerks  to  work  with  any  court  S 

A.  Thev  had  no  particular  connection  with  a  court;  they  are  in  the 
basement  of  the  City  Hall.  The  room  is  the  old  sheriffs  office.  It 
does  not  communicate  with  any  court,  except  that  you  can  go  up  and 
down  from  it  to  where  Judge  McCunn  was  sitting  in  the  evening,  but  it 
has  no  immediate  connection  with  any  of  the  courts,  neither  was  the  room 
in  use  for  any  court  business.  Whether  these  clerks  were  clerks  of  the 
court,  or  clerks  employed  for  the  occasion,  I  do  not  know. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

1334.  Q.  Can  you  give  the  names  of  any  of  them  ! 
A.  No :  I  do  not  know  any  of  the  names. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

1335.  Q.  Was  there  any  other  court  in  the  building? 

A.  The  superior  court  was  held  by  Judge  McCunn  in  the  evening,  in 
the  same  building.  Judge  Barnard  held  his  court  nominally  from  7  to  9 
o'clock  in  the  evening,  but  I  have  seen  the  session  running  up  till  half-past 
10  or  11  o'clock.  The  mode  in  which  the  process  was  gone  through  in 
Judge  Barnard's  court  was  this:  As  the  men  came  up.  they  woidd  hand 
in  their  papers,  this  form  of  affidavit,  and  it  would  be  handed  to  the  clerk 
by  the  usher,  who  would  call  out  the  names.  It  is  a  presumption  on  my 
part  that  they  call  the  names  of  the  persons  who  in  that  paper  are  repre- 
sented as  applicants  and  witnesses,  because  of  course  I  could  not  tell 
that  of  my  own  knowledge;  all  I  can  tell  with  certainty  is  that  the  clerk 
purported  to  call  out  the  names  from  the  paper.  On  one  occasion  a  man 
named  Lush  or  Lusk  was  called  forward  while  Judge  Barnard  was  in 
court,  and  the  clerk  said  to  him,  uGet  your  witness  to  sign  his  affidavit.'' 
The  mau  looked  about  the  court.  I  was  at  that  time  at  the  extreme  end 
of  the  court,  and  I  heard  him  say,  in  a  voice  which  I  supposed  was  heard 
by  the  judge  and  the  clerk.  ikI  don't  know  who  he  is,  your  honor."  The 
clerk  would  call  out  the  names  of  persons  so  rapidly  that  I  could  not  take 
them  down.  I  commenced  to  do  so  at  first,  bnt  it  was  performed  too 
rapidly  for  me  to  follow  it,  but  I  made  a  mark  on  some  papers  which  I 
had  with  me  for  each  name  called;  I  forget  the  exact  number,  but  I 
think  I  have  it  mentioned  somewhere  in  this  paper.  I  have  been  called 
here  suddenly  without  notice,  and  have  had  no  opportunity  of  referring 
to  my  notes.  On  looking  at  this  report.  I  see  that  I  put  the  number  at 
from  one  hundred  and  ten  to  one  hundred  and  hfty  or  even  two  hundred. 
I  remember  now,  on  one  occasion  one  hundred  and  eighty  were  called  up 
in  one  batch:  I  do  not  remember  and  I  do  not  think  that,  while  I  was 
there,  there  was  any  one  occasion  when  the  number  was  less  than  one 
hundred  and  ten.  the  lowest  number  mentioned  in  my  report,  in  a  batch. 
The  average  was  about  one  hundred  and  forty  to  one  hundred  and  fifty 
in  a  batch.    I  made  a  mark  on  my  paper  as  each  name  was  called.    When 


122  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

they  came  up  they  would  be  divided  in  groups  round  four  or  five  Bibles; 
each  Bible  would  be. held  up  by  four,  five,  or  six  men  in  the  centre,  and 
the  others  would  cither  touch  it  or  stretch  out  their  hands  towards  it,  on 
being  directed  so  to  do  by  the  clerk  or  the  judge,  I  am  unable  to  say 
which.  While  they  were  being  called  up  to  touch  the  Bible,  or  in  effect 
to  stretch  out  their  hands  towards  it,  the  clerk  would  call  out  the  names. 
There  was  a  double  calling  of  the  names;  the  first  time  to  get  them  within 
the  bar,  and  the  second  for  the  purpose  of  getting  them  to  touch  the 
book.  As  the  clerk  called  out  the  names  he  would  hand  the  paper,  being 
the  affidavits  before  mentioned,  to  the  judge,  turning  each  paper  over  as 
he  handed  it,  so  that  the  place  for  the  judge's  signature  might  be  pre- 
sented at  once  to  him  to  save  time.  The  judge  would  make  some  mark, 
which  I  have  no  doubt  you  Avill  find  on  the  records  when  you  have  them 
produced,  as  his  signature  to  the  endorsement,  being,  in  fact,  the  fiat  for 
the  naturalization.  No  evidence  of  any  kind  was  taken  by  the  judge,  nor 
was  any  oath  of*  any  kind  administered  to  the  applicants  prior  to  the 
judge's  signing  the  papers  in  this  way,  which  he  did  as  fast  as  the  clerk 
could  hand  the  papers  over  to  him.  When  they  were  all  through  in  this 
way,  the  judge  then  administered  the  oath  in  words  which  I  took  down 
at  the  time,  and  which  I  will  adopt  from  this  report:  "You,  the  severs 
applicants,  swear  that  you  are  twenty-one  years  of  age;  that  you  arrived 
in  this  country  three  years  before  attaining  that  age,  and  have  resided 
five  years  in  the  United  States,  and  for  the  last  year  in  the  State  of  New 
York."  He  swore  them  in  a  batch  to  that  form.  He  would  then  say: 
"And  you,  the  several  witnesses,  swear  that  the  contents  of  your  severs! 
affidavits  are  true." 

By  Mr.  Ross : 

1330.  Q.#  And  they  all  swore  to  that,  did  they! 

A.  They  did,  and  to  nothing  further  than  I  have  stated.  The  judge 
repeated  this  form  of  oath,  and  every  man  was  supposed  to  kiss  the  book. 
The  batches  ran  from  one  hundred  and  ten  up  to  about  two  hundred ;  and 
I  remember  on  one  occasion  when  I  counted  over  one  hundred  and  eighty 
in  a  batch.  That  number  was  divided  round  five  Bibles.  Probably  two 
dozen  hands  reached  the  Bibles,  and  the  rest  stretched  out  their  hands 
over  the  shoulders  of  the  others  towards  the  Bible.  On  one  occasion 
that  I  was  taking  notes  I  was  within  the  bar,  and  the  judge  ordered  the 
space  within  the  bar  to  be  cleared.  I  had  gone  on  one  side  to  one  of  the 
tables,  and  was  seated  by  the  table.  When  the  judge  had  given  the 
order  the  other  persons  within  the  bar  went  out,  but  I  considered  I  had 
a  right  to  remain,  and  I  remained.  The  usher  came  to  me  and  told  me 
that  the  judge  had  ordered  the  space  within  the  bar  to  be  cleared.  I 
told  him  I  was  a  member  of  the  bar,  and  had  a  right  to  be  there.  He 
went  to  the  judge  and  came,  back  to  me,  and  said  that  the  judge  required 
the  space  within  the  bar  to  be  cleared.  I,  therefore,  wTent  without  the 
bar  and  stood  on  a  form  at  the  extreme  end  of  the  court.  It  was  while 
I  was  standing  there  that  I  heard  Lusk  say  that  he  did  not  know  who 
his  witness  was.  I  was  observed  to  be  continuing  taking  notes,  and 
just  as  another  batch  had  been  sworn  in  the  way  I  have  named.  After 
they  were  sworn,  when  the\~  were  being  called  over  to  receive  their  cer- 
tificates, a  further  order  was  given  by  the  judge  to  clear  the  court. 
There  had  been  no  disturbance  whatever  in  the  court,  and  no  more  noise 
than  was  absolutely  unavoidable  from  the  shuffling  of  so  many  feet 
going  up  and  crowding  around  the  Bibles.  The  other  people  without 
the  bar  went  out.  I  did  not.  The  usher,  not  the  same  one  who  had 
first  spoken  to  me,  came  up  and  told  me  that  the  judge  had  ordered  the 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  123 

court  to  be  cleared.  I  told  him  that  it  was  a  public  court  and  that  I 
was  a  member  of  the  bar,  and  that  on  both  accounts  I  had  a  right  to  be 
there.  He  began  to  forcibly  eject  me.  I  then  called  out  to  the  judge 
that  I  was  a  member  of  the  bar,  and  called  upon  him  to  protect  my 
rights.  I  did  not  hear  anything  done  in  consequence  of  that.  I  only 
know  that  I  was  ejected.  Of  course  I  did  not  attempt  to  resist.  I 
allowed  them  to  eject  me.  I  did  not  want  to  be  seen  with  a  black  eye 
in  the  streets  of  New  York.  I  cannot  say  positively  that  Judge  Barnard 
heard  my  appeal  to  him  for  protection,  but  I  express  my  belief  that  he 
must  have  done  so,  because  I  spoke  loudly,  intending  that  he  should 
hear  me.  Still,  being  at  the  extreme  end  of  the  court-room  with  a  man 
hustling  me  out,  of  course  I  cannot  say  positively  that  the  judge  heard 
me.  The  process  of  giving  out  the  certificates  was  in  this  way :  The 
certificates  were  stamped  with  the  seal  of  the  court,  in  blank,  and  they 
were  placed  in  a  huge  pile.  As  fast  as  the  judge  signed  the  certificates 
he  handed  them  out  to  the  clerks  who  were  sitting  behind  this  pile  of 
certificates  and  to  the  judge's  right;  they  would  then  fill  in  the  names 
as  the  papers  were  handed  to  them.  The  name  of  each  applicant  would 
then  be  called,  the  certificates  handed  to  him,  and  then  all  would 
together  take  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  United  States. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

1337.  Q.  Before  the  clerk? 

A.  No.  The  judge  was  generally  still  present.  I  only  remember  one 
occasion  when  the  judge  retired  to  his  room  when  this  oath  was  admin- 
istered. They  were  sworn  in  the  same  way  as  before,  in  batches,  but 
the  batches  were  not  quite  so  large.  The  certificates  would  be  handed 
probably  to  forty  or  fifty  persons  at  a  time.  As  they  were  finished  by 
the  clerks  the  usher  would  call  out  the  names  of  the  parties,  and  the 
papers  would  be  delivered  to  them  while  the  clerks  went  on  writing 
others.  On  one  occasion  I  saw  a  gentleman,  whose  name  I  do  not  know, 
but  I  could  identify  him.  I  believe  him  to  be  a  prominent  politician  in 
this  city,  and  I  have  seen  him  several  times.  I  saw  him  come  out  of  the 
judge's  room  and  take  away  with  him  a  considerable  number  of  these 
certificates  in  blank,  stamped  with  the  seal  of  the  court.  I  had  seen 
them  go  through  the  operation  of  stamping.  I  presume  they  also  bore 
the  signature  of  the  clerk ;  though  that  of  course  I  had  not  an  oppor- 
tunity of  seeing.  He  took  away  a  considerable  number  of  them  in  blank, 
and  for. each  one  that  he  took  away  he  handed  in  a  red  ticket.  I  do  not 
know  whether  the  committee  have  had  these  red  tickets  before  them. 
The  red  tickets,  thus  handed  in,  were  in  these  words : 

«No. . 


"Please  naturalize  the  bearer. 

"M.  D.  GALE, 
"  Chairman  Naturalization  Committee,  Tammany  HalW 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

1338.  Q.  What  was  the  judge — a  democrat  or  a  republican  ? 
A.  Judge  Barnard? 

1339.  Q.  Yes. 

A.  If  I  am  asked  my  opinion,  I  believe  he  is  a  democrat— so  reputed. 
The  clerk  also.  The  clerk  of  the  court  is  Mr.  Loew ;  I  do  not  know  Mr. 
Loew  personally  and  cannot,  therefore,  say  that  I  saw  him  in  any  of 
these  operations.  It  is  possible  that  when  I  know  him  personally  I  may 
be  able  to  identify  him  as  one  of  those  whom  I  saw  in  court. 


124  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  TORE. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

1340.  Q.  These  papers  that  were  being  prepared  by  batches  of  clerks, 
each  batch  having  four  clerks  with  a  leader — they  were  blanks  for  what 
court? 

A.  All  for  the  supreme  court.  The  proceedings  in  Judge  McOunn's 
court  had  a  far  greater  semblance  of  regularity,  and  what  I  saw  in  the 
court  of  common  pleas  seemed  to  me  so  entirely  regular  as  not  to  call 
for  any  further  attention. 

$  1341.  Q.  What  is  the  judge  of  the  superior  court — a  democrat  or  a 
republican  ? 

A.  He  is  reputed  a  democrat. 

1342.  Q.  What  is  the  judge  of  the  court  of  common  pleas? 

A.  In  all  these  courts  there  are  several  judges.  Of  the  judges  of  the 
court  of  common  pleas  I  am  unable  to  speak  with  any  certainty. 

1343.  Q.  Go  on  and  state  all  the  facts  that  you  observed. 

A.  Do  the  committee  want  the  conversation  of  the  parties  engaged  in 
these  operations  ? 

1344.  Q.  Certainly — conversation  occurring  at  that  time. 

A.  On  the  occasion  when  I  saw  these  papers  filled  up  with  the  name 
of  Patrick  Goff  as  the  witness  for  so  many  persons,  I  saw  a  pile  of  the 
same  kind  of  papers  all  filled  up  apparently  in  the  same  writing.  When 
I  say  all,  it  is  a  presumption  on  my  part,  for  I  had  an  opportunity  of 
seeing  only  three  or  four  in  the  batch,  but  they  were  all  in  the  same 
handwriting.  I  lifted  up  a  number  and  saw  several  in  different  parts  of 
the  pile j  all  had  Patrick  Goff  as  witness  and  all  were  in  one  or  other  of 
the  same  three  handwritings.  Of  course  I  had  no  opportunity  of  exam- 
ining the  whole  pile,  but  these  seen  in  different  parts  of  the  pile  seemed 
to  be  in  the  same  handwriting,  both  the  filling  up  and  the  applicant! 
name  and  the  signature  of  the  applicant;  and  to  all  three,  besides  those 
which  I  counted  during  the  time  that  I  was  watching  the  operations — 
to  the  whole  batch  already  prepared,  the  name  of  "Patrick  Goff — his 
mark,"  was  placed  as  witness.  I  say  this  with  the  explanation  that  I 
did  not  see  the  whole  lot.  One  batch  of  clerks  could  not  get  through 
the  whole  lot,  and  the  foreman  handed  a  list  of  names  on  some  sheets  of 
brief  paper  to  some  one  else,  and  told  him  to  fill  them  up.  The  man 
said,  "  Shall  I  make  these  in  the  supreme  or  superior  V  to  which  the 
reply  was :  u  Make  them  in  the  supreme ;  they  go  through  easier.'7  On 
the  15th  of  October  one  of  the  clerks  told  me  that  up  to  that  date  they 
had  put  20,000  through  the  mill,  (that  was  the  expression  used  by  him;  I 
employed  it  first  to  him  and  he  adopted  it,)  and  that  they  expected  to 
get  through  another  20,000  before  election.  Another  gentleman  came 
in  about  that  time,  and  his  statement  reduced  the  number  about  one- 
half;  he  said  they  had  done  10,000  and  would  do  20,000.  My  belief  is 
that  the  former  number  was  correct,  and  I  will  give  you  my  reasons  for 
so  thinking.  There  would  be  four  or  five  batches  varying  from  110  to 
200  in  number,  averaging  about  140  or  150  got  through  by  Judge  Bar- 
nard in  each  hour.  It  seems  impossible  at  first,  until  you  remember  that 
the  only  thing  the  judge  had  to  do  was  simply,  as  fast  as  the  clerk 
turned  over  the  papers  to  him,  to  sign  his  name,  or,  I  think,  simply  his 
initials  to  the  fiat.  That  is  the  way  it  was  done — no  question  of  any 
kind  being  asked.  I  can  also  speak  of  two  occasions  when  I  saw  the 
court  at  work  up  to  10  and  half  past  10  o'clock  at  night.  I  cannot 
myself  speak  of  more  than  two  such  occasions,  but  I  can  direct  you  to 
further  evidence  about  the  hours  that  Judge  Barnard's  court  was  kept 
open.  I  sent  down  some  persons  to  make  certain  inquiries,  and  I  could 
also  bring  them  before  you  if  you  desire. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  125 

By  Mr.  Dickey: 

1345.  Q.  Give  us  the  names  of  the  persons  that  you  sent,  and  their 
circumstances,  so  that  we  may  have  them  subpoenaed. 

A.  I  have  not  got  the  names  here,  but  I  have  them  at  my  office. 
Perhaps  you  would  like  to  know  the  names  of  the  most  frequent 
vouchees,  McCaffrey,  Harvey,  Patrick  Goff,  Gallagher,  Schmidt,  Spenser, 
Tracy  and  Dimphy.  This  Dunphy  I  think  there  would  not  be  much 
difficulty  in  finding.  He  is  a  young  man,  very  intelligent-looking  and 
of  very  "prepossessing  appearance.  He  was  one  of  the  most  active  of 
these  men,  and  certainly  a  man  who,  from  his  appearance,  you  would 
expect  to  hud  otherwise  engaged. 

1340.  Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  vouchees? 

A.  The  witnesses. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

1347.  Q.  Hid  the  judge  examine  the  affidavits,  or  was  it  physically 
possible  for  him  to  do  so? 

A.  Not  at  all — utterly  impossible.     He  did  not  attempt  it. 

1348.  Q.  Did  he  make  any  inspection  which  would  enable  him  to 
ascertain  whether  the  persons  making  the  affidavits  were  the  persons 
present  or  who  they  were,  or  anything  about  it? 

A.  He  made  no  inspection  of  any  kind  whatever,  nor  any  examina- 
tion at  all.  The  men  were  called  up  and  he  swore  them  in  batches,  as  I 
have  described. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

1349.  Q.  In  describing  this  scene  do  I  understand  you  to  say  that 
these  men  whose  names  you  have  mentioned  as  witnesses,  or  vouchees, 
remained  there  for  the  purpose  of  putting  these  batches  through? 

A.  Precisely.  In  a  large  number  of  cases  I  made  note  of  times 
they  appeared  under  different  names — sometimes  as  applicants  and 
sometimes  as  Avitnesses.  This  man  Patrick  Goff  I  never  saw.  I 
took  his  name  from  seeing  it  on  these  papers.  He  was  not  in  the  place 
at  all  when  his  mark  was  made,  and  I  never  saw  him  to  my  knowledge. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

1350.  Q.  Were  these  papers  which  you  have  described  as  being  pre- 
pared iu  the  basement  of  the  City  Hall,  used  in  the  course  of  the  business  ? 

A.  I  know  that  the  same  kind  of  papers  were.  I  had  not  the  oppor- 
tunity, from  circumstances  which  the  committee  probably  might  not  care 
to  have  described,  to  inquire  into  the  matter  particularly — I  had  not  the 
opportunity  of  tracing  these  identical  papers,  and  I  could  not  say  that 
those  were  the  same  papers  which  I  saw  filled  up.  But  there  is  a  mode 
in  which  the  committee  can  get  at  it,  which  I  will  suggest  if  desired. 
Whether  all  the  papers  are  preserved  or  not  I  don't  know;  but  you 
ought  to  find  the  papers  filed  as  of  the  16th  and  17th  of  October,  and 
they  ought  to  bear  the  name  of  Patrick  Goff  as  witness.  If  they  do 
not  they  have  been  made  way  with. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

1351.  Q.  Did  you  hear  the  name  of  Patrick  Goff  called  in  court  ? 
A.  Yes,  I  did,  decidedly. 

1352.  Q.  As  witness  to  these  naturalization  papers  ? 
A.  Whether  to  these  or  others,  I  do  not  know. 

1353.  Q.  How  often  was  his  name  called  ? 

A.  I  should  say  that  I  did  not  hear  his  name  called  more  than  three 
or  four  times — once  to  each  batch — when  I  was  present. 


126  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

1354.  Q.  If  you  heard  him  called  once,  of  course  there  was  no  neces- 
sity of  Ms  being  called  again  when  he  answered  that  time  '. 

A.  That  I  could  not  answer  for;  1  can  only  tell  you  the  fact.  I  heard 
him  called  three  or  four  times  one  evening  in  Judge  Barnard's  court,  each 
time  for  a  different  batch  of  applicants.  But  he  could  not  have  been 
witness  for  all  the  men  in  each  batch,  because  I  also  heard  some  of 
these  other  naimjs-  which  I  had  before  noticed  in  Judge  Mc<1unn\s 
court.  For  instance,  1  heard  the  name  of  Dunphy,  and  having  heard 
it  and  noticed  it  before  specially  in  Judge  McCunn's  court,  I  remembered 
him  when  I  heard  his  name  mentioned  in  Judge  Barnard's  court.  So 
again  the  name  of  Gallagher.  I  had  heard  it  in  Judge  McCunn's  court, 
and  I  had  noticed  it  in  the  newspapers,  which  published,  as  long  as  they 
were  permitted  to  do  it,  the  names  of  persons  naturalized  and  their  wit- 
nesses. I  have  noticed  the  name  of  Gallagher  appearing  as  a  witness 
in  a  very  large  number  of  cases;  consequently  when  I  heard  it  again, 
and  when  I  saw  him  or  a  person  answering  to  his  name  in  Judge 
McCunn's  court,  and  afterwards  heard  the  same  name  called  in  Judge 
Barnard's  court,  I  concluded — it  is  a  mere  surmise,  of  course — but  I  con- 
cluded that  it  was  the  same  man  appearing  as  a  witness  again.  Of 
course  Gallagher  is  rather  a  common  name  among  the  Irish  population, 
and  it  might  have  been  another  Gallagher.  Then  McCaffrey  was 
another  name  which  I  had  noticed  in  Judge  McCunn\s  court  and  noticed 
again  in  Judge  Barnard's  court.  Of  course,  as  in  the  other  case,  I  could 
not  state  positively  that  it  was  the  same  man,  but  I  have  no  doubt 
about  it. 

By  Mr.  Kerr: 

1355.  Q.  Did  the  judge  put  any  questions  to  those  men  who  came 
there  as  witnesses? 

A.  Not  one. 

1356.  Q.  Was  any  oath  administered! 
A.  Merely  as  I  have  described. 

1357.  Q.  The  witnesses  did  not  take  that  oath  at  the  same  time  that 
the  applicants  did? 

A.  It  was  administered  in  this  way:  "You,  the  several  applicants, 
swear  [following  the  form]  that  you  are  each  of  you  21  years  of  age; 
that  you  arrived  here  more  than  three  years  before  attaining  that  age; 
that  you  have  resided  five  years  in  the  United  States,  and  for  the  last 
one  year  in  the  State  of  New  York ;  and  you,  the  several  witnesses,  swear 
that  the  contents  of  your  several  affidavits  are  true."  That  was  the 
whole  extent  of  the  swearing. 

1358.  Q.  Prior  to  that  oath  being  administered  were  the  names  of  the 
witnesses  called  by  the  clerk  or  the  judge? 

A.  Names  were  called  over  which  I  could  not  positively  distinguish 
as  those  either  of  applicants  or  witnesses.  A  lot  of  men  went  forward 
when  the  names  were  called,  and  having  no  opportunity  to  read  the 
papers  as  the  names  were  called  I  could  not  say  positively  which  were 
applicants  and  which  witnesses;  but  I  will  give  the  committee  such 
facts  as  will  enable  them  to  draw,  no  doubt,  the  same  conclusion  which 
I  drew:  With  each  batch  I  would  hear  one  name  called  which  was  per- 
fectly familiar  to  me,  which  I  had  heard  over  and  over  again  before, 
and  my  conclusion  was  that  this  was  the  name  of  the  witness.  Each 
batch  would  probably  have  two  or  three  or  four  witnesses.  Then  I 
would  hear  those  familiar  names  called  again  with  a  succeeding  batch, 
while  the  bulk  of  the  names  called  which  I  took  to  be  those  of  the  ap- 
plicants appeared  perfectly  strange ;  besides  which,  the  number  of  cer- 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  127 

tificates  issued  after  each  swearing',  before  fresh  batches  came  within 
the  bar,  corresponded  very  nearly  with  the  number  within  the  bar: 
nearly  every  man  within  the  bar  received  a  certificate. 

1359.  Q.  Then  there  was  no  way  of  discriminating,  when  the  clerks 
were  calling  the  names,  between  applicants  and  witnesses? 

A.  None  whatever,  excepting  the  way  in  which  the  judge  put  the 
oaths:  "You,  the  several  applicants,"  and  "You,  the  several  witnesses." 

1360.  Q.  Then  there  was  a  promiscuous  crowd  of  applicants  and  wit- 
nesses all  bound  towards  the  bibles? 

A.  Exactly;  some  with  their  hands  on  the  bible.  The  bible  was  held 
up  as  high  as  those  in  the  centre  could  hold  it,  and  others  were  pointing 
to  it. 

1361.  Q.  By  that  way  of  doing  business  woidd  it  have  been  perfectly, 
easy  to  have  gone  through  with  all  those  forms  without  having  any  wit- 
nesses there  at  all  ? 

A.  Of  course  it  would;  in  fact,  facts  which  I  will  mention  presently 
will  show  clearly  that  in  many  cases  the  man  who  really  wanted  the 
certificate  did  not  appear. 

1362.  Q.  State  the  facts. 

A.  A  gentleman  named  Jourdain  applied  for  his  certificate.  He  re- 
sides at  present  with  Dr.  Petitjean,  Franklin  street,  below  West  Broad- 
way— whether  it  is  beyond  Yarick  street  or  not  I  forget,  but  I  could 
find  it.  Petitj can's  name  is  on  the  door.  He  applied  for  his  certificate 
and  was  rejected,  I  think,  in  the  superior  court,  by  Judge  McCunn.  He 
had  been  four  years  and  a  half  in  this  country,  and  his  first  papers,  I 
believe,  were  about  three  years  old;  but  of  course  he  would  be  better 
able  to  tell  you  all  that  himself.  At  all  events  he  afterwards  got  his 
papers  without  appearing  in  any  court  at  all.  I  have  seen  the  papers 
in  his  hands,  and  the  man  himself  would  not  commit  perjury  at  all,  and 
had  no  idea  at  the  time  that  any  perjury  had  been  committed  in  getting 
the  papers. 

1363.  Q,  What  court  did  he  get  them  from  ? 

A.  I  think  the  superior  court,  but  I  won't  be  sure  about  that. 

1364.  Q.  Did  you  learn  who  he  obtained  them  from? 

A.  Through  this  committee  at  Xo.  6  Centre  street.  I  was  asked  in 
this  room  in  the  basement  of  the  City  Hall  whether  I  wanted  my  papers 
prepared.  I  told  them  I  had  not  been  in  this  country  a  sufficient  length 
of  thne  to  entitle  me  to  naturalization.  I  may  add  that  I  have  been 
over  and  over  again  offered  my  certificate.  Even  when  I  had  not  been 
in  the  country  three  weeks  I  was  offered  my  certificate. 

By  the  Chaikzviax  : 

1365.  Q.  When  you  said  that  you  had  not  been  long  enough  in 
the  country  what  was  said  to  you  ? 

A.  I  was  told  that  that  was  of  no  consequence;  that  they  could 
get  my  papers  for  me. 

1366.  Q.  Who  said  that  to  you? 

A.  One  of  the  clerks  down  there  engaged  in  the  filling  up  of  those 
papers.  [Mr.  Kerr  objected  to  the  last  answer  as  too  indefinite.]  In 
the  superior  court  the  proceedings  were  conducted  in  this  way:  A  clerk 
at  the  gate  of  entrance  for  the  bar  called  the  names  of  applicants  and 
witnesses  in  the  order  in  which  the  papers  came  to  his  hands,  and  on 
the  persons  called  coming  forward  they  were  arranged  within  the  bar, 
often  one  witness  for  four  or  five  applicants  at  a  time.  When  a  number 
were  thus  arranged  their  papers  were  handed  to  the  clerk,  who  stood 
at  the  judge's  left  hand,  who,  as  he  finished  off  the  lot  already  in  hand, 


128  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

took  up  the  fresh  batch.  An  applicant  and  a  witness  being  now  called 
by  this  clerk,  and  answering  to  their  names,  the  judge  would  direct 
them  to  hold  up  their  right  Lands.  Very  frequently  the  left  would  be 
held  up,  and  the  usher  would  have  to  help  the  man  to  put  up  his  right 
hand  instead  of  his  left.  The  judge  then  proceeded  to  swear  the  par- 
ties in  the  following  words:  "YOU  solemnly  swear  in  the  presence  of 
the  ever-living  God  that  these  affidavits  which  you  have  severally  sub- 
scribed are  true :  So  help  you  God."  Does  the  committee  wish  me  to 
describe  some  of  the  scenes  which  took  place  before  Judge  McCunn? 

13G7.  Q.  Yes;  state  facts  within  your  knowledge. 

A.  I  state  these  facts,  not  that  I  have  any  recollection  of  them  now 
outside  of  my  report,  which  is  taken  from  notes  I  took  at  the  time  and 
which  refresh  my  memory;  of  course  I  could  not  pretend  to  remember 
them  but  for  these  notes.  "Patrick  Hogan,  the  applicant,  or  some  one 
personating  him,  and  McCarthy,  the  witness.  McCarthy  I  notice  to  be 
one  of  the  most  common  vouchees.  The  Judge  says:  'Which  is  Hogan?' 
Hogan  nods.  Judge:  '  How  old  are  you  V  Hogan:  '24.'  Judge:  'How 
long  are  you  in  this  country  V  Hogan:  'Seven  years.'  Judge:  'How 
old  were  you  when  you  came  into  the  country?'  Hogan:  '17.'  Judge: 
'Pass  on  and  get  your  papers.'  Denis  O'Eeilly  and  G.  Gallagher — 
Judge:  'Which  is  O'Eeilly!'  Gallagher  (pointing  to  O'Eeilly:)  'This, 
sir.'  Judge:  'How  old  are  you,  O'Reilly?'  O'Eeilly:  '27.'  Judge: 
'How  long  have  you  been  in  the  country  V  O'Eeilly:  '10  years.'  Judge 
(to  Gallagher:)  'Do  you  know  this  man?'  Gallagher:  'Yes,  sir.' 
Judge:  'Js  he  a  man  of  good  moral  character?'  Gallagher:  'Yes,  sir.' 
Judge:  '  Pass  on  and  get  your  papers.'  Denis  Darcy  and  Flanagan — 
To  Denis :  Judge :  '  How  old  are  you  ?'  No  answer.  Judge :  '  How  long 
have  you  been  in  this  country  V  Denis,  (scratching  his  head  :)  '  I  don't 
know.'  Flanagan,  (prompting  him  :)  '25  years.'  Judge,  (to  Flanagan:) 
1  How  long  has  he  been  in  this  country  V  Flanagan  :  '  25  years.'  Judge, 
(to  Denis:)  'How  old  are  youf  Denis:  '32.'  [Denis  is  bald  at  the 
crown  of  his  head,  and  what  hair  he  has  is  gray ;  he  looks  over  GO.] 
Judge:  'Now,  that  won't  do,  Denis;  a  worn,  gray-headed  man  like  you 
must  be  over  50 ;  I  am  43,  and  look  10  years  younger  than  you.  I  can't 
naturalize  you.'  The  judge  then  tore  up  the  papers.  I  noticed  many  of 
these  witnesses  going  from  Judge  McOunn's  to  Judge  Barnard's  court 
backwards  and  forwards.  A  man  named  Dougall,  evidently  an  elderly 
man,  said  he  was  38.  He  was  cross-examined  by  Judge  McCunn,  and 
admitted  he  was  48.  As  the  witness  was  evidently  too  young  to  swear 
that  he  had  known  him  30  years,  the  judge  asked  Dougall  if  there  was 
any  one  in  the  court  who  had  known  him  in  this  country  over  30  years. 
The  usher  of  the  court  said  to  him  in  a  low  tone,  [I  was  within  the  bar, 
seated  at  counsel's  table,  just  behind  the  usher,  and  heard  him,]  'Go 

and  fetch .'     I  could  not  catch  the  name,  but  Dougall  answered,  '  Is 

he  here  V    The  usher  said,  '  You  will  find  him  below,  or  about  some- 
where.'   One  Brennan  said  he  was  23,  and  had  been  here  five  and  a  half  j 
years  ;  he  looked  over  40.     Thornton,  19  years  in  this  country,  had  voted; 
before ;  came  over  at  three  years  of  age ;  his  father  was  naturalized. ! 
Judge  McCunn  told  him  he  was  already  a  citizen,  and  was  about  to 
destroy  the  papers,  when  a  clerk  said  something  to  the  judge,  and  the 
judge  said,  '  Oh!  very  well;  let  him  have  his  certificate.'    Several  appli- 
cations were  made  for  naturalization  for  discharged  soldiers  without  the 
production  of  the  discharge  or  the  production  of  any  evidence  as  to  its 
loss  except  the  affidavit  of  the  man  himself.     They  were  all  passed.    To 
one  man  who  came  up  and  who  had  lost  an  arm  the  judge  said,  'Your 
armless  sleeve  is  the  best  certificate.'    Nearly  all  the  applicants,  with 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  129 

scarce  an  exception,  purported  to  have  arrived  in  this  country  betwene 
the  ages  of  17  and  18,  Probably  there  were  two  or  three  exceptions. 
There  was  no  examination  into  these  at  all  in  the  supreme  court,  but  in 
Judge  McCunn's  court  they  were  examined,  and  they  all  swore  that 
they  came  over  before  thev  were  18,  and  generally  between  the  ages  of 
17  and  18. " 

By  the  Chairman  : 

1368.  Q.  Do  I  understand  you  to  say  that  in  the  superior  court  the 
judge  asked  all  the  applicants  themselves  what  age  they  were  when  they 
came  to  this  country ! 

A.  Generally  he  asked  the  applicants,  but  sometimes  the  witnesses. 

1309.  Q.  The  witnesses  then  made  no  statements  as  to  the  age  of  the 
applicants  when  they  came  into  the  country ! 

A.  Sometimes  they  did,  and  sometimes  not.  I  have  mentioned  the 
case  of  Dougall,  who  said  he  was  48.  His  witness  was  evidently  too 
young  to  state  his  age  when  he  came  into  the  country.  An  applicant 
gave  his  age  as  31  and  said  he  had  been  1:2  years  in  the  country,  where- 
upon this  colloquy  took  place  between  him  and  the  judge:  Judge: 
"How  old  were  you  when  you  arrived  V  "17."  Judge:  "How  long 
have  you  been  in  this  country  ?"  "12  years.'1  Judge:  "Now,  how  old 
are  you?"  "31."  Judge:  "How  much  is  12  from  31!"  No  answer. 
Judge:  " How  old  were  you  when  you  came  to  this  country?"  "17." 
Judge:  "How  long  have  you  been  in  this  country f"  "12  years.'? 
Judge:  "How  much  are  17  and  12?"  No  answer.  Judge:  "I  can't 
pass  this  case."  and  tore  up  the  papers.  This  man  Dunphy  appeared 
when  I  was  in  Judge  McCunn's  court  on  one  occasion  certainly  25 
times — generally  as  a  witness,  but  sometimes  as  an  applicant,  but  not 
eight  times  under  the  same  name.  I  believe  he  represented  12  to  15 
different  names  in  his  25  to  30  appearances. 

1370.  Q.  You  saw  him? 

A.  I  saw  him  and  heard  him  make  his  appearance  under  these  dif- 
ferent names ;  but  his  favorite  name  was  Dunphy.  On  one  occasion 
he  appeared  and  answered  as  Gotleib  Spier,  or  as  Keutch,  I  don't  know 
which.  The  judge  said  to  him,  "  I  think  I  have  seen  your  face  before 
to-day  ? "  "No,  sir."  Judge :  "  Are  you  quite  sure  !  "  "  Yes,  sir."  Judge : 
"I  rarely  mistake  a  face  I've  once  seen.  Are  you  quite  sure  you  have  not 
been  here  before  to-day  ?  "  "  Quite  sure."  Judge  :  "  Nor  yesterday,  nor 
the  day  before  ?"  "  No,  sir."  Judge  :  "  Well,  I  have  no  doubt,  you  are 
an  honest  witness."  (To  applicant:)  "  Pass  on  and  get  your  papers."  It 
frequently  hax)pened  that  a  man  would  come  forward  and  give  evidence 
with  perfect  truthfulness,  and  it  woidd  appear  that  he  came  here  after 
he  was  18  years  of  age.  In  such  case,  Judge  McCunn  would  tell  him  to 
come  back  in  two  years,  when  he  would  naturalize  him ;  but  he  could, 
nevertheless,  get  his  papers.  I  have  referred  to  Jourdain  as  one  of  those 
cases,  but  he  afterward  obtained  his  certificate,  as  I  have  stated,  without 
going  to  court  at  all.  I  will  state  that  the  conduct  of  Judge  McCunn, 
and  of  all  his  officers,  was  marked  with  the  utmost  courtesy.  The  officials, 
of  course,  took  their  tone  from  Judge  McCunn,  and  the  judge  was  perfectly 
polite  and  courteous  to  everybody  who  appeared  before  him. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 
1371.  Q.  Then  the  only  court  that  you  arraign  for  the  disregard  of 
law  is  the  supreme  court  ' 

A.  You  will  judge  whether  what  I  have  stated  as  occurring  in  the 
superior  court  shows  a  disregard  of  the  statute  or  not ;  but  in  regard  to 
the  supreme  court  I  suppose  there  can  be  no  question. 
9t 


130  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IX    NEW    YOHK. 

1372.  Q.  Well,  as  you  have  undertaken  to  give  some  opinions  here,  I 
will  ask  you  for  another;  whether  it  is  your  opinion,  based  upon  all  yon 
saw  and  all  you  heard  there,  that  Judge  McCunn  really  desired  to  exe- 
cute the  law  in  good  faith,  or  whether  he  desired  to  he  a  party  to  any 
fraudulent  violation  of  law  ! 

A.  I  think  that  Judge  McCunn  desired  to  keep  up  the  appearance  ol 
complying1  with  the  law. 

1373.  Q.  That  is  not  answering  my  question,  because  that  is  suscepti- 
ble of  two  or  three  meanings.  Do  you  mean  to  say  that  in  your  opinion 
lie  desired  only  to  keep  up  an  appearance  of  complying  with  law  ;  that 
he  was  unfaithful  to  the  law.  and  was  willing  to  violate  it  whenever  he 
could  so  without  a  palpable  appearance  of  desiring  to  violate  it  }. 

A.  If  you  insist  upon  my  giving  an  answer  to  that  question  I  will  do 
so,  but  1  would  rather  not. 

1374.  Q.  I  ask  it  because  you  have  been  giving  just  such  answers  all 
along. 

A.  I  would  rather  not  give  an  opinion  if  I  am  permitted  to  retain  it. 

The  Chairman.  State  your  opinion. 

Mr.  Dickey.  The  question  is  whether  he  can  be  forced  to  state  his 
opinion. 

Mr.  Keek.  1  have  no  doubt  that  lie  cannot  be  if  he  objects. 

WITNESS.  I  would  rather  not  give  it.  It  was  the  mode  of  granting  and 
afterwards  distributing  the  certificates  in  the  superior  court,  which  specially 
enabled  me  to  distinguish  the  witnesses  or  common  vouchees.  On  leav 
ing  the  superior  court  the  applicants  would  go  down  stairs  and  would  b( 
conducted  by  their  witnesses  to  room  No.  11.  The  witnesses  handed  a 
red  ticket  to  each  applicant,  and  would  stand  outside  while  the  applicant 
went  in.  Three  clerks  and  the  principal  deputy  of  .Mr.  Loew  were  seatec 
behind  a  long  table,  the  principal  deputy  by  himself,  the  other  clerb 
with  a  number  of  certificates  in  blank,  not  yet  stamped,  before  them 
So  far  as  I  saw,  no  certificates  were  ever  stamped  in  blank  in  the  superioi 
court.  I  did  not  see  any  at  any  time  stamped  with  the  seal  of  the  court 
in  blank.  The  record  bearing  the  judge's  fiat  would  be  handed  to  tht 
clerks  behind  this  deal  table,  who  would  proceed  to  fill  up  the  certificates 
There  were  three  clerks  engaged  in  tilling  up,  and  as  soon  as  they  were 
done  the  certificates  were  handed  over  to  a  clerk  who  was  standing  at 
another  desk  near  the  window,  having  charge  of  the  seal,  and  he  woulc 
seal  the  certificates  and  hand  them  over  to  the  applicants,  in  exchange 
for  these  red  tickets. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

1375  Q.  You  say  that  in  the  supreme  court  the  judge  signed  soin( 
papers ;  state  what  papers  those  were. 

A.  They  were  the  endorsement  on  those  forms  which  I  have  givei 
here — the  printed  forms  in  which  these  names  had  been  filled  in — and 
he  signed  on  the  reverse  side,  being  the  judge's  fiat  for  the  admission  ol 
the  applicant. 

1370.  Q.  It  was  not  the  certificate  of  naturalization  that  he  signed! 

A.  No,  it  was  not.  The  form  of  fiat  given  here  (in  the  Tribune)  is  only 
that  for  discharged  soldiers;  the  more  common  one  was  the  other  form 

1377.  Q.  Are  there  any  other  facts  which  you  wish  to  state ;  give  them, 
A.  I  do  not  at  present  remember  any  facts  bearing  upon  this  part  oi 

the  subject. 

1378.  Q.  Can  you  state  the  names  of  any  other  persons  who  saw  these 
or  similar  transactions  in  this  court  ! 

A.  There  is  a  man  by  the  name  of  Henri,  whom  I  employed.    He 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  131 

[)oards,  I  believe,  at  an  hotel  in  Greene,  just  above  Bleeker.  There  are 
i  great  many  suggestions  which  I  could  make  to  the  committee  to  enable 
hem  to  get  at  the  whole  truth,  and  to  prevent  these  frauds  in  the  future. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

1379.  Q.  With  what  political  party  do  you  act  I 

A.  I  have  acted  with  the  republican  party  in  this  election. 

1380.  Q.  Did  you  ever  act  with  any  other  party  in  this  country  J 
'A.  I  have  not. 

1381.  Q.  You  appear  to  have  given  a  good  deal  of  attention  and  a  good 
leal  of  time  to  the  investigation  of  this  matter  5  have  you  done  that 
ipon  your  own  voluntary  motion,  or  upon  the  employment  of  others? 

A.  I  was  applied  to  by  gentlemen  connected  with  the  citizens'  cominit- 
ee,  sitting  at  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel.    , 

1382.  Q.  Appointed  by  the  League  ? 

A.  No,  not  by  the  League;  I  don't  know  who  they  were  appointed  by; 
t  was  a  citizens'  committee  acting  with  the  State  republican  committee. 

1383.  Q.  And  by  that  committee  you  were  employed  to  look  after  this 
natter  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  will  tell  you  if  you  wish  exactly  the  whole  story  of  the 
employment. 

1384.  Q.  I  don't  want  the  details ;  I  just  wish  to  know  the  fact.  In 
mrsuance  of  that  employment  you  went  to  work  to  make  these  various 
nquiries  and  observations  ? 

A.  Yes.  sir. 

1385.  Q.  And  reported  them  at  the  time  in  notes,  and  subsequently  in 
this  form  ! 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  did  not  report  them  in  notes  to  the  committee ;  I  had 
verbal  communications  with  the  members  of  the  committee ;  I  pointed 
out  the  manner  in  which  the  whole  thing  might  have  been  stopped  by, 
the  latest,  the  20th  of  October,  but  I  was  not  supported  and  nothing 
was  done  to  that  end. 

138G.  Q.  In  reference  to  the  place  where  those  papers  were  apparently 
in  the  first  instance  prepared,  you  say  it  is  in  the  old  City  Hall  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

1387.  Q.  And  part  of  that  building  used  to  be  the  sheriff's  office? 

A.  Yes,  sir.  By  saying  that  that  used  to  be  the  sheriff's  office,  I  only 
nean  to  describe  it ;  I  can't  speak  for  my  personal  knowledge  as  to  how 
t  has  been  used  generally  within  the  last  six  months. 

1388.  Q.  It  was  not  then  used  as  a  sheriff's  office,  but  by  those  people 
vhom  you  have  described  \ 

A.  It  had  ceased  to  be  the  sheriff's  office  at  the  time  they  were  using 
t  in  this  way. 

1389.  Q.  I)o  you  know  who  those  persons  were  that  were  in  that  room 
tud  carrying  on  that  business  \ 

A.  Xo:  I  have  seen  one  of  them  since,  however,  in  one  of  the  courts. 

1390.  Q.  How  comes  it  that,  acting  as  I  must  assume  you  were,  first  from 
personal  convictions  of  duty,  and  secondly  from  employment,  you  did 
lot  make  it  your  duty  to  inquire  the  names  of  those  persons? 

A.  I  think  if  I  had  done  so,  I  should  have  been  very  summarily  turned 
ut,  and  not  allowed  to  see  what  I  was  anxious  to  see. 

1391.  Q.  It  might  have  been  so,  but  could  you  not  have  got  the  infor- 
nation  somewhere  else  outside  ? 

A.  My  impression  is  that  if  I  had  asked  at  the  time  any  questions 
here  as  to  the  names,  I  should  have  failed  entirely  in  the  whole  object 
»f  my  investigation. 


132  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IX    NEW    YORK. 

1392.  Q.  And  upon  that  impression  you  declined  to  make  such  inqui- 
ries ? 

A.  Quite  so. 

1393.  Q.  Was  that  the  only  reason  you  had  for  failing  to  make  such 
inquiries  ? 

A.  Within  the  building,  yes,  *ir.  I  was  prevented  from  prosecuting 
the  ease  as  I  should  have  liked  to  do. 

1304.  Q.  Did  you  afterwards  make  such  inquiries  outside  of  thebuijri 
ing? 

A.  I  did  not;  I  laid  a  plan  before  members  of  the  citizens'  committee 
and  also  before  members  of  the  State  committee,  for  the  purpose  oi 
obtaining  a  complete  chain  of  evidence;  but  I  could  get  nothing  done: 
I  could  get  no  assistance  from  any  of  the  committee.  Mr.  Wilkes  was 
away  on  account  of  severe  sickness,  Mr.  Eaton  was  out  of  the  city  on 
business,  and  Colonel  Bliss  was  already  overwhelmed  with  work  whicli 
he  did  manfully,  though  it  was  a  work  for  three  men,  and  with  the 
exception  of  these  gentlemen,  the  rest  of  that  committee  were  eithei 
incompetent  or  indifferent,  and  they  did  nothing;  otherwise  the  whole 
thing  might  have  been  exposed  and  stopped  by  the  20th  of  October,  at 
the  latest. 

1395.  Q.  But  on  the  contrary  it  went  on  and  you  made  no  further  in 
quiries  \ 

A.  No,  sir;  I  had  no  further  opportunity ;  my  plan  was  not  adopted 
In  fact,  nothing  was  done. 

1390.  Q.  Have  you  the  memoranda  which  you  made  at  the  time  these 
things  were  going  on  \ 

A.  I  have,  but  I  have  not  them  here;  I  was  brought  here  suddenly  tc 
day  without  notice. 

1397.  Q.  Diet  you  obtain  from  any  of  these  parties  who  were  thus  being 
"put  through  v  any  papers  ? 

A.  Yes;  I  have  got  several  of  them,  and  I  have  seen  a  very  larg< 
number  of  them. 

1398.  Q.  Have  you  those  which  you  have,  here? 

A.  No,  I  have  not,  but  I  can  look  them  up  and  bring  them  here. 

1399.  Q.  Will  you  do  so  1 

A.  1  will  with  great  pleasure. 

1400.  Q.  Can  you  go  to  the  court-room  in  which  Judge  Barnard's  court 
is  held  and  look  at  the  employes  in  that  room,  and  about  it,  and  in  the 
clerk's  office,  and  identify  those  persons  if  they  are  about  there  now?  | 

A.  Which  persons  do  you  refer  to  now  1 

1401.  Q.  Only  to  those  doing  the  subterranean  work,  which  you  hav<| 
described. 

A.  I  could  go  anel  look,  but  I  should  not  expect  to  find  them. 

1402.  Q.  I  will  ask  you  whether  you  think  you  could  identify  them,  i 
you  should  see  them  again  ? 

A.  I  think  I  coulel  identify  two  or  three  of  them. 

1403.  Q.  I  request  you  now  to  go  at  a  convenient  time  into  the  court 
room — you  need  not  state  your  business — and  see  if  jou  can  identify  them 

A.  I  will  do  so  with  pleasure,  but  will  you  permit  me  to  give  a  reasoi 
why  I  do  not  think  that  any  of  these  persons  were  the  clerks  of  the  court 

1404.  Q.  Yes ;  give  the  reason. 

A.  I  described  three  clerks  as  present  with  Judge  Barnard  in  hi 
court,  engaged  in  the  business,  one  clerk  seated  by  him  anel  two  other 
at  the  desk.  There  were  in  the  superior  court  in  the  same  wa}-  thre< 
clerks  engaged  in  filling  up  the  certificates,  and  two  clerks  in  the  court 
room,  so  that  it  is  scarcely  within  the  bounds  of  probability  that  any  o 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  133 

the  principal  or  ordinary  clerks  of  the  court  should  have  been  engaged 
in  the  work  in  the  room  below,  unless  so  large  a  staff  of  clerks  is  employed 
as  one  cannot  imagine  to  be  at  all  necessary.   Still  I  will  make  the  search, 

1405.  Q.  ^ow,  I  want  to  know,  more  specifically  than  I  was  able  to 
comprehend  from  your  running  statement,  precisely  when  these  differ- 
3nt  operations  were  witnessed  by  you.*  State,  as  near  as  you  can,  the 
dates  and  the  hours  of  the  day  that  you  personally  observed  them. 

A.  The  first  day  was  Thursday,  the  15th ;  then  Friday,  the  16th ;  and 
Saturday,  the  17th,  of  October;  also,  the  19th,  20th,  and  the  22d  of  Octo- 
ber. 

1400.  Q.  On  the  15th,  at  what  time  did  you  go  there,  and  how  long- 
lid  you  remain  ? 

A.  On  the  15th  I  went  into  Judge  McCunn's  court  at  about  3  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon. 

1407.  Q.  What  time  had  the  court  met  ? 

A.  I  don't  know  at  what  time  it  met.  He  held  his  court  all  day.  I 
went  there  about  3  o'clock,  and  stayed  until  5.  On  the  16th  I  was  also 
in  Judge  McCunn's  court  ;  I  think  about  the  same  time.  On  the  15th  I 
also  went  to  Judge  Barnard's  court — in  the  evening.  I  was  there  from 
about  7  until  9  o'clock — two  hours.  I  understood  the  court  was  about 
to  close  at  9,  (I  saw  it  in  the  newspapers,)  and  I  left  and  went  down 
stairs.  I  also  went  to  Judge  Barnard's  court  on  the  20th.  That  was 
the  day  on  which  I  made  most  of  my  notes  in  Judge  Barnard's  court.  I 
was  one  hour  there  on  the  20th,  and  two  hours  on  the  15th.  On  the 
16th  and  17th  I  was  not  in  Judge  Barnard's  court  at  all.  I  was  there 
for  about  half  an  hour  on  the  19th — from  10  till  about  half-past,  p.  m. 

1408.  Q.  Where  were  you  on  those  days  ? 

A.  In  Judge  McCunn's  court,  a  considerable  pari  of  the  time. 

1409.  Q.  How  long  each  day  ! 

A.  I  went  in  there  twice  in  the  course  of  each  day,  and  stayed  each 
time  from -three-quarters  of  an  hour  to  an  hour  and  a  quarter.  Then,  on 
the  22(1  I  was  refused  admittance  to  Judge  Barnard's  court ;  there  was 
no  admittance  for  anybody  except  applicants  and  witnesses.  The  court 
was  held  with  closed  doors. 

1410.  Q.  Who  refused  you  admittance  J 

A.  The  usher  at  the  door  asked  me  if  I  was  an  applicant  or  a  witness, 
and  I  told  him  no,  and  he  said :  "  Then  you  can't  come  in ;  none  but 
applicants  or  witnesses  are  admitted."  I  got  in  by  the  other  door.  An 
usher  then  came  to  me  and  said  that  there  was  no  admittance,  except 
for  applicants  or  witnesses,  and  I  then  went  out,  havingbeen  in  there  only 
1  few  minutes.  I  think  it  was  before  the  court  had  organized  for  the 
night,  as  there  was  nothing  doing. 

1411.  Q.  So  that  you  saw  nothing  there  on  the  22d  ? 

A.  Nothing,  except  the  fact  of  the  court  being  closed  to  the  public. 
[passed  there  again  at  10  o'clock,  and  by  the  lights  and  the  crowd  out- 
side and  shadows  within  I  presumed  the  court  was  still  sitting. 

1412.  Q.  Xow  go  back  to  that  subterranean  space — on  the  15th,  16th? 
md  17th,  what  time  did  you  actually  spend  in  that  place  f 

A.  I  went  into  that  place,  for  the  first  time,  on  the  15th.  1  went  in 
first  for  about  a  quarter  of  an  hour  in  the  middle  of  the  day,  and  then 
that  same  evening  I  went  in  for  about  40  minutes,  making  about  an 
tiour  altogether  that  day :  then  on  the  17th  or  19th,  I  forget  which,  I 
^vent  in  once  more  with  Henri  Lassey,  whom  I  have  referred  to  here,  to 
show  him  the  place,  and  enable  him  better  to  understand  my  explana- 
tions of  what  I  wanted  him  to  do.  When  I  took  in  this  man  I  saw  the 
same  work  still  going  on. 


134  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

1413.  Q.  And  it  was  during  these  various  times  in  the  two  courts,  and 
in  that  room,  that  you  made  the  observations,  and  obtained  the  inform- 
ation that  you  have  reported  here  under  oath  8 

A.  Quite  so. 

1414.  Q.  Now,  in  reference  to  the  number  of  persons  who  came  in  that 
day,  during  the  time  you  were  there,  tell  the  committee  about  how  many 
you  saw  come  in  and  go  out. 

A.  In  the  loom  in  the  City  Hall  ?  very  few  indeed.  Except  those  who 
were  already  there1  writing,  I  think  there  were  not  altogether  a  score. 

1415.  Q.  During  that  time,  how  many  papers  of  the  kind  you  have 
described  did  you  see  brought  in  or  taken  out,  any  I 

A.  I  saw  one  batch  taken  out  in  the  evening;  I  did  not  notice  any- 
thing in  the  day  time  beyond  the  continual  writing.  My  observation 
in  the  morning  was  confined  to  that.  1  saw  one  large  batch  taken  out 
in  the  evening. 

1416.  Q.  (live  us  your  impression  as  to  the  number) 

A.  No,  I  cannot;  but  I  should  think  it  could  be  ascertained  pretty 
closely. 

1417.  Q.  Have  you  any  memoranda  on  the  subject  J 

A.  No,  except  this;  the  batch  was  about  half  as  thick  again  as  this 
book.  (The  bible  commonly  used  in  the  United  States  circuit  court  in 
this  city.)  About  three  inches  thick  but  not  tightly  compressed — the 
papers  just  laid  on  each  other  and  carried  away.  You  know  the  papers 
I  refer  to,  and  it  would  not  be  a  very  difficult  thing  to  ascertain  approx- 
imately the  number  of  them. 

1418.  Q.  You  saw  that  one  batch  taken  out:  do  you  know  where  they 
were  taken  to  8 

A.  No,  1  do  not. 

1419.  (\  Did  you  see  any  brought  in  \ 
A.  No,  none. 

1420.  Q.  Did  you  know  where  any  of  these  blanks  came  from,  when 
they  came  to  that  room  .; 

A.  No. 

1421.  Q.    Did  you  make   any  inquiries  with  a  view  to  develop  the  J 
source  where  they  came  from  \ 

A.  No. 

1422.  Q.  Yrou  have  made  allusion  to  the  place  at  No.  (i  in  connection 
with  Jourdain:  do  you  know  anything  else  about  that,  except  what  you 
have  stated  I 

A.  No,  sir. 

1423.  Q.  Now  we  will  go  for  a  little  while  into  the  court-room:   youi 
say  in  reference  to  the  general  mode  of  prosecuting  business  in  Judge 
McCunn's  court,  that  the  judge  and  his  officers  were  courteous  and' 
attentive  to  their  duties. 

A.  Perfectly  so. 

1424.  Q.  Treating  everybody  right  !l 
A.  Yes,  perfectly  so. 

1425.  Q.  You  decline  to  answer,  in  reference  to  your  opinion  as  to  the , 
judge's  real  purity  of  purpose,  but  in  reference  to  his  real  conduct  I  will ' 
ask  you  now  to  state  whether,  in  a  single  instance,  you  saw  him  do  \ 
anything  officially  that  seemed  to  leave  manifestly  open  a  loop  in  the 
law  or  in  his  conduct  where  a  rascal  could  go  through  and  get  natural- 
ized ;  in  other  words,  was  the  mode  of  transacting  business  so  loose  as 
that  a  man  might  go  through  fraudulently,  except  in  the  way  in  which 
courts  may  at  any  time  be  deceived  by  applicants  ? 

A.  O  yes.    In  the  first  place,  the  witnesses  who  appeared,  very  fre- 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  135 

quently  appeared  for  different  persons;  the  same  witnesses  appeared 
sometimes  under  different  names  and  sometimes  personated  applicants. 
With  every  desire  to  speak  as  charitably  as  possible  of  a  gentleman 
who  behaved  so  courteously  to  myself  as  Judge  MeCunn  did,  it  would 
certainly  be  a  large  charity  which  should  suppose  that  he  could  have 
tailed  to  notice  that.  One  single  man  appeared  live  and  twenty  times, 
at  least,  in  a  single  evening  under  many  different  names. 

112G.  Q.  Do  you  say  that  in  view  of  the  great,  and  by  him  uncontrol- 
lable, rush  at  such  times !     Do  you  make  any  allowance  for  that  ? 

A.  I  do. 

1427.  Q.  And  for  its  effect  upon  the  best  of  us? 
A.  Yes,  I  make  every  allowance  for  that. 

1428.  Q.  You  think,  then,  that  even  in  view  of  that  great  rush  of  busi- 
ness and  the  insufficiency  of  time  for  the  transaction  of  the  business, 
there  was  too  great  looseness  in  passing  applicants? 

A.  I  have  seen  men  committed  by  judges  for  perjury  on  very  much 
less  evidence  than  was  palpable  in  the  conduct  of  those  witnesses. 

1429.  Q.  How  many  cases  deserving  that  sort  of  criticism  did  you 
see  in  Judge  McCunn's  court  ? 

A.  The  bulk  of  them. 

1430.  Q.  The  bulk  of  the  business  done  there ! 

A.  Yes.  the  bulk  of  the  business  done  there,  was  done  by^these  vouch- 
i  es. 

1431.  Q.  You  were  in  his  court  altogether  about  three  hours  ! 

A.  A  great  deal  more.  [By  the  direction  of  the  committee,  the  steno- 
grapher here  read  the  statements  already  made  by  the  witness  as  to  the 
time  he  was  in  the  superior  court  on  the  14th,  15th,  lGth,  and  17th  of 
October  last.] 

1432.  Q.  Do  you  mean  to  say  now  that  you  were  in  Judge  McCuim's 
court  on  each  of  those  four  days  ! 

A.  Yes.  sir. 

1433.  Q.  How  long  were  you  there  on  the  15th  I 
A.  About  two  hours. 

1434  Q.  On  the  Kith  I 

A.  About  two  hours  and  a  half  in  the  morning  and  half  an  hour  in 
the  evening. 

1435.  Q.  On  the  17th  ! 

A.  On  the  17th  about  two  hours  and  a  half. 

1430.  Q.  On  the  19th  ? 

A.  About  the  same :  1  am  speaking  from  recollection  myself,  and  of 
course  it  is  difficult  to  tell ;  I  do  not  know  the  time  exactly  in  each  case. 

1437.  Q.  During  the  time  you  were  in  there,  on  each  of  these  days, 
about  how  many  persons  were  passed  through  in  the  way  you  have 
described  I 

A.  I  did  not  begin  to  count  the  number  until  the  16th  ;  I  have  got  a 
memorandum  which  I  made  on  that  day,  but  the  effect  of  it  is  this:  on 
one  occasion  1  timed  the  operation  for  30  minutes,  and  1  noticed  the 
passage  of  three  in  two  minutes.  There  were  between  forty  and  fifty  in 
the  half  hour,  some  of  whom  were  rejected;  I  did  not  continue  to  count 
further  than  that. 

1438.  Q.  Do  you  know  personally  or  did  you  personally  determine  by 
the  examinations  and  observations  which  you  made  in  Judge  Mediums 
court,  that  one  single  person  was  granted  naturalization  papers,  who 
was  not  entitled  to  them! 

A.  I  know,  as  I  have  told  you,  of  the  case  of  a  gentleman  named 
Jourdain.  v 


136  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

1439.  Q.  That  case  only  ? 

A.  Only.  I  should  mention  that  I  have  since  had  a  number  of  cases 
before  me  of  persons  who  have  obtained  certificates  in  the  superior  court, 
without  ever  having  been  there  at  all. 

1440.  Q.  But  they  were  not  persons  Avhom  you  know  to  have  been 
passed  on  those  days  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  none  that  I  have  any  personal  knowledge  of,  except  from 
the  admission  of  the  parties  afterwards  when  charged  with  the  offence. 

1441.  Q.  Did  you  know  any  persons  who  received  naturalization  there? 
A.  No;  none. 

1442.  Q.  Do  you  now  know  personally  the  clerks  who  presided  in  that 
court-room  ? 

A.  I  think  I  could  identify  them. 

1443.  Q.  Do  you  know  them  by  name? 

A.  I  do  not ;  I  have  not  since  made  any  inquiry  at  all. 

1444.  Did  you  know  any  persons  produced  as  witnesses,  except  those 
you  have  attempted  to  describe,  who  were  duplicating  themselves  '! 

A.  No;  I  noticed  several,  who  were  evidently  very  honest.  I  noticed, 
for  instance,  a  father  appearing  for  his  son.  who  had  arrived  in  this 
country  after  the  age  of  18.  A  thing  I  noticed  very  frequently  in  Judgq 
McCunn's  court  was  the  case  of  two  men  who  came  to  this  country 
together,  appearing  as  witnesses  for  each  other,  which  1  believe  is  con- 
trary to  the  statute. 

1445.  Q.  Go  now  to  Judge  Barnard's  court.  Do  you  know  the  clerk 
of  that  court,  Mr.  Loew  J 

A.  Personally,  no. 

1446.  Q.  Do  you  know  a  young  man  in  there  whose  name  has  been 
given  to  us  as  McKean  ? 

A.  I  think  I  do;  I  am  almost  sure  I  do.  There  are  several  persons 
that  I  know,  without  knowing  their  names;  I  do  not  practice  in  the 
State  courts,  but  only  in  the  United  States  courts,  and  hence  I  am  not 
acquainted  with  the  officers  of  the  State  courts. 

1447.  Q.  Are  you  personally  acquainted  with  Judge  Barnard  }. 

A.  Not  personally  acquainted;  I  recognize  him  of  course;  I  have  seen 
him  sitting  as  a  judge  in  these  matters. 

1448.  Q.  You  were  in  his  court  about  three  hours  and  a  half  on  two 
separate  days  ! 

A.  Yes,  somewhere  thereabouts. 

1449.  Q.  During  those  hours,  about  how  many  persons  do  you  think 
were  put  through  there — making  the  estimate  as  well  as  you  are  able 
from  your  recollection  of  what  you  saw  I! 

A.  I  should  think,  sir,  about  1,800  to  2,000. 

1450.  Q.  In  the  space  of  three  hours  and  a  half  ? 

A.  Yes ;  I  reckon  four  batches  an  hour,  averaging  150  each ;  that  would 
make  about  1,800  or  2,000 — about  six  hundred  an  hour.  I  reckon  that 
they  averaged  four  batches  of  150  each,  although  it  might  be  a  little 
less ;  I  once  saw  five  batches  in  the  hour. 

1451.  Q.  In  that  court  how  many  persons  do  you  think  you  saw,  who 
were  either  personating  others  as  applicants  or  repeating  their  appear- 
ance as  witnesses  I 

A.  It  is  impossible  for  me  to  form  any  idea  as  to  that  in  Judge  Bar- 
nard's court. 

1452.  Q.  Was  the  multitude  considerable  in  the  court-room  all  the  time? 
A.  It  was  pretty  considerable;  not  very  great.     I  have  seen  the  court 

fuller,  but  the  way  the  parties  were  called  up  rendered  it  impossible  to 
distinguish  except  by  surmise. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  137 

1453.  Q.  You  mean  the  rapidity  of  the  calling? 

A.  Not  so  much  that  as  that  there  was  no  distinction  made  between 
witnesses  and  applicants. 

1454.  Do  you  mean  to  say  that  the  officer  did  not  know  which  he  was 
calling,  witnesses  or  applicants? 

A.  The  officer  woidd  read  from  a  paper,  hut  there  was  nothing  given 
out  publicly  to  show  which  was  which ;  applicants  and  witnesses  were 
read  out  promiscuously,  and  it  would  be  utterly  impossible,  when  once 
the  batch  was  there,  for  judge  or  clerk  to  tell  which  were  witnesses  and 
which  were  applicants. 

1455.  Q.  You  say  that  you  could  not  tell  which  was  which,  from  what 
you  saw  or  knew  ? 

A.  No  ;  it  was  perfectly  impossible. 

1456.  Q.  You  did  not  see  the  lists  from  which  they  read  f 
A.  I  saw  the  papers. 

1457.  Q.  But  you  had  no  knowledge  of  what  was  on  them? 

A.  None.  I  knew  nothing  whatever  of  the  papers,  except  that  they 
resembled  the  papers  which  I  had  seen  filled  up  in  the  old  sheriff's  room. 

1458.  Q.  You  don't  pretend  to  have  identified  any  of  them  as  being 
the  same? 

A.  No,  sir. 

1451).  Q.  Do  you  mean  to  say,  now,  that  it  was  impossible  for  the 
clerks  who  were  reading  off  those  names  and  for  the  judge  to  have  so 
understood  themselves  and  the  business  they  were  doing  as  to  have  been 
able  to  distinguish  the  one  class  from  the  other,  and  to  have  had  an  intel- 
ligent comprehension  of  what  they  were,  in  fact,  doing? 

A.  Utterly  impossible.  When  the  men  were  once  called  up  there  was 
no  attempt  at  separation.  They  formed  a  promiscuous  assemblage,  and 
it  was  utterly  impossible,  except  by  going  through  the  process  of  count- 
ing and  separating  them,  to  tell  which  was  which. 

1460.  Q.  Eemember,  now,  1  am  asking  you  not  on  the  basis  of  Avhat  it 
appeared  to  you  to.  be. 

A.  Yes,  I  understand;  and  I  unhesitatingly  say  that  it  was  utterly 
impossible,  in  the  way  in  which  it  Avas  managed,  for  judge  or  clerk  to 
know  which  was  witness  or  which  was  applicant. 

1461.  Q.  In  other  words,  you  mean  to  say  that  it  was  impossible  for 
them  to  know  what  they  were  doing  ? 

A.  I  would  rather  not  put  it  in  those  words — I  will  say  that  it  was 
utterly  impossible  to  know  which  was  witness  or  which  was  applicant. 

1462.  Q.  I  understood  you  to  say  that  in  that  court  you  heard  no 
inquiries  made  by  the  judge,  as  you  say  in  Judge  McCunn's  court  ? 

A.  None  whatever. 

1463.  Q.  And  no  response  made  by  the  witnesses  ? 
A.  None  whatever. 

1464.  Q.  And  no  response  by  the  parties  ? 
A.  None  whatever. 

1465.  And  that  was  the  case  as  to  all  the  applicants  who  came  in  while 
you  were  there  on  those  days  ? 

A.  All,  with  the  single  exception  of  Lusk. 

New  York,  December  21,  1S68. 
Maximilian  Boeck  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

1466.  Question.  Of  what  country  are  you  a  native  ? 
Answer.  Bavaria. 


138  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

1467.  Q.  How  long  have  you  been  in  the  United  States! 
A.  I  am  not  five  years  yet. 

1468.  Q.  How  old  were  you  when  you  came  to  the  United  States? 
A.  Twenty-four. 

1469.  Q.  Did  you  ever  go  into  any  court  to  be  naturalized? 
A.  Never. 

1470.  Q.  Did  you  ever  take  out  your  first  papers? 
A.  No. 

1471.  Q.  Will  you  produce  any  naturalization  paper  that  you  have? 
A.  [Producing  a  naturalization  paper,  which  is  annexed.]   I  paid  for 

this  $2. 

1472.  Q.   Who  gave  it  to  you  l 

A.  I  got  it  here  in  the  City  Hall  room — No.  12,  in  the  basement.  I  did 
not  go  up  into  the  court-room  to  get  it.  There  were  about  three  or  four 
men  in  there. 

1473.  Did  they  have  papers  scattered  about  I 

A.  Yes;  there  were  about  200  or  300  men  in  there.  1  said,  ••  I  want 
my  first  papers."  He  says,  "  What  is  tin1  reason  you  don't  take  the  whole  n 
I  said,  "  I  have  not  got  my  first."  He  said,  "That  don't  make  any  differ] 
ence — have  you  got  $2  F  I  say  yes.  I  gave  him  $2  and  got  that  paper, 
and  then  he  said,  "  Now.  you  go  home."  1  got  the  paper,  but  I  did  not 
take  a  vote  on  it.     1  put  it  -in  my  trunk. 

1474.  (,).  Why  didn't  you  vote! 

A.  My  boss  told  me,  k>  You  have  no  right — you  have  no  first  paper  A 
and  of  course  1  told  him  this  man  told  me  it  is  not  necessary,  but  my 
boss  say,  "You  had  better  nor  vote  on  it."  It  cost  me  $2  50.  I  was 
before  up  in  No.  SO,  and  I  told  tne  man  I  wanted  my  first  paper,  and  he 
said,  "  Wait  about  a  couple  of  hours  and  come  back  again."  1  then  went 
down  in  the  City  Hall.  I  showed  that  paper  in  my  shop.  There  was 
about  40  men  in  my  shop.  My  boss  says,  "  You  don't  take  a  vote;  you 
will  get  trouble." 

1470.  Q.  Did  you  take  any  witness  with  you  ? 

A.  My  boarding-house  boss,  .Air.  Smith. 

1470.  Q.  How  long  did  he  know  you  ! 

A.  He  knew  me,  I  guess,  about  two  years.  He  has  a  lager-beer  saloon ; 
lie  lives  at  103  Essex  street,  where  I  live. 

1477.  Q.   You  had  no  other  witness  with  you  l 
A.  Ko. 

1478.  Q.  Was  there  any  man  in  the  City  Hall  that  proposed  to  be  a  wit- 
ness for  you  for  $5  ? 

A.  No;  lie  asked  me  for  $2. 

1479.  Q.  Did  you  go  out  in  the  hall  and  ask  the  man  if  he  would  be  a 
witness  for  you? 

A.  No;  he  came  up  and  told  me,  "You  have  got  a  witness I"  I  say, 
"Well,  no,  I  have  not  got  a  witness  here,  but  my  boarding-house  boss 
will  be  here;  I  had  not  time  to  go  up  and  fetch  111111."  The  man  that  gave 
me  the  papers  I  gave  $2.  He  asked  me,  "  Do  you  want  a  large  or  a  small 
paper,"  and  he  showed  me  one  for  $3,  one  for  82,  and  one  for  50  cents, 
and  I  said,  "  I  like  better  this  j"  and  he  gave  me  this  for  $2. 

1480.  Q.  Do  you  know  any  other  man  who  has  naturalization  papers, 
who  has  not  been  in  the  United  States  five  years  I 

A.  I  know  a  man  in  my  shop  who  took  out  one,  but  I  do  not  know  how 
long  he  is  here ;  I  am  sure  he  is  about  six  years  here;  he  was  in  Canada 
before.  I  think  he  got  a  paper  like  this.  I  did  not  see  his  paper,  but  he 
saw  mine. 

1481.  Q.  Will  you  surrender  this  paper  to  the  committee  to  be  annexed 
to  your  testimony  ? 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IX    NEW    YORK.  139 

A.  Yes;  when  it  is  not  right  I  cannot  use  it. 

1482.  Q.  I><>  you  know  what  sign  was  up  over  this  room  in  the  base- 
ment? 

A.  Yes;  " Sheriff's  Office.    No.  12" 

By  Mr.  Boss : 

1483.  Q.  When  do  you  say  you  eame  to  this  country  * 
A.  I  came  in  November,  four  years  ago. 

1184.  Q.  How  old  were  you  when  you  came ! 
A.  Twenty-four. 

1485.  Q.  How  old  are  you  now  ! 
A.  Twenty-eight. 

1486.  Q.  Have  you  ever  voted  \ 

A.  No  :  my  boss  told  me,  ~  Don't  take  a  vote  on  it,"  and  1  asked  him 
why.  and  he  said.  ■•  I  don't  like  it ;  you  will  get  trouble." 

1487.  Q.  You  don't  know  the  name  of  this  man  who  gave  you  the  paper  ? 
A.  I  don't  know :  he  is  a  small  man,  about  22  or  23. 

1488.  Q.  Do  you  know  where  he  lives  ? 

A.  Xo.  It  was  an  old  man  that  I  saw  in  Xo.  80  ;  I  asked  him  for  my 
citizen  papers,  and  he  asked  me  to  come  again  in  a  couple  of  hours. 

1489.  Q.  Have  you  seen  the  man  latelv  that  let  you  have  the  paper  '? 
A.  Yes. 

1490.  Q.  Where  is  he  now  I 

A.  I  stood  there  in  the  door,  and  he  asked  me  what  I  wanted,  and  I 
said,  ••my  first  papers."     He  said,  "I  will  give  you  your  papers." 
1401.  Q.  You  did  not  vote  on  this  paper? 
A.  No. 

1492.  Q.  How  were  you  going  to  vote,  if  you  had  voted  \ 
A.  Well  my  shop  is  all  democrat. 

1493.  Q.  Would  you  have  voted  for  Grant  \ 

A.  Well. my  shop  is  all  democrat,  except  two  or  three  or  four  for  Grant; 
and  somebody  told  me  to  vote  for  Grant,  and  I  said,  "No,  I  have  no  vote." 

1494.  Q.  But  would  you  have  voted  for  Grant,  if  you  had  a  chance ! 
A.  Yes.  when  I  had  a  chance  I  would  vote  for  Grant. 

UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA. 

State  of  Xew  Y^oek,  City  and  County  of  New  York.  ,ss: 

Be  it  remembered,  that  on  the  nineteenth  day  of  October,  in  the  year 
of  our  Lord  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  sixty-eight,  Maxmilon 
Beck  appeared  in  the  superior  court  of  Xew  York,  (the  said  court  being 
a  court  of  record,  having  common  law  jurisdiction,  and  a  clerk  and  seal7) 
and  applied  to  the  said  court  to  be  admitted  to  become  a  citizen  of  the 
United  States  of  America,  pursuant  to  the  provisions  of  the  several  acts 
of  the  Congress  of  the  United  States  of  America  for  that  purpose  made 
and  provided.  And  the  said  applicant  having  thereupon  produced  to 
the  court  such  evidence,  made  such  declaration  and  renunciation,  and 
taken  such  oaths  as  are  by  the  said  acts  required ;  thereupon,  it  was 
ordered  by  the  said  court  that  the  said  applicant  be  admitted,  and  he 
was  accordingly  admitted  by  the  said  court  to  be  a  citizen  of  the  United 
States  of  America. 

In  testimony  whereof  the  seal  of  the  said  court  is  hereunto  affixed 
this  nineteenth  day  of  October,  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  sixty- 
eight,  and  in  the  ninety-third  year  of  our  independence. 

By  the  court : 

[seal.]  JAMES  M.  SWEENY.  Clerk. 


140  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

New  York,  December  24,  1808. 

Charles  E.  Loew  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

1495.  Question.  You  are  clerk  of  the  supreme  court? 

Answer.  Clerk  of  the  city  and  county  of  New  York,  and,  by  virtue 
of  that  office,  clerk  of  the  supreme  court  of  the  first  judicial  district. 

1490.  Q.  Have  you  in  your  possession  the  records  and  papers  relating 
to  naturalization  for  the  months  of  August,  September,  October,  and 
November  of  this  year? 

A.  I  think  there  are  filed  in  my  office  the  certificates,  or  rather  the 
records,  of  naturalization  for  October  and  what  there  is  of  them  for  No- 
vember.    I  think  there  was  none  for  August  and  September. 

1497.  Q.  But  those  for  October  arc  filed  in  your  office  and  under  your 
control? 

A.  I  presume  they  arc  to  a  certain  extent  under  my  control.  They 
are  under  the  control  of  the  court.     They  are  filed  in  my  office. 

1498.  Q.  Can  you  state  what  number  of  persons  certificates  of  natur- 
alization were  issued  to  in  that  court  during  the  month  of  September 
last? 

A.  No;   I  cannot. 

1499.  Q.  Or  during  October  and  November? 
A.  I  cannot. 

1500.  Q.  Can  you  ascertain  for  the  committee  the  number? 

A.  I  presume  1  could  put  a  clerk  to  work  counting  them  for  you  if 
you  desire  to  have  that  done,  or  I  would  let  the  committee  come  over 
and  have  the  use  of  my  office  to  examine  the  records  if  they  choose  or 
if  it  would  be  convenient  for  them. 

1501.  Q.  You  will  submit  for  the  inspection  of  the  committee  the 
papers  and  records.' 

A.   Yes,  certainly;  with  pleasure. 

1502.  Q.  At  what  time  would  it  be  convenient  for  you  to  do  that? 
A.  Almost  at  any  time  that  you  name. 

1503.  Q.  Of  course  not  to-morrow  .' 

A.  If  necessary  I  could.  I  will  come  down  and  attend  to  it  myself  if 
the  committee  desire. 

1504.  Q.  Were  there  clerks  employed  in  room  No.  12,  "the  old  shed 
ffs  office,"  in  the  basement  of  the  City  Hall  building? 

A.  None  that  1  know  of;  none  by  me. 

1505.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  there  were  any  employed  there? 

A.  I  do  not.  I  was  not  in  it  and  do  not  know.  I  know  there  were 
none  employed  by  me  there.  In  fact,  much  as  I  know  about  the  City 
Hall  1  don't  know  where  No.  12  is. 

1506.  Q.  I  hand  you  three  papers,  purporting  to  be  certificates  of 
naturalization,  annexed  to  the  testimony  of  Robert  Marshall  and  signed 
" Charles  E.  Loew" — that  is  your  name? 

A.  That  is  supposed  to  be  my  name;  I  presume  it  is.  It  looks  like 
the  signature  of  John  McKean,  as  he  writes  my  name. 

1507.  Q.  Was  he  a  clerk  in  your  office  % 

A.  He  was  clerk  in  that  portion  of  the  supreme  court  that  took  up 
naturalization — supreme  court  circuit,  Part  1. 

1508.  Q.  How  many  clerks  had  you  in  that  business  I 

A.  Mr.  McKean  was  clerk  of  that  department  of  the  court,  and  it  was 
his  business  to  attend  to  that.  There  were  other  clerks  deputized,  but 
none  of  them  could  sign  my  name  in  that  court  but  him. 

1509.  Q.  In  whose  writing  is  the  name  "  James  E.  Smith,"  in  the  body 
of  that  certificate  \ 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  141 

A.  That  1  cannot  tell  you. 

1510.  Q.  And  the  names  Lemuel  Reynolds  and  Patrick  Rafferty? 
A.  It  looks  like  the  writing  of  Izaac  Heyihan,  a  clerk  there. 

1511.  Q.  In  whose  writing  is  the  filling  in  of  the  dates  of  this  cer- 
tificate to  James  R.  Smith? 

A.  That  1  cannot  tell  you. 

1512.  Q.  Is  it  in  the  handwriting  of  any  clerk  about  that  office? 

A.  That  I  cannot  tell.  I  am  not  familiar  with  the  handwriting  of  all 
the  clerks  in  the  office. 

1513.  Q.  Can  you  tell  the  handwriting  of  the  filling  in  of  the  dates  in 
the  certificate  of  Reynolds  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  1  cannot  tell  the  handwriting  in  either  one  of  the  certifi- 
cates i 

1514.  Q.  Did  you  give  your  personal  attention  to  naturalization  in 
that  office  \ 

A.  During  the  evenings,  when  the  court  held  sessions,  I  tried  to  be 
present,  and  was  as  much  as  I  could,  not  neglecting  my  other  duties. 

1515.  Q.  How  many  subordinates  have  you  in  your  office1? 

A.  I  have  in  my  office  probably  30 — in  the  neighborhood  of  30 — that 
is,  in  the  county  clerk's  office  and  the  supreme  court  both.  Then  I  have 
some  twenty  odd  that  I  pay  myself  who  are  not  said  to  be  employed  in 
the  office,  because  they  are  employes  of  my  own. 

1516.  Q.  Could  you  have  any  personal  knowledge  of  the  great  mass 
of  persons  who  apply  for  naturalization,  of  their  witnesses? 

A.  No,  sir;  it  would  be  an  impossibility. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

1517.  Question.  Is  No.  12  in  the  City  Hall  building  a  part  of  your 
office  \ 

Answer.  No,  sir. 

1518.  Q.  I  would  like  to  have  you  state,  if  you  can,  who  presides  over 
the  supreme  court,  in  which  you  are  clerk;  state  the  names  of  the 
judges.    • 

A.  Do  you  mean  the  judges  of  the  entire  supreme  court  ? 

1519.  Q.  Yes. 

A.  The  judges  are  Cardoza,  Barnard,  and  Ingraham,  and  Sutherland. 

1520.  Q.  Do  they  all  preside  together? 

A.  At  the  general  term  they  do ;  at  other  times  the  court  is  divided 
into  various  branches  for  the  transaction  of  business — chambers,  special 
term,  and  circuit,  Parts  1  and  2 — and  each  of  the  judges  is  assigned  to 
some  portion  of  that  court. 

1521.  Q.  The  different  parts  of  the  court  sitting  in  different  buildings 
in  different  parts  of  the  city! 

A.  In  different  parts  of  the  building,  but  generally  in  the  same  build- 
ing. 

1522.  Q.  And  of  all  those  courts  you  and  your  deputies  are  clerks? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

1523.  Q.  Was  this  naturalization  business  confined  to  one  court,  or  to 
_ Parts  Nos.  1  or  2,  or  to  the  general  term? 

A.  It  was  done  by  the  supreme  court,  circuit,  Part  1,  before  Judge 
Barnard. 

1524.  Q.  Alom^ 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

1525.  Q.  That  sat  in  the  same  building? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

1526.  During  what  time  in  the  months  preceding  the  last  general  elec- 
tion was  this  business  of  naturalization  mainly  carried  on ? 


142  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

A.  The  main  portion  of  it  was  carried  on  in  the  supreme  court  from 
about  the  (>th  to  about  the  23d  of  October. 

1527.  Q.  Give  us  an  idea  of  how  Long  Judge  Barnard  sat  during  that 
time  attending  to  the  business  of  naturalization  alone— doing  uothine 

else? 

A.  That  I  could  not  tell  yon,  because  during  the  day-time  J  was  not 
there  and  do  not  know  really  what  portion  of  the  day  he  devoted  to  that 
business,  or  whether  lie  devoted  the  whole  day  to  it  or  not.  In  the 
evening  he  generally  sat  there  from  <>  to  1 1  or  12  o'clock. 

1528.  Q.   How  many  evenings  did  he  sit  that  way  .' 

A.  Almost  every  evening  from  about  the  6th  or  8th  of  October  until 
the  23d. 

1.529.  Q.  During  the  days  between  those  dates  did  the  court  do  civil 
business  in  its  ordinary  course? 

A.  Various  branches  of  the  court  did.  I  cannot  say  whether  that  par- 
ticular branch  did  or  not.  I  have  so  many  things  to  attend  to  that  I 
cannot  tell. 

1530.  Q.  Which  of  your  subordinates  was  the  clerk  of  that  court  I 
A.  Jonn  1 !■.  McKean. 

1531.  Q.  For  all  purposes! 

A.  Yes,  for  all  purposes.  It  was  his  business  to  attend  to  that  part 
of  the  court,  and  has  been  for  a  number  of  years.  He  is  appointed  by 
the  county  clerk. 

By  the  Chairman: 

1532.  (L).   With  or  without  the  approval  of  the  conn  .' 

A.  I  don't  know  whether  the  court  had  anything  to  do  with  it 
in  that  particular  case  or  not.  He  held  over.  He  has  been  there  six 
or  seven  years.     I  have  not  removed  him. 

1533.  Q.  State  to  the  committee  how  you  would  do  if  you  were  about 
to  appoint  him  to-day. 

A.  Well,  I  should  administer  the  oath  to  him  that  he  would  faithfully 
discharge  the  duties  of  the  office;  and  I  would  file  the  certificate  of  his 
appointment.  It  would  not  require  any  action  on  the  part  of  the  court. 
The  certificate  would  be  filed  in  my  office. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

1531.  Q.  By  what  authority  does  he  sign  your  name  ? 

A.  He  is  a  deputy  appointed  by  the  county  clerk  to  perform  the 
duties  of  clerk  of  that  portion  of  the  court,  and  therefore  he  has  that 
right.  It  would  be  impossible  for  me  to  attend  to  the  various  branches 
of  the  court  and  perform  the  duties  myself. 

1835.  Q.  Is  it  not  the  proper  and  the  usual  way,  where  the  deputy 
signs  your  name,  to  sign  it  "  by  J.  B.  McKean,  deputy** .} 

A.  It  never  has  been  the  custom  in  that  court  or  in  this  county. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

1530.  Q.  Did  either  of  the  judges  of  that  court,  other  than  Judge 
Barnard,  hold  court  at  nights  in  the  supreme  court  .' 
A.  Not  to  my  knowledge? 

1537.  Q.  Did  Judge  Barnard  hold  court  prior  to  October  1st,  or  after 
the  25th  I 

A.  He  did  not,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Kerr: 

1538.  Q.  You  say  you  were  not  able  to  be  in  Judge  Barnard's  court 
except  in  the  evenings1? 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  143 

A.  L  say  that  I  was  not  there  except  then. 

1539.  Q.  About  what  portion  of  time  during  the  evenings  were  you 
there  ! 

A.  Soiae  evenings  I  was  there  all  evening.  1  cannot  exactly  specify 
the  evenings.  Some  evenings  1  was  not  there  at  all;  but  I  attended  to 
it  as  much  as  I  could  without  neglecting  other  matters. 

1540.  Q.  State  how  this  business  of  naturalization  went  on  there: 
was  it  a  continued  pressure — a  demand  beyond  the  ability  of  the  court 
to  attend  to! 

A.  It  was  a  continual  pressure  of  people  who  desired  to  be  natural- 
ized during  the  time  that  the  court  was  in  session. 

1541.  Q.  Won't  you  just  give  to  the  committee,  in  your  own  language, 
a  minute  description  of  the  modus  operandi  in  that  court-room  during 
the  evenings  that  you  were  there  % 

A.  Well,  the  way  it  was  done  was  this :  First,  the  applications  of  the 
various  parties  were  handed  in  by  the  officer  of  the  court.  The  parties 
were  sitting  outside,  just  as  if  they  were  outside  that  railing,  and  the 
judge  was  sitting  on  the  bench,  and  the  applications  were  handed  in  by 
the  officer.  The  court  then  called  off  the  name  of  the  applicant ;  some- 
times Judge  Barnard  called  it  off,  and  sometimes  I  called  it  when  I  was 
there.  The  party  answered  to  the  name,  and  came  inside  the  railing. 
Then  the  witness  was  called,  and  he  came  inside.  The  judge  would  call 
probably  eight  or  ten  in  that  way,  and  then  the  oath  was  put  to  them. 

1542.  Q.  The  judge,  or  you,  would  call  the  applicant,  and  then  the 
witness?    - 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

1543.  Q.  Was  that  the  uniform  mode  of  doing  in  each  particular  case  ? 
A.  That  was  the  uniform  mode  of  doing. 

1544.  Q.  And  in  that  way  you  would  go  through  with  a  certain 
number  ? 

A.  Yes;  with  eight  or  ten  at  a  time.  That  is  the  way  it  was  done. 
When  they  came  inside  the  railing,  the  judge  would  either  swear  them 
or  direct  me  to  swear  them. 

1545.  Q.  How  did  you  administer  the  oath  to  so  many  ? 

A.  I  administer  it — that  "  you  and  each  of  you  (whose  names  have 
been  called)  do  severally  and  solemnly  swear.'-  That  is  wrhen  the  appli- 
cants were  all  alike — of  one  class.  The  papers  were  separated  and  each 
class  put  by  itself,  and  then  the  usual  oath  prescribed  by  the  law  was 
administered. 

154'J.  Q.  How  did  you  swear  the  witness  ? 

A.  u  You,  John  Doe,  (or  whatever  the  name  was,)  and  you , 

being  witnesses  for  the  several  parties  who  have  just  been-  swTorn,  do 
severally  solemnly  swear  that  you  have  been  acquainted  with  the  par- 
ties," &c,  complying  with  the  requirements  of  the  law. 

1547.  Q.  Do  you  mean  to  say  that  you  administered  the  oath  to  the 
witnesses  separately  ? 

A.  Xo,  sir :  I  do  not.  In  some  cases  it  was  done,  and  in  some  it  was 
not. 

1548.  Q.  How  did  you  proceed  with  the  examination  of  the  witnesses? 
A.  Judge  Barnard  examined  the  witnesses ;  I  did  not  examine  them ; 

I  had  not  the  power  to  examine  them. 

1549.  Q.  Were  they  ever  passed  without  examination  1 
A.  Xo,  sir ;  not  to  my  knowledge.     I  never  saw  one. 

1550.  Q.  The  witnesses  were  sometimes  sworn  in  a  batch  and  some- 
times separately  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 


144  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

1551.  Q.  Mow  were  the  applicants  sworn  I 

A.  As  I  have  described — eight  or  ten  at  a  time. 

1552.  Q.  Either  by  the  court  or  by  you,  in  open  court  I 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  don't  say  that  that  was  always  the  case,  but  when  1 
there  I  would,  by  his  direction,  administer  the  oath  occasionally. 

1553.  Q.  You  would  repeat  the  oath  but  once  for  the  eight  or  ten? 
A.  Yes,  sir:  calling  the  names  as  they  came  up  and  putting  the  oath 

to  them,  "You  do  severally  and  solemnly  swear,"  &c. 

1554.  Q.  What  is  the  space  inside  of  the  bar  there — is  it  as  large  as 
this  space  ? 

A.  No;  not  quite  so  large. 

[555.  Q.   Is  that  court  room  as  large  as  this,  or  larger) 

A.  I  don't  think  it  is  quite  as  large  as  this;  1  think  not;  but  1  can't 
say. 

1550.  Q.  Tell  the  committee  what  is  the  largest  number  of  applicants 
and  witnesses  that  you  ever  saw  at  anyone  time  inside  of  that  bar, 
recciviug  naturalization  or  giving  testimony,  in  thai  way  '.' 

A.  To  the  best  of  my  knowledge  the  largest  number  I  ever  saw  was 
not  over  a  dozen. 

1557.  Q.  Would  it  be  physically  possible  for  140,  or  150,  or  175  appli- 
cants to  get  inside  of  that  bar,  with  their  witnesses  ! 

A.  It  might  be,  but  1  do  not  think  it  is. 

1558.  Q.  You  are  confident  that  you  never  saw  over  a  dozen  there? 
A.   Yes.  sir;  at  one  time. 

1559.  Q.  That  is,  a  dozen  applicants  and  a  dozen  witnesses,  24  persons 
in  all? 

r0A.  Yes,  sir;  the  largest  number  I  ever  saw  naturalized  there,  or  the  i 
oath  administered  to,  did  not  exceed  that  number  at  one  time. 

1560.  Q.  On  the  evenings  when  that  naturalization  business  was  trans- 
acted  by  Judge  Barnard,  what  was  his  custom  in  reference  to  allowing  , 
the  presence  of  attorneys  or  strangers  inside  the  court-room  or  inside 
the  bar — did  he  suffer  it  habitually  or  did  he  order  them  out  ? 

A.  At  times  when  the  room  got  crowded  he  ordered  some  people  out 
and  told  them  that  if  they  had  not  any  business  there  they  had  better  , 
leave.    He  told  them  that  if  they  had  no  business  there  in  reference  to 
naturalization  they  had  better  leave;  and  that  if  there  were  any  report- 
ers there  they  should  come  up  and  he  would  give  them'a  seat  at  the  table. 

1561.  Q.  Did  he  ever,  to  your  knowledge,  or  within  your  hearing,  order 
the  court-room  to  be  cleared  of  all  persons  ? 

A.  Yes;  when  there  were  no  more  papers  and  no  more  parties  to  be  j 
naturalized,  he  ordered  it  cleared. 

1562.  Q.  What  did  he  order  it  cleared  for,  then  \ 
A.  Because  he  wanted  to  close  up,  I  presume. 

1563.  Q.  I  mean  to  ask  whether  when  he  was  transacting  this  business 
he  ever  ordered  the  court-room  to  be  cleared  of  all  except  the  officers  of 
the  court  and  the  applicants  and  their  witnesses? 

A.  Not  while  I  was  there,  and  there  were  any  applications.    When 
the  applications  were  exhausted,  and  there  were  people  there,  he  would 
say:  "If  there  are  no  more  applications  here,  and  if  the  parties  have  no  j 
further  business  with  the  court,  they  can  leave.'7 

1564.  Q.  In  other  words,  he  would  adjourn? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

1565.  Q.  Do  you  know  how  this  business  of  naturalization  and  the 
preparation  of  parties  and  their  papers  for  naturalization  was  conducted 
before  they  came  into  the  court-room  to  receive  the  final  action  of  the 
court? 

A.  I  do  not. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  145 

1566.  Q.  Do  you  know  where  it  was  done  f 
A.  I  do  not. 

1567.  Q.  Or  by  whom  it  was  done  ! 
A.  I  do  not. 

1568.  Q.  You  speak  of  those  papers  having  been  brought  there  by 
them — the  applications  you  mean,  I  suppose. 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

1569.  Q.  You  say  you  don't  know  where  or  how  they  were  prepared  % 
A.  I  do  not  know. 

1570.  Q.  You  are  clerk  of  the  county  and  city  of  New  York,  and  ex 
officio  clerk  of  the  supreme  court  $ 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

1571.  Q.  Is  it  your  right  to  direct  these  subordinates  in  the  perform- 
ance of  their  duties,  and  to  give  them  instructions  from  time  to  time, 
how  they  shall  discharge  those  duties '? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

1572.  Q.  State  to  the  committee  how  It  is  that  those  blanks  of  the 
final  papers,  such  as  you  saw  here  to-day,  are  procured  to  be  printed,  or 
by  whom  it  is  done. 

A.  It  is  done  in  my  office ;  they  were  ordered  to  be  printed  by  my 
office — by  me. 

1573.  Q.  And  they  are  kept  in  your  office  ? 
A.  They  are. 

1574.  Q.  Are  they  printed  on  separate  sheets  or  in  books  I 
A.  Always  in  separate  sheets. 

1575.  Q.  And  they  are  sent  to  you  in  bundles  ? 
A.  Yes. 

1576.  Q.  Where  is  it  your  custom  to  keep  those  blanks  ? 
A.  In  the  general  office  of  the  county  clerk. 

1577.  Q.  Undercover! 

A.  No ;  they  were  put  away  in  a  closet.  Any  one  that  wanted  one 
received  it. 

1578.  Q.  Did  you  permit  your  deputies  to  hawk  those  final  papers 
about  the  city — to  carry  them  with  them  or  give  them  out  to  irresponsi- 
ble parties ! 

A.  No,  sir ;  but  if  anybody  called  and  wanted  a  blank  he  received  it. 

1579.  Q.  That  is,  an  absolute  blank — no  signatures  ? 
A.  No  signatures. 

1580.  Q.  Could  any  person  calling  at  the  office  and  wanting  a  blank 
lateralization  paper  like  that  submitted  to  you  here,  get  it  ? 

A.  They  could  get  blank  applications  j  nothing  else. 

1581.  Q.  Did  you  ever  give  out  any  of  those  other  papers,  so  as  to  have 
;hem  go  outside  of  the  court-room,  to  any  person  ! 

A.  I  never  gave  out  any  of  them. 

1582.  Q.  Who  does  that ;  who  gives  out  the  final  papers  ! 

A.  If  I  understand  you,  the  "final  paper"  is  the  certificate! 

1583.  Q.  Yes. 

A.  Well,  that  paper  was  to  be  given  out  only  by  the  clerk,  on  the 
>rder  of  the  court. 

1584.  Q.  The  blank,  then,  is  never  given  out? 

A.  The  blank  is  never  given  out ;  there  never  was  one  given  out  to 
ay  knowledge;  but  even  though  parties  had  a  blank  certificate,  there 
ould  not  be  any  signature  attached,  because  my  clerks  are  not  allowed 
o  sign  any  papers  except  on  the  order  of  the  court. 

1585.  Q.  Were  you  examined  in  the  prosecution  against  Eosenberg? 
A.  I  was  not,  sir.    I  was  subpoenaed  to  appear  there  forthwith  $  I  did 

10  T 


146  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

so  and  reported  to  Mr.  Courtney  that  I  was  there  and  should  like  him 
to  have  me  placed  upon  the  stand.  He  replied  that  he  did  not  know 
whether  he  should  want  me  or  not,  and  that  I  had  better  go  about  my 
business,  and  when  he  wanted  me  he  would  send  for  me ;  and  he  never 
sent  for  me. 

1580.  Q.  Was  Mr.  McKean  ever  sworn  there? 

A.  I  don't  know ;  but  I  think  not. 

1587.  Q.  State  to  the  committee  whether  at  any  time,  when  you  were 
in  the  court-room  and  when  persons  were  being  naturalized,  you  ever  saw 
persons  come  into  the  court-room  and  perform  the  office  of  witness  for 
several  applicants.  John  Smith,  for  examine,  might  come  up  and  be  a 
witness  for  three  or  four  applicants. 

A.  Well,  I  might  say  that  I  suppose  that  the  same  witness  was  called 
in  three  or  four  different  cases. 

1588.  Q.  How  numerously  have  you  seen  such  persons  ? 

A.  I  cannot  positively  swear  that  I  knew  of  more  than  one  case,  but 
from  the  similarity  of  name  I  should  say  that  there  were  several  eases. 
I  might  call  Patrick  Murphy  to-night  and  1  might  call  Patrick  Murphy 
to-morrow  night  as  a  witness.  I  don't  mean  to  say  that  Patrick  Murphy 
was  the  individual  in  any  case,  but  I  take  that  name  for  illustration,  as 
you  took  John  Smith. 

1589.  Q.  Did  you  ever  see  or  call  the  same  person  half  a  dozen  times 
during  the  same  evening  \ 

A.  Probably  two  or  three  times  the  same  name. 

1590.  Q.  No  more  than  that  I 
A.  Not  to  my  recollection. 

1591.  Q.  Do  you  recollect  ever  having  called  the  same  person  as  ai 
witness  two  or  three  times,  or  any  number  of  times,  on  successive  even-< 
ings? 

A.  That  I  don't  remember. 

1592.  Q.  In  other  words,  do  you  know  of  any  set  of  professional! 
hangers-on  or  loafers  about  any  of  your  courts,  who  are  in  the  habit  oi 
having  themselves  hired,  bribed,  suborned,  or  in  any  way  induced,  toi 
come  up  there  and  swear  through  these  applications  fraudulently  $ 

A.  In  answer  to  that  question  I  say  I  do  not  know  of  any  set  oi 
professional  hangers-on,  or  anything  of  that  kind,  and  have  not,  in  fact- 
heard  that  there  Avas  any  professional  hangers-on  of  the  courts.  I  have 
no  acquaintance  with  any  such  people. 

J.593.  Q.  Have  you  reason  to  believe  from  your  observation,  or  from; 
what  you  know  of  the  transactions  in  and  about  your  office,  and  in  and' 
about  the  various  courts  of  which  you  are  clerk,  or  from  any  information 
you  have  received,  that  such  persons  do  exist  here  during  times  oi 
naturalization  and  are  used  to  come  into  court  and  fraudulently  sweail 
that  they  have  knowledge  of  the  applicants,  representing  that  they  ar(j 
persons  whom  they  are  not,  and  being  used  to  personate  others  or  iij 
any  way  to  aid  parties  to  perpetrate  frauds  upon  the  law  by  obtaining 
naturalization  papers  in  violation  of  law  % 

A.  I  have  no  knowledge  of  anything  of  the  kind. 

1594.  Q.  You  have  no  knowledge  of  such  combinations  of  persons  ? 
A.  No,  sir;  I  have  not. 

1595.  Q.  In  reference  to  this  particular  clerk,  McKean,  I  will  ask  yoi 
whether  your  suspicions  have  not  been  excited  at  times  during  thii 
period,  that  you  speak  of,  that  he  was  acting  otherwise  than  in  goo( 
faith,  or  otherwise  according  to  the  strict  line  of  his  duty  in  reference  t< 
such  matters? 

A.  No,  sir;  they  have  not.    I  went  into  the  court  in  the  evening 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  147 

simply  to  see  that  this  business  was  conducted  properly;  that  is  the 
only  reason  I  attended  the  court  at  all,  and  if  I  had  had  the  least  inti- 
mation of  anything  of  the  kind  mentioned  in  your  question,  I  should 
liave  discharged  him  instanter. 

1596.  Q.  Had  it  been  suggested  to  you  before  that  time  that  he  was 
icting  improperly  in  the  administration  of  his  duties ;  was  it  anything 
>f  that  kind  that  induced  you  to  go  there? 

A.  No,  sir ;  it  never  was  suggested. 

1597.  Q.  What  induced  you  to  go  there? 

A.  For  20  years  past  it  has  been  the  custom  in  New  York,  when 
naturalization  has  been  going  on,  to  talk  of  great  frauds  and  everything  of 
that  kind,  and  I  went  there  to  see  that  nothing  of  that  kind  should  be 
lone  there  or  should  be  attached  to  me  or  my  court,  as  far  as  it  was 
possible  to  avoid  it. 

1598.  Q.  And  in  all  that  business  you  had  no  reason  to  suppose  that 
McKean  was  acting  unlawfully  or  in  violation  of  his  duty  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  as  I  said  before,  if  the  least  intimation  or  knowledge  of 
anything  of  that  kind  had  come  to  me,  I  should  have  discharged  him 
instantly. 

1599.  Q.  You  have  heard  that  these  charges  of  fraud  have  been  made? 
A.  Yes,  it  has  been  the  custom  to  make  such  charges  for  the  last  20 

years.  » 

1600.  Q.  That  custom  prevailed  during  the  last  canvass? 

A.  I  presume  it  did,  it  is  the  custom  of  the  newspapers  always. 

1601.  Q.  You  know  that  fraud  was  charged  in  the  last  canvass? 
A.  I  know  that  the  newspapers  spoke  about  it — that  is  all  I  know. 

1602.  Q.  You  heard  that  it  was  charged  that  fraudulent  naturalization 
papers  were  being  procured  in  some  way,  and  that  persons  were  claim- 
ing to  be  naturalized  under  them  and  to  have  a  right  to  vote. 

A.  I  know  it  only  from  what  I  saw  in  the  paper. 

1603.  Q.  I  ask  you  whether,  upon  the  basis  of  what  you  saw  and 
learned  in  that  way,  you  instituted  any  inquiry  to  determine  how  those 
frauds  were  being  practiced,  or  whether  they  were  being  practiced  at  all? 

A.  The  only  inquiry  that  I  made  in  regard  to  the  matter  was  to  watch 
the  proceedings  in  our  court,  to  see  that  nothing  wrong  was  done  there  so 
far  as  the  clerical  part  of  the  business  was  concerned ;  that  is  all  I  had 
any  power  over  or  could  have  any  control  over  in  the  least. 

1604.  Q.  During  the  trial  of  Rosenberg  did  you  examine  any  of  those 
alleged  fraudulent  papers  ? 

A.  I  did  not,  sir. 

1605.  Q.  Do  you  know  a  gentleman  in  this  city,  a  member  of  the  bar, 
practicing  chiefly  in  the  federal  courts,  whose  name  is  Montague  Richard 
Leverson  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  him  by  name.     I  might  know  him  if  I  saw  him. 

1606.  Q.  Did  you,  during  the  last  canvass,  when  this  naturalization 
jusiness  was  going  on  in  Judge  McCunn's  court,  ever  visit  that  court  in 
he  way  you  visited  Judge  Barnard's? 

A.  No,  sir. 

1607.  Q.  Who  acted  there  as  clerk? 

A.  I  do  not  know  who  acted  there.     I  know  who  the  clerk  of  the 
jiuperior  court  is :  James  M.  Sweeny, 
i   1608.  Q.  You  have  nothing  to  do  with  that  court  ? 
i   A.  O,  no,  sir. 

1609.  Q.  That  court  also  has  several  branches? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

1610.  Q.  And  the  clerk  of  it  also  has  a  multitude  of  assistants  ? 


148  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

A.  Yes,  sir;  but  I  don't  know  that  Lis  assistants  are  appointed  in  the 
same  way  as  mine  are  or  not. 

1611.  Q.  Look  at  that  impression  of  a  seal  on  the  three  naturalization 
papers  annexed  to  Marshal  Murray's  testimony ;  that  appears  to  be  an 
impression  of  the  seal  of  the  supreme  eourt. 

A.  I  presume  it  is. 

1612.  Q.  Of  course  it  might  be  counterfeited,  but  you  think  it  appears 
to  be  genuine? 

A.  If  the  paper  is  signed  by  Mr.  McKean,  it  is  genuine,  of  course. 

1613.  Q.  Tell  the  committee  whether,  in  that  court,  any  other  form  for 
the  final  certificate  ever  was  used  than  that. 

A.  I  know  of  no  other. 

1614.  Q.  You  have  used  that  a  good  while  f 

A.  I  have  been  in  office  only  this  year,  on  the  naturalization,  and  con-  | 
sequently  I  know  nothing  further  about  it. 

By  Mr.  Koss : 

1615.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  persons  getting  papers  of  naturalization,  ' 
who  were  not  present  or  who  were  personated  by  any  one  else? 

A.  That  I  know  nothing  about. 

1616.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  persons  personating  different  applicants  there! 
A.  No,  sir. 

1617.  Q.  If  these  are  legal  papers  will  there  be  corresponding  applica-  ! 
tions  in  your  office  to  fit  them  ? 

A.  I  have  no  doubt  of  it,  sir. 

1618.  Q.  These  records  are  not  kept  alphabetically  in  your  office? 

A.  No,  sir;  because  we  have  not  had  time  to  get  them  up  yet  in  that  way. 

1619.  Q.  What  does  the  judge  do? 

A.  He  enters  the  order  on  the  record  that  is  kept  in  the  clerk's  office. 

1620.  Q.  In  each  case  ? 

A.  In  each  case.    On  the  back  of  the  application  it  says :  "  It  is  ordered 
that  (so-and-so)  be  admitted  a  citizen  of  the  United  States,"  and  he ! 
signs  his  initials  on  the  book. 

1621.  Q.  Well,  they  are,  or  should  be,  on  file  in  your  office. 
A.  They  are  or  should  be — all  that  have  got  certificates. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

1622.  Q.  You  keep  no  record  in  a  book  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  the  record  is  only  in  the  papers  themselves. 

1623.  Q.  Are  the  applications  always  brought  to  your  office  by  the 
persons  making  them  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  they  are  not  brought  to  my  office  at  all ;  they  are  brought 
before  the  judge. 

1624.  Q.  I  speak  of  the  court  in  which  you  are  employed — they  are 
brought  before  the  judge  in  open  court? 

A.  Yes,  sir.  For  instance,  if  this  room  were  full  and  the  parties  out- 
side  the  railing,  the  officer  would  take  the  paper  and  hand  it  up  to  the 
judge. 

1625.  Q.  Then  in  such  a  case  you  do  not  know  whether  the  applicant  \ 
himself  brings  the  papers,  or  whether  they  are  brought  by  some  third 
party  ? 

A.  Well,  the  applicant  is  supposed  to  be  the  person,  but  I  could  not 
tell  whether  it  would  be  the  applicant  or  not.  I  could  not  be  supposed 
to  know  whether  John  Doe  was  John  Doe  or  not,  or  whether  Bichard 
Roe  was  Bichard  Boe,  except  to  his  answering  to  his  name  and  swearing 
to  it. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  149 

1626.  Q.  The  point  I  want  to  get  at  whether  it  has  not  been  the  cus- 
tom for  other  parties  to  bring  packages  of  these  applications  and  have 
them  sent  into  the  court,  the  applicants  not  accompanying  them  I 

A.  Not  to  my  knowledge. 

1627.  Q.  Who  is  the  man  at  the  door  who  receives  them  and  passes 
them  to  the  judge  ? 

A.  There  are  several  officers  there.  Of  the  officers  in  court  the  eve- 
nings I  was  there,  there  are  only  two  that  I  can  name — one  was  Knight 
and  the  other  Valentine,  the  crier  of  the  court. 

1629.  Q.  Are  they  still  employed  there? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  they  are  appointed  by  the  court — not  by  me. 

1630.  Q.  You  stated  that  never  to  your  knowledge  have  over  12  men 
been  naturalized  in  one  batch  there  at  one  time  ? 

A.  Not  to  my  knowledge. 

1631.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  your  own  personal  knowledge  that  150  per- 
sons have  not  been  naturalized  there  in  one  batch  in  one  evening,  in 
October  last  f 

A.  I  have  said  that  it  was  never  done  to  my  knowledge. 

1632.  Q.  How  much  of  the  evenings  were  you  there  ? 

A.  Some  evenings  all  the  evening  j  some  evenings  two  or  three 
hours,  and  some  evenings  not  at  all. 

1633.  Q.  Then  you  cannot  say  that  there  were  not  150  persons,  or 
more,  naturalized  there  in  one  batch  at  one  time? 

A.  Of  course  not ;  if  I  was  not  present  I  cannot  swear  to  what  was 
done.    I  say  that  not  to  my  knowledge  was  anything  of  that  kind  done. 

1634.  Q.  In  your  absence  was  McKean  there  ? 

A.  He  was  there  all  the  time,  whether  I  was  present  or  not.  It  was 
his  portion  of  the  court  and  he  had  to  be  there,  because  no  one  else 
could  sign  those  certificates. 

1635.  Q.  You  say  you  have  seen  nothing  except  the  general  charge  in 
the  newspapers  in  regard  to  frauds  in  your  court.  Were  you  not 
apprised  of  the  fact  that  Rosenberg  was  arrested  and  indicted  and  tried 
for  that  crime  ! 

A.  I  knew  nothing  about  that  except  from  the  newspapers. 

1636.  Did  not  that  lead  you  to  make  a  more  rapid  inquiry  than  you 
otherwise  would  have  done  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  that  had  nothing  whatever  to  do  with  it,  because,  as  I 
stated  before,  I  took  all  the  precautions  to  have  the  things  honestly 
done,  so  far  as  I  could  control  it,  and  I  could  do  no  more;  and,  of  course, 
when  there  were  no  charges  made  against  any  one  in  my  office  I  could 
not  investigate  any  further.  There  was  no  such  charge  Drought  to  my 
notice  in  any  way,  shape,  or  manner. 

1637.  Q.  The  charge  against  Eosenberg  was  for  issuing  fraudulent 
papers  purporting  to  have  come  from  the  court  in  which  yon  are  a  clerk? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  don't  so  understand  it.  The  charge  was  that  he  had 
issued  fraudulent  papers ;  and,  if  I  understand  it,  they  could  not  be 
fraudulent  papers  if  they  were  issued  by  the  court.  If  they  were  forged 
papers  they  could  not  have  anything  to  do  with  the  court. 

1638.  Q.  Fraudulently  obtained  papers,  I  suppose,  was  what  he  was 
charged  with  issuing  ? 

A.  I  did  not  see  that ;  and  there  being  no  intimation  or  charge,  in 
aDy  way,  shape,  or  form,  that  anything  wrong  was  done  by  any  of  my 
employes,  I  had  nothing  to  do  with  it. 

1639.  Q.  Was  it  ever  said  to  you,  or  in  your  presence,  that  any  one 
of  your  subordinates  was  acting  fraudulently  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 


150  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

1640.  Q.  You  were  not  requested  to  make  any  investigation  into  the 
personal  conduct  of  any  of  them  ? 

A.  No,  sir,  never. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

1641.  Q.  Is  Mr.  McKean  still  retained  as  clerk! 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

1642.  Q.  How  long  have  you  been  clerk? 
A.  Since  the  1st  of  January  last. 

1643.  Q.  You  have  given  no  attention  to  naturalization  except  between 
the  6th  and  23d  of  last  October? 

A.  That  is  all,  sir. 

1644.  Q.  All  the  naturalization  was  done  between  those  dates? 

A.  There  might  have  been  one  or  two  or  a  few  cases  in  November, 
but  the  great  bidk  was  between  those  dates. 

1645.  Q.  What  are  the  clerks'  fees  for  naturalization  ? 

A.  They  vary.  I  suppose  them  to  be  from  50  to  75  cents,  in  propor- 
tion to  the  kind  of  paper  the  applicant  wants. 

1646.  Q.  Were  a  great  many  persons  naturalized  upon  red  tickets 
received  from  Kosen  berg's  office  ? 

A.  The  tickets  I  don't  know  anything  about.  I  had  nothing  to  do 
with  them.    I  know  there  were  tickets. 

1647.  Q.  Eed  tickets? 

A.  All  kinds  of  tickets.    Eed  tickets  and,  I  think,  white  tickets. 

1648.  Q.  Don't  you  know  that  blank  applications  for  naturalization, 
and  blank  affidavits  for  affidavits,  ready  to  be  used,  were  brought  from 
Rosenberg's  office,  or  other  places  outside,  into  the  court-room  to  be 
used  there? 

A.  I  do  not,  sir. 

1649.  Q.  You  gave  no  personal  attention  to  the  business  in  Judge 
Barnard's  court  during  the  day? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  was  in  the  clerk's  office. 

1650.  Q.  And  you  were  in  court  only  a  portion  of  the  evenings  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

1651.  Q.  How  many  seals  are  there  of  the  supreme  court  ? 
A.  Only  two. 

1652.  Q.  Are  they  alike  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

1653.  Where  are  they? 

A.  One  is  in  the  county  clerk's  office  proper,  and  the  other  was  over  in 
that  portion  of  the  court — supreme-court,  Part  1,  Mr.  McKean's  part. 

1654.  Q.  You  have  blank  forms  of  affidavits  for  witnesses,  for  the  pro- 
curement of  naturalization  papers  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

1655.  Q.  The  testimony  of  the  witnesses  is  all  taken  by  affidavit  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

1656.  Q.  The  oath  which  is  administered,  then,  to  witnesses,  in  appli- 
cations for  naturalization  papers  is :  "You  swear  that  the  affidavits  to 
which  you  have  subscribed  your  names  are  true?"  d 

A.  No,  sir  5  it  is  read  off  as  it  is  on  the  application  to  which  he  signs 
his  name. 

1657.  Q.  Just  give  me  the  form  of  the  oath. 

A.  If  I  had  my  blanks  here  I  could  give  it  to  you.     I  will  show  it  to 
you  when  you  come  over. 
By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

1658.  Q.  The  witnesses  and  the  applicants  would  be  together,  and  the 
oath  administered  to  both  together  ? 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  151 

A.  First  to  the  applicants  and  then  to  the  witnesses. 

1659.  Q.  But  it  is  a  sort  of  continuous  oath  to  the  two  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  the  applicant  is  finished  with  before  the  other  is  taken  up. 

1660.  Q.  Is  the  applicant  separated  from  the  witness  inside  the  bar  so 
that  you  can  distinguish  them  ? 

A.  They  were  while  I  was  present. 

By  the  Chairman: 

1661.  Q.  I  now  present  you  the  blank  form  of  affidavit  referred  to  in 
the  testimony  of  Goldstein,  who  was  one  of  Eosenberg's  clerks;  state  if 
that  is  one  of  the  blanks  used  in  your  court. 

A.  That  appears  to  be  similar  to  one  of  the  blanks,  but  most  of  them 
were  different  from  that. 

1662.  Q.  Give  the  form  in  which  the  oath  is  administered. 

A.  "  John  Doe,  residing  at  — ■ ,  you  do  solemnly  swear  that  you 

are  well  acquainted  with  the  above-named  applicant,  and  that  the  said 
applicant  has  resided  within  the  United  States  for  the  term  of  five  years, 
&c." — as  on  that  paper. 
By  Mr.  Kerr: 

1663.  Q.  About  how  many  men  were  naturalized  in  Judge  Barnard's 
court  during  the  month  of  October"? 

A.  I  cannot  tell  you. 

1664.  Q.  Can't  you  approximate  the  number? 
A.  I  cannot. 

By  the  Chairman: 

1665.  Q.  Is  there  a  journal  kept  by  the  court  on  which  all  naturaliza- 
tions are  entered  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  these  are  the  records  of  the  court  and  of  the  transaction. 

1666.  Q.  They  are  filed? 
A.  They  are  filed. 

1667.  Q.  They  are  not  put  in  a  book? 
A.  No,  sir. 

1668.  Q.  Suppose  a  person  is  naturalized,  and  afterwards  wants  a  cer- 
tified copy  of  his  naturalization,  from  what  is  it  furnished  ? 

A.  These  papers  are  all  taken  and  the  names  are  put  in  a  book,  and 
the  names  of  the  witnesses  are  put  in  a  book  and  arranged  alphabetically, 
and  if  you  want  a  duplicate  they  turn  to  the  name  and  see  who  the  wit- 
ness was,  and  what  was  the  date  of  the  naturalization,  &c.  It  is  all 
arranged  alphabetically  in  a  book. 

1669.  Q.  Is  that  record  made  up  yet,  in  your  office,  of  the  naturaliza- 
tions in  October  ? 

A.  It  is  not. 

1670.  Q.  How  far  is  it  made  up  ? 

A.  I  cannot  tell  you  ;  but  it  has  not  proceeded  a  great  way,  because 
we  have  a  great  deal  of  business  to  attend  to,  and  we  have  to  do  that 
after  hours. 

1671.  Q.  Does  that  record  show  the  country  from  which  the  applicant 
came? 

A.  The  application  shows  that. 

1672.  Q.  But  the  record  does  not? 

A.  No ;  but  I  can  refer  to  the  application ;  the  record  contains  the 
name  of  the  applicant,  the  date,  and  the  name  of  the  witness. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

1673.  Q.  Do  you  refer  to  them  by  the  number? 
A.  By  the  date. 


152  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

1674.  Q.  Is  it  not  a  fact  that,  with  the  multitude  of  clerks  that  you 
have,  and  the  large  amount  of  business  that  you  have,  you  personally 
have  been  able  to  give  but  very  little  attention  to  this  matter  of  naturali- 
zation in  Judge  Barnard's  court  ? 

A.  I  have  stated  to  you  that  I  attended  that  court  as  much  as  my 
business  would  allow  me,  and  that  that  was  almost  every  evening ;  the 
exceptions  were  very  few. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

1675.  Q.  How  long  a  time  did  the  judge  take  to  examine  each  man — 
about  how  long  ? 

A.  That  I  cannot  tell  you ;  I  kept  no  memorandum  of  it. 

1676.  Q.  Is  it  a  matter  within  your  knowledge  that  he  did  make  a 
practice  of  examining  each  man  that  appeared  there  for  naturalization! 

A.  Each  man  was  called ;  and  each  man  was  sworn  ;■  and  each  witness 
was  sworn. 

1677.  Q.  That  does  not  answer  my  question ;  did  the  judge  ask  or 
examine  each  applicant  separately  and  distincly  in  regard  to  his 
application,  or  did  he  just  administer  the  oath  in  the  words  of  the  affi- 
davit ! 

A.  Well,  I  would  not  swear  that  he  examined  each  man  separately. 

1678.  Q.  Was  there  any  examination  of  the  witness,  except  adminis- 
tering the  oath  in  the  words  of  the  affidavit  \ 

A.  There  was  at  times ;  I  don't  know  that  he  would  ask  every  witness 
particularly,  but  there  was  such  an  examination  at  times ;  but  I  dou't 
swear  that  he  asked  every  one  of  them. 

1679.  Q.  How  many,  or  about  how  many,  were  "put  through,"  using 
a  common  term,  in  one  day  and  evening  in  that  court. 

A.  I  have  told  you  that  I  could  not  answer  that  because  I  was  not 
present. 

1680.  Q.  Well,  how  many  in  any  one  evening  when  your  were  there  ? 
A.  I  cannot  tell. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

1681.  Q.  If  the  judge,  or  clerk,  or  another  person,  should  examine  every 
witness  as  to  his  knowledge  of  the  right  of  each  applicant  to  be  natural- 
ized, how  many  such  examinations  could  be  made  in  one  evening  sitting 
of  that  court  ? 

A.  That  would  depend  entirely  upon  who  the  judge  was,  and  what 
kind  of  witnesses  he  had. 

1682.  Q.  Assuming  that  he  did  it  in  the  ordinary  time  % 

A.  I  could  not  answer  that  question ;  you  might  ask  me  a  question, 
and  I  being  a  witness  that  could  answer  it  promptly,  it  might  take  you 
but  a  second  ;  but  there  might  be  another  witness  who  could  not  answer 
your  questions,  and  it  might  take  longer,  so  that  I  cannot  give  an  opinion. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

1683.  Q.  Is  Judge  Barnard  a  man  who  talks  rapidly  ? 
A.  He  is  rather  a  rapid  talker. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

1681.  Q.  Suppose  the  judge  or  clerk  should  ask  each  witness  in  relation 
to  each  applicant  these  questions  :  "Are  you  acquainted  with  the  appli- 
cant %  How  long  has  he  resided  in  the  United  States  ?  How  long  has 
he  resided  in  the  State  of  New  York  ?  How  has  he  behaved  as  a  man 
of  good  moral  character?    Is  he  attached  to  the  principles  of  the  Con- 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  153 

stitution  of  the  United  States,  and  well-disposed  to  the  good  order  and 

of  the  sameF    Suppose  a  judge  or  clerk  or  an  attorney  should 

have  to  ask  these  questions  of  each  witness  in  relation  to  each  applicant, 
how  many  such  examinations  could  be  made  in  one  evening  sitting  of 
the  court '! 
A.  You  would  be  as  well  able  to  judge  of  that  as  I  would. 

New  York,  December  26,  1868. 

Charles  D.  Loew  recalled  and  examination  continued. 

Witness.  I  desire  to  correct  one  statement  given  in  my  testimony  the 
day  before  yesterday.  I  understand  that  Mr.  McKean  did  keep  rough 
minutes  of  naturalization  matters. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

1685.  Q.  Do  you  mean  that  he  kept  rough  minutes  all  the  way  through  % 
A.  For  the  first  few  days,  I  believe. 

1686.  Q.  I  present  to  you  papers  purporting  to  be  certificates  of  natu- 
ralization to  James  M.  Smith,  Samuel  Reynolds,  Patrick  Rafferty,  Pat- 
rick O'Brien,  John  J.  Mercer,  Antonio  Gomez,  Alexander  N.  McCann, 
and  Adolph  Slechelseine.  Can  you  furnish  the  committee  with  the  appli- 
cation for  naturalization  and  the  affidavits  of  the  witnesses  in  those 
cases  % 

A.  I  will  try.  The  papers  in  the  Rosenberg  case  were,  at  the  request 
of  his  counsel,  laid  aside ;  and  I  can  the  more  readily  procure  them. 

1687.  Q.  Examine  these  certificates,  and  state  whether  they  bear  the 
genuine  seal  of  the  court  and  the  signature  of  the  county  clerk  ? 

A.  They  appear  to  be  impressions  of  the  genuine  seal,  and  the  signa- 
tures appear  to  have  been  written  by  Mr.  McKean,  clerk  of  Part  1  of 
the  supreme  court. 

1688.  Q.  I  present  to  you  similar  certificates  of  naturalization,  pur- 
porting to  have  been  issued  to  Thomas  Schmitt,  Sebastian  Schneider, 
John  Winkens,  Hugh  Smith,  James  McCarty,  Michael  Dunn,  Joseph 
Herbert,  Frederick  Henney,  Thomas  Surridge,  William  Honig,  James 
Brown,  August  Betzel,  Henry  Beaune,  John  Doolin,  August  Miller, 
Henry  Stern,  Charles  Witrneck,  William  Lukas,  Gottlieb  Kaffenberger, 
Charles  Fehling,  William  Schmidt,  John  Lehman,  Jacob  Schafer,  John 
Koelsch,  Daniel  O'Donohue,  August  A.  Sanger,  and  Patrick  Duffy. 
State  whether  they  bear  the  genuine  seal  and  signature. 

A.  They  appear  to  be  genuine. 

1689.  Q.  Can  you  tell  in  whose  handwriting  the  names  of  the  persons 
naturalized  are  % 

A.  Some  of  them  appear  to  be  in  Mr.  Heymain's  handwriting. 

Witness  withdrew  in  order  to  have  search  instituted  for  the  papers 
which  he  was  asked  to  produce,  and,  on  his  return,  he  presented  to  the 
committee  the  applications  and  affidavits  (with  the  initials  of  the  judge 
granting  naturalization)  in  the  case  of  Adolph  Slechelseine,  Patrick 
O'Brien,  Alexander  K  McCann,  John  J.  Mercer,  and  Antonio  Gomez, 
being  the  cases  referred  to  in  the  testimony  of  Marshal  Murray,  the  cer- 
tificates being  annexed  to  his  testimony,  marked  "  Exhibit  A."  The  wit- 
ness in  each  of  those  cases  appears  to  have  been  George  Hoffman,  resid- 
ing at  61  First  avenue,  New  York.  The  residence  of  the  principals  is 
given  in  each  case  as  Yonkers.  Certified  copies  of  those  papers  are  an- 
nexed to  the  testimony,  marked  u  Exhibit  F,"  the  written  portion  being 
underscored  in  red  ink. 


154  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

1690.  Q.  Have  you  examined  the  initials  to  the  order  in  each  of  those  i 
cases  ? 

A.  I  have. 

1691.  Q.  By  whom  are  the  initials  written  ? 
A.  By  George  G.  Barnard. 

1692.  Q.  You  are  familiar  with  his  handwriting,  and  know  these  initials 
to  be  his  ? 

A.  Yes.  He  is  presiding  judge  of  the  supreme  court. 

1693.  Q.  Is  this  his  customary  way  of  signing  orders,  by  initials  only  ?  | 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

1694.  Q.  The  committee  has  adopted  this  resolution : 

Resolved,  That  the  chairman  of  the  committee  be  and  he  is  hereby  authorized  to  cause  the 
records  and  papers  in  the  possession  of  the  county  clerk  of  New  York,  referring  to  natural- 
ization in  the  supreme  court,  to  be  examined,  and  a  list  to  be  made  of  the  name  of  each  person  j 
so  naturalized,  his  age  and  residence,  and  the  name  and  place  of  residence  of  the  witness, 
and  the  day  of  the  month  on  which  such  person  was  naturalized,  during  the  month  of  Octo-  I 
ber,  1868. 

Under  that  resolution  I  propose  to  designate  some  suitable  persons  to  I 
make  the  examination  and  lists  referred  to  in  the  resolution.  State  if 
you  are  willing  to  submit  the  papers  at  such  time  and  place  as  may  suit 
your  convenience,  and  in  the  presence  of  yourself  or  such  person  as 
you  may  designate  for  that  purpose,  to  be  examined  so  that  the  list  may 
be  made  in  compliance  with  the  resolution  I 

A.  I  shall  want  to  consider  that  question. 

1695.  Q.  How  soon  will  you  notify  the  committee  of  your  determination  ! 
A.  On  Monday  next.    I  want  time  to  consider  whether  I  have  the 

facilities  for  the  committee  to  make  the  examination  without  taking  the 
records  away,  for  that  I  cannot  allow. 
By  Mr.  Kerr: 

1696.  Q.  State  who  presided  in  the  supreme  court  during  the  time 
this  naturalization  business  was  done. 

A.  Judge  Barnard.     He  was  holding  the  circuit  part  of  the  court. 

1697.  Q.  There  was  no  other  judge  presiding  but  him  ? 
A.  No  sir. 

1698.  Q.  And  no  other  judge  alternated  with  him  ? 
A.  No  sir. 

By  the  Chairman: 

1699.  Q.  State  who  paid  for  the  red  tickets  which  you  received  for  the 
fees  for  naturalization. 

A.  I  did  hot  receive  any. 

1700.  Q.  Were  they  received  at  the  office  ? 
A.  That  I  do  not  know. 

Witness  subsequently  produced  the  application  for  naturalization 
specified  in  question  1686,  which  are  annexed  to  his  testimony,  as 
follows : 

Supreme  Court  City  and  County  of  New  York. 

In  the  matter  of  the  application  of  Patrick  O'Brien  to  be  admitted  a 
citizen  of  the  United  States  of  America. 

State  of  New  York,  City  and  County  of  If  etc  York,  ss  : 

Patrick  O'Brien,  the  above-named  applicant,  being  duly  sworn,  says, 
that  he  resides  at  Yonkers;  that  he  has  arrived  at  the  age  of  21  years; 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  155 

that  he  has  resided  in  the  United  States  three  years  next  preceding  his 
arrival  at  that  age,  and  has  continued  to  reside  therein  to  the  present 
time;  that  he  has  resided  live  years  within  the  United  States,  including 
the  three  years  of  his  minority,  and  one  year,  at  least,  immediately  pre- 
ceding this  application,  within  the  State  of  Xew  York;  and  that  for 
three  years  next  preceding  this  application  it  has  been,  bona  fide,  his  in- 
tention to  become  a  citizen  of  the  United  States. 

his 

PATEICK  +  O'BRIEN. 

mark. 

Sworn  in  open  court,  this  20th  day  of  October,  1868. 

CHAS.  E.  LOEW,  Cleric. 

State  of  Xew  York,  City  and  County  of  New  York,  ss: 

George  Hoffman,  being  duly  sworn,  says,  that  he  resides  at  No.  61 
Firsr  street,  and  that  he  is  well  acquainted  with  the  above-named  appli- 
cant, and  that  the  said  applicant  has  resided  in  the  United  States  for 
three  years  next  preceding  his  arrival  at  the  age  of  21  years;  that  he 
has  continued  to  reside  therein  to  the  present  time;  that  he  has  resided 
five  years  within  the  United  States,  including  the  three  years  of  his 
minority,  and  in  the  State  of  New  York  one  year,  at  least,  immediately 
preceding  this  application;  and  that  during  that  time  he  has  behaved 
as  a  man  of  good  moral  character,  attached  to  the  principles  of  the 
Constitution  of  the  United  States,  and  well  disposed  to  the  good  order 
and  happiness  of  the  same ;  and  deponent  verily  believes  that  for  three 
years  next  preceding  this  application  it  has  been,  bona  fide,  the  inten- 
tion of  the  said  applicant  to  become  a  citizen  of  the  United  States. 

GEORGE  HOFFMAN. 

Sworn  in  open  court,  this  20th  day  of  October,  1868. 

CHAS.  E.  LOEW,  Cleric. 

State  of  New  York,  City  and  County  of  Neio  York,  ss  : 

I, ,  the   above-named  applicant,   do   declare,   on  oath, 

that  it  is,  bona  fide,  my  intention,  and  has  been  for  three  years  next  pre- 
ceding this  application,  to  become  a  citizen  of  the  United  States,  and  to 
renounce  forever  all  allegiance  and  fidelity  to  every  foreign  prince, 
potentate,  state  or  sovereignty  whatever,  particularly  to  the  Queen  of 
Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  of  whom  I  am  now  a  subject. 

his 

PATEICK  -f-  O'BRIEN. 

mark. 

Sworn  in  open  court,  this  20th  day  of  October,  1868. 

CHAS.  E.  LOEW,  Cleric. 

State  of  New  York,  City  and  County  of  New  York,  ss: 

I, ,   the  above-named  applicant,   do   solemnly  swear 

that  I  will  support  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States,  and  that  I  do 
absolutely  and  entirely  renounce  and  abjure  all  allegiance  and  fidelity 
to  every  foreign  prince,  potentate,  state  or  sovereignty  whatever,  and 
particularly  to  the  Queen  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  of  whom  I  was 
before  a  subject. 

his 

PATRICK  +  O'BRIEN. 

mark. 


156  Election  frauds  in  new  york. 

Sworn  in  open  court,  this  20th  day  of  October,  18G8. 

CHAS.  E.  LOEW,  Clerh 

At  a  special  term  of  the  supreme  court,  held  at  the  City  Hall  of  the 

city  of  New  York,  on  the day  of 186  -. 

Present,  Hon. ,  judge. 

In  the  matter  of  the  application  of  the  within-named  applicant  to  be 
admitted  a  citizen  of  the  United  States  of  America. 

The  said  applicant  appearing  personally  in  court,  producing  the  evi- 
dence required  by  the  acts  of  Congress,  and  having  made  such  declara- 
tion and  renunciation,  and  having  taken  such  oaths  as  are  by  the  said 
acts  required,  it  is  ordered  by  the  said  court  that  the  said  applicant  be 
admitted  to  be  a  citizen  of  the  United  States  of  America. 

Enter: 

G.  G.  B. 


Superior  Court  City  and  County  of  New  York. 

In  the  matter  of  the  application  of  Adolph  Slechelsimer  to  be  admitted 
a  citizen  of  the  United  States  of  America. 

State  of  New  York,  City  and  County  of  New  York,  ss: 

Adolph  Slechelsimer,  the  above-named  applicant,  being  duly  sworn, 
says,  that  he  resides  at  Yonkers;  that  he  has  arrived  at  the  age  of  21 
years;  that  he  has  resided  in  the  United  States  three  years  next  pre- 
ceding his  arrival  at  that  age,  and  has  continued  to  reside  therein  to 
the  present  time;  that  he  has  resided  five  years  within  the  United 
states,  including  the  three  years  of  his  minority,  and  one  year,  at  least, 
immediately  preceding  this  application,  within  the  State  of  New  York; 
and  that  for  three  years  next  preceding  this  application  it  has  been, 
bona  fide,  his  intention  to  become  a  citizen  of  the  United  States. 

ADOLPH  SLECHELSIMER. 

Sworn  in  open  court,  this  20th  day  of  October,  18G8 

CHAS.  E.  LOEW,  Cleric. 

State  of  New  York,  City  and  County  of  New  York,  ss  : 

George  Hoffman,  being  duly  sworn,  says,  that  he  resides  at  No.  61  First 
street,  and  that  he  is  well  acquainted  with  the  above-named  applicant, 
and  that  the  said  applicant  has  resided  in  the  United  States  for  three 
years  next  preceding  his  arrival  at  the  age  of  21  years;  that  he  has  con- 
tinued to  reside  therein  to  the  present  time ;  that  he  has  resided  five 
years  within  the  United  States,  including  the  three  years  of  his  minority, 
and  in  the  State  of  New  Yrork  one  year,  at  least,  immediately  preceding 
this  application;  and  that  during  that  time  he  has  behaved  as  a  man  of 
good  moral  character,  attached  to  the  principles  of  the  Constitution  of 
the  United  States,  and  well  disposed  to  the  good  order  and  happiness 
of  the  same ;  and  deponent  verily  believes  that  for  three  years  next  pre- 
ceding this  application  it  has  been,  bona  fide,  the  intention  of  the  said 
applicant  to  become  a  citizen  of  the  United  States. 

GEORGE  HOFFMAN. 

Sworn  in  open  court,  this  20th  day  of  October,  1868. 

CHAS.  E.  LOEW,  Clerk. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  157 

State  of  New  York,  City  and  County  of  New  York,  ss: 

I  ■ ,  the  above-named  applicant,  do  declare,  on  oath,  that 

it  is,  bona  fide,  my  intention,  and  has  been  for  three  years  next  preced- 
ing this  application,  to  become  a  citizen  of  the  United  States,  and  to 
renounce  forever  all  allegiance  and  fidelity  to  every  foreign  prince,  poten- 
tate, state  or  sovereignty  whatever,  particularly  to  the  King  of  Prussia, 
of  whom  I  am  now  a  subject. 

ADOLPH  SLECHELSIMER. 

Sworn  in  open  court,  this  20th  day  of  October,  1868. 

CHAS.  E.  LOEW,  Cleric. 

State  of  New  York,  City  and  County  of  New  York,  ss  : 

I, ,  the  above-named  applicant,  do  solemnly  swear  that 

I  will  support  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States,  and  that  I  do  abso- 
lutely and  entirely  renounce  and  abjure  all  allegiance  and  fidelity  to 
every  foreign  prince,  potentate,  state  or  sovereignty  whatever,  and 
particularly  to  the  King  of  Prussia,  of  whom  I  was  before  a  subject. 

ADOLPH  SLECHELSIMER. 

Sworn  in  open  court,  this  20th  day  of  October,  1868. 

CHAS.  E.  LOEW,  Clerk. 

At  a  special  term  of  the  supreme  court,  held  at  the  City  Hall  of  the 
city  of  New  York,  on  the  20th  day  of  October,  1868. 

Present,  Hon.  George  G.  Barnard,  judge. 
In  the  matter  of  the  application  of  the  within-named  applicant  to  be 
admitted  a  citizen  of  the  United  States  of  America. 

The  said  applicant  appearing  personally  in  court,  producing  the  evidence 
required  by  the  acts  of  Congress,  and  having  made  such  declaration  and 
renunciation,  and  having  taken  such  oaths  as  are  by  the  said  acts 
required,  it  is  ordered  by  the  said  court  that  the  said  applicant  be  admit- 
ted to  be  a  citizen  of  the  United  States  of  America. 

Enter:  G.  G.  B. 


Supreme  Court,  City  and  County  of  Neic  York  : 

In  the  matter  of  the  application  of  Alex.  N.  McCann  to  be  admitted  a 
citizen  of  the  United  States  of  America. 

State  of  New  York,  City  and  County  of  New  York,  ss  : 

Alex.  N.  McCann,  the  above-named  applicant,  being  duly  sworn,  says, 
that  he  resides  at  White  Plains ;  that  he  has  arrived  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
one  years  5  that  he  has  resided  in  the  United  States  three  years  next  pre- 
ceding his  arrival  at  that  age,  and  has  continued  to  reside  therein  to  the 
present  time ;  that  he  has  resided  five  years  within  the  United  States, 
including  the  three  years  of  his  minority,  and  one  year,  at  least,  imme- 
diately preceding  this  application,  within  the  State  of  New  York ;  and 
that  for  three  years  next  preceding  this  application  it  has  been,  bona  fide, 
his  intention  to  become  a  citizen  of  the  United  States. 

his 

ALEX.  N.  +  McCANN. 

mark. 

Sworn  in  open  court,  this  20th  day  of  October,  1868. 

CHAS.  E.  LOEW,  Clerk. 


158  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW   YORK. 

State  of  New  York,  City  and  County  of  New  York,  ss: 

George  Hoffman,  being  duly  sworn,  says,  that  he  resides  at  No.  01  First 
street,  and  that  he  is  well  acquainted  with  the  above  named  applicant ; 
and  that  the  said  applicant  has  resided  in  the  United  States  for  three 
years  next  preceding  his  arrival  at  the  age  of  twenty-one  years;  that  he 
has  continued  to  reside  therein  to  the  present  time;  that  he  has  resided 
five  years  within  the  United  States,  including  the  three  years  of  his 
minority,  and  in  the  State  of  New  York  one  year,  at  least,  immediately 
preceding  this  application ;  and  that  during  that  time  he  has  behaved 
as  a  man  of  good  moral  character,  attached  to  the  principles  of  the  Con- 
stitution of  the  United  States,  and  well  disposed  to  the  good  order  and 
happiness  of  the  same;  and  deponent  verily  believes,  that  for  three  years 
next  preceding  this  application  it  has  been,  bona  fide,  the  intention  of  the 
said  applicant  to  become  a  citizen  of  the  United  States. 

GEORGE  HOFFMAN. 
Sworn  in  open  court,  this  20th  day  of  October,  1868. 

CHAS.  E.  LOEW,  Cleric. 

State  of  New  York,  City  and  County  of  New  York,  ss: 

I, ,  the  above-named  applicant,  do  declare,  on  oath, 

that  it  is,  bona  fide,  my  intention,  and  has  been  for  three  years  next  pre- 
ceding this  application,  to  become  a  citizen  of  the  United  States;  and  to 
renounce  forever  all  allegiance  and  fidelity  to  every  foreign  prince, 
potentate,  state  or  sovereignty  whatever,  particularly  to  the  Queen  of 
Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  of  whom  I  am  now  subject. 

his 

ALEX.  N.  +  McCANN. 

mark. 

Sworn  in  open  court,  this  20th  day  of  October,  1868. 

CHAS.  E.  LOEW,  Clerk. 

State  of  New  York,  City  and  County  of  New  York,  ss: 

I,  ,  the   above-named   applicant,   do    solemnly  swear 

that  I  will  support  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States;  and  that  I  do 
absolutely  and  entirely  renounce  and  abjure  all  allegiance  and  fidelity  to 
every  foreign  prince,  potentate,  state  or  sovereignty  whatever,  and 
particularly  to  the  Queen  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  of  whom  I  was 
before  a  subject. 

his 

ALEX.  N.  +  McCANN. 

mark. 

Sworn  in  open  court,  this  20th  day  of  October,  18G8. 

CHAS.  E.  LOEW,  Clerk. 

At  a  special  term  of  the  supreme  court,  held  at  the  City  Hall  of  the 

city  of  New  York,  on  the day  of 186-. 

Present,  Hon. ,  judge. 

In  the  matter  of  the  application  of  the  within-named  applicant  to  be  a 
citizen  of  the  United  States  of  America. 

The  said  applicant  appearing  personally  in  court,  producing  the  evi- 
dence required  by  the  acts  of  Congress,  and  having  made  such  declara- 
tion and  renunciation,  and  having  taken  such  oaths  as  are  by  the  said 
acts  required,  it  is  ordered  by  the  said  court  that  the  said  applicant  be 
admitted  to  be  a  citizen  of  the  United  States  of  America. 

Enter: 

G.  G.  B. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  159 

Supreme  Court,  City  and  County  of  New  York: 

In  the  matter  of  the  application  of  John  J.  Mercer]  to  be  admitted  a 
citizen  of  the  United  States  of  America. 

State  of  New  York,  City  and  County  of  New  York,  ss  : 

John  J.  Mercer,  the  above-named  applicant,  being  duly  sworn,  says,  that 
he  resides  at  Yonkers;  that  he  has  arrived  at  the  age  of  21  years;  that  he 
has  resided  in  the  United  States  three  years  next  preceding  his  arrival 
at  that  age,  and  has  continued  to  reside  therein  to  the  present  time ; 
that  he  has  resided  five  years  within  the  United  States,  including  the 
three  years  of  his  minority,  and  one  year,  at  least,  immediately  preced- 
ing this  application,  within  the  State  of  New  York ;  and  that  for  three 
years  next  preceding  tnis  application  it  has  been,  bona  fide,  his  intention 
to  become  a  citizen  of  the  United  States. 

JOHN  J.  +  MERCER. 

mark. 

Sworn  in  open  court,  this  20th  day  of  October,  1868. 

CHAS.  E.  LOEW,  Cleric. 

State  of  New  York,  City  and  County  of  New  York,  ss  : 

George  Hoffman,  being  duly  sworn,  says,  that  he  resides  at  No.  61 
First  avenue,  and  that  he  is  well  acquainted  with  the  above  named  appli- 
cant ;  and  that  the  said  applicant  has  resided  in  the  United  States  for 
three  years  next  preceding  his  arrival  at  the  age  of  21  years ;  that  he 
has  continued  to  reside  therein  to  the  present  time  ;  that  he  has  resided 
five  years  within  the  United  States,  including  the  three  years  of  his 
minority,  and  in  the  State  of  New  York  one  year,  at  least,  immediately 
preceding  this  application  ;  and  that  during  that  time  he  has  behaved 
as  a  man  of  good  moral  character,  attached  to  the  principles  of  the  Con- 
stitution of  the  United  States,  and  well  disposed  to  the  good  order  and 
happiness  of  the  same  ;  and  deponent  verily  believes  that  for  three  years 
next  preceding  this  application  it  has  been,  bona  fide,  the  intention  of 
the  said  applicant  to  become  a  citizen  of  the  United  States. 

GEORGE  HOFFMAN. 

Sworn  in  open  court,  this  20th  day  of  October,  1868. 

CHAS.  E.  LOEW,  Cleric. 

State  of  New  York,  City  and  County  of  New  York,  ss  : 

I, ,  the  above-named  applicant,  do  declare,  on  oath, 

that  it  is,  bona  fide,  my  intention,  and  has  been  for  three  years  next  pre- 
ceding this  application,  to  become  a  citizen  of  the  United  States,  and  to 
renounce  forever  all  allegiance  and  fidelity  to  every  foreign  prince, 
potentate,  state  or  sovereignty  whatever,  particularly  to  the  Queen  of 
Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  of  whom  I  am  now  a  subject. 

his 

JOHN  J.  +  MERCER. 

mark. 

Sworn  in  open  court,  this  20th  day  of  October,  1868. 

CHAS  E.  LOEW,  Cleric. 

State  of  New  York,  City  and  County  of  New  York,  ss  : 

I, ,  the  above-named  applicant,  do  solemnly  swear  that 

I  will  support  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States ;'  and  that  I  do 
absolutely  and  entirely  renounce  and  abjure  all  allegiance  and  fidelity 
to  every  foreign  prince,  potentate,  state  or  sovereignty  whatever,  and 


160  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

particularly  to  the  Queen  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  of  whom  I  was 
before  a  subject. 

his 

JOHN  J.  +  MERCER. 

mark. 

Sworn  in  open  court,  this  20th  day  of  October,  1868. 

CHAS.  E.  LOEW,  Clerk. 

At  a  special  term  of  the  supreme  court,  held  at  the  City  Hall  of  the  city 

of  New  York,  on  the day  of 186-. 

Present,  Hon. ,  judge. 

In  the  matter  of  the  application  of  the  within-named  applicant  to  be  I 
admitted  a  citizen  of  the  United  States  of  America. 
The  said  applicant  appearing  personally  in  court,  producing  the  evi- 
dence required  by  the  acts  of  Congress,  and  having  made  such  declara- 
tion and  renunciation,  and  having  taken  such  oaths  as  are  by  the  said 
acts  required,  it  is  ordered  by  the  said  court,  that  the  said  applicant  be  , 
admitted  to  be  a  citizen  of  the  United  States  of  America. 
Enter : 

G.  G.  B. 


Supreme  Court,  City  and  County  of  New  York  : 

In  the  matter  of  the  application  of  Antonio  Gomez  to  be  admitted  a 
citizen  of  the  United  States  of  America. 

State  of  New  York,  City  and  County  of  New  York,  ss  : 

Antonio  Gomez,  the  above-named  applicant,  being  duly  sworn,  says, 
that  he  resides  at  Yonkers ;  that  he  has  arrived  at  the  age  of  21  years ; 
that  he  has  resided  in  the  United  States  three  years  next  preceding  his 
arrival  at  that  age,  and  has  continued  to  reside  therein  to  the  present 
time;  that  he  has  resided  five  years  within  the  United  States,  including 
the  three  years  of  his  minority,  and  one  year,  at  least,  immediately  pre- 
ceding this  application,  within  the  State  of  New  York ;  and  that  for 
three  years  next  preceding  this  application  it  has  been,  bona  tide,  his 
intention  to  become  a  citizen  of  the  United  States. 

ANTONIO  GOMEZ. 

Sworn  in  open  court,  this  20th  day  of  October,  1868. 

CHAS.  E.  LOEW,  Clerk. 

State  of  New  York,  City  and  County  of  New  York,  ss : 

George  Hoffman,  being  duly  sworn,  says,  that  he  resides  at  61  First 
avenue,  and  that  he  is  wrell  acquainted  with  the  above-named  applicant ; 
and  that  the  said  applicant  has  resided  in  the  United  States  for  three 
years  next  preceding  his  arrival  at  the  ag3  of  21  years ;  that  he  has  con- 
tinued to  reside  therein  to  the  present  time ;  that  he  has  resided  five 
years  within  the  United  States,  including  the  three  years  of  his  minor- 
ity, and  in  the  State  of  New  York  one  year  at  least  immediately  prece- 
ding this  application;  and  that  during  that  time  he  has  behaved  as  a  man 
of  good  moral  character,  attached  to  the  principles  of  the  Constitution 
of  the  United  States,  and  well  disposed  to  the  good  order  and  happiness 
of  the  same ;  and  deponent  verily  believes,  that  for  three  years  next  pre- 
ceding this  application  it  has  been,  bona  fide,  the  intention  of  the  said 
applicant  to  become  a  citizen  of  the  United  States. 

GEORGE  HOFFMAN. 

Sworn  in  open  court,  this  20th  day  of  October,  1868. 

CHAS.  E.  LOEW,  Clerk. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW   YORK.  161 

State  of  ^ew  York,  City  and  County  of  Xew  York,  ss  : 

X -,  the  above-named  applicant,  do  declare  on    oath, 

that  it  is,  bona  fide,  my  intention,  and  has  been  for  three  years  next 
preceding  this  application,  to  become  a  citizen  of  the  United  States,  and 
to  renounce  forever  all  allegiance  and  fidelity  to  every  foreign  prince, 
potentate,  state  or  sovereignty  whatever,  particularly  to  the  Queen  of 
Spain,  of  whom  I  am  now  a  subject. 

ANTONIO  GOMEZ. 

Sworn  in  open  court,  this  20th  day  of  October,  1868. 

CHAS.  E.  LOEW,  Clerk. 

State  of  Xew  York,  City  and  County  of  Xew  York,  ss: 

I7 ,   the   above-named   applicant,    do  solemnly   swear 

that  I  will  support  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States ;  and  that  I 
do  absolutely  and  entirely  renounce  and  abjure  all  allegiance  and  fidelity 
to  every  foreign  prince,  potentate,  state  or  sovereignty  whatever,  and 
particularly  to  the  Queen  of  Spain,  of  whom  I  was  before  a  subject. 

AXTONIO  GOMEZ. 

Sworn  in  open  court,  this  20th  day  of  October,  1868. 

CHAS.  E.  LOEW,  Cleric. 

At  a  special  term  of  the  supreme  court,  held  at  the  City  Hall  of  the 

city  of  Xew  York,  on  the day  of ,  186-. 

Present,  Hon. ,  judge. 

In  the  matter  of  the  application  of  the  within-named  applicant  to  be 
admitted  a  citizen  of  the  United  States  of  America. 
The  said  applicant  appearing  personally  in  conrt,  producing  the  evi- 
dence required  by  the  acts  of  Congress,  and  having  made  such  declara- 
tion and  renunciation,  and  having  taken  such  oaths  as  are  by  the  said 
acts  required,  it  is  ordered  by  the  said  court  that  the  said  applicant  be 
admitted  to  be  a  citizen  of  the  United  States  of  America. 
Enter: 

G.  G.  B. 


Supreme  Court,  City  and  County  of  Xew  York: 

In  the  matter  of ,  on  his  petition  to  become  a  citizen  of 

the  United  States. 
To  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  State  of  Xew  York : 

The  petition  of ,  residing  at  ,  respectfully  shows : 

That  he  is  of  the  age  of  twenty-one  years  and  upwards,  and  has  resided 
within  the  United  States  for  the  continued  term  of  one  year  next  pre- 
ceding the  present  time ;   that  your  petitioner  enlisted  in  the  army  of 

the  United  States  in  the regiment  of  New  York  volunteers,  on  the 

day  of ,  18 — ,  at ,  in  the  State  of  New  York,  and  was 


honorably  discharged  therefrom  on  the  day  of ,  186-,  at 

Your  petitioner  therefore  asks  to  be  admitted  to  become  a  citi- 


zen of  the  United  States,  pursuant  to  section  21  of  the  act  of  Congress 
passed  July  17,  1862,  entitled  '-An  act  to  define  the  pay  and  emoluments 
)f  certain  officers  of  the  army,  and  for  other  purposes." 

11  T 


162  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  TORE. 

State  of  New  Y<>kk.  City  and  County  of  New  York,  u: 

,  the  within-named  petitioner,  being  duly  sworn,  sayi 

that  the  matters  contained  in  the  foregoing  petition  are  true. 

Sworn  in  open  court  this, day  of ,  186-. 


Clerk 


State  op  New  Yokk,  City  and  County  of  New  York,  88: 

,  being  duly  sworn,  says  that  he  resides  at ,  and 

thai  lie  is  well  acquainted  with  the  above-named  petitioner,  and  that  the 
said  petitioner  has  resided  within  the  United  States  for  the  continued 
term  of  one  year,  at  least,  next  preceding  the  present  time,  and  within 
the  State  of  New  York  one  year,  at  least,  immediately  preceding  this 
application;  ami  that  during  that  time  he  has  behaved  as  a  man  of  good 
moral  character,  attached  to  the  principles  of  the  Constitution  of  the 
United  States,  and  well  disposed  to  the  good  order  and  happiness  of  the 
same;  and  that  he  knows  the  said  applicant  bo  be  the  identical  person 
mentioned  and  described  in  the  foregoing  petition,  and  in  the  certificate 
of  discharge  from  the  service  of  the  United  States  army,  now  produced 
to  the  court. 


Sworn  in  open  court,  this day  of ,  186*-. 


-.  Clerk. 


State  of  New  York,  City  and  County  of  New  York,  ss  : 

I, ,  residing  at  ,  do  solemnly  swear  that    I  will 

support  the  Constitution  of  tin'  United  States;  and  that  I  do  absolutely 
and  entirely  renounce  and  abjure  all  allegiance  and  fidelity  to  every 
foreign  prince,  potentate,  state  or  sovereignty  whatever,  aud  particu- 
larly to  the ,  of  whom  1  was  before  a  subject. 


Sworn  to  in  open  court,  this day  of ,  186 


At  a  special  term  of  the  supreme  court,  held  at  the  City  Hall  of  the- 

city  of  New  York,  on  the day  of 18(1-. 

Present,  Hon. ,  justice. 

In  the  matter  of  the  application  of  the  within-named  applicant  to  he, 
admitted  a  citizen  of  United  States  of  America. 

The  said  applicant  appearing  personally  in  court,  and  producing  his 
certificate  of  discharge  from  the  service  of  the  United  States  army,  and 
the  evidence  required  by  the  acts  of  Congress,  and  having  made  such; 
declaration  and  renunciation,  and  having  taken  such  oaths  as  are  by 
the  said  acts  required,  it  is  ordered  by  the  said  court  that  the  said  appli- 
cant be  admitted  to  be  a  citizen  of  the  United  States  of  America. 

Enter : 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  163 

Supre^ie  Court,  City  and  County  of  New  York  : 

In  the  matter  of  the  application  of ,  to  be  admitted  a  citi- 
zen of  the  United  States  of  America. 

State  of  New  York,  City  and  County  of  New  York,  ss  : 

,  being  duly  sworn,  says,  that  he  resides  at ,  and 

that  he  is  well  acquainted  with  the  above-named  applicant,  and  that  the 
said  applicant  has  resided  within  the  United  States  for  the  continued 
term  of  five  years,  at  least,  next  preceding  the  present  time,  and  within 
the  State  of  New  York  one  year,  at  least,  immediately  preceding  this 
application,  and  that  during  that  time  he  has  behaved  as  a  man  of  good 
moral  character,  attached  to  the  principles  of  the  Constitution  of  the 
United  States,  and  well  disposed  to  the  good  order  and  happiness  of  the 
same. 


Sworn  in  open  court,   this day  of ,  186-. 

,  Clerk. 

State  of  Xew  York,  City  and  County  of  New  Tori;  ss: 

I, ,  residing  at ,  do  solemnly  swear  that  I  will 

support  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States,  and  that  I  do  absolutely 
and  entirely  renounce  and  abjure  all  allegiance  and  fidelity  to  every  for- 
eign prince,  potentate,  state  or  sovereignty  whatever,  and  particularly  to 
the ,  of  whom  I  was  before  a  subject. 


Sworn  in  open  court,  this day  of ,  1S6-. 

,  Clerk. 

At  a  special  term  of  the  supreme  court,  held  at  the  City  Hall  of  the 

city  of  New  York,  on  the day  of ,  18G-. 

Present,  Hon. ,  justice. 

In  the  matter  of  the  application  of  the  within-named  applicant  to  be 
admitted  a  citizen  of  the  United  States  of  America. 

The  said  applicant  appearing  personally  in  court,  producing  the  evi- 
dence required  by  the  acts  of  Congress,  and  having  made  such  declara- 
tion and  renunciation,  and  having  taken  such  oaths  as  are  by  the  said 
acts  required,  it  is  ordered  by  the  said  court  that  the  said  applicant  be 
admitted  to  be  a  citizen  of  the  United  States  of  America. 

Enter :  . 


Supreme  Court,  City  and  County  of  Xew  York: 

In  the  matter  of  the  application  of ,  to  be  admitted  a  citi- 
zen of  the  United  States  of  America. 

State  of  Xew  York,  City  and  County  of  New  York,  ss : 

,  the  above-named  applicant,  being  duly  sworn,  says  that 

he  resides  at ;  that  he  has  arrived  at  the  age"  of  21  years ;  that 

he  has  resided  in  the  United  States  three  years  next  preceding  his 
arrival  at  that  age,  and  has  continued  to  reside  therein  to  the  present 


164  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

time;  that  he  has  resided  five  years  within  the  United  Slides,  including 
the  three  years  of  Ids  minority,  and  one  year,  at  least,  immediately  pre- 
ceding this  application,  within  the  State  of  New  York,  and  that  foi 
three  years  next  preceding  tins  application  it  has  been,  bona  fide,  his 
intention  to  become  a  citizen  of  the  United  States. 


Sworn  in  open  court,  this day  of ,  186- 

5  Clem 

State  of  New  York,  City  and  County  of  Hfew  York,  88: 

-,  being   duly  sworn,  says  that    he   resides  at 


and  that  he  is  well  acquainted  with  the  above-named  applicant,  and) 
that  the  said  applicant  has  resided  in  tiie  United  States  for  three  years 
next  preceding  his  arrival  at  the  age  of  21  years;  that  he  lias  continued 
to  reside  therein  to  the  present  time;  that  he  has  resided  five  years 
within  the  United  States,  including  the  three  years  of  his  minority,  and! 
in  the  State  of  New  York  one  year,  at  least,  immediately  preceding  this 
application,  and  that  during  that  time  he  has  behaved  as  a  man  of  goodj 
moral  character,  attached  to  the  principles  of  the  Constitution  of  the 
United  States,  and  well  disposed  to  the  good  order  and  happiness  of  the' 
same,  and  deponent  verily  believes  that  for  three  years  next  preceding! 
this  application  it  has  been,  bona  fide,  the  intention  of  tin1  said  applicant' 
to  oecoine  a  citizen  of  the  United  States. 


Sworn  in  open  court,  this day  of ,  180-. 

,  Clerk.    j 

State  of  I^ew  York,  City  and  County  of  Nor  York,  88 : 

I, ,  the  above-named  applicant,  do  declare,  on  oath,  that 

it  is,  bona  fide,  my  intention,  and  has  been  for  three  years  next  preceding 
this  application,  to  become  a  citizen  of  the  United  States,  and  to  rel 
nounce forever  all  allegiance  and  fidelity  to  every  foreign  prince,  potent 
tate,  state  or  sovereignty  whatever,  particularly  to  the  Queen  of  the  United 
Kingdom  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  of  whom  I  am  now  a  subject. 


Sworn  in  open  court,  this day  of ,  186-. 

,  Cleric. 

State  of  New  York,  City  and  County  of  New  York,  ss  : 

I, ,  the  above-named  applicant,  do  solemnly  swear  that 

I  will  support  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States,  and  that  I  do  abso- 
lutely and  entirely  renounce  and  abjure  all  allegiance  and  fidelity  to 
every  foreign  prince,  potentate,  state  or  sovereignty  whatever,  and  par-) 
ticularly  to  the  Queen  of  the  United  Kingdom  of  Great  Britain  andj 
Ireland,  of  whom  I  was  before  a  subject. 


Sworn  in  open  court,  this day  of ,  180-. 

,  Clerk.    I 

At  a  special  term  of  the  supreme  court,  held  at  the  City  Hall  of  the 

city  of  New  York,  on  the day  of ,  186-. 

Present,  Hon. ,  judge. 

In  the  matter  of  the  application  of  the  within-named  applicant  to  he 
admitted  a  citizen  of  the  United  States  of  American. 

The  said  applicant  appearing  personally  in  court,  producing  the  evi- 
deece  required  by  the  acts  of  Congress,  and  having  made  such  declara- 
tion and  renunciation,  and  having  taken  such  oaths  as  are  by  the  said 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  165 

acts  required,  it  is  ordered  by  the  said  court,  that  the  said  applicant  he 
admitted  to  be  a  citizen  of  the  United  States  of  America. 
Enter : 


New  York,  December  26, 18G8. 

Eobert  G.  Adams  sworn  and  examined : 
By  the  Chairman  : 

1701.  Q.  State  your  residence  ! 

A.  116th  street  and  avenue  A,  in  this  city.  I  have  resided  in  this  city 
ever  since  I  was  born. 

1702.  Q.  State  if  you  were  in  the  supreme  court  in  the  month  of  Octo- 
ber last,  and  if  so,  whether  anything  occurred  there  in  relation  to 
naturalization  papers. 

A.  I  was  in  the  circuit  room,  supreme  court,  on  the  morning"  of 
October  10th  last,  about  10  o'clock.  I  went  in  at  the  usual  entrance  to 
the  court-room.  There  was  no  judge  in  court.  Mr.  McKean,  the  cleric, 
was  there,  and  several  young  men  officiating  in  some  clerical  capacity 
behind  an  extra  table  at  the  clerk's  desk.  My  business  there  was  to 
look  at  the  day  calendar  of  the  day  before.  I  asked  Mr.  McKean  the 
clerk  to  let  me  see  it.  He  said  he  would,  and  told  me  to  wait  a  few 
moments.  While  waiting,  I  was  startled  by  somebody  behind  the  coun- 
ter wanting  to  know  why  that  door  was  open  by  which  I  had  come  in. 
It  was  ordered  to  be  shut  and  it  was  shut.  While  I  was  waiting,  some 
men  at  the  table  alongside  the  clerk's  desk  were  very  busy  filling  out 
naturalization  papers.  During  this  time  a  party  came  by  the  door  that 
is  usually  used  by  the  judges  and  some  officers  of  the  court,  and  with 
red  tickets  in  his  hand,  (jailed  out  to  the  court  as  he  approached  the 
'table  "I  want  ten  citizens'  papers."  aVery  well,"  said  McKean,  UI 
will  hand  them  to  you  directly."  The  man  said,  "  I  am  in  a  hurry." 
McKean  turned  his  back  to  his  desk  and  opened  some  drawers  that  were 
behind  him  and  took  several  of  these  papers.  The  man  said,  "he  was 
in  a  hurry,  and  wanted  to  know  whether  Charley,  or  Bill,  or  somebody 
else,  would  not  give  him  the  papers."  McKean  said,  "  Wait  a  minute," 
or  something  of  that  kind.  After  a  little  interval  he  got  up  and  handed 
him  ten  citizen's  papers,  and  the  man  threw  down  ten  naturalization 
tickets.  I  am  not  sure  whether  it  was  McKean  or  one  of  the  men  at  the 
desk  who  handed  him  the  papers.  In  the  mean  time  I  got  the  calendar 
from  Mr.  McKean,  found  what  I  wanted,  and  then  left. 

1703.  Q.  Did  you  examine  the  papers  delivered  to  the  man  who  came 
with  the  red  tickets  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  judged  the  character  of  the  papers  from  their  general 
style.  They  were  printed  forms,  partly  printed  and  partly  written.  I 
cannot  say  whether  they  corresponded  with  these  now  shown  me  because 
I  did  not  see  them  opened.  But  the  man  did  not  ask  for  any  particular 
kind  of  papers,  only  he  wanted  ten  citizens'  papers. 

1701.  Q.  Was  any  writing  done  upon  the  papers  that  were  delivered 
to  him  alter  he  came  in  ? 

A.  There  was  nothing  done  to  them  after  he  came  in. 

1705.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  other  fact  connected  with  naturalization 
in  this  city  that  would  throw  light  upon  our  investigation  ? 

A.  I  do  not. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

1706.  Q.  You  understood  that  the  red  tickets  represented  so  much 
money  ? 


166  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

A.  That  was  my  understanding. 

1707.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  the  papers  were  signed  and  sealed  ! 
A.  I  do  not. 

By  Mr.  Koss : 

1708.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  these  papers  that  were  handed  out 
by  the  clerk  were  not  papers  passed  upon  by  the  court  the  night  before  I 

A.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  I  cannot  say;  as  a  matter  of  opinion,  1  sup- 
pose they  were  not. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

1709.  Q.  What  is  your  political  association  I 

A.  I  am  a  republican  at  present  and  have  been  for  some  years.  1  was 
formerly  a  democrat. 

1  710.  Q.  Did  you  go  into  the  court-room  for  any  purpose  connected 
with  the  business  of  naturalization,  or  on  your  professional  business*? 

A.  On  my  professional  business  as  a  lawyer. 

1711.  Q.  Do  you  know  the  names  of  any  of  the  clerks  who  were 
there  1 

A.  1  do  not. 

1712.  Q.  Did  the  man  say  what  kind  of  papers  he  wanted? 
A.  No. 

1713.  Q.  What  led  you  to  infer  that  he  wanted  any  particular  kind  of 
papers  ! 

A.  I  had  had  knowledge  of  the  operations  of  naturalization  for  some 
30  years,  and  1  knew  that  it  was  usual  for  political  parties  to  send  to 
Clerks  these  tickets  to  pay  the  fees  of  naturalization  papers. 

1711.  Q.  That  is  the  custom  of  both  parties'? 

A.  I  believe  it  is  5  but  I  do  not  think  that  tickets  did  the  republican 
party  any  good. 

1715.  Q,  Why  ! 

.V.  1  had  a  German  who  wanted  to  be  naturalized,  and  I  sent  him  toi 
one  of  the  republican  rooms  for  that  purpose  ;  he  there  got  a  ticket  and* 
1  found  that  there  was  great  difficulty  afterwards  in  getting  him  natu-J 
ralized  although  he  was  fully  entitled  to  it.  The  pretext  set  up  was,l 
that  the  witness  could  not  swear  that  the  applicant  had  been  in  the  coun- 
try  five  years;  but  afterwards  the  man  was  naturalized  on  the  testimony 
of  the  same  witness  ? 

1716.  Q.  How  long  did  it  take  Mr.  McKeanto  hunt  up  the  papers  and; 
hand  them  out  to  this  man? 

A.  There  did  not  seem  to  be  any  hunting  up  particularly.  I  do  not 
think  the  man  was  there  more  than  three  minutes  altogether. 

New  York,  December  26,  1868.    I 
James  M.  Sweeney  sworn  and  examined : 
By  the  Chairman  : 

1717.  Q.  State  if  you  are  a  clerk  of  the  superior  court,  New  York,  and 
if  so,  how  long  have  you  been  ? 

A.  1  am  and  have  been  for  the  last  two  years  and  over. 

1718.  Q.  During  what  months  in  the  present  year  were  persons  natu- 
ralized in  that  court  ? 

A.  During  the  whole  year. 

1719.  Q.  Can  you  give  the  number  of  persons  naturalized  during  each 
month  of  the  present  year  ? 

A.  I  can  get  that  information  and  will  furnish  it  to  the  committee. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  167 

1720.  Q.  Can  you  give  conveniently  the  number  naturalized  each  day 
in  your  statement? 

A.  In  the  early  part  of  the  year  there  would  be  very  few  naturalized. 
I  will  try  to  get  that  information. 

1721.  Q.  Were  they  principally  naturalized  in  October  ? 
A.  They  were ;  in  October  previous  to  the  election. 

1722.  Q.  Will  you  furnish  the  committee  with  the  aggregate  number 
naturalized  each  month  in  1868  and  with  the  number  naturalized  each 
day  during  October  ? 

A.  I  will  as  near  as  I  can  possibly  get  at  it. 

1723.  Q.  State  whether  you  use  printed  blank  forms  for  applications  of 
naturalization,  for  the  affidavits  of  the  witnesses,  and  for  the  certificates 
to  be  issued  to  persons  naturalized. 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

1724.  Q.  In  naturalizing  persons,  was  it  the  practice  of  the  court  to 
swear  the  witnesses  to  the  affidavits  that  they  made  ? 

A.  I  am  not  present  in  the  court  when  these  things  are  done.  I 
merely  issue  the  certificate. 

1725.  Q.  What  officers  are  present  when  naturalizations  are  granted  ? 
A.  Thomas  Bennett  and  Thomas  E.  Nolan  are  both  special  term  clerks 

deputized  for  that  purpose. 

1726.  Q.  I  now  present  to  you  four  papers  purporting  to  be  certifi- 
cates of  naturalization,  one  to  Joseph  Rush,  dated  October,  1868,  one 
to  John  Wallace,  dated  October  22,  1867,  one  to  William  Malia,  dated 
October  25,  1867,  and  one  to  James  Montgomery,  dated  October  25, 
1867,  signed  James  M.  Sweeney,  clerk,  and  referred  to  in  the  testimony 
of  Albert  Bogart;  state  if  the  seal  affixed  to  these  papers  is  the  genuine 
seal  of  the  superior  court,  and  whether  the  signature  of  the  clerk  is 
genuine? 

A.  The  seal  appears  to  be  the  genuine  seal,  and  the  signature  appears 
to  have  been  written  by  Mr.  Joseph  Meeks,  who  is  authorized  to  sign 
my  name.  I  havn't  signed  my  own  name  to  certificates  during  the 
present  year.  (Witness  also  identifies  in  the  same  way  the  certificates 
issued  to  Edward  Sullivan,  dated  October  17,  1868,  and  to  Michael 
Kerwin,  same  date.) 

1727.  Q.  Can  you  furnish  to  the  committee  the  applications  of  those 
persons  purporting  to  be  naturalized,  and  the  affidavits  of  witnesses  in 
these  several  cases  ? 

A.  I  will  take  a  memorandum  of  them  and  do  so. 

1728.  Q.  You  do  not  give  particular  attention  yourself  to  the  mode  of 
naturalization  % 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  would  be  in  and  out  of  the  court,  but  I  gave  no  particu- 
lar attention  to  that  branch  of  the  business. 

1729.  Q.  Will  you  permit  any  person  or  persons  whom  the  commit- 
tee may  designate  to  go  to  your  office  and  in  your  presence,  or  in  the 
presence  of  such  persons  as  you  may  designate,  make  a  list  of  the  names 
of  persons  naturalized,  their  residences,  the  dates  and  the  names  of  the 
witnesses  and  their  residences  ? 

A.  I  would  like  to  employ  my  clerks  to  do  it  under  the  supervision 
of  anybody  you  may  suggest.  These  papers  are  records  and  I  do  not 
feel  justified  in  letting  them  out  of  my  possession.  I  have  no  objection 
to  any  investigation  into  the  affairs  of  the  office. 

1730.  Q.  Then  these  lists  may  be  made  % 
A.  Yes,  I  think  so. 


1G8  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW   YORK. 

By  Mr.  Eoss : 

1731.  Q.  Have  you  any  idea  how  many  persons  were  naturalized  last 
year? 

A.  Not  nearly  so  many  as  this  year. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

1732.  Q.  Were  there  one-fourth  as  many? 
A.  O,  yes;  I  think  more,  nearly  one-half. 

1733.  Q.  Are  the  clerks  you  have  named  the  only  clerks  in  your 
office  authorized  to  attend  naturalization  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  when  the  rush  comes,  all  the  clerks  are  engaged.  But 
Mr.  Meeks  signs  all  the  certificates  so  as  to  have  a  uniform  signature* 
I  never  sign  one  myself.     I  think  we  have  twelve  clerks  in  the  office. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

1734.  Q.  Did  you  keep  a  record  of  persons  who  have  received  natur- 
alization? 

A.  Yes  sir;  we  index  them  as  we  go  along,  but  that  takes  considera- 
ble time.  The  index  for  this  year  is  not  complete.  We  index  the  wit- 
ness as  well  as  the  applicant. 

1735.  Q.  What  proportion  of  the  whole  number  were  naturalized 
during  the  month  of  October? 

A.  I  cannot  say  ;  I  think  a  very  large  proportion. 

1736.  Q.  Have  you  more  than  one  seal  for  your  court? 

A.  We  have  two,  and  impressions  arc  made  from   both  seals.     Mr.  i 
Meeks,  my  deputy,  had  in  charge  the  seals;  they  were  locked  up  each 
night.     There  were  no  papers  sealed  in  advance;  my  directions  were  to 
have  no  certificates  sealed  in  advance. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

1737.  Q.  Judge  McCunn  is  judge  of  that  court? 
A.  He  is  one  of  the  judges. 

1738.  Q.  He  is  the  one  who  had  charge  of  this  naturalization  business!  j 
A.  No,  sir ;  Judge  Garvin  did  some  of  it  and  so  did  Judge  Jones. 

1739.  Q.  Do  you  know  what  has  been  the  habit  of  these  judges  in 
reference  to  questioning  each  applicant  and  witness? 

A.  No,  sir,  I  do  not. 

1710.  Q.  You  do  not  know  whether  the  forms  prescribed  by  the  statute  j 
has  been  followed  by  all  these  judges? 
A.  I  didn't  take  particular  notice. 

1741.  Q.  How  many  did  they  put  through  there  at  a  time? 

A.  Generally  the  applicants  are  put  through  singly ;  those  whom  I  ( 
saw  naturalized  came  along  singly  and  the  applicant  and  witness  were  ; 
sworn. 

By  Mr.  Kerr: 

1742.  Q.  Did  you  ever  see  it  done  up  by  batches? 
A.  No,  sir ;  not  in  the  superior  court. 

1743.  Q.  Did  you  ever  in  any  court  where  naturalization  was  done  ? 
A.  No,  sir;  the  judges  in  my  court  used  to  destroy  a  great  many  - 

papers  where  they  did  not  have  the  proper  affidavits. 

1744.  Q.  Was  that  the  case  during  the  days  of  the  rush  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

1745.  Q.  Who  did  the  chief  part  of  this  naturalization  business  in 
the  superior  court? 

A.  Judge  McCunn  and  Judge  Garvin  did  the  most  of  it ;  I  think  that  the 
late  chief  justice  did  a  small  part  of  it;  so  did  Judge  Jones;  Judge 
Monell  was  in  Europe,  and  Judge  Barbour  was  away. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  169 

174G.  Q.  Can  you  approach  any  opinion  as  to  the  number  of  persons 
naturalized  in  any  one  day  in  your  court  during  the  month  of  October 
last ! 

A.  I  think  that  one  day  there  were  in  the  neighborhood  of  2,000. 

1747.  Q.  Were  you  in  the  court-room  during  the  time? 
A.  I  was  in  and  out. 

1748.  Q.  Was  there  any  other  business  transacted  by  the  court  on 
that  day '! 

A.  I  think  not. 

1740.  Q.  Was  the  courtroom  left  open  to  the  public  and  the  lawyers, 
or  were  they  excluded  from  the  court -room  during  that  day? 
A.  I  don't  think  they  were  excluded. 

1750.  Q.  Did  you  ever  know  them  to  be  excluded  any  day  when  this 
business  was  going  on  I 

A.  Not  to  my  knowledge. 

1751.  Q.  How  long  did  the  court  sit  that  day  ? 
A.  It  sat  almost  all  day. 

1752.  Q.  And  in  the  evening? 

A.  1  think  so,  but  I  am  not  positive. 

1753.  Q.  Describe  how  the  work  was  done  on  that  day  ? 

A.  Similar  to  any  other  day,  I  suppose.  The  men  would  go  in  with 
their  application  to  the  judges,  and  the  judges  would  swear  them  and 
then  they  would  get  their  certilicates. 

1754.  Q.  Did  the  judges  undertake  to  make  personal  examination  of 
witnesses ;  or  were  their  statements  put  in  the  form  of  an  affidavit,  and 
the  affidavit  sworn  to  ? 

A.  In  all  cases  that  1  saw,  the  judges  swore  them. 

1755.  Q.  Would  the  judge  detain  them  to  answer  any  questions  touch- 
ing qualifications,  residences,  &c  .' 

A.  He  would,  sometimes. 

1756.  Q.  And  sometimes  he  would  not ! 

A.  Sometimes  he  would  swear  them  to  the  affidavit,  I  think ;  but  I 
did  not  pay  sufficient  attention  to  know  exactly. 

1757.  Q.  During  the  time  you  were  paying  any  attention  to  this  busi- 
ness, was  it  a  common  thing  for  you  to  hear  persons  coming  in  as  wit- 
nesses swearing  for  a  dozen  principals  ! 

A.  I  never  knew  that :  I  heard  reports  to  that  effect,  but  know  nothing 
of  my  own  knowledge  ;  I  didn't  see  any  such  thing. 

1758.  Q.  You  saw  no  "  repeating"  of  this  kind  on  the  part  of  witnesses '? 
A.  Xo.  sir. 

1759.  Q.  Can  you  say  that  you  were  in  the  court -room  during  these 
hurried  days  enough  to  observe  that  kind  of  business  going  on  if  it  were 
going  on ;  I  mean  this  repetition  of  service  by  witnesses  ? 

A.  The  court-room  would  be  very  much  crowded.  I  saw  the  judges 
going  on  with  their  business  as  usual,  and  I  did  not  go  np  very  close  to 
the- judges  to  see  what  they  were  doing. 

17G0.  Q.  Did  you  know  anything  of  the  details  of  the  business  car- 
ried on  at  No.  0  Centre  street,  where  Rosenberg  was  chief  clerk  .' 

A.  No,  sir:  I  know  nothing  at  all  about  it. 

1701.  Q.  Did  you  have  occasion  to  go  in  there  on  the  part  of  any  per- 
son who  wanted  to  be  naturalized  during  the  last  political  canvass  i 

.V.  I  never  went  into  any  of  those  places  but  once ;  and  that  was  to 
tell  them  that  the  court  would  not  be  open  that  night. 

By  the  Chairman: 
17G2.  Q.  You  say  there  were  as  many  as  2,000  naturalized  in  one  day  ? 
A.  About  that.  " 


170  ELECTION    FRAUDS   IN    NEW    YORK. 

1763.  Q.  Were  they  all  naturalized  before  one  judge? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  think  not.  1  think  that  the  four  judges  whom  I  have 
named  were  naturalizing  that  day. 

1764.  Q.  Were  they  in  four  different  rooms  J 

A.  They  had  two  rooms;  and  afterwards  we  had  rooms  in  the  City 
Hall. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins: 

1765.  Q.  Who  distributed  these  papers  to  the  applicants  after  they 
were  signed  by  you  ? 

A.  The  papers  were  given  as  the  men  came  through. 

1766.  Q.  Were  these  applications  first  brought  in  by  either  of  the  par- 
ties in  batches  in  your  office  for  the  official  certificate  to  be  made  ! 

A.  Not  to  my  knowledge.    Mr.  Meeks  issued  all  the  certificates. 

1767.  Q.  You  do  not  know  whether  it  wras  his  habit  to  give  out  these  I 
papers  in  batches  ? 

A.  No  sir ;  but  I  rather  think  not. 

By  Mr.  Kerr: 

1768.  Q.  Who  had  charge  of  the  two  seals  used  by  your  court  ? 

A.  Mr.  Meeks  ;  it  was  his  business  to  take  charge  of  them.  The  seals 
were  kept  right  opposite  where  he  was  sitting. 

1769.  Q.  Tell  the  committee  whether  it  is  a  fact  within  your  knowl- 
edge or  belief  that  at  any  time  during  the  last  political  canvass  any  of 
these  certificates  were  given  out  in  blank. 

A.  No,  sir;  they  were  not.  1  do  not  think  there  was  anything  of  the 
kind  done. 

1770.  Q.  Did  you  use  any  precautions  or  give  any  directions  with  a 
view  to  prevent  any  such  thing  being  done  .' 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  gave  direction  to  Mr.  Meeks  to  lock  up  the  seals  every 
night;  also,  that  the  seals  should  be  entirely  under  his  charge,  and  that 
he  should  sign  every  one  of  the  certificates. 

1771.  Q.  Are  you  aware  that  any  of  the  certificates  in  blank  were1 
obtained  by  anybody  out  of  your  office  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

1772.  Q.  Since  the  common  rumor  about  frauds  in  the  procuring  of 
these  certificates  of  naturalization,  have  you  instituted  any  inquiry  or 
made  any  examination  with  a  view  to  determine  in  your  own  mind  the . 
fidelity  of  your  own  subordinates  % 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

1773.  Q.  With  what  result? 

A.  With  the  result  that  I  am  satisfied  that  they  have  not  done  any- 
thing wrong. 

1774.  Q.  In  connection  with  these  inquiries,  did  you  or  not  develop 
any  irregularities  in  connection  with  this  business,  either  on  the  part  of, 
your  subordinates  or  on  the  part  of  any  of  the  judges  ? 

A.  I  did  not. 

1775.  Q.  Have  you  had  brought  to  your  knowledge  any  certificates  of 
this  kind  that  were  ever  obtained  for  which  there  is  no  corresponding 
record  in  your  office  % 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  have  had  no  opportunity  to  search,  because  I  have  not 
been  notified  of  any  such  case. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

1776.  Q.  Do  you  know  what  clerks  occupied  room  No.  12  in  the  City 
Hall* 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  understood  there  were  some  outside  parties  who  occu- 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW   YORK.  171 

pied  the  basement  known  as  the  old  sheriff's  office ;  and  on  learning  that 
fact  I  had  the  communication  between  the  office  and  the  rooms  where 
my  clerks  were  at  work  closed. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

1777.  Q.  Can  you  give  us  the  names  of  the  parties  who  occupied  that 
room  % 

A.  No,  sir. 

1778.  Q.  Who  has  charge  of  the  building  % 

A.  Samuel  Eoome,  the  general  janitor;  he  has  the  keys;  whether  he 
acts  under  another  or  not  I  do  not  know. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

1779.  Q.  This  old  sheriff's  office  in  the  basement  of  the  City  Hall  was 
one  of  the  rooms  belonging  to  the  city  f 

A.  Yes,  sir — in  the  City  Hall. 

1780.  Q.  Who  rented  that  room  to  these  outside  parties  ? 
A.  I  do  not  know  anything  about  it. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

1781.  Q.  Was  it  generally  understood  that  some  of  the  rooms  were 
being  used  by  parties  in  writing  up  applications  for  citizenship  ? 

A.  I  heard  it  said,  aud  that  was  the  reason  that  I  closed  the  commu- 
nication between  that  and  the  room  where  my  clerks  were. 

New  York,  December  26, 1868. 
Anson  Willis  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

1782.  Q.  What  office  did  you  hold  at  the  last  election? 

A.  I  was  one  of  the  inspectors  and  registrars  of  election  of  the  16th 
district,  16th  ward. 

1783.  Q.  State  what  you  know  of  persons  presenting  certificates  of 
naturalization  that  were*  fraudulent ! 

A.  Many  naturalization  certificates  were  presented  by  persons  who 
came  to  be  registered.  They  appeared  to  have  the  genuine  seal  and  the 
genuine  signatures  of  the  clerks  of  the  various  courts.  Being  apprized 
that  spurious  naturalization  papers  had  been  sent  out  in  every  direction, 
I  interrogated  several  of  these  persons  and  they  gave  me  unsatisfactory 
answers.  They  could  not  tell  me  in  what  court  they  were  naturalized, 
when  they  were  naturalized,  or  where  they  were  naturalized.  One 
of  them  told  me  he  was  naturalized  in  Tammany  Hall ;  another  that 
he  was  naturalized  in  Columbia  street,  away  over  in  the  east  side 
of  the  city ;  and  another  clown  in  the  Park.  They  gave  no  satisfactory 
information  upon  this  subject.  Some  of  them,  after  being  registered, 
did  not  offer  to  vote.  Several  told  me  that  they  had  never  declared 
their  intention  to  become  citizens,  and  that  they  never  had  received  any 
first  papers.  It  appeared  from  the  answers  they  made  that  these  papers 
had  been  sent  to  them,  and  had  been  sent  broadcast  all  over  the  city, 
and  given  to  persons  who  had  never  applied  for  them. 

1784.  Q.  What  proportion  of  voters  in  vour  district  were  of  foreign 
birth  % 

A.  Much  less  than  half  of  them  were  native-born. 

1785.  Q.  What  proportion  of  those  presenting  certificates  of  natural- 
ization were  sworn. 

A.  It  is  my  impression  that  not  more  than  one  in  fifty  was  sworn. 
Some  of  the  inspectors  appeared  to  be  perfectly  satisfied,  if  the  parties 


172  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

only  presented  naturalization  papers.  And  they  were  opposed  very 
strongly  to  my  asking  questions,  or  taking  any  stops  like  investigation. 
Some  naturalization  papers  were  several  years  old,  and  these  we  did 
not  investigate  very  closely.  It  was  only  those  that  had  been  recently 
issued  that  we  took  particular  notice  of.  I  questioned  some  parties  so 
severely  that  they  never  made  their  appearance  on  the  day  of  election; 
they  were  generally  registered;  some,  very  few,  were  rejected. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins: 

1786.  Q.  Do  you'  recollect  the  number  of  naturalized  citizens  that 
were  registered  at  your  precinct? 

A.  I  said  over  one-half  of  the  whole ;  the  whole  number  was  about  500; 
1  was  the  only  one  of  the  four  inspectors  that  seemed  to  take  any  interest 
in  stopping  this  thing;  the  democratic  inspectors  put  every  obstacle  in 
my  way;  and  when  a  young  man  took  his  position  there  to  challenge 
some  of  these  men,  the  chairman  of  the  board  ordered  him  out  of  the 
room  and  told  him  he  was  interfering  with  the  election,  and  that  he  could 
not  stay  there. 

1787.  Q.  Was  the  chairman  a  democrat  ? 
A.  Yes  sir. 

1788.  Q.  Do  you  recollect  the  relative  vote  of  the  two  parties  in  that 
precinct? 

A.  I  do  not  recollect;  it  was  largely  democratic. 

By  Mr.  Ross : 

1780.  Q.  Give  us  the  names  of  the  democrats  who  acted  with  you? 
A.  Mr.  Van  Buren  and  Mr.  Seixas;  my  republican  colleague  said  but 
little. 

1790.  Q.  Did  he  not  vote  with  you  all  the  time? 

A.  Questions  were  very  rarely  put  to  a  vote;  he  made  no  objection  to 
receiving  these  papers;  I  hadheard  so  much  of  these  illegal  votes  that 
1  suspected  that  a  great  many  of  these  votes  were  wrong,  but  I  had  no 
positive  means  of  determining. 

1791.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  illegal  votes  having  been  given  at  your 
polls  ? 

A.  I  am  not  positive  of  any,  but  I  had  good  reason  to  suspect  that 
many  were  illegal,  bee  ause  the  men  could  not  tell  where  they  were 
naturalized,  and  many  of  them  had  never  made  application,  and  never 
received  their  first  papers. 

1792.  Q.  How  many  did  you  reject? 
A.  About  a  half  a  dozen. 

1793.  Q.  How  many  did  you  register  who  could  not  give  you  satisfy 
tory  evidence? 

A.  I  should  think  from  a  dozen  to  20. ' 

1794.  Q.  Did  you  have  some  one  at  the  polls  to  challenge? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

1795.  Q.  Did  you  discharge  that  duty  yourself,  or  did  somebody  else? 
A.  I  believe  I  did  in  one  or  two  instances;  my  position  was  at  the 

desk,  to  look  over  the  names  as  they  presented  themselves,  and  see 
if  the  names  were  there. 

1796.  Q.  You  had  a  challenger  at  the  polls  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

1797.  Q.  Did  he  exercise  the  privilege  pretty  freely  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  he  was  ordered  out  of  the  room  by  the  chairman. 

1798.  Q.  Did  he  go  out  of  the  room  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

1799.  Q.  After  that  you  had  no  challenger  ? 


- 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  173 

A.  After  that  there  was  no  regular  challenger ;  once  in  a  while  some 
person  came  up  and  challenged  a  vote. 

1800.  Q.  What  was  the  name  of  your  republican  colleague  on  the 
board? 

A.  I  have  forgotten  it.  He  was  an  Englishman,  and  lives  in  the  ave- 
nue just  above  Twenty  third  street.  He  keeps  a  tailor's  shop  just  north 
of  Twenty-third  street  on  the  avenue. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

1801.  Q.  Did  you  register  two  men  whose  answers  were  so  unsatisfac- 
tory as  you  have  stated J? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  we  registered  more  than  that. 

1802.  Q.  More  than  three? 

A.  Yes,  sir j  I  think  we  registered  more  than  a  half  a  dozen  of  those 
cases. 

1803.  Q.  Can  you  name  one  of  them? 

A.  Of  course  not ;  they  were  men  I  never  saw  before. 

1804.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  any  one  of  these  persons  so  registered 
voted? 

A.  Yes,  sir $  some  of  them  did.    They  swore  right  through. 

New  York,  December  26,  1868. 
Samuel  S.  Urmy  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

1805.  Q.  What  office  did  you  hold  at  the  last  elections. 
A.  Inspector  of  elections  for  the  15th  district,  21st  ward. 

1806.  Q.  State  what  you  know  of  persons  presenting  fraudulent  natu- 
ralization papers. 

A.  I  know  parties  who  presented  papers  who,  when  they  were  sworn 
and  questioned  respecting  them,  stated  that  they  had  not  been  in  court. 
Some  of  them  had  never  taken  out  any  first  papers,  and  two  or  three  of 
them  had  papers  given  them  in  lager-beer  saloons,  club-houses,  and  such 
places. 

1807.  Q.  State  what  you  know  of  James  Gillem  I 

A.  James  Gillem  was  registered  as  living  at  444  Fourth  avenue.  On 
the  morning  of  the  election,  about  11  o'clock,  a  man  came  along  and  gave 
that  name.  I  challenged  him  for  non-residence,  administered  the  oath 
to  him,  took  his  vote  and  had  him  arrested.  After  he  was  arrested  I 
subsequently  ascertained  his  name  to  be  Michael  Cochran.  I  thought 
he  lived  out  of  the  district. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

1808.  Q.  He  was  voting  on  a  name  which  did  not  belong  to  him  % 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

1809.  Q.  You  style  such  men  repeaters  % 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

1810.  Q.  Is  he  a  foreigner  I 
A.  I  think  he  is. 

1811.  Q.  Did  he  register  on  naturalization  papers  % 

A.  I  do  not  think  he  was  registered  at  all.  I.  think  another  man  gave 
that  name.  I  don't  think  he  was  near  the  polls  at  all  until  he  came  to 
vote. 

1812.  Q.  Who  were  the  inspectors  in  that  district  ? 

A.  On  election  day  they  were  Stephen  K  Crandall,  Wm.  P.  Slater, 
John  Dalton,  and  myself. 


174  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

1813.  Q.  State  what  occurred  after  you  had  tins  man  arrested. 

A.  A  few  minutes  after  he  was  arrested  and  taken  away  to  the  police 
office  a  posse  of  deputy  sheriffs  came  in,  rushed  around  the  counter,  car- 
ried me  out,  put  me  in  a  stage,  took  me  to  the  Ludlow  street  jail  and  put 
me  in  charge  of  the  keeper. 

1814.  Q.  How  long  were  you  confined  % 

A.  I  was  taken  from  the  polls  a  few  minutes  after  11  o'clock,  and  Mas 
confined  in  jail  until  3  o'clock,  when  I  was  taken  out  on  a  writ  of  habeas 
corpus.  I  made  application  to  send  a  letter  or  despatch  to  my  friends, 
but  I  was  not  allowed  to  do  so. 

1815.  Q.  For  what  were  you  arrested? 

A.  I  was  not  accused  of  anything.  These  deputies  came  in,  caught 
hold  of  me  and  carried  me  out.     I  am  convinced  they  had  no  authority. 

181G.  Q.  What  was  the  pretext  for  arresting  you? 

A.  There  was  no  pretext  stated.  Afterwards  I  saw  a  commitment 
charging  me  with  obstructing  the  polls.  But  the  warrant,  1  am  sure, 
was  not  in  the  hands  of  the  deputy  sheriffs  when  1  was  arrested. 

1817.  Q.  Had  you  done  anything  to  obstruct  the  polls,  except  to  chal- 
lenge this  man  to  vote? 

A.  Nothing  in  the  world.     I  had  taken  votes  very  rapidly  from  sunrise  j 
up  to  that. 

1818.  Q.  With  what  political  party  do  you  act? 
A.  With  the  republican. 

1819.  Q.  Who  were  the  deputy  sheriffs? 

A.  One  was  Lawrence  O'Brien,  brother  of  James  O'Brien,  the  sheriff. 
Another  was  George  E.  Hickey,  who  was  somewhat  notorious,  and 
another  was  John  Bennett,  who  is  known  in  the  ward  as  "Black  Jack," 
and  another  of  whose  name  1  am  not  positive.    I  think  it  was  Armstrong. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

1820.  Q.  Were  these  men  special  deputies,  or  were  they  regular" 
deputies  I 

A.  I  think  that  Bennett  and  O'Brien  were  special  deputies  for  preserv- 
ing the  peace  at  the  last  election. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

1821.  Q.  What  was  their  politics? 

A.  They  were  democrats.     1  am  inclined  to  think  that  Dickey  is  a 
regular  deputy  from  his  having  had  transactions  before  in  connection  i 
with  such  matters. 

1822.  Q.  Had  there  been  any  disturbance  at  the  polls  during  the  day  ? 
A.  Xo,  sir,  not  at  all.     It  was  perfectly  quiet  and  orderly. 

1823.  Q.  What  proportion  of  voters  in  your  district  are  of  foreign  birth ! 
A.  Considerable  more  than  a  majority  of  voters  in  that  district  are 

Americans.     There  are  a  good  number  of  Irishmen  and  Germans  there. 
There  were  789  names  registered. 

1824.  Q.  What  proportion  of  naturalized  citizens  were  challenged  at 
the  registry  ? 

A.  Probably  one  in  ten  was  challenged  at  the  registry ;  at  least,  if  not 
absolutely  challenged,  a  greater  number  than  that  were  questioned. 
Those  persons  whom  we  knew  were,  of  course,  not  questioned. 

1825.  Q.  Have  you  any  means  of  expressing  an  opinion  as  to  the  num- 
ber of  illegal  votes  registered  and  polled  in  your  district. 

A.  I  have  only  the  means  which  my  knowledge  of  the  people  there; 
gives  me.     I  am  satisfied  there  were  a  great  many  fraudulent  papers  pre- ; 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IX    NEW    YORK.  175 

sented  there  and  that  a  great  many  men  voted  who  had  no  right  to  vote. 
For  instance,  there  is  one  house  in  our  district  from  which  about  twenty 
names  were  registered ;  it  is  a  little  shanty  two  stories  high ;  thefirst  story 

is  taken  up  with  a  bar-room  and  restaurant  and  there  cannot  possibly  be 
more  than  four  small  rooms  in  the  second  story. 
By  Mr.  Hopkins. 

1826-27.  Q.  Has  there  been  any  investigation  in  court  of  the  case  of 
the  person  whom  yon  challenged  and  whom  yon  arrested  I 

A.  No,  sir:  he  was  brought  before  a  police  justice  in  the  morning,  and 
admitted  to  bail.  He  is  a  man  who  is  well  known  in  the  ward;  he  has 
been  up  on  the  island  a  number  of  times. 

1828.  Q.  This  occurrence  was  at  the  presidential  election  ? 

A.  Yes.  sir :  it  is  our  State  election  as  well. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

]>:_'!>.  Q.  When  did  yon  revise  your  registration  ? 

A.  Friday  and  Saturday  before  election.  We  registered  names  as 
well  as  revised  them  on  these  days.  The  first  two  days  for  registration 
are  the  Tuesday  and  Wednesday  three  Aveeks  before  the  election. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

1830.  Q.  How  many  did  you  say  were  registered  from  this  house  in 
Fourth  avenue .' 

A.  I  think  about  20.  It  was  known  in  the  district  as  "The  Senate."  It 
is  a  drinking  saloon  and  restaurant  kept-  by  Michael  Sharkev. 

1831.  Q.  What  is  he  politically? 

A.  He  always  votes  the  democratic  ticket. 
$32.  Q.  Can  you  give  a  fair  approximation  of  the  number  of  persons 
of  foreign  birth  who  registered  in  your  district  ? 

A.  1  do  not  know,  but  I  think  half  of  them  were  persons  of  foreign 
birth. 

1833.  Q.  Can  you  give  an  approximate  proportion  of  those  men  of 
foreign  birth  who  presented  papers  more  than  a  year  old? 

A.  I  should  think  that  half  the  naturalization  papers  presented  were 
new  ones  issued  within  three  months  of  the  last  election — most  of  them 
within  six  weeks. 

1834.  Q.  You  say  that  you  ascertained  for  yourself  that  this  Gilleni 
did  not  reside  where  he  said .' 

A.  Yes.  sir:  I  went  to  the  proprietor  of  the  house  and  asked  him  if 
any  such  person  lived  there;  he  said  he  did  not.  It  is  a  drinking  saloon 
kept  by  Patrick  Daly.  The  man  is  notorious  as  a  rough;  he  is  a  man  of 
very  bad  character ;  he  has  frequently  been  before  the  police  courts,  and 
has  been  sent  to  the  island. 

1835.  Q.  Is  he  a  man  of  drinking  habits  also  ? 

A.  I  should  think  he  is  a  man  who  drinks  a  good  deal. 

1836.  Q.  In  reference  to  your  arrest,  was  it  made  in  a  rude  and  ungen- 
tlemanly  way  ? 

A.  Yes.  sir.  it  was:  my  coat  was  badly  torn,  and  I  was  absolutely  car- 
ried or  dragged  out  of  the  room. 

1S37.  Q.  Did  you  resist  ? 

A.  I  did  not  resist  with  any  force — I  refused  to  go. 

1838-39.  Q.  Then  it  required  the  use  of  physical  force  to  carry  you 
out  of  the  room  ? 

A.  They  did  not  wait  to  see  whether  it  did  or  not — thev  carried  me 
out. 

1840.  Q.  How  did  the  business  go  on  in  your  absence? 


176  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  TORE. 

A.  There  was  a  man  sent  there  to  take  my  place  until  I  returned a 

Colonel  Colvin,  a  republican. 

1841.  Q.  Did  you  ever  institute  any  legal  proceedings  against  these 
persons  for  making  the  arrest  I 

A.  No,  sir. 

1842.  Q.  Were  you  arrested  or  tried  for  any  offence  \ 
A.  No,  sir. 

1843.  The  whole  matter  dropped  after  your  discharge  \ 

A.  Yes,  sir;  the  deputies  told  me  when  they  were  taking  me  to  prison 
that  I  would  be  let  out  the  next  morning. 

1844-45.  Q.  Do  you  know  that  any  person  did,  in  fact,  vote  at  that  dis- 
trict who  was  not  by  law  entitled  to  vote,  except  this  man  Gillem  'I 

A.  I  cannot  positively  say  that  there  was  any.     There  were  men  who 
voted  and  who  swore  in  their  votes,  who,  I  believe,  were  not  voters  in 
that  district — men  whom  I  knew  to  be  just  as  likely  to  vote  in  one  dig-  ' 
trict  as  in  another,  for  they  are  floating  back  and  forth  from  one  saloon 
to  another,  and  live  in  any  place,  as  the  case  may  require.     I  had  a  list 
of  names  of  persons  who,  I   was  well  satisfied,  were  fraudulent  voters,  i 
for  the  purpose  of  challenging  them.     This  Gillem  was  one  of  them,  and  I 
he  was  the  first  that  presented  himself.     When  I  returned  these  names  ' 
were  all  voted  in. 

1846.  Q.  How  do  you  know  they  voted? 

A.  Their  names  were  cheeked  upon  the  book  as  having  voted. 

1S47.  Q.  Are  there  a  good  many  times  men  having  the  same  name  in 
a  'district  I 

A.  It  does  not  very  often  occur.  I  find  the  name  of  Patrick  Keeffe 
registered  twice  from  44!)  Fourth  avenue.  1  also  find  the  name  of 
William  Doogan  registered  twice  from  the  same  place.  Another  instance  , 
is  that  of  a  man  named  Nicholas  Moore,  who  is  registered  in  our  district 
as  John  Moore;  and  he  does  not  live  in  the  district  at  all.  After  he  had 
registered  as  John  .Moore  he  came,  at  another  session  of  the  board,  and' 
offered  to  register  as  William  Murry.  1  knew  the  man,  and  turned  him 
away.  I  knew  him  to  be  identical  with  the  other  man;  I  had  known 
him  two  or  three  years — perhaps  longer.  A  number  of  instances  occur- 
red where  parties  registered  and  other  parties  came  in  to  vote  on  their 
names — men  whom  I  knew  not  to  be  the  parties  who  had  registered. 

1848.  Q.  State,  generally,  whether  you  and  your  republican  colleague 
and  your  democratic  colleagues  used  reasonable  diligence  to  purge  the 
ballot-box  of  that  kind  of  votes. 

A.  For  myself,  I  did  use  all  the  diligence  I  could.  I  cannot  answer 
for  the  others. 

1849.  Q.  State,  generally,  whether  you  know,  of  your  own  knowledge, 
that  persons  unauthorized  to  register  did,  in  fact,  register  in  that  clis- 
trict,  except  those  whom  you  have  named. 

A.  I  am  satisfied  that  a  good  many  did  register  who  Avere  not  author- 
ized to  register  there  and  to  vote  there.  I  had  a  list  of  50  names  of  per- 
sons  who  I  was  satisfied  were  not  legal  voters. 

1850.  Q.  Is  it  true  that  this  list  was  furnished  you  by  others '? 

A.  Some  names  of  the  men  were  furnished  me ;  but  I  know  I  made 
personal  inquiry  and  investigation  into  every  name  on  the  list. 

1851.  Q.  How  much  time  did  you  give  to  that  kind  of  inquiry ! 
A.  I  gave  considerable  time  to  it. 

1852.  Q.  You  do  not  know,  as  a  fact,  that  all  of  those  upon  that  list 
of  50  were  illegally  registered ! 

A.  I  do  not  know  it  as  a  fact,  but  I  have  every  reason  to  believe  it. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  177 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

1853.  Q.  I  understand  you  to  say  that  you  had  a  list  of  50  illegal 
voters  whom  you  intended  to  challenge,  and  that  while  you  were  under 
arrest  their  votes  were  received? 

A.  Yes,  sir.  Those  deputies,  when  they  were  taking  me  down  to  jail, 
told  me  they  would  teach  me  that  I  had  no  right  to  challenge  any  votes. 

1854.  Q.  How  many  wards  are  there  in  this  city  ? 
A.  Twenty-two. 

1855.  Q.  How  many  of  these  republican? 
A.  Only  one,  I  believe — the  15th  ward. 

By  Mr.  Ross: 

1856.  Q.  In  the  50  men  whom  you  had  upon  that  list  were  'those  20 
who  Avere  registered  from  449  Fourth  avenue  included? 

A.  A  good  many  of  them  were  on  the  list.  There  were  two  or  three 
of  them  whom  I  knew  to  be  legally  entitled  to  vote. 

1857.  Q.  How  many  of  that  20  were  on  your  list  of  50  ? 

A.  Probably  11  or  12.  From  120  East  Thirty-second  street  there  are 
six  Joneses  registered ;  on  personal  inquiry  and  investigation  I  found 
there  were  only  two  men  by  the  name  of  Jones  living  there ;  those  six 
men  all  voted. 

1858.  Q.  How  many  voted  from  this  449  Fourth  avenue  ? 
A.  1  think  they  all  voted,  except,  possibly,  one  or  two. 

New  York,  December  26,  1868. 
Timothy  Lynch  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

1859.  Question.  What  office  did  you  hold  at  the  last  election? 
Answer.  A  registrar  and  inspector  in  the  5th  district,  6th  ward. 

1860.  Q.  Of  what  country  are  you  a  native  ? 
A.  Ireland. 

1861.  Q.  How  long  have  you  been  in  New  York? 
A.  Since  1849  or  1850. 

1862.  Q.  What  proportion  of  the  men  in  your  district  are  of  foreign 
birth  ¥ 

A.  A  large  majority  of  them  are  Irish  ? 

1863.  Q.  State  to  what  extent  persons  who  came  to  be  registered  this 
year  had  naturalization  papers. 

A.  A  great  many. 

1864.  Q.  State  whether  persons  were  registered  who  ought  not  to 
have  been. 

A.  I  cannot  swear  that  a  great  many  were  registered  who  had  no 
right  to  be  registered ;  but  a  great  many  voted  who  had  no  right  to 
vote.  They  did  it  by  coming  from  other  districts  and  taking  up  other 
men's  papers. 

1865.  Q.  How  many  were  registered  in  that  district? 
A.  Some  872. 

1866.  Q.  Do  you  knowr  how  many  votes  were  polled  ? 
A.  About  767. 

1867.  Q.  State  to  what  extent  you  are  acquainted  with  the  people  in 
your  district. 

A.  I  know  the  majority  of  them. 
By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

1868.  Q.  Do  you  know  how  the  number  registered  this  year  compared 
with  the  number  registered  last  year  ? 

12  T 


178  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

A.  I  expect  there  were  sonic  entitled  to  vote  this  year  who  were  not 
entitled  last  year. 

1869.  Q.  Were  there  anything  like  250  I 

A.  I  should  think  not. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

1870.  Q.  State  if  there  was  any  interruption  from  any  of  the  in- 
spectors. 

A.  I  think  there  was.     There  was  a  great  deal  of  favoring  one  party 
above  the  other  party.    Myself  and  my  partner  were  trying  to  stop  it  as 
much  as  we  could ;  and  I  think  if  the  others  had  acted  as  I  did  there 
would  not  have  been  the  large  vote  cast  that  there  was. 
By  Mr.  Ross : 

1871.  Q.  The  others  wanted  to  go  fast  and  you  wanted  to  go  slow  ? 
A.  I  wanted  that  every  one  who  had  a  right  to  vote  should  vote,  and 

that  those  who  had  no  right  to  vote  should  not  vote. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

1872.  Q.  State  if  any  threats  or  demonstrations  of  personal  violence 
were  made  against  you. 

A.  There  were,  from  both  inside  and  outside.     They  threatened  me 
all  the  day;    and  when  the  polls  were  closed  a  committee  came  and 
took  me   out  lest  I  should  be  killed.     I  do  believe  they  would  have 
killed  me.    They  called  me  a  black  this  and  a  black  that. 
By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

1873.  Q.  Are  you  a  republican  or  a  democrat  ? 
A.  I  am  a  republican. 

1874.  Q.  How  long  have  you  been  a  republican? 
A.  I  guess  1  am  a  republican  about  10  or  12  years. 

1875.  Q.  What  is  your  business  ? 

A.  I  am  in  the  city  express  business. 

1876.  Q.  Who  were  your  colleagues  on  the  board  of  inspectors  ? 

A.  One  was  Mr.  Joralemon,  who  was  put  there  as  a  republican,  and  I 
suppose  did  the  best  he  could ;  but  I  wish  he  had  been  a  little  smarter. 
The  democratic  inspectors  were  Donnelly  and  Mr.  Brophy. 

1ST".  Q.  AVas  it  your  rule  whenever  you  suspected  a  man  not  to  be  a 
legal  voter  to  make  him  show  his  naturalization  papers,  so  that  you 
coidd  examine  them  I 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

1878.  Q.  And  if  the  case  was  suspicious  would  you  not  swear  him,  so 
as  to  make  him  answer  under  oath  ! 

A.  I  swore  some  men  who  had  papers,  knowing  that  the  papers  did 
not  belong  to  them.  Some  of  them  refused  to  give  us  the  paper,  laughed 
at  me  and  went  away. 

1879.  Q.  How  many  of  this  class  were  there  f 

A.  I  didn't  catch  many  of  them — three  or  foivr  or  five ;  we  would  have 
caught  double  three  or  four  or  five,  but  that  my  colleague  across  the 
way  would  vouch  for  these  fellows. 

1880.  Q.  Was  that  done  by  your  republican  colleagues  or  by  your 
democratic  colleagues  ? 

A.  By  my  democratic  colleagues. 

1881.  Q.  Were  they  truthful  men  ! 
A.  Yes,  sir,  I  dare  say  they  were. 

1882.  Q.  Was  your  republican  colleague  as  sharp  a  man  as  you  are ! 
A.  I  should  think  he  was  sharper  because  he  was  an  American. 

1883.  Q.  That  doesn't  follow,  by  any  means. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW   YORK.  179 

A.  Well,  I  wish  lie  was  as  sharp  as  I  was. 

1884.  Q.  Did  your  board  ever  register  one  man  without  such  an  ex- 
amination as  satisfied  the  majority  of  the  board  that  he  ought  to  be 
registered? 

A.  No ;  we  did  not. 

1883.  -Q.  State  generally  what  you  know  of  one  single  man  having 
voted  in  your  district,  who  was  not  entitled  to  vote. 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  know  a  good  many. 

1886.  Q.  Tell  us  who  they  are. 
A.  I  cannot  tell  you. 

1887.  Q.  Can  you  not  tell  one  of  them? 
A.  1  cannot  name  one  of  them. 

1888.  Q.  How  many  of  that  kind  voted  ? 

A.  I  guess  as  good  as  two  or  three  hundred.  Between  them  and 
repeaters  there  were  as  many  as  from  two  hundred  to  two  hundred  and 

fifty. 

1889.  Q.  How  do  you  know,  if  you  do  not  know  one  man? 

A.  Here  is  my  book.  I  find  from  472, 474,  and  476  Pearl  street,  and  502 
Park  street,  there  were  more  men  registered  than  lived  in  those  houses. 

1890.  Q.  Will  you  furnish  the  committee  with  the  number  and  names 
of  persons  voting  from  each  of  those  houses  ? 

A.  I  will  make  up  the  list,  and  furnish  it  to  the  committee  on  Monday. 
This  witness  did  not  again  appear  before  the  committee. 

David  Crowley  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

1892.  Question.  Are  you  a  United  States  deputy  marshal  ? 
Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

1893.  Q.  How  long  have  you  resided  in  this  city? 
A.  About  11  years. 

1894.  Q.  In  the  office  of  the  clerk  in  the  supreme  court  of  this  city 
there  are  five  applications  on  file,  purporting  to  be  applications  for  natu- 
ralization of  Patrick  O'Brien,  J.  J.  Mercer,  Antonio  Gomez,  Alexander 
X.  McCann,  Adolf  Slechelseine ;  the  witness  whose  affidavit  is  on  file  to 
support  these  applications  is  George  Hoffman,  No.  60  First  Avenue,  New 
York ;  state  if  you  have  made  inquiry  at  61  First  avenue  as  to  whether 
there  is  or  has  been  any  such  person  living  there  as  George  Hoffman. 

A.  I  have ;  there  are  two  Nos.  61  in  First  avenue,  the  old  number  and 
the  new  number ;  the  one  is  a  slaughter  house,  and  the  other  is  a  candle 
manufactory.  I  have  been  at  both  places,  and  made  due  inquiries,  and 
found  that  no  such  person  was  known  there. 

New  Y~ork,  December  28, 1868. 

Charles  E.  Loew  recalled  and  examination  continued. 

Witness.  In  answer  to  your  question  of  Saturday,  I  now  produce  the 
original  applications,  affidavits  of  applicants  and  witnesses,  and  the 
order  of  the  court  thereon  in  the  cases  in  which  certificates  of  citizen- 
ship were  issued  to  Daniel  O'Donohue,  Jacob  Schafer,  Wm.  Lukas, 
August  A.  Sanger,  Thos.  Surridge,  Chas.  Fehling,  Patrick  Duffy,  John 
Winkens,  Sebastian  Schneider,  August  Muller,  Thos.  Schmidt,  William 
Schmidt,  Chas.'Warneck,  Michael  Dunn,  Hugh  Smith,  Joseph  Herbert, 
Frederick  Henney,  Henry  Beaume,  Wm,  Honig,  August  Betzel,  James 
Brown,  John  Lehman,  Henry  Stern,  Gottleib  Kaffenberger,  Patrick 
Rafferty,  James  R.  Smith,  and  Samuel  Reynolds.  These  are  all  the 
records  that  I  have  been  asked  to  produce,  with  the  exception  of  the 
five  that  I  produced  on  Saturday  last. 


180  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

In  regard  to  the  subject  of  the  resolution  adopted  by  the  committee 
last  Saturday  I  desire  to  say  that  I  find  I  am  in  a  very  peculiar  and 
unpleasant  dilemma;  that  I  am  fettered  by  State  laws  and  statutes 
which  make  me  liable  to  indictment  for  allowing  papers  to  be  taken  from 
the  files  of  the  court  without  the  order  of  the  court,  I  being  merely  the 
custodian  of  those  papers  and  subject  entirely  to  the  direction  of  the 
court.  While  I  am  willing,  as  I  before  stated,  to  allow  the  members  of 
the  committee  to  make  any  examination  individually  of  the  files,  I  do 
not  think  that,  without  the  order  of  the  court,  I  have  any  right  to  allow 
other  parties  to  come  in  and  take  temporary  custody  of  those  papers. 
1  have,  therefore,  prepared  a  communication  to  the  justices  of  the  supreme 
court  requesting  its  proper  order  in  the  matter,  which  communication  I 
will  read  to  the  committee : 

To  the  justices  of  the  supreme  court  of  the  first  judicial  district  : 

The  undersigned  clerk  of  your  court  has  been  served  with  the  original 
of  the  following  resolution: 

"Resolved,  That  the  chairman  of  this  committee  be,  and  hereby  is, 
authorized  to  cause  the  records  and  papers  in  the  possession  of  the 
county  clerk  of  New  York,  referring  to  naturalization  in  the  supreme 
court,  to  be  examined,  and  a  list  to  be  made  of  the  name  of  each  person 
so  naturalized,  his  age  and  residence,  and  the  name  and  place  of  resi- 
dence of  the  witness,  and  the  day  of  the  month  on  which  such  persons 
were  naturalized  during  the  month  of  October.77 

The  above  is  a  true  copy  of  a  resolution  passed  this  day  (December 
26,  1868)  at  a  meeting  of  the  select  committee  of  Congress,  appointed  to 
investigate  alleged  frauds  at  the  recent  presidential  election  in  the  State 
of  New  York,  held  in  the  office  of  the  county  clerk  of  the  county  of  New 
York. 

Attest:  JOHN  J.  DAVENPORT,  Clerk. 

The  undersigned  is  the  mere  custodian  of  the  records  of  the  court  and 
its  officer.  He  is  fettered  by  certain  State  statutes  providing  how  papers 
in  his  office  shall  be  filed,  kept,  examined,  and  copies  made,  and  making 
him  custodian  merely  for  the  purpose  of  searches  by  his  own  authorized 
deputies  and  for  their  production  on  order  of  court,  and  then  only  in  his 
custody  or  that  of  his  statutory  assistants. 

He  has  been  advised  by  the  chairman  that  the  chairman  considers 
himself  empowered  to  select  any  person  and  any  number  of  persons  to 
examine  and  take  temporary  custody  of  papers  in  his  office,  and  take 
copies  thereof,  and  all  without  the  assistance  from  or  participation  in  the 
said  proceeding  by  the  undersigned  or  his  clerk. 

Being  in  doubt  how  he  shall  act  in  the  premises,  and  the  court  being, 
as  he  is  advised  and  believes,  the  rightful  authority  to  order  the  under- 
signed in  and  about  the  premises,  he  begs  its  instruction  by  proper  order. 
The  undersigned  begs,  however,  to  express  his  entire  willingness  that 
the  chairman  of  the  committee,  or  any  member  of  the  same,  may  (ex  comita) 
do  whatever  they  please  in  the  way  of  furthering  the  object  of  said  reso- 
lution, but  to  add  that  it  is  an  unprecedented  course  to  allow  irresponsi- 
ble persons,  not  parties  in  interest  or  their  attorneys,  to  handle  records 
and  papers  on  file  in  this  court,  and,  as  he  is  advised,  contrary  to  a  State 
statute,  and  thereby  possibly  interfere  with  their  validity  or  subject 
them  to  interpolation,  spoliation,  and  loss,  and  especially  so  as  to  records 
which  are  important  muniments  of  personal  rights  and  of  real  estate. 
Respectfully  yours, 

CHARLES  E.  LOEW. 

New  York,  December  26, 1868. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  181 

That  is  my  communication  to  the  court,  and  I  am  awaiting  its  order 
in  that  matter. 

By  the  Chairman: 

Question.  Will  you  refer  the  committee  to  the  law  which  you  suppose 
you  would  violate  by  submitting  for  inspection  to  such  persons  as  may 
be  designated  by  the  chairman,  the  papers  which  I  have  asked  to  be 
inspected,  giving  volume  and  page  ? 

Answer.  I  will  send  you  the  law. 

Q.  I  Avill  prepare  a  written  communication  to  you,  which  I  will  ask 
you  to  submit  to  the  court  with  your  statement. 

A.  I  will  do  so  with  pleasure. 

The  chairman  prepared,  signed,  and  delivered  to  the  witness  a  com- 
munication, of  which  the  following  is  a  copy : 

New  York,  December  28,  1868. 

Dear  Sir:  In  explanation  of  the  communication  which  you  have 
this  day  submitted  to  the  committee  of  Congress  charged  with  the  duty 
of  investigating  alleged  election  frauds,  you  will  please  advise  the 
supreme  court  that  it  is  deemed  necessary  that  a  list  should  be  made  of 
the  names  and  places  of  residence  of  the  witnesses  and  applicants  in 
matters  of  naturalization  in  the  supreme  court  in  the  month  of  October. 
That  to  make  these  lists  I  will  select  clerks  of  integrity  and  good  char- 
acter, and,  if  you  or  the  court  require,  these  gentlemen  shall  be  attorneys 
and  counsellors  at  law — officers  of  the  court.  I  further  desire  you  to 
state  that  I  do  not  expect  or  intend  that  said  clerks  shall  take  the  cus- 
tody of  the  naturalization  papers  in  your  office,  but  merely  that  they 
shall  make  the  lists  indicated  in  the  resolution  of  this  committee,  of 
which  you  have  an  attested  copy,  from  the  papers  themselves  and  in  the 
presence  of  yourself  or  such  of  your  deputies  as  you  shall  designate, 
and  in  your  office,  or  at  such  other  place  as  you  shall  direct. 

I  desire  also  that  the  papers  shall  be  submitted  to  the  inspection  of 
one  or  more  experts  in  chirography,  of  high  character,  skill,  and  integ- 
rity, and  if  you  or  the  court  desire,  the  names  of  these  clerks  and  experts 
shall  be  furnished  at  once,  and  would  be  herein  were  they  at  this  time 
selected. 

I  respectfully  ask  you  to  submit  this  communication  to  the  supreme 
court  in  general  term,  if  that  be  the  proper  tribunal,  and  as  it  is  desira- 
ble the  examination  should  be  made  at  an  early  hour,  I  express  the  hope 
that  it  may  be  convenient  to  a  speedy  decision. 
Respectfully,  yours, 

WM.  LAWRENCE,  Chairman. 

Charles  E.  Loew,  Esq.,  County  Cleric. 

The  following  are  the  names  of  the  applicants  and  witnesses  in  the 
papers  presented  by  the  witness: 

APPLICANTS.  WITNESSES. 

John  Lehman,  160  East  4th  street.  Jacob  Diehl,  207  avenue  C. 

Henry  Stem,  168  Norfolk  street.  Jacob  Foerster,  76  avenue  B. 

James  Brown,  18  Delancey  street.  John  King,  318  West  41st  street. 

Wm.  Honig,  32  Christie  street.  Same. 

August  Betzel,  114  Rivington  street.  Same. 

Frederick  Henney,  219  2nd  avenue.  Robert  Blume,  24  Clinton  street. 

Joseph  Herbert,  318  East  31st  street.  Same. 

John  Doolin,  509  Washington  street.  Owen  Gannon,  64  Watts  street. 

James  McCarty,  318  East  31st  street.  Robert  Blume,  24  Clinton  street. 

Hugh  Smith,  318  East  3 1st  street.  Same. 

M.  J.  Dunn,  317  3rd  avenue.  Same. 


182  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

Chas.  Fehling,  10  Dominick  street.  James  McCabe,  111  Lawrence  street. 

D.  O'Donobue,  44th  street  and  1st  avenue.  John  Mackelson,  225  22nd  street. 

John  Noelsch,  430  C  street.  Carl  Spoer,  59  Attorney  street. 

Wm.  Lukas,  283  East  Houston  street,  John  Wolf,  248  2nd  street. 

Patrick  Duffy,  410  9th  avenue.  Edward  Gonnoud,  43  7th  avenue. 

Jacob  Schafer,  95  C  street.  Jacob  Dahl,  527  7th  street. 

Henry  Baun,  46  Eldridge  street.  John  King,  318  West  41st  street. 

Charles  Warneck,  263  East  Houston  street.  Charles  Juls,  54  Carmine  street. 

Wm.  Schmidt,  418  C  street.  Jacob  Steiger,  137  Pell  street. 

Thomas  Schmidt,  108  Bowery  street.  William  Henry,  355  Broome  street. 

August  Muller,  543  5th  street.  John  G.  Diercks,  44  avenue  B. 

John  Winkens,  534  3rd  avenue.  George  Hill,  374  3rd  avenue. 

Sebastian  Schneider,  3rd  avenue.  Henry  Weir,  74th  street,  near  10th  avenue. 

August  A.  Sanger,  672  11th  avenue.  Julius  Bock,  164  Attorney  street. 

Thomas  Surridge,  528  West  29th  street.  Peter  Burke,  2  4th  avenue. 

Gottlieb  Kaffenberger,  291  E.  Houston  street.  Rudolph  Watke,  137  1st  avenue. 

Paterick  Rafferty  400  3rd  avenue.  Maurice  Baker,  62  Washington  street. 

James  K.  Smith,  75  3rd  avenue.  Same. 

Samuel  Reynolds,  21  Prince  street.  Same. 

John  Jay  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

1900.  Question.  State  what  you  know  of  the  arrest  of  S.  S.  Urmy  on 
the  day  of  the  last  presidential  election  in  this  city  ? 

Answer.  I  went  to  the  polls  about  11  o'clock.  There  were  but  few 
persons  before  me  waiting  to  vote,  and  I  waited  until  there  was  but  one, 
whose  vote  was  challenged.  Mr.  Urmy  was  presiding  at  the  polls  receiv- 
ing the  votes.  This  vote  was  challenged  by  Mr.  Urmy,  and  the  oath  was 
administered  by  Mr.  Urmy.  His  vote  was  then  received  and  deposited. 
As  he  was  moving  away  Mr.  Urmy  said,  " Stop  a  moment !  officer,  detain 
that  man."  One  of  the  other  inspectors  of  election  said,  "  Officer,  let  the 
man  alone ;  you  have  no  business  to  touch  him."  Mr.  Urmy  said,  "Detain 
him."  The  officer  did  so.  There  was  a  delay  of  a  few  moments,  while 
Mr.  Urmy  appeared  to  be  consulting  his  colleagues  and  examining  the 
books.  Presently  he  handed  to  the  officer  a  paper  and  said,  "Here  is 
your  warrant  for  the  arrest  of  this  man  for  illegal  voting."  The  inspec- 
tor, who  had  spoken  before,  said,  "Officer,  let  the  man  alone;  you  have 
no  right  to  arrest  him."  Urmy  said,  "  Officer,  do  your  duty,"  and  the 
officer  led  the  man  aside.  I  then  handed  my  vote  to  Mr.  Urmy,  and  he 
asked  me  if  I  would  make  a  place  for  a  moment  for  a  police  officer  who 
resided  in  the  district,  but  who  had  to  go  on  duty,  which  I  did.  That  police 
officer's  vote  was  received  ;  I  then  voted.  After  my  vote  was  received  the 
man  behind  me  handed  in  his  vote.  About  that  time  there  was  some  dis- 
turbance about  the  door,  and  Urmy  said,  "  Officers,  preserve  order."  Pres- 
ently there  was  a  rush  made  into  the  room ;  three,  or  four,  or  five  persons 
rushed  behind  the  counter,  on  which  the  poll-books  were  placed,  and  one 
of  them  laid  his  hands  on  Urmy  and  said,  "I  arrest  you;  go  with  me." 
Urmy  said,  "  Take  your  hand  off';  you  have  no  business  to  touch  me  while 
I  am  in  the  discharge  of  my  duty."  The  officer  said,  "We'll  see  about 
that ;  come  along."  The  whole  place  was  in  confusion.  They  began  to 
handle  Urmy  very  roughly,  and  I  said,  "What  is  it  all  about;  where  is 
your  authority  ?"  I  think  it  was  in  answer  to  that  remark  of  mine  that 
the  person  who  arrested  Urmy  pulled  out  a  paper  and  said,  "Here  is  my 
warrant ;"  but  before  Urmy  had  an  opportunity  of  looking  at  it,  he  was 
dragged  from  behind  the  counter  and  through  the  door  into  the  street, 
by  two  or  three  of  these  men.  1  followed  them  into  the  middle  of  the 
street,  where  they  hailed  an  omnibus,  to  learn  Urmy's  name.  The  officer 
who  had  charge  of  him  (and  I  think  there  was  one  on  either  side)  objected  , 
to  my  speaking  to  him,  and  threatened  to  arrest  me.    Urmy  was  hurried 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  183 

into  an  omnibus,  which  was  driven  off  at  a  rapid  pace.  I  went  back  to 
the  polls  and  asked  Uriny's  name,  which  was  given.  I  think  it  is  S.  S. 
Uriny.  I  then  stopped  at  the  Union  League  Club-house,  where  I  saw  one  of 
the  members,  and  went  with  him  to  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel,  where  I  saw 
Governor  Fenton  and  two  other  gentlemen,  to  whom  I  narrated  the  cir- 
cumstances ;  and  then  I  was  told  that  Judge  James  was  sitting  at  the 
Metropolitan  Hotel.  I  went  there,  I  think  in  company  with  Judge 
Hilton,  and  found  Judge  James  and  a  number  of  gentlemen  at  the  Metro- 
politan Hotel,  holding  court  at  chambers.  I  made  an  affidavit  to  the 
facts,  and  a  writ  of  habeas  corpus  was  issued,  addressed  to  the  sheriff  and 
the  keeper  of  the  jail.  Then  I  went  with  the  officer,  to  whom  it  was 
given,  to  the  police  headquarters,  where  I  saw  some  of  the  commission- 
ers, and  I  found  that  they  had  already  learned  of  the  fact  by  telegraph, 
and  that  Urmy  had  been  taken  to  the  Ludlow  street  jail.  The  habeas 
corpus  was  made  returnable  at  3  o'clock ;  at  3  I  returned  to  the  hotel, 
and  soon  after  Urmy  was  brought  in,  I  think  by  the  keeper  of  the  jail, 
who  made  a  return  to  the  writ.  I  saw  the  writ,  and  it  was  to  the  effect 
that  Urmy  was  arrested  by  virtue  of  an  order  thereto  annexed,  which 
was  a  warrant  executed  by  two  persons,  who  I  understood  were  his  asso- 
ciate inspectors  in  that  district.  Judge  James,  after  reading  the  return, 
remarked  that  it  was  an  infamous  proceeding,  and  he  hoped  that  Urmy 
would  vindicate  his  rights  at  law.  (To  Mr.  Kerr.)  It  was  on  the  return 
to  the  writ  of  liabeas  corpus  that  the  judge  made  that  remark. 

By  Mr.  Boss : 

1901.  Q.  Does  that  judge  reside  in  this  city? 
A.  He  does  not. 

1902.  Q.  Is  he  in  the  habit  of  holding  court  here  $ 
A.  I  think  not. 

1903.  Q.  Where  does  he  live  ? 

A.  In  one  of  the  northern  counties  of  the  State,  I  think. 

1904.  Q.  Was  he  brought  to  the  city  by  application  of  the  Union 
League  Club,  for  that  day  % 

A.  I  do  not  know  at  whose  request  he  came  down.  There  was  no  action 
on  the  subject  by  the  Union  League  Club. 

1905.  Q.  Had  you  ever  known  him  to  hold  court  in  this  city  before  ! 
A.  I  think  not ;  he  may  have  done  so,  but  not  to  my  knowledge. 

1906.  Q.  Do  you  know  as  a  fact  whether  he  was  or  was  not  brought 
here  for  political  purposes  in  connection  with  the  election  % 

A.  I  understand  that  he  was  requested  to  come. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

1907.  Q.  State  what  you  know  yourself. 
Witness  :  I  know  nothing. 

By  Mr.  Kerr: 

1908.  Q.  If  you  had  such  information  where  did  you  get  it? 

A.  I  am  not  not  quite  certain,  but  I  think  Colonel  Cannon  told  me 
that  he  believed  Judge  James  was  coming. 

1909.  Q.  Did  he  tell  you  he  had  been  sent  for  and  requested  to  come 
down  here  ? 

A.  I  am  not  quite  certain  whether  it  was  by  Colonel  Cannon,  but  I 
was  told  by  some  gentlemen  belonging  to  the  republican  party  that  Judge 
James  was  here,  and  would  remain  at  the  request  of  some  gentlemen  in 
order  to  protect  the  rights  of  the  republicans,  should  it  be  necessary, 
during  the  election. 

1910.  Q.  Where  did  he  hold  his  court  f 


184  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN   NEW   YORK. 

A.  At  the  Metropolitan  Hotel. 

1911.  Q.  Did  the  judge  pretend  to  go  into  any  public  court-rooms  of 
the  city  or  county  to  hold  his  court ! 

A.  I  do  not  know.  I  only  know  what  I  saw ;  I  saw  him  at  the  Metro- 
politan Hotel. 

1912.  Q.  He  did  not  come  down  and  hold  a  general  court  for  general 
purposes  % 

A.  I  never  heard  of  his  doing  so. 

1913.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  his  transacting  any  other  business  than  that 
to  which  you  have  referred  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

1914.  Q.  What  was  it? 

A.  A  number  of  parties  were  brought  before  him  on  that  day  for  ille- 
gal voting. 

1915.  Q.  Do  you  know  to  what  party  they  belonged  ? 
A.  1  cannot  say. 

1916.  Q.  Did  not  Colonel  Cannon  tell  you  they  belonged  to  the  demo- 
cratic party  % 

A.  He  did  not. 

1917.  Q.  Did  not  Judge  James  himself  tell  you  so. 
A.  No,  he  did  not. 

By  Mr.  Boss : 

1918.  Q.  Has  he  held  court  in  this  city  since  that  day  % 
A.  Not  that  I  am  aware  of. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

1919.  Q.  After  Urmy  had  challenged  this  voter,  was  there  time  to  get 
out  any  warrant  until  he  was  arrested  ? 

A.  I  do  not  think  that  more  than  five  minutes  had  elapsed. 

1920.  Q.  Are  you  a  lawyer  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

1921.  Q.  Is  there  any  law  which  authorizes  an  inspector  to  issue  a 
warrant  for  the  arrest  of  Urmy  ? 

A.  Not  the  slightest. 

1922.  Q.  State  if  you  know  any  reason  why  Judge  James  was  brought 
here  I 

A.  It  was  suggested  that  some  city  judges  were  preparing  to  issue 
mandamuses  to  inspectors,  to  compel  them  to  receive  votes  which  they 
had  refused  to  register,  and  that  some  interference  with  the  election  by 
some  of  the  city  judges,  in  that  or  in  other  ways,  might  render  it  wise 
for  the  public  safety  that  an  independent  judge  from  the  rural  districts 
should  be  here. 

1923.  Q.  State  what  is  the  reputation  of  Judge  James  as  an  impartial 
and  honest  judge. 

A.  I  think  it  is  very  high — very  high,  indeed. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

1924.  Q.  Who  were  the  officers  who  made  this  arrest  of  Urmy  % 

A.  I  understood  they  were  deputy  sheriffs,  and  that  one  of  them  was 
a  brother  of  Sheriff  O'Brien. 

1925.  Q.  Did  you  see  anything  which,  in  your  judgment,  would  jus- 
tify the  arrest  of  Urmy u? 

A.  I  saw  nothing  whatever  to  justify  it.  The  proceedings  were  con- 
ducted with  perfect  quietness  on  the  part  of  Urmy. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW   YORK.  185 

1926.  Q.  Is  there  any  law  which  authorizes  Urmy  to  have  a  voter 
arrested  ¥ 

A.  I  believe  it  is  his  duty  under  a  statute  of  the  State. 

1927.  Q.  Will  you  refer  us  to  the  section  ? 

(Witness  referred  to  the  seventh  section  of  the  statute  of  May  13, 
1805,  which  provides  that  any  person  who  shall  wilfully  make  any  false 
statement  in  reference  to  his  right  to  vote  shall  be  deemed  guilty  of  a 
misdemeanor,  and  shall  be  punished  by  a  fine  of  $50,  or  by  imprison- 
ment for  10  days  j  also  to  section  13th  of  the  same  law,  which  provides 
that  whoever  shall  wilfully  swear  falsely  on  such  examination  shall  be 
deemed  guilty  of  perjury.) 

George  Bliss,  Jr.,  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

1928.  Question.  What  is  your  profession  ? 

Answer.  I  am  a  lawyer,  and  have  been  practicing  in  this  city  for  the 
last  thirteen  years. 

1929.  Q.  State  your  knowledge  of  police  matters,  and  of  any  efforts 
made  to  prevent  illegal  voting,  and  of  the  manner  in  which  persons 
registered. 

A.  My  knowledge  of  police  matters  arises  from  my  being  the  attorney 
of  the  board  of  health  and  the  board  of  excise,  which  is  composed  in 
part  of  the  board  of  police.  Their  offices  are  in  the  same  building.  My 
relations,  therefore,  to  police  matters  have  been  rather  intimate  for  two 
or  three  years.  I  have  been  there  every  day  during  that  time,  with  rare 
exceptions. 

1930.  Q.  State  how  registrars  have  been  imposed  on  by  persons  who 
were  not  entitled  to  vote. 

A.  I  was  actively  concerned  in  endeavors  to  prevent  frauds  at  the 
elections.  Having  very  active  charge  of  that  matter  through  the  city, 
my  attention  was  of  course  directed  to  it.  I  found  this  state  of  things : 
I  would  receive  information  that  a  man  was  intending  to  register  fraud- 
ulently at  a  given  place,  and  would  send  that  information  to  the  police. 
A  man  would  come  up  and  say  he  lived  at  a  certain  place.  The  inspec- 
tor would  question  him  as  to  whether  he  lived  there,  and  would  admin- 
ister an  oath  to  him. 

Mr.  Ross :  I  object  to  this  second-hand  testimony. 

Witness.  I  saw  two  or  three  instances  of  this  kind.  The  inspector 
would  challenge  the  man  and  swear  him,  and  the  man  would  sw^ear  that 
he  lived  at  such  a  place.  The  inspector  having  only  an  unsworn  state- 
ment handed  to  him,  the  board  considered  that  it  was  bound  to  allow 
the  man  to  register.  Before  the  election,  inquiry  enabled  us  to  ascer- 
tain that  the  man  actually  did  not  live  at  the  place  from  which  he 
claimed  to  vote.  He  would  come  up  on  election  day,  be  challenged,  and 
j swear  his  vote  in.  (To  Mr.  Kerr.)  I  saw  that  in  a  single  case.  I  did 
I  not  see  the  same  man  who  presented  himself  and  was  registered  come 
|  on  election  day  and  vote  ;  but  I  saw  the  thing  done  partly  in  the  regis- 
try and  partly  in  the  voting  by  different  men.  Under  the  registry  law, 
!the  inspectors  are  obliged,  if  a  man  who  has  registered  swears  his  vote 
in,  to  take  it.  The  inspector  who  has  charge  of  the  books  then  requires 
the  police  to  arrest  the  man.  Another  inspector  says,  "Don't  arrest 
him!"  and  it  is  a  question  of  republicans  and  democrats,  the  board 
being  divided  two  and  two.  In  one  of  the  cases  which  I  saAV  at  one 
poll,  the  officer  declined  to  make  an  arrest,  as  the  majority  did  not 
direct  him  to  do  so.    In  the  other  case,  the  officer  did  make  the  arrest. 


186  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

The  party  was  taken  before  a  justice  and  held  to  bail,  and  I  know  by 
general  report  that  he,  with  all  the  others,  was  discharged  the  next  day. 
That  is  substantially  the  state  of  the  case  which  did  prevail  at  the  last 
election  at  all  the  polls  in  this  city.  I  say  that  from  having  had  before 
me  and  talked  with  nine-tenths  of  the  republican  registrars  of  this  city. 

1931.  Q.  State  how  many  republican  wards  there  were  in  the  city  at 
the  last  presidential  election  ? 

A.  One ;  I  think  the  15th ;  that  had  not  been  so  for,  certainly,  two 
elections  previously.  The  republicans  made  the  largest  relative  gains 
in  that  ward  that  they  made  anywhere  in  the  city. 

1932.  Q.  Are  you  acquainted  with  the  sheriff  of  this  county  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

1933.  Q.  Can  you  state  anything  of  his  antecedents  ? 
A.  Not  of  my  own  knowledge. 

1934.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  his  having  been  in  the  penitentiary? 
A.  Not  of  my  own  knowledge. 

1935.  Q.  Can  you  state  whether  he  appointed  deputy  sheriffs  on  the 
day  of  election;  and  if  so,  can  you  give  us  any  idea  of  the  number? 

A.  1  cannot  give  an  idea  of  the  number.  I  saw  a  considerable  number 
of  persons  who  claimed  to  be  special  deputies,  and  who  had  some  kind 
of  authority.  I  saw  others  who  also  claimed  to  be  special  deputies,  and 
who  when  asked  for  their  authority  had  none. 

1936.  Q.  Do  you  know  anything  of  the  characters  of  these  men  politic- 
ally and  otherwise  :; 

A.  Not  of  my  own  knowledge.  I  saw  three  or  four  of  them  that  I 
thought  were  about  as  hard-looking  men  as  ever  I  saw  in  my  life,  though 
they  may  be  reputable  citizens  for  all  I  know. 

1937.  Q.  State  what  you  know  of  the  way  in  which  naturalization  was 
effected  in  the  courts  of  this  city. 

A.  My  first  knowledge  of  it,  this  fall,  was  in  the  court  of  common 
pleas,  where  I  saw  the  thing  conducted  by  Judge  Barrett  with  consider- 
able care,  I  thought,  and  probably  with  all  the  care  which  could  be 
expected;  so  much  care  that  after  it  had  gone  on  for  a  few  days  the 
naturalization  substantially  stopped.  After  that  I  had  occasion  to  find 
Judge  McCunn  in  the  superior  court  on  other  business.  I  went  first  into  I 
the  superior  court-room  over  the  engine-house.  I  found  a  large  crowd 
there,  with  Judge  Garvin  on  the  bench.  As  I  was  about  to  go  away 
Judge  Garvin  called  me  to  the  bench  beside  him.  I  stayed  there  for 
perhaps  ten  minutes  seeing  the  process  of  naturalization.  The  witness 
and  the  man  to  be  naturalized  both  came  on  and  handed  to  the  judge  the 
application  and  the  affidavit.  The  judge  put  some  questions  to  the  wit- 
ness very  rapidly.  He  put  questions  as  to  the  length  of  time  they  were 
in  the  country,  &c,  and  the  judge  thought  he  did  it  fairly,  because  he  i 
spoke  to  me  about  it.  It  seemed  to  me  that  the  questions  were  so  rap-  ! 
idly  put  that  it  was  utterly  impossible  for  the  men,  being  in  all  cases 
foreigners,  to  understand  them.  They  were  put  almost  as  fast  in  admin- 
istering the  oath,  "You  swear  to  tell  the  truth,  the  whole  truth,  and 
nothing  but  the  truth."  Learning  that  Judge  McCunn  was  in  the  com- 
mon council  chamber,  holding  another  branch  of  the  same  court,  I  went 
there  and  found  a  very  large  crowd  in  the  entry,  gathered  about  the  two 
doors  leading  into  the  room.  They  were  apparently  letting  them  in  by 
one  door  and  out  by  the  other.  I  went  to  the  door  by  which  they  were 
coming  out,  and  with  some  little  difficulty  I  succeeded  in  persuading  the 
officer  to  let  me  in.  I  took  a  seat  there  and  found  a  string  of  people 
coming  up.  They  came  in  at  the  other  door,  and  when  they  came  within 
eight  or  ten  feet  of  the  judge  the  Bible  was  put  in  their  hands,  and  per- 


ELECTION    FKAUDS    IN    NEW   YORK.  187 

haps  a  dozen  or  fifteen  were  sworn  at  a  time  to  make  true  answers.  They 
then  passed  up  in  front  of  the  judge.  The  judge  had  before  him  a 
large  pile  of  these  applications.  He  would  take  them  np  and  ask  ques- 
tions about  them,  and  the  witness  would  answer.  (To  Mr.  Ross:)  He 
took  them  up  one  at  a  time,  and  at  first  I  noticed  that  the  question  he 
asked  was,  "Do  you  know  this  man?"  The  witness  had  no  means  of 
knowing  who  the  man  was  that  was  named  in  the  paper  before  the 
judge.  I  looked  about  to  see  where  the  men  to  be  naturalized  were,  and 
it  struck  me  that  the  men  to  be  naturalized  were  not  in  the  room.  I 
then  went  to  one  of  the  officers  to  ascertain  the  fact.  Just  as  I  was  going 
to  him  I  noticed  a  little  noise  at  the  door  at  which  they  were  coming  in, 
and  heard  one  of  the  officers  say  to  a  man,  "Go  out."  The  man  said, 
"I  want  to  be  naturalized."  "Well,"  said  the  officer,  "where  is  your 
witness!"  "Here  he  is,"  said  the  man.  "Well,  we  do  not  want  you 
here,"  said  the  officer,  "go  out;"  and  he  kept  the  man  out  and  let  the 
Avituess  in.  I  then  found  that  in  no  case  was  the  person  to  be  naturalized 
allowed  to  come  into  the  room.  After  a  time  the  judge  adopted  the  plan 
of  asking  the  witness  how  long  he  had  known  the  man — giving  his  name. 
I  may  be  mistaken,  but  I  thought  he  did  not  give  the  name  until  he  saw 
me  sitting  there.  It  seemed  so  to  me.  It  went  on  for  fifteen  or  twenty 
minutes  in  that  way.  The  witnesses  were  asked  the  questions  less 
rapidly  than  before  Judge  Garvin,  but  a  peculiarity  in  Judge  McCunn's 
court  was  that  the  persons  naturalized  were  not  present,  and  there  were 
no  means,  of  course,  of  identifying  who  the  man  was.  The  witnesses 
would  then  ask  for  their  papers,  and  the  officers  would  tell  them,  "No, 
you  can't  have  the  papers."  The  papers  were  handed  to  a  clerk  in  the 
court,  then  to  an  officer,  and  then  were  taken  out  to  a  room  across  the 
entry.  There  were  some  of  them  who  went  and  took  the  oath  of  allegi- 
ance before  the  clerk.  I  cannot  specify  any  man  who  got  his  paper 
without  taking  the  oath  of  allegiance,  but  while  I  was  standing  there  in 
the  entry  there  were  certainly  many  more  people  coming  out  with  their 
papers  than  had  taken  the  oath  of  allegiance.  I  ought  to  say  that  Judge 
McCunn,  after  he  recognized  me,  called  me  up,  and  I  did  my  business 
with  him.  In  the  course  of  the  conversation  he  said,  "You  see  how  we 
do  this  with  all  the  legal  forms,  and  there  ought  to  be  a  stop  of  this 
abuse  of  us  in  the  papers."  I  timed  him.  The  first  five  minutes  I  was 
there  he  naturalized  13  men,  and  the  second  five  minutes  15  men.  In 
many  cases  the  same  party  appeared  as  a  witness  for  several  persons; 
and  in  two  or  three  instances  a  man  appeared  as  a  witness  in  behalf  of 
another,  and  pretty  soon  that  other  appeared  in  behalf  of  the  first  one. 
Judge  McCunn  told  me  that  he  proposed  to  stay  there  until  midnight 
if  it  was  necessary,  as  these  poor  men  could  not  afford  to  leave  their 
work.  The  papers  were  taken  into  the  room  across  the  entry,  and  the 
person  to  be  naturalized  was  supposed  to  go  in  there  before  the  clerk  and 
take  the  oath  of  allegiance.  I  have  said  that  I  saw  very  many  more 
papers  brought  out  of  that  room  complete  than  there  were  persons  who 
took  the  oath  of  allegiance.  In  other  words,  it  seemed  to  me  that  the 
)atli  of  allegiance  was  not  taken  by  more  than  half  the  number  of  persons 
for  whom  papers  were  brought  into  the  room.  That  was  the  impression  it 
made  upon  me.  In  one  court  when  a  man  was  waiting  to  be  naturalized, 
I  asked  to  see  the  paper  which  he  had  in  his  hand,  and  on  examination 
[  found  that  it  Avas  a  soldier's  paper,  and  it  referred  to  the  fact  that  he 
had  served  in  the  army  one  year  and  had  been  honorably  discharged,  as 
appeared  by  his  discharge  thereto  annexed.  That  was  about  the  language. 
The  first  paper  I  saw  had  a  certificate  dated  a  year  before,  stating  that  the 
person  named  in  it  had  surrendered  his  discharge  for  the  purpose  of  collect- 


188  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

ing  bounty,  and  subsequently  T  saw  some  of  these  papers  with  nothing 
whatever  annexed  to  them. 

-  1938.  Q.  State  how  many  applicants  for  naturalization  wore  rejected. 
A.  While  I  was  there  I  think  that  one  application  was  rejected. 
By  Mr.  Boss : 

1939.  Q.  You  stated  some  two  cases  which  you  had  witnessed  at  the 
registry  and  voting  places. 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

1940.  Q.  State  at  what  polling  places  these  transpired 

A.  One  of  them  was  in  the  21st  ward  on  the  west  side,  but  I  cannot 
give  the' number  of  the  district.  That  was  the  case  where  the  inspectors 
did  not  believe  that  the  man  lived  at  the  place  indicated.  There  was 
no  arrest  there  because  he  swore  his  name  on  to  the  registry,  and  the 
inspector  had  simply  the  statement  furnished  him  that  the  man  did  not 
live  there.  The  inspector  had  no  knowledge  that  the  statement  was 
untrue  and  did  not  deem  it  right  to  arrest  him. 

1941.  Q.  That  is,  the  republican  register  had  a  minute  furnished  by 
the  Loyal  League  to  challenge  the  man  ! 

A.  I  suppose  that  the  inspector  was  a  republican,  but  whether  he  got 
his  information  from  the  Loyal  League  or  not,  I  do  not  know,  and  in  fact, 
I  do  not  know  what  you  call  the  Loyal  League. 

1942.  Q.  The  inspector  had  a  memorandum  to  challenge  this  man? 
A.  He  had  some  information  that  the  man  did  not  live  at  the  place 

named. 

1943.  Q.  And  he  challenged  him  and  the  majority  of  the  board  over- 
ruled him  f 

A.  He  questioned  him  very  sharply  as  to  how  long  he  had  lived  at 
the  place,  and  made  him  take  an  oath,  and  having  taken  the  oath,  all 
the  inspectors  agreed  I  think  to  register.  I  think  the  man  who  chal- 
lenged him  said  something  like  this:  "I  don't  believe  him,  but  I  do  not 
know  how  we  can  go  back  of  his  oath." 

1944.  Q.  You  have  no  knowledge  of  your  own  but  that  he  was  a 
legal  voter  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

1445.  Q.  What  was  the  trouble  in  the  other  ward  ? 

A.  In  the  other  ward  the  information  had  been  given  from  our  com- 
mittee, and  had  been  also  derived  from  a  man  who  claimed  to  have 
had  charge  of  registering.  The  man  was  challenged,  and  swore  his 
vote  in. 

1946.  Q.  Then  I  understand  you  to  say  they  caused  his  arrest? 
A.  In  that  case  he  was  arrested. 

1947.  Q.  By  whose  direction  and  authority  ? 
A.  One  of  the  inspectors. 

1948.  Q.  A  republican  inspector  ? 
A.  It  seems  that  he  was  a  republican  inspector. 

1949.  Q.  What  was  the  number  of  that  voting  precinct  ? 
A.  That  was  a  precinct  in  the  sixth  or  seventh  ward. 

1950.  Have  you  any  knowledge  of  your  own  that  the  man  was  not  a 
legal  voter  ! 

A.  No,  sir. 

1951.  Q.  These  are  all  the  frauds  of  which  you  have  any  personal 
knowledge  in  any  of  the  wards  of  the  city  of  New  York  ? 

A.  I  think  so ;  I  was  about  the  last  man  that  they  would  have 
given  any  personal  knowledge  of  frauds  to. 

1952.  Q.  Was  there  any  affidavit  or  complaint  made  before  this  man 
was  arrested  by  order  of  the  republican  inspector  ? 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW   YORK.  189 

A.  I  think  not. 

1950.  Q.  It  was  done  on  his  mere  order  ! 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

1957.  Q.  Did  you  preside  over  the  board  of  republican  inspectors  that 
kyere  called  together  at  your  instance  ? 

A.  I  was  a  member  of  a  committee  whose  business  it  was  to  endeavor 
:o  prevent  fraudulent  voting.  I  presided  over  no  meeting.  I  met  por- 
tions of  the  republican  inspectors  nearly  every  evening  for  two  or  three 
^eeks  prior  to  the  election.  There  was  no  chairman;  there  was  no 
presiding  whatever.    1  addressed  them. 

1958.  Q.  By  what  authority  of  law  did  you  have  a  right  to  call  the 
Inspectors  together  ? 

A.  None  whatever. 

1959.  Q.  Still  you  issued  your  mandate  directing  them  to  come  before 
you  for  instructions  f 

A.  No,  sir.  I  issued  a  notice  which  was  almost  precisely  in  these 
words:  "You  are  respectfully  invited  to  attend  a  meeting  of  republican 
inspectors,  at  room  number  15,  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel,  on  such  an  evening, 
for  the  purpose  of  consultation." 

19(30.  Q.  Were  you  one  of  the  inspectors  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

1961.  Q.  Who  gave  you  authority  to  call  the  inspectors  together? 
A.  Nobody. 

1962.  Q.  It  was  self-assumed? 

A.  Self-assumed,  entirely.  It  was  very  much  the  same  authority  that 
A.  Oakey  Hall  had  in  calling  the  democratic  inspectors  in  Tammany 
Hall ;  with  this  difference,  that  we  called  them  together  on  week  days, 
and  he  on  Sunday  afternoon. 

1963.  Q.  Did  you  direct  the  officers  whoni  you  called  together  that 
they  should  challenge  voters  ? 

A.  I  gave  them  no  directions.  I  advised  them  that  in  all  cases  where 
they  had  reason  to  think,  from  any  cause,  that  the  man  w as  not  a  legal 
voter,  they  should  challenge  him. 

1961.  Q.  Did  you  direct  any  of  these  election  officers  to  make  an  arrest 
of  persons  whom  they  suspected  not  to  be  legal  voters  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  could  not  direct  them  to  do  anything. 

1965.  Q.  Did  you  instruct  them  or  advise  them  ? 

A.  I  advised  them,  whenever  they  had  sufficient  evidence  that  men 
were  violating  the  law,  to  cause  their  arrest. 

1966.  Q.  Can  you  give  the  law  on  the  subject  giving  the  election 
boards  the  right  to  make  arrests  f 

A.  They  are  expressly  authorized  by  the  revised  statutes  of  the  State. 
The  old  election  law  is  in  the  revised  statutes,  and  the  registration  act 
has  been  superimposed  upon  the  old  election  law.  It  dates  only  from 
1865.  Section  12,  of  chapter  740,  of  the  laws  of  1865,  provides  that  the 
election  board  shall  have  the  same  powers  in  preserving  order  as  are 
given  to  inspectors  of  election  for  preserving  order  on  election  days. 

1967.  Q.  Can  you  tell  about  the  time  when  you  w7ere  in  Judge 
McCunn's  court  ? 

A.  I  should  think  it  was  about  the  10th  of  October.  It  was  within 
two  or  three  days  of  Judge  McCunn's  return  from  Europe.  (To  Mr. 
Kerr:)  I  should  say  there  were  from  100  to  125  persons  naturalized 
in  the  way  I  have  described.  I  saw  a  good  many  others  go  in  while  I 
was  in  the  entry,  and  I  suppose  they  went  through  the  same  process. 

(Witness  refers  to  Eevised  Statutes,  part  one,  chapter  six,  title  four, 
article  three,  section  38,  in  fifth  Edwards,  Eevised  Statutes,  folio  one, 


190  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

page  433,  which  provides  that  if  any  person  refuses  to  obey  the  lawulf 
command  of  the  inspectors,  or  disturbs  the  proceedings,  tl»e  inspect- 
ors may  make  an  order  directing-  the  sheriff  or  the  constable  of  the 
county  to  take  the  person  so  offending  into  custody.  The  37th  section 
directs  that  the  inspectors  shall  possess  full  authority  to  maintain  regu- 
larity and  order,  and  to  enforce  obedience  to  their  lawful  commands 
during  the  election,  and  during  the  canvass  of  the  votes ;  and  that  it 
shall  be  the  duty  of  every  inspector  to  challenge  any  person  offering  to 
vote,  whom  he  shall  know  or  suspect  to  be  not  duly  qualified.) 
By  Mr.  Koss : 

1968.  Q.  The  point  of  inquiry  I  made  was  as  to  the  authority  of  an 
officer  of  election  to  order  a  man  arrested,  when  he  had  voted  and  was 
going  away  from  the  polls. 

A.  As  to  that  I  cannot  say;  1  suppose  there  is  no  such  statutory  pro- 
vision, but  I  suppose  it  is  held  in  this  State  to  be  the  common  law  to 
do  so. 

1969.  Q.  That  is  all  the  law  you  find  on  the  subject  ? 

A.  That  is  all  the  statute  law  I  now  find  ;  I  do  not  think  there  is  any 
special  act  giving  power  to  order  an  arrest. 

Xew  York,  Monday,  December  28,  1868. 
Samuel  A.  Kobertsswohi  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

1965.  Question.  What  office  did  you  hold  at  the  last  election  ? 
Answer.  I  was  inspector  in  the  2d  district  of  the  17th  ward. 

1966.  Q.  I  now  present  to  you  a  paper  purporting  to  be  a  certificate 
of  naturalization  to  Charles  Storm,  dated  the  16th  of  October,  1868,  signed 
Charles  A.  Loew,  clerk,  under  the  seal  of  the  supreme  court;  state  what 
you  know  of  it. 

A.  This  man  Storm  presented  himself  at  the  board  of  registration  on 
the  3d  of  October,  and  desired  to  be  registered.  I  asked  him  his  name 
and  place  of  residence;  and  I  also  asked  him  if  he  was  a  native  or  foreign- 
born.  He  said  he  was  a  foreigner,  born  in  Germany.  I  asked  him  for  his* 
papers.  He  presented  me  this  paper  and  I  asked  him  where  he  obtained 
it.  He  said  that  he  obtained  it  at  a  liquor  store,  at  the  corner  of  Thirty-' 
second  street  and  Second  avenue.  I  asked  him  if  he  had  ever  taken  out  any, 
other  papers  than  this,  and  he  said  he  had  not.  I  kept  the  paper,  and 
told  him  I  would  preserve  it.     We  did  not  register  him. 

1967.  Q.  State  what  you  know  in  reference  to  the  presentation  of  sim- 
ilar papers  for  registration. 

A.  When  parties  came  up  with  newly -issued  papers,  I  questioned 
them  as  to  where  they  got  them  and  whether  they  had  been  before  a 
judge.  If  they  answered  the  question  satisfactorily,  and  were  willing  to 
take  the  oath,  they  were  registered.  Some  said  they  got  their  papers  at1 
the  City  Hall;  but  on  their  being  prompted  by  one  of  my  associates  as  to 
wThat  building  of  the  City  Hall,  they  would  say  the  court  building. 
There  were  some  400  voters  registered  in  our  district.  I  do  not  believe 
that  over  100  of  them  came  with  these  new  papers.  There  were  othei 
old  papers ;  but  it  had  reference  to  the  new  papers.  I  questioned  all 
presenting  these  papers,  and  administered  the  oath  to  all  who  were  will- 
ing to  take  the  oath.  This  man  Storm  did  not  take  it.  He  stated  that 
he  got  the  paper  at  a  liquor  store.  We  did  not  administer  the  oath  to 
him.  He  frankly  told  where  he  obtained  the  paper  and  that  he  had  not 
appeared  before  a  court. 

1968.  Q.  State  what  proportion  of  persons  who  presented  naturaliza- 
tion papers  for  registration  were  challenged  or  sworn. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  191 

A.  But  very  few. 

1969.  Q.  Were  not  registers  liable  to  register  many  persons  who  held 
fraudulent  naturalization  papers ! 

A.  I  should  think  they  were  liable  to  register  persons  who  ha\-e  been 
illegally  naturalized. 

1970.  Q.  State  how  it  was  when  they  came  to  vote — whether  a  few  or 
many  were  challenged. 

A.  There  were  none  challenged  on  election  day  in  the  district  where 
I  was. 

1971.  Q.  Why  not? 

A.  We  believed  that  they  were  legal  voters,  as  we  had  given  them  a 
thorough  examination  on  the  days  of  registration.  We  then  scrutinized 
the  voters  and  their  papers. 

1972.  Q.  State  if  you  know  any  facts  that  led  you  to  suppose  that  it 
would  be  dangerous  to  challenge  on  election  day. 

A.  I  do  not  know  of  anything  that  would  have  deterred  me  from 
challenging  a  voter. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

1973.  Q.  Or  deter  any  one  else  ? 
A.  Or  any  one  else. 

By  Mr.  Boss: 

1974.  Q.  You  say  you  examined  and  scrutinized  the  applications  for 
registration  under  all  these  new  certificates  pretty  carefully  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

1975.  Q.  And  where  there  was  any  doubt  you  swore  them? 
A.  I  asked  them  if  they  would  take  the  oath. 

1976.  Q.  Do  you  think  in  that  way  at  registration  you  got  rid  of  all 
the  illegal  votes? 

A.  I  think  that  our  strictness  there  prevented  a  great  many  from 
coming  there  to  be  registered. 

1977.  Q.  And  that  you  kept  your  polls  pretty  pure? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

1978.  Q.  How  many  did  you  reject? 

A.  I  suppose  we  niay  have  rejected  some  20,  more  or  less. 

1979.  Q.  Generally  for  the  reason  that  they  could  not  tell  the  places 
where  they  got  their  papers? 

A.  There  were  other  questions  which  they  did  not  answer  satisfactorily. 

1980.  Q.  As  to  these  20  who  were  rejected,  state  on  what  ground  they 
were  rejected. 

A.  Some  few  of  them  were  rejected  on  the  ground  they  had  never 
obtained  their  first  papers. 

1981.  Q.  Did  they  state  whether  they  had  come  to  the  country  before 
they  were  18  years  of  age? 

A.  I  wras  very  careful  to  ask  them  that.  Some  of  them  were  rejected 
because  they  had  not  been  long  enough  in  the  city  or  county. 

1982.  Q.  How  about  the  others? 

A.  The  reason  for  rejecting  those  we  did  reject  was  non-residence  and 
illegal  papers. 

1983.  Q.  And  do  you  think  that  on  the  whole  the  vote  was  pretty 
fair  in  that  precinct;  and  that  they  were  generally  legal  voters. 

A.  I  cannot  say,  as  I  did  not  know  them  personally;  they  answered 
the  questions. 


192  ELECTION   FRAUDS    IN    NEW   YORK. 

New  York,  Monday,  December  28,  1868. 
William  D.  Sloan  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

1984.  Question.  State  what  you  know  of  the  arrest  of  Urmy,  one  of 
the  inspectors  of  elections  ? 

Answer.  Urmy  was  arrested  by  special  deputies  of  the  sheriff;  a  man 
named  James  Gillem  offered  to  vote,  and  after  taking  his  name  Urmy  ' 
told  him  he  would  have  to  challenge  his  vote;  the  man  swore  his  vote 
in,  and  Mr.  Urmy  immediately  ordered  his  arrest  on  the  ground  that  he  ' 
was  an  illegal  voter;  immediately  after  that  four  or  five  or  six  men 
came  in,  and  the  leading  man  among  them  said,   "I  arrest  you,  Urmy;" 
Urmy  declined  to  go  with  him,  and  they  took  him  by  the  collar  and ' 
dragged  him  out  from  behind  the  counter,  thrust  him  into  a  stage  and  i 
took  him  down  to  the  Ludlow  street  jail,  as  I  was  informed;  about  the 
time  they  were  arresting  Mr.  Urmy  one  of  the  inspectors,  named  Dal- ' 
ton,  said  to  a  man  named  Day,  who  said  he  knew  the  man  to  be  a  voter, 
and  tiiat  he  lived  in  his  house,  "  See  to  it,  Day,  that  that  man  is  not 
arrested. " 

By  Mr.  Boss: 

1985.  Q.  This  man  Gillem  was  arrested? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

1986.  Q.  This  inspector,  Urmy,  refused  to  go  with  the  officers  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  he  declined  to  go,  and  said  they  had  no  authority  to 
arrest  him;  I  counselled  him  not  to  go,  as  I  thought  they  were  arrest-* 
ing  him  without  any  authority,  as  he  was  doing  his  duty. 

1987.  Q.  These  men  did  not  use  auy  more  force  than  was  necessary 
to  take  along  a  man  who  refused  to  go  with  them  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  they  dragged  him  out  bodily,  with  his  back  to  the  ground. 

1988.  Q.  He  could  have  got  up  and  gone  with  them,  could  he  not  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir ;  if  he  chose  to  do  so ;  when  he  got  to  the  door  his  arm 

caught  in  the  door,  and  he  groaned  as  if  he  was  hurt,  and  there  was. 
some  excitement ;  he  then  said,  "I  will  go  along  with  you  now;"  he, 
lost  his  hat  about  that  time,  too ;  they  did  not  wait  for  him  to  get  to  his 
feet,  but  dragged  him  along  and  gave  him  pretty  rough  handling,  I 
thought. 

1989.  Q.  Had  you  been  employed  to  give  advice  to  election  officers  ?  j 
A.  I  was  nominally  in  charge  of  the  district,  so  to  speak. 

1920.  Q.  Appointed  by  whom? 

A.  By  the  organization  of  the  party  to  which  I  belong. 

Q.  What  organization  ? 

A.  The  republican. 

Q.  Where  did  it  hold  its  headquarters  ? 

A.  179  Lexington  avenue. 

Q.  Did  you  have  a  written  commission  ? 

A.  O,  no. 

1921.  Q.  What  kind  of  instructions  had  you,  and  from  whom? 

A.  I  got  only  general  instructions  to  get  our  voters  out,  and  see  that 
no  persons  on  the  other  side  voted  illegally. 

1922.  Q.  Who  gave  you  these  instructions  ? 

A.  They  were  given  by  the  executive  committee  of  our  organization. 

1923.  Q.  Then  you  were  not  a  police  officer,  or  one  detailed  by  the 
sheriff? 

A.  No,  1  was  acting  as  any  other  citizen. 

1924.  Q.  You  had  no  office  there? 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  193 

A.  No,  sir. 

19:25.  Q.  And  no  business  anyfmore  than  any  other  citizen  ? 

A.  No  more  than  any  other  citizen. 

1926.  Q.  Still  yon  took  it  upon  yourself  to]  give  advice  to  resist  the 
officers  of  the  law ! 

A.  I  did  not  recognize  them  as  officers  of  the  law. 

1927.  Q.  But  yon  did  recognize  these  men  who  arrested  the  voter 

Gillem  1 
A.  Because  they  were  legally  appointed. 

1928.  Q.  Yon  did  not  have  so  much  sympathy  for  him  as  for  the  other 
man? 

A.  Not  by  any  means. 

1929.  Q.  He  was  not  on  your  side  in  politics  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  that  that  influenced  me  $  perhaps  it  did. 

Stephen  M.  Crandall  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

1930.  Question.  What  office  did  you  hold  at  the  last  election  ? 
Answer.  I  was  inspector  of  election  at  the  last  election,  but  not  of 

registration. 

1931.  Q.  State  what  you  know  of  the  arrest  of  S.  S.  Urmy. 

A.  On  the  morning  of  the  election  I  was  checking  the  list  while  Urmy 
was  acting  as  chairman  of  the  board.  About  10  o'clock  a  man  came  to 
vote  who  gave  the  name  of  one  of  those  who  was  supposed  not  to  live 
where  he  alleged  he  did.  He  was  challenged  and  Mr.  Urmy  swore  him. 
He  took  the  oath  and  Mr.  Urmy  immediately  ordered  his  arrest ;  one  of 
the  democratic  inspectors  objected  to  his  going  without  a  commitment, 
and  Mr.  Urmy  turned  to  me  and  asked  me  to  write  a  commitment,  which 
I  did;  as  the  officer  was  taking  him,  I -heard  some  one  outside  saying 
something  about  that  "  man  in  the  corner."  Just  at  that  moment  in 
rushed  five  or  six,  or  may  be  eight  of  the  crowd  ;  then  I  surmised  what 
they  were  after,  and  1  told  the  policemen  not  to  allow  any  more  to  pass 
behind  the  counter.  They  did  pass  by  the  police,  got  behind  the  counter 
and  claimed  Urmy  as  their  prisoner,  saying  that  they  were  deputy  sher- 
iffs. Urmy  protested  against  going  with  them ;  they  caught  him  by  the 
lappels  of  his  coat  and  took  him  out.  About  an  hour  after  that  one  of 
the  party  came  back  with  a  paper  and  showed  it  to  one  of  the  demo- 
cratic inspectors — Mr.  Slater,  1  think  it  was — who  signed  it.  Mr.  Urmy 
was  released  about  half  past  three  o'clock,  I  think. 

1932.  Q.  State  if  Urmy  did  anything  else  to  cause  his  arrest  than  to 
challenge  this  voter. 

A.  He  did  nothing  else. 

1933.  Q.  State  if  there  was  anything  boisterous  in  his  manner,  or  dis- 
orderly in  his  conduct. 

A.  Nothing  whatever. 
By  Mr.  Boss : 

1934.  Q.  What  kind  of  a  commitment  was  made  for  this  man  Gillem  ? 
A.  A  commitment  on  one  of  the  blanks  furnished  by  the  department 

for  that  purpose ;  we  had  a  list  of  names  from  the  house  where  he  came 
to  vote  from. 

1935.  Q.  That  list  was  furnished  by  the  republican  committee  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  it  was  taken  from  our  books.  There  were  more  registered 
from  that  house  than  Ave  supposed  could  well  occupy  the  rooms  in  it ;  I 
learned  afterwards  that  this  man  proved  to  be  not  a  resident  of  the 
house. 

13  T 


194  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

Michael  Quinl an  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  Chairman: 
1036.  Question.  Have  you  a  certificate  of  naturalization  f 
Answer.  I  have,  but  not  with  me. 

1937.  Q.  Of  what  country  are  you  a  native  ? 
A.  Ireland. 

1938.  Q.  Where  did  you  get  this  certificate  of  naturalization  ? 
A.  In  the  City  Hall. 

1939.  Q.  How  long-  have  you  been  in  the  United  States  ? 
A.  Six  years. 

1940.  Q.  How  old  are  you? 
A.  Twenty- three  years. 

1941.  What  questions  were  asked  by  the  judge  when  you  got  your 
naturalization  papers  ? 

A.  No  questions  except  when  I  was  taking  my  oatli  against  all  foreign 
powers,  and  particularly  the  Q-ieen  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland. 

1942.  Q.  Who  was  your  witness  ? 
A.  My  brother. 

1943.  Q.  What  questions  were  asked  of  him  ? 

A.  Whether  he  knew  me,  and  whether  I  was  of  good  moral  character. 

1944.  Q.  Was  that  all  ? 
A.  That  was  all. 

1945.  Did  you  ever  get  out  your  first  papers  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Kc-SS : 

1946.  Q.  Were  you  under  18  years  when  you  came  here  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

Nathaniel  Jar  vis,  Jr.,  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

1947.  Question.  What  is  your  official  position  f 

Answer.  I  am  clerk  of  the  court  of  common  pleas  in  this  city,  and  have 
been  since  1850. 

1948.  Q.  Who  is  judge  of  that  court? 

A.  There  are  three  judges — Daly,  Brady,  and  Barrett. 

1949.  Q.  State  what  party  you  and  they  act  with. 

A.  I  suppose  they  do  not  act  with  any  party  judicially;  they  were! 
elected  by  the  democratic  party. 

1950.  Q.  Can  you  state  what  number  of  persons  were  naturalized  ini 
your  court  during  October,  1868? 

A .  From  the  1st  of  June  to  the  21st  of  October  the  number  was  2,987. 
There  were  but  few  naturalized  during  the  preceding  part  of  the  year,    j 

1951.  Q.  Will  you  furnish  the  committee  with  the  number  of  persons! 
naturalized  each  year  for  the  past  three  years,  and  the  number  natural- 
ized each  day  during  the  month  of  October,  1868  ? 

A.  Certainly,  sir,  with  great  pleasure. 

1952.  Q.  State  what  proportion  of  naturalizations,  prior  to  this  year, 
was  had  in  the  court  of  common  pleas  as  compared  with  the  other  courts. 

A.  Prior  to  this  year  I  suppose  the  common  pleas  naturalized  more 
than  the  other  courts,  being  the  county  court,  and  being  the  court  in 
which  most  of  the  declarations  of  intention  are  made,  and  being  constantly 
in  session.  This  and  the  superior  court  were  then  the  only  two  courts 
that  did  naturalize.  The  supreme  court  never  did  so,  in  my  memory,  until 
this  year.    This  year  we  naturalized  very  few  comparatively. 


ELECTION    FEAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  195 

1953.  Q.  Can  you  state  any  reason  why  that  class  of  business  was  done 
more  in  the  other  courts  this  year  and  less  in  yours? 

A.  I  cannot  state  any  reason ;  I  may  have  an  impression.  I  don't 
think  we  naturalized  them  rapidly  enough.  I  cannot  give  any  other 
reason  than  that.  We  have  but  three  judges,  and  the  other  courts  have 
more. 

1954.  Q.  Will  you  permit  the  committee  to  inspect  the  naturalization 
papers  in  your  office  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  will  be  delighted  to  have  them  do  so. 

1955.  Q.  Will  you  permit  the  persons  who  may  be  designated  by  the 
chairman  of  this  committee,  to  go  into  your  office  and  in  your  presence, 
or  in  the  presence  of  such  clerks  as  you  may  designate,  make  a  list  of 
the  names  and  places  of  residence  of  the  persons  naturalized,  and  the 
names  and  places  of  residence  of  the  witnesses  % 

A.  Certainly;  I  shall  be  very  happy  to  assist  them. 

I960.  Q.  Describe  the  mode  in  Avhich  naturalization  is  done  in  your 
court. 

A.  Yes,  sir;  as  it  always  has  been  done  within  my  memory.  In  the 
first  instance,  the  applicant  presents  himself  to  the  clerk,  and  the  clerk 
asks  the  witness  whether  he  has  known  the  applicant  for  five  years ; 
whether  he  has  resided  in  this  city  for  the  past  year,  and  whether  he 
has  been  out  of  the  United  States  any  time  within  five  years.  The  uni- 
form custom  of  our  office  and  of  our  court  has  been  to  swear  the  witness 
in  such  case  to  answer  the  truth  touching  the  questions  put  to  him  in  the 
matter  of  the  application  of  A  B  to  become  a  citizen.  The  papers  am 
sent  to  the  court  room,  and  the  applicant  and  his  witness  are  both  called 
up  by  the  judge  and  examined,  each  in  the  hearing  of  the  other;  and  if 
the  answers  are  satisfactory  to  the  court,  the  judge  orders  the  applicant 
to  be  admitted  to  citizenship.  He  then  returns  to  the  clerk's  office,  and 
we  give  him  a  certificate  of  naturalization,  signed  and  sealed. 

1907.  Q.  State  if  there  has  been  in  all  cases  oral  examination  of  wit- 
nesses in  addition  to  swearing  to  the  affidavit. 

A.  Always ;  and  the  judges  have  their  marks,  as  in  the  cases  of  minors, 
&c.  They  take  the  age  of  the  witness  of  the  applicant,  the  length  of 
time  he  has  been  in  the  country,  and  they  put  it  in  the  papers  themselves, 

(Witness  produces  forms  of  papers  used  for  naturalization  in  the  court 
of  common  pleas.) 

1988.  Q.  State  if  these  blank  forms  are  substantially  similar  to  those 
used  in  the  other  courts. 

A.  The  other  courts  have  adopted  the  forms  which  we  use. 

1969.  Q.  State  what  practice  prevailed  in  your  court  as  to  the  naturali- 
zation of  several  persons  at  once. 

A.  They  never  naturalize  more  than  one  at  a  time. 

1970.  Q.  I  present  to  you  a  pajjer  purporting  to  be  a  certificate  of 
naturalization  dated  the  3d  of  October,  1868,  with  the  blank  for  the 
name  of  the  person  unfilled ;  state  whose  signature  is  annexed  to  it,  and 
what  seal. 

A.  That  is  the  signature  of  the  deputy  clerk  of  the  court,  and  it  seems 
to  me  that  it  is  the  impression  of  the  seal  of  the  court  of  common  pleas ; 
but  it  has  evidently  been  sealed  with  another  paper  by  some  mistake, 
because  the  impression  on  it  is  very  faint ;  it  has  probably  got  out  of  the 
office  by  mistake ;  but  it  has  never  been  used.  I  know  that  we  used 
every  care  and  caution,  and  naturalized  persons  without  reference  to  any 
political  party. 

1971.  Q.  State  whether  your  observation  and  experience  enable  you 
to  say  whether  there  is  anything  inherently  defective  in  the  present  sys- 


196  ELECTION   FRAUDS    IN   NEW    YORK. 

tern  of  naturalization,  where  there  is  a  large  number  of  persons  to  be 
naturalized ;  and  if  so,  whether  a  remedy  is  practicable  in  your  opinion. 
A.  A  remedy  is  practicable  by  the  court  making  rules  by  which  nat- 
uralization shall  be  done  in  a  certain  way ;  it  is  a  mere  matter  of  prac- 
tice. I  do  not  know  that  any  greater  care  can  be  exercised  than  1  have 
seen  exercised  in  our  court.  I  think  the  law  might  be  in  some  respects 
very  beneficially  changed.  I  think  the  testimony  of  witnesses  should 
be  taken  in  a  different  manner. 
By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

1972.  Q.  Have  you  ever  been  in  either  of  the  other  courts  when  they 
were  naturalizing  citizens  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  have  been  in  the  superior  court. 

1973.  Q.  Did  you  observe  the  process  of  naturalization  in  that  court? 
A.  I  did. 

1974.  Q.  What  was  it,  as  contrasted  with  yours  ? 

A.  It  was  slightly  different  from  our  own.  The  court  was  very  crowded, 
and  the  judge  seemed  to  have  a  great  deal  to  do. 

1975.  Q.  Did  he  examine  the  applicants  and  the  witnesses  in  the  form 
required  by  the  statute  ? 

A.  It  was  not  done  as  it  was  done  in  our  court.  I  will  not  say  that  it 
did  not  comply  with  the  statute ;  that  is  a  question  of  opinion. 

1976.  Q.  State  as  a  matter  of  fact  how  he  did  do  it. 

A.  I  heard  the  witness  called ;  I  do  not  think  I  saw  an  applicant ;  I 
don't  know  that  he  was  called ;  I  was  very  anxious  to  get  rid  of  as  much 
of  that  business  as  we  could,  and  I  thought  it  ought  to  be  divided  up 
among  the  courts;  I  do  not  think  that  the  examination  was  quite  as 
critical  as  was  the  habit  in  the  court  of  common  pleas.  I  know  that 
there  were  other  judges  in  the  supreme  court  quite  as  careful  as  the 
judges  of  our  court ;  for  instance,  Chief  Justice  Robertson  was  very 
careful  in  naturalizing.  I  think  it  was  Judge  McCunn  whom  I  saw 
naturalizing  in  the  superior  court.  It  was  after  our  court  had  adjourned, 
and  the  superior  court  was  being  held  in  an  adjoining  room  to  ours.  I 
did  not  go  in  there  for  the  purpose  of  investigating  their  manner  of 
doing  it,  but  to  see  the  great  number  of  persons  who  were  applying  for 
naturalizations. 

1977.  Q.  You  say  there  was  no  applicant  present  ? 

A.  I  only  heard  the  witness  called.  In  that  respect  it  was  different 
from  the  practice  in  our  court,  where  both  parties  are  called. 

1978.  Q.  What  questions  did  the  judge  ask  the  witness J? 

A.  I  think  he  asked  him  how  long  he  had  known  the  applicant,  men- 
tioning his  name  from  the  paper,  and  whether  he  had  known  him  to  be 
five  years  in  the  country,  and  whether  he  had  read  the  affidavit,  and 
whether  it  was  true.  It  was  a  very  short  examination.  I  did  not  see 
the  applicant  in  any  case. 

1979.  Q.  Did  the  judge  take  up  the  paper  and  read  the  name  of  the 
applicant,  or  did  he  not  simply  ask  the  witness  how  long  he  had  known 
this  man? 

A.  I  think  he  mentioned  the  name  of  the  applicant.  In  the  common 
pleas  the  applicants  and  the  witnesses  are  brought  up  before  the  courts 
side  by  side ;  but  here  the  witness  only  was  called,  and  I  did  not  see  the 
applicant  at  all.    It  was  a  very  crowded  room. 

1980.  Q.  Have  you  ever  been  present  in  the  supreme  court  during  the 
naturalization  of  citizens? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  tried  to  get  in  one  day  to  see  what  they  were  doing,  but 
I  could  not  get  in. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  197 

1981.  Q.  Is  it  not  a  novel  way  of  naturalizing  persons  not  to  have  the 
applicant  present  ¥ 

A.  It  is ;  because  the  certificate  implies  upon  its  face  that  the  appli- 
cant is  in  court.  He  may  have  been  in  court,  but  he  was  not  called  with 
the  witness. 

1982.  Q.  Have  you  any  knowledge  how  many  persons  were  naturalized 
this  year  in  the  different  courts  f 

A.  I  have  not ;  we  made  up  the  exact  number  in  our  court  from  the 
books.  I  am  told  that  in  the  other  courts  they  naturalized  15,000  or 
20,000  each ;  though  I  can  hardly  believe  that  can  be  possible. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

1983.  Q.  You  do  not  know  that  the  applicants  were  not  present  in  the 
superior  court  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  that  they  were  not  present ;  the  applicant  may  have 
been  called  after  the  witness  was  examined.  I  do  not  know  their  prac- 
tice there ;  I  stayed  but  a  moment.  The  superior  court  sat  in  the  after- 
noon, after  our  court  had  adjourned,  and  that  was  the  occasion  of  my 
having  been  there. 

1981.  Q.  Did  your  court  sit  at  night  for  that  purpose  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

1985.  Q.  How  long  would  it  take,  under  the  forms  prescribed  by  your 
court,  to  get  a  person  naturalized  f 

A.  It  would  take  certainly  ten  minutes  for  one  person — that  is,  in  the 
preparation  of  his  papers,  &c. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

1986.  Q.  How  long  would  it  take  for  the  action  of  the  court  alone  ? 
A.  Probably  about  five  minutes.    There  were  many  cases  where  I 

knew  the  court  to  be  20  minutes  in  the  examination  of  a  witness,  and 
then  to  reject  the  applicant;  but  the  ordinary  time,  with  an  intelligent 
man,  answering  truly  the  questions  put  to  him,  would  not  be  over  five 
minutes. 

1987.  Q.  Did  you  ever  go  into  Judge  McCunn's  court,  except  that  one 
time  f 

A.  Never,  except  that  one  time;  and  only  for  the  reason  I  have 
stated,  that  they  were  waiting  to  occupy  our  room. 

1988.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  persons  being  naturalized  who  wrere  not 
entitled  to  naturalization  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  do.  I  was  subpoenaed  to  Trenton,  New  Jersey,  in  the 
case  of  a  man  who  had  been  naturalized  in  our  court  and  who  Avas  not 
entitled  to  it.  The  thing  was  put  through  by  some  person  personating 
the  applicant.  The  case  on  its  face  appeared  to  be  regular,  and  was 
entirely  regular  so  far  as  the  action  of  the  court  was  concerned ;  but  it 
appeared  that  the  man  had  never  been  out  of  the  State  of  New  Jersey, 
and  had  been  in  the  country  only  a  few  months.  His  employer  having 
discovered  that  he  had  been  naturalized  made  the  charge,  and  then  it 
was  found  that  some  other  person  had  personated  him  in  the  court  of 
common  pleas  in  the  city  of  New  York. 

1990.  Q.  In  other  words,  the  court  was  deceived? 

A.  The  court  was  deceived  by  perjury  and  forgery.  That  is  the  only 
case  of  fraudulent  naturalization  that  I  know  of. 

1991.  Q.  When  you  say  that  the  reason  of  the  transfer  of  some  of 
this  business  from  your  court  to  the  other  courts  was  to  secure  greater 
expedition,  on  what  fact  do  you  base  that  answer? 


198  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

A.  We  have  but  three  judges;  the  superior  court  has  six ;  the  supreme 
court  has  five.  During  the  month  of  October  our  court  was  holding 
its  general  term,  sitting  in  banc,  and  all  the  judges  were  required  to  be 
present,  so  that  very  little  time  could  be  by  them  devoted  to  naturaliza- 
tion business. 

1002.  Q.  What  portion  of  time  were  the  judges  of  your  court  compelled 
to  be  in  attendance  on  the  regular  business  of  the  court  during  these 
hurried  days? 

A.  From  11  o'clock  until  3. 

1003.  Q.  Did  your  court  ever  sit  for  the  exclusive  purpose  of  trans- 
acting naturalization  business? 

A.  Never,  except  during  a  day  when  the  court  would  adjourn  its  regu- 
lar business  and  continue  its  session  for  the  purpose  of  naturalization; 
but  it  never  sat  beyond  the  regular  hour  of  adjournment. 

1004.  Q.  Did  your  court  have  any  regular  hours  of  the  day  for  the 
transaction  of  this  kind  of  business i 

A.  Yes,  sir  5  one  hour  in  the  morning — from  10  till  11 — and  one  hour 
in  the  evening ;  and  if  the  court  should  fall  through  for  want  of  other 
business  the  judges  would  be  in  attendance  and  would  dispose  of  any 
applications  for  naturalization. 

1005.  Q.  Can  you  state  whether,  during  those  hours  so  set  apart  for 
naturalization  business,  the  judges  were  kept  busy,  or  whether  they  were 
a  great  part  of  the  time  idle  ? 

A.  They  were  a  great  part  of  the  time  idle.  Except  for  a  few  days, 
they  had  no  chance  to  attend  to  the  business  of  naturalization  at  all  but 
during  the  hours  assigned  to  it. 

Q.  At  those  hours  so  assigned,  were  the  judges  always  engaged  in 
that  business,  or  were  they  during  a  part  of  those  hours  left  without 
business  ? 

A.  They  were  left  without  business;  they  attended  to  other  chamber 
business.  This  naturalization  business  was  considered  a  matter  of  cham- 
ber business. 

1006.  Q.  Considering  the  organization  of  your  court — its  number  of 
judges ;  the  time  they  sit ;  the  time  devoted  to  this  business,  and  the 
rules  in  regard  to  it  adopted  by  the  court — I  ask  you,  in  reference  to  the 
other  courts  and  their  organization,  how  much  more  of  this  business  the 
other  courts  could  have  done  than  your  court  could  * 

A.  They  could  have  done  three  times  as  much. 

Q.  State  whether,  from  your  knowledge  of  the  manner  in  which  this 
business  is  ordinarily  transacted,  it  is  not  practicable  for  persons  who 
design  fraud  to  deceive  and  mislead  your  court! 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  it  is  a  very  easy  thing. 

1007.  Q.  And  it  is  in  the  power  of  such  persons  to  perfect  frauds  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir;  it  is  very  easy  to  accomplish  them. 

1008.  Q.  Without  any  corrupt  knowledge  on  the  part  of  the  judges  or 
officers  of  the  court  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  it  is  a  very  easy  thing  to  do. 

1000.  Q.  How  long  have  you  been  a  clerk  in  that  court  ? 

A.  Since  1858 ;  and  prior  to  that  time  I  was  deputy  clerk  of  the  court. 
I  have  been  attached  to  the  court  of  common  pleas  since  I  attained  to 
manhood,  and  have  very  large  experience  of  naturalization  business. 

2000.  Q.  State  whether,  during  the  year  1868,  and  in  the  closing  days 
of  naturalization,  there  was  more  or  less  of  that  kind  of  business  done 
than  any  former  year  of  your  observation  % 

A.  There  was  more. 

2.001.  Q.  State  whether  during  the  last  eight  years,  from  any  cause 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  199 

and  if  so,  from  what  cause,  an  undue  proportion  of  persons  of  foreign 
birth  failed  to  naturalize  until  the  year  1868. 

A.  Most  of  the  cases  of  naturalization  had  in  the  court  of  common 
pleas,  under  the  section  of  the  act  of  Congress  providing  for  the  naturali- 
zation of  minors,  was  made  necessary  by  the  minor  coming  to  be  natu- 
ralized, although  he  might  have  been  naturalized  with  the  naturalization 
of  his  father;  because  our  registry  laws  require  a  certificate  of  naturali- 
zation before  he  can  vote;  for  that  reason  I  know  Ave  had  a  very  large 
number  of  applicants  who  might  have  been  citizens  of  the  United  States 
by  the  naturalization  of  their  fathers.  We  had  one  instance  in  the  case 
of  a  man  whose  father  was  naturalized  in  1795,  and  who  was  refused 
registration  because  he  could  not  produce  a  record  of  his  naturalization -j 
I  found  his  father's  record  of  naturalization.  He  was  a  man  who  died  in 
our  city  a  few  years  ago  worth  a  good  many  millions.  I  then  had  occa- 
sion to  make  a  detailed  examination  of  the  number  of  persons  who  had 
declared  their  intention  to  become  citizens  during  the  past  tow  years. 

2002.  Q.  Referring  now  to  a  different  class  of  facts,  I  ask  you  to  state 
whether,  on  account  of  the  various  considerations  connected  with  the 
late  war,  and  of  the  liability  of  citizens  in  this  country  to  do  military 
service,  there  was  any  diminution  during  the  last  six  or  eight  years  of 
the  number  of  persons  naturalized  by  the  courts  of  this  city. 

A.  I  am  not  prepared  to  answer  that.  I  know  that,  during  the  war, 
applications  for  naturalization  were  very  few,  compared  to  what  they  were 
since  the  war  and  before  it. 

2003.  Q.  State  whether,  during  the  year  in  which  we  have  a  presiden- 
tial election,  the  number  of  persons  naturalized  is  not  greatly  in  excess 
of  those  in  other  years. 

A.  It  always  has  been  so.  Since  the  late  election  applications  to  de- 
clare intentions  have  been  greater  than  a  year  ago.  I  know  that  the 
number  of  naturalizations  prior  to  a  presidential  election  is  always  greater 
than  at  any  other  time. 

Q.  Are  you  personally  acquainted  with  the  judges  of  the  supreme 
court  i 

A.  I  am. 

2004.  Q.  And  of  the  superior  court  1 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

2003.  Q.  I  desire  to  know  whether  you  have  any  reason  to  believe  that 
any  of  them  would  lend  himself  to  the  accomplishment  of  fraud  upon 
the  naturalization  law  or  upon  the  election  laws. 

A.  I  should  certainly  answer,  most  positively,  no. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

200G.  Q.  Would  you  consider  it  consistent  with  official  integrity  for  a 
judge  to  naturalize  persons  without  making  any  examination  at  all  of  the 
witness,  but  simply  by  swearing  him  that  the  affidavit  subscribed  by  him 
was  true? 

A.  No,  sir ;  that  4s  positively  wrong.  It  is  in  violation  of  the  statutes 
and  of  the  decisions  in  our  own  States  where  the  courts  have  held  that 
the  examination  of  witnesses  must  be  made  in  open  court  and  by  the 
judge. 

2007.  Q.  Would  you  consider  it  consistent  with  official  integrity  for  a 
judge  to  naturalize  persons  when  the  persons  naturalized  are  not  present 
in  court  but  only  their  witnesses  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

2008.  Q.  Would  you  consider  it  consistent  with  official  integrity  for  a 
ludge  to  naturalize  large  numbers  of  persons,  say  from  a  dozen  up  to 
ntty  or  a  hundred  in  a  batch,  swearing  them  altogether  1 


200  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IX  NEW  YORK. 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  should  think  it  a  great  violation  of  law  and  right. 

2009.  Q.  Would  you  consider  it  consistent  with  official  integrity  for  a 
judge  to  naturalize  persons  without  employing  the  usual  and  ordinary 
means  of  knowing  that  no  frauds  were  practiced  upon  him  by  the  false 
statements  of  witnesses  or  applicants  '! 

A.  No,  sir ;  it  is  his  duty  to  make  investigation  and  he  satisfied  that  the 
applicants  and  the  witnesses  are  the  persons  whom  they  re] nesent  them- 
selves to  be.     I  know  that  that  is  the  rule  in  our  court. 

2010.  Q.  Did  the  judges  of  the  court  of  common  pleas  sit  separately, 
each  judge  having  jurisdiction  $ 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

2011.  Q.  State  whether  the  same  rules  as  to  the  hours  devoted  to 
naturalization  prevailed  in  previous  years  in  the  common  pleas  as  pre- 
vailed this  year. 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

2012.  Q.  State  what  proportion  of  persons  naturalized  are  minors. 
A.  About  one-half  were  minors  this  year;  I  made  that  estimate. 
Q.  How  was  it  in  previous  years  I 

A.  I  estimate  it  as  one-half,  or  something  near  it.  The  minor  eases 
were  in  consequence  of  their  not  being  able  to  furnish  certificates  of 
registration. 

2013.  Q.  State  if  in  your  court  you  used  printed  forms  of  application 
containing  the  oath  of  allegiance,  and  renunciation  of  allegiance  to  every 
foreign  prince,  potentate,  and  state,  and  particularly  to  the  country 
or  government  from  which  the  applicant  came,  naming  that  country  or 
government. 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

2014.  Q.  State  if  any  practice  prevails  in  your  court,  of  striking  out 
that  part  particularizing  the  country  or  government  from  which  the  ap- 
plicant came. 

A.  No,  sir. 

2015.  Q.  Would  you  consider  it  consistent  with  official  integrity  for  a 
judge  to  permit  large  numbers  of  forms  used  in  naturalization  to  have 
that  part  of  the  oath  stricken  out  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  it  is  his  duty  to  examine  papers,  as  well  in  papers  of  nat- 
uralization as  in  any  other  case. 

By  Mr.  Boss : 

2016.  Q.  Would  that  be  want  of  integrity,  or  mere  carelessness  ? 

A.  I  think  it  would  be  very  careless.  I  think  it  the  duty  of  a  judge 
not  only  to  be  honest,  but  to  be  at  the  same  time  careful.  I  do  not  know 
that  that  would  affect  his  official  integrity. 

2017.  Q.  But  a  man  might  be  an  honest  judge  and  let  that  thing  go 
through  ? 

A.  Certainly. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

2018.  Q.  Was  it  the  custom  in  your  court  for  one  "person  to  be  a  wit- 
ness for  a  number  of  applicants  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  and  when  a  man  presents  himself  as  a  witness  in  two  cases, 
he  is  refused  to  be  allowed  to  act  as  a  witness  in  either,  except  it  may  be 
in  the  case  of  minors,  where  the  father  or  some  relative  might  be  a  wit 
ness  for  more  than  one. 

2019.  Q.  Would  your  court  ever  permit  the  name  of  an  applicant  and 
the  name  of  a  witness  to  be  signed  by  other  parties,  with  merely  a  cross 
between  the  two  as  a  mark,  without  identification  f 

A.  Certainly  not. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 


201 


2020.  Q.  Would  you  consider  that  a  very  loose  and  iuforuial  way  of 
doing  business? 

A.  Yes,  sir  j  and  for  that  reason  persons  generally  make  applications 
to  clerks,  who  prepare  their  papers  in  due  form. 

2021.  Q.  Your  court  would  not  have  considered  such  an  application  as 
being  in  due  form,  with  the  signatures  all  written  by  one  man,  without 
any  identification  of  the  person  by  a  witness  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Owen  E.  Westlock  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

2022.  Question.  State  what  office  you  hold. 

Answer.  I  am  general  term  clerk  in  the  superior  court  of  this  city. 

2023.  Q.  Can  you  state  the  number  of  persons  naturalized  in  your 
court  during  the  month  of  October,  1868? 

A.  I  present  a  statement,  giving  the  aggregate  number  of  naturaliza- 
tion in  that  court  for  the  months  of  January,  February,  March,  April, 
May,  June,  July,  August  and  September,  and  the  number  naturalized 
each  clay  from  the  1st  to  the  23d  of  October,  and  the  aggregate  for  the 
month  of  November,  and  up  to  the  24th  of  December,  the  total  being 


27,807. 


The  statement  is  as  follows  : 


18(38. 


1868. 

October  10th 1,653 

October  12th 1,856 

October  13th 1,868 

October  14th 2,109 

October  15th 1,420 

October  16th 1,112 

October  17th 840 

October  19th 1,026 

October  20th 1 ,  004 

October  21st 860 

October22d 911 

O  tober23d 1,024 

November 41 

December 24 


Total 27,897 


January 84 

February 100 

March ]()5 

April 140 

May 108 

June 1 02 

July 140 

A.ugust 195 

September 632 

October  1st 580 

October  2d 745 

October  3d 840 

October  5th 1 ,  425 

October  6th 1,721 

October  7th 1 ,  630 

October  8th 1 ,  842 

October  9th 1 ,  760 

2024.  Q.  Before  what  judges  were  these  naturalizations,  in  October, 
principally  made? 

A.  Principally  before  Judge  McCunn  and  Judge  Garvin. 

2025.  Q.  Were  you  one  of  the  clerks  who  acted  in  naturalization  matters! 
A.  Yes,  sir ;  my  legitimate  business  in  regard  to  naturalization  was 

simply  searching. 

2026.  Q.  State  whether  it  was  the  practice  of  the  judge  to  swear  the 
witnesses  to  the  truth  of  the  affidavits  by  them  subscribed,  or  whether 
there  was  any  other  examination  of  them. 

A.  I  was  not  present  in  court  during  the  examination  of  the  witnesses, 
but  I  can  give  you  the  modus  operandi. 
By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

2027.  Q.  You  stated  that  your  duties  were  searching.  What  do  you 
mean  by  that? 

A.  When  a  man  had  been  previously  naturalized,  and  had  lost  his 
papers,  I  searched  the  records  to  get  him  a  duplicate  copy. 

2028.  Q.  Will  you  present  the  applications  and"  affidavits  of  witnesses, 
on  which  there  were  naturalized  in  the  superior  court,  Joseph  Bush, 


202 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 


October  8,  18G8,  John  Wallace,  October  22,  18G8,  William  Malia,  Octo- 
ber 25,  1808,  James  Montgomery,  October  2f>,  1868,  Michael  Kervvin, 
October  1G,  18G8,  and  Daniel  Sullivan,  October  27,  18082 

A.  I  now  present  such  papers  and  give  a  list  of  the  names  and  resi- 
dences of  the  applicants  and  the  witnesses  as  follows: 


APPLICANTS. 

William  Malia,  752  Second  avenue. 

Daniel  Sullivan,  450  Cherry  street. 

Joseph  Rush,  781   East  Forty-eighth  street. 

John  Wallace,  Forty-second  street,  between 

Second  and  Third  avenue. 
Michael  Kerwin,  IM  4  West  Eleventh  street. 
James  Montgomery,  767  Second  avenue. 


WITNESSES. 

Thomas  McGovern,  221  First  avenue. 
William  Gould,  :W7  Cherry  street 
Matthew   Downey,   Forty-eighth  street   and 
Second  avenue. 

William  Welch,  591)  Greenwich  street. 
Pntiick  McMahon,  500  West  street. 
Thomas  McG.jvern,  221  First  avenue. 


2020.  Q.  State  what  time  the  superior  court  met  and  adjourned  dur- 
ing October. 

A.  The  hours  of  meeting  in  special  term  were  from  ten  to  three  and  in 
trial  term  from  eleven  to  four. 

2030.  Q.  State  it  the  court  sat  at  night. 

A.  I  think  it  did  on  two  or  three  occasions. 

2031.  Q.  State  whether  in  the  application  of  William  Malia  his  signa- 
ture and  that  of  his  witness,  James  McGovern,  are  not  in  the  same 
handwriting;  and  whether  in  the  case  of  Daniel  O'Sullivan  his  signature 
and  that  of  his  witness,  William  Gould,  are  not  also  in  the  same  hand- 
writing. 

A.  I  should  not  like  to  swear  positively ;  but  there  is  a  great  similarity; 
they  look  very  much  as  if  they  were  in  the  same  handwriting. 

2032.  Q.  State  whether  all  the  other  applications  which  you  produced, 
with  the  exception  of  the  application  of  Joseph  Hush,  are  not  signed 
with  a  mark  both  for  the  applicant  and  the  witness. 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

2033.  Q.  I  present  to  you  a  paper  purporting  to  be  a  certificate  of  nat- 
uralization to  Maximilian  Beck,  issued  by  the  superior  court,  dated  the 
19th  of  October,  18G8,  and  referred  to  in  the  testimony  of  Maximilian 
Beck ;  can  you  furnish  the  application  and  affidavit  on  which  it  was 
issued  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

2034.  Q.  Also  the  case  of  Andrew  B.  Siegner? 
A.  I  will  endeavor  to  find  it. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

2035.  Q.  How  long  have  you  been  connected  with  the  superior  court? 
A.  About  six  years. 

203G.  Q.  How  did  the  naturalizations  this  year  compare  in  numbers 
with  those  of  the  preceding  years? 

A.  I  cannot  answer  that  question  intelligently,  because  I  have  not  had 
charge  of  that  department.    I  can  give  the  exact  number  from  our  books. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

2037.  Q.  State  whether  in  the  application  of  James  Montgomery  the 
witness  does  not  purport  to  be  Thomas  McGovern,  residing  at  221  First 
avenue. 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

2038.  Q.  In  the  paper  his  name  is  signed  with  a  mark  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

2039.  Q.  State  whether  in  the  application  of  William  Malia  the  wit- 


ELECTION   FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  203 

ness  does  not  appear  to  be  the  same  person,  and  whether  his  name  there 
is  not  signed  without  a  mark. 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

2040.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  the  final  papers  were  delivered  to  the 
parties  for  whom  they  were  made  out,  or  to  the  parties  who  filled  the 
applications  for  the  papers  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know ;  the  final  papers  were  all  signed  by  Mr.  Meeks,  the 
deputy  clerk,  and  were  given  out,  1  suppose,  to  those  entitled  to  them. 

2041.  Q.  Were  you  present  in  court  on  the  14th  of  October,  the  day 
when  over  a  thousand  were  naturalized? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  was  not  present  anytime  in  October  except  one  day 
about  ten  minutes.  My  business  was  confined  principally  to  entering 
judgments,  satisfying  judgments,  and  various  other  business  pertaining 
to  the  office.    I  had  nothing  to  do  with  naturalization. 

By  Mr.  Kerr: 

2042.  Q.  You  really  know  very  little  about  the  business  of  naturaliza- 
tion? 

A.  Very  little  during  the  last  year,  because  I  was  not  present  any 
time.  My  duties  called  me  into  another  court;  I  am  clerk  of  a  general 
term,  in  which  these  matters  are  not  attended  to. 

By  Mr.  Boss : 

2043.  Q.  How  many  judges  were  acting  at  the  time  this  large  number 
of  naturalizations  was  granted? 

A.  From  two  to  four.  We  have  six  judges,  and  they  may  have  all 
taken  part.  As  a  general  thing  there  were  two  judges,  MeCunn  and 
Garvin,  sitting  almost  all  day. 

2044.  Q.  And  frequently  in  the  night? 

A.  Not  frequently — two  or  three  nights.  The  chief  justice  naturalized 
some. 

2045.  Q.  Did  you  see  anything  in  the  conduct  of  the  court  or  its  offi- 
cers that  looked  like  a  disposition  to  get  through  fraudulent  papers? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  did  not. 

2046.  Q.  l)o  you  know  of  any  fraudulent  papers  having  gone  from  that 
court? 

A.  No,  sir. 

2047.  Q.  You  have  no  knowledge  of  any  judges  or  officers  winking  at 
anything  of  the  kind  or  encouraging  it? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  was  not  present  in  court  at  any  time  during  naturaliza- 
tion except  perhaps  twenty  minutes  in  the  entire  month.  1  know  of  no 
rauds  myself,  and  I  have  not  heard  of  any  frauds  having  been  com- 
nitted  by  our  court. 

2048.  Q.  Did  there  appear  to  be  in  the  action  of  the  court  a  disposition 
o  do  the  thing  fairly  and  justly? 

A.  Yes,  sir,  in  every  case. 

2049.  Q.  And  if  anything  improper  occurred  there,  it  was  through 
nistake? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Henry  J.  Chapman  sworn  and  examined,  (at  the  instance  of  Mr.  Boss.) 
By  Mr.  Boss : 

2050.  Question.  Did  you  hold  an  office  at  the  late  election? 
Answer.  I  was  register  in  the  16th  district,  16th  ward. 

2051.  Q.  Who  constituted  that  board  of  registration? 


204  ELECTION   FRAUDS   IN    NEW   YORK. 

A.  Mr.  Willis  and  myself  were  the  republican  registrars,  and  Mr.  Van 
Buren  and  Mr.  Seixas  Avere  the  democratic. 

2052.  Q.  How  many  votes  were  given  in  that  poll? 

A.  We  registered  about  511,  but  I  don't  think  we  voted  as  much  as  500. 

2053.  Q.  How  many  of  them  were  registered  on  certificates  of  natur- 
alization I 

A.  There  were  some  few  tried  to  register  on  fraudulent  certificates, 
and  were  refused,  and  they  did  not  try  again.     There  was  one  man  reg-  | 
istered  and  when  he  came  to  vote  he  would  not  take  the  oath,  and  we 
would  not  receive  his  vote.     That  is  about  the  only  case  I  know  of.    I 
was  there  all  day,  and  checked  the  ballots  as  they  were  put  into  the  box. 

2054.  Q.  Were  you  in  the  habit,  of  swearing  the  applicants  for  regis 
tration  on  certificates  of  naturalization  ? 

A.  Mr.  Willis  did  that  principally.  He  was  very  particular  with  it. 
I  allowed  him  to  do  it,  for  he  understood  it  better  than  1  did. 

2055.  Q.  All  about  whom  there  was  suspicion  were  sworn  I 
A.  Yes,  sir;  and  we  were  very  strict  and  exact  about  it. 

2050.  Q.  And  every  one  was  excluded  who  could  not  give  satisfactory 
answers  % 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  two  men  came  up  and  registered,  who  spoke  like  Ger- 
mans, and  who  claimed  to  have  been  born  in  this  country.  Mr.  Willis 
said  it  was  impossible  for  men  to  have  been  born  in  this  country,  and  not 
speak  better  English  than  they  did,  and  so  he  refused  to  register  them. 

2057.  Q.  Is  not  that  often  the  case  among  Germans'? 
A.  They  can  generally  speak  the  English  language'. 

2058.  Q.  So  far  as  you  know  there  wrere  no  frauds  either  in  the  re 
tration  or  in  the  voting  I 

A.  No,  sir ;  there  were  none. 

2059.  Q.  You  think  the  thing  was  fairly  conducted? 
A.  It  was  fairly  conducted.     The  democratic  inspectors  were  v 

respectable  men;  we  had  no  trouble  at  all.     They  acted  very  fairly  andi 
honorably. 

Bichakd  G.  Hunt  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

20G0.  Question.  What  office  did  you  hold  at  the  last  election  ? 

Answer.  I  was  registrar  and  inspector  of  elections  in  the  19th  district 
11th  ward. 

2061.  Q.  State  what  you  know  of  fraudulent  naturalization  papers 
having  been  presented  for  registration. 

A.  I  had  no  knowledge  of  fraudulent  naturalization  papers  being  on 
on  the  first  day  of  election.  On  the  second  day  papers  were  presentee 
to  the  board  issued  within  a  few  days  previously.  When  we  carnetc 
question  persons  having  them  pretty  closely,  we  found  that  they  couk 
not  give  satisfactory  answers  as  to  how  and  when  they  obtained  them 
We  threw  a  considerable  number  of  them  out.  On  the  first  day  w< 
had  received  similar  papers,  and  we  registered  them  without  questioD 
On  the  second  day  we  threw  out  30  of  them.  Several  applicants  swon 
right  through  that  they  had  come  down  personally  to  such  and  such  : 
court  and  brought  their  witnesses  with  them,  and  had  got  their  papers 
Their  papers,  when  produced,  were  done  up  in  a  large  envelope  and  wer 
addressed,  "By  the  politeness  of  Henry  Waltman."  That  opened  m; 
eyes  more  particularly  to  the  rumors  I  had  heard  about  these  papers,  a 
I  was  somewhat  acquainted  with  Mr.  Whitman's  character  in  the  war* 
Perhaps  a  half  dozen  admitted  that  they  got  their  papers  from  Waltmai 


ELECTION   FRAUDS   IN   NEW   YORK.  205 

tnd  that  they  had  gone  to  the  City  Hall  for  them.  In  the  case  of  one  of 
hese  men  we  refused  to  register.  The  man  went  on  to  state  how  he  was 
i  voter  but  had  lost  his  papers.  He  said  he  knew  the  papers  which  he 
md  presented  he  had  not  obtained  himself,  but  went  to  such  and  such  a 
lumber  with  a  friend.  (To  Mr.  Kerr :)  I  think  he  said  No.  66  or  68, 
1  venue  C,  a  place  occupied  by  Mr.  Brincker's  real  estate  agency.  He 
>aid  lie  swore  there  to  the  fact  of  his  having  been  naturalized,  and  to  his 
)apers  having  been  lost ;  that  he  swore  to  it  before  a  Mr.  Joseph  Lyons, 
md  that  he  told  him  that  that  was  satisfactory  and  took  his  name  and 
-evidence,  and  told  him  to  come  next  evening  for  his  papers ;  that  he  had 
^one  the  next  evening  and  had  got  his  paper.  He  wished  me  to  use  my 
nfluenee  with  the  board  to  have  his  name  registered.  I  told  him  I 
jould  not  do  that.  The  Saturday  evening  previous  to  election,  when  I 
Rrent  to  supper,  he  went  in  before  the  three  registrars  who  were  there 
md  made  the  same  statement,  and  produced  a  witness  who  swore  that 
lie  had  seen  the  naturalization  paper  which  he  had  obtained  at  Avenue 
0.  I  have  it  now  with  me  and  present  it  to  the  committee.  I  have  also 
a  name  on  my  registry  book  of  a  person  who  acknowledged  that  he  had 
obtained  his  papers  of  Henry  Waltman,  in  Avenue  C,  and  that  he  had 
never  been  to  court. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

2062.  Q.  Who  is  Henry  Waltman  ? 

A.  He  was  elected  to  the  assembly  on  the  democratic  ticket  from  the 
11th  ward. 

By  the  Chairman: 

2063.  Q.  What  proportion  of  persons  who  presented  themselves  for 
registration  with  naturalization  papers  were  sworn  'I 

A.  I  cannot  say,  but  I  should  say  that  100  would  come  close  to  the 
number. 

2064.  Q.  How  many  were  registered  in  the  district  ? 
A.  Five  hundred  and  sixty-seven,  I  think. 

2065.  Q.  What  number  of  voters  were  challenged  ? 

A.  So  many  that  they  made  quite  a  noise  and  disturbance  about  it.  I 
should  suppose  from  30  to  40,  and  perhaps  50.  We  were  very  particular 
in  swearing  them  at  the  time  of  registration  if  we  had  any  doubt. 

2066.  Q.  With  the  small  number  of  persons  sworn,  state  whether  the 
registrars  were  liable  to  be  imposed  upon  by  persons  who  were  aware 
they  were  not  entitled  to  registration. 

A.  I  think  they  were  in  a  few  instances,  but  not  in  many  instances. 

2067.  Q.  Can  you  state  any  number  of  persons  who  registered,  and  who 
voted,  and  who  were  not  entitled  to  \ 

A.  I  can  state  one  person  who  presented  a  vote  under  the  name  of 
Thomas  J.  Brown,  but  was  not  the  man  he  personated.  I  swore  him, 
and  he  swore  his  vote  in.  I  understood  afterwards  he  went  to  vote  in 
another  district,  in  Avenue  D. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

2068.  Q.  Do  you  know  what  the  man's  real  name  is  % 
A.  1  do  not  know. 

2069.  Q.  Do  you  know  him  personally  I 
A.  No,  sir. 

2070.  Q.  Then  why  are  you  so  confident  that  he  was  not  the  person  he 
represented  himself  to  be  I 

A.  The  reason  is  this :  I  have  seen  Thomas  J.  Brown  frequently,  and 
this  is  not  the  person.    The  genuine  Thomas  J.  Brown  did  not  vote. 


206  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

By  the  Chairman: 

2071.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  other  man  voting  who  was  not  entitled 
to  vote  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  do  not. 

By  Mr.  Kerr: 

2072.  Q.  Do  you  know  Mr.  Waltman  personally  ? 
A.  1  do. 

207-').  Q.  With  what  political  party  do  you  act  I 

A.  I  act  at  present  with  the  republican  party,  and  did  during  the  last 
campaign. 

By  Mr.  Boss: 

2074.  Q.  You  think  you  excluded  all  illegal  votes. 
A.  Yes,  sir,  so  far  as  1  know. 

2075.  Q.  And  the  election  was  carried  on  purely  there? 

A.  At  the  same  time  I  think  there  was  a  considerable  number  of  votes 
that  were  not  legal  votes. 

New  York,  December  28,  1868. 
Benjamin  Van  Buren   sworn   and  examined,  (at   the   instance  of 
Mr.  Boss.) 

By  Mr.  Boss : 

2076.  Question.  Were  you  one  of  the  election  officers  last  year? 
Answer.  I  was  inspector  of  election  in  the  16th  district,  10th  ward. 
2078.  Q.  Was  Mr.  Anson  Willis  on  the  board  with  yon  I 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

2070.  Q.  State  to  the  committee  how  the  election  there  was  conducted, 
and  how  the  officers  discharged  their  duty  both  at  the  registration  and 
the  election. 

A.  Everything  went  on  very  pleasantly.  They  all  seemed  to  do  their 
duty.  1  saw  nothing  that  I  supposed  to  be  illegal.  Judge  Willis  being 
an  ex-judge,  did  most  of  the  swearing  for  us. 

2080.  Q.  There  was  no  difference  or  ill-feeling  among  the  members  of 
the  board  ! 

A.  None,  whatever. 

2081.  Q.  Every  thing  went  off  pleasantly  ? 
A.  Very  agreeably  and  pleasantly. 

2082.  Q.  And  there  was  no  illegal  voting  or  registration  so  far  as  yon 
know  ? 

A.  I  do  not  think  there  was  an  illegal  vote  polled. 

2083.  Q.  You  think  that  the  registration  and  election  were  properly 
conducted  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

2084.  Q.  And  that  none  but  legal  voters  voted? 
A.  No,  sir. 

2085.  Q.  Nothing  improper  transpired  at  the  polls  ? 
A.  Nothing,  that  I  saw. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

2086.  Q.  State  whether,  during  the  transaction  of  your  duties  on  that 
board,  objection  was  made  to  a  critical  examination  into  the  rights  of 
persons  to  be  registered  or  to  vote  by  any  member  of  the  board. 

A.  None  that  I  am  aware  of. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IX  NEW  YORK.  207 

20S7.  Q.  Were  obstructions  of  any  kind  put  in  the  way  of  a  critical 
examination  of  that  kind  by  any  member  of  the  board? 
A.  No,  sir. 

2088.  Q.  Who  was  your  democratic  colleague  ? 
A.  Mr.  Seixas. 

2089.  Q.  State  whether  you  or  he,  or  both  of  you,  either  by  your  votes, 
3i*  by  your  expressions,  or  otherwise,  put  any  obstacle  in  the  way  of  a 
critical  examination  into  the  rights  of  parties  to  register  and  to  vote. 

A.  None  whatever. 

2090.  Q.  Srate  whether  you  had  any  words,  or  controversy,  or  differ- 
ences of  opinion  on  this  subject  with  your  colleague  Mr.  Willis. 

A.  Xo,  sir ;  there  was  no  objection  made  to  anything  that  was  done. 
Everything  went  on  harmoniously,  as  much  so  as  in  any  board  I  ever 
saw. 

2091.  Q.  Did  you  or  your  colleague  endeavor  to  get  fraudulent  votes 
registered,  or  voted  on  ? 

A.  Mo,  sir. 

By  the  CHAIRMAN : 

2092.  Q.  Was  there  any  objection  made  to  any  person  who  asked  to  be 
registered  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

2093.  Q.  Was  there  any  objection  made  to  any  person  voting  who 
A.  No  sir. 

asked  to  vote  ? 

2094.  Q.  There  were  some,  however,  challenged! 

A.  Not  one  man  was  refused  the  right  to  vote  who  was  challenged. 

2095.  Q.  You  were  not  acquainted  with  the  voters  in  that  district  ? 
A.  No.  sir ;  I  did  not  reside  in  the  district ;  I  do  not  believe  that  I 

knew  a  dozen  voters  in  it ;  I  lived  in  the  lower  part  of  the  ward. 

2096.  Q.  There  may  have  been  many  persons  who  registered  and  voted 
who  were  not  entitled  to  register  and  to  vote,  and  you  not  know  the 
fact? 

A.  Such  a  thing  is  possible. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

2097.  Q.  Can  you  give  the  number  of  persons  who  registered  and  who 
voted  on  certificates  of  naturalization  ! 

A.  I  think  two-thirds  of  them  did  j  .it  is  a  district  composed  chiefly  of 
foreign  residents. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

2098.  Q.  Was  not  the  presentation  of  naturalization  papers  considered 
evidence  sufficient  that  the  man  was  a  voter? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  so  considered  it ;  that  is  the  way  I  understood  the  law. 

New  York,  December  29, 1868. 
Patrick  Duffy  sworn  and  examined. 
To  the  Chairman  : 

2099.  I  am  a  native  of  Ireland ;  have  been  in  the  United  States  since 
LS53  or  1854 :  I  got  a  paper  from  J.  M.  Moore,  purporting  to  be  a  certificate 
)f  naturalization ;  he  keeps  a  liquor  store  corner  of  Thirty-fifth  street 
md  Ninth  avenue  ;  I  happened  to  be  in  there  one  day  and  to  remark  how 
mrious  it  was  that  as  long  as  I  had  been  in  the  country  I  had  never 
^oted ;  he  asked  why  it  was,  and  I  said  it  was  neglect  on  my  part ;  he 


208  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

said  he  could  get  papers  for  me  for  a  dollar  ;  I  gave  him  a  dollar,  and 
on  the  following  Saturday  evening  he  handed  me  the  paper. 

James  E.  Clifford  sworn  and  examined. 

To  the  Chairman  : 

2100.  I  am  engaged  as  foreman  of  the  job  press-room  by  the  New  York 
Printing  Company ;  we  printed  blank  forms  of  naturalization  certificates 
and  of  applications,  of  different  kinds,  for  the  various  courts ;  the  print- 
ing was  done  for  six  or  eight  weeks  previous  to  the  November  election; 
we  would  print  sometimes  5,000,  sometimes  10,000  ;  we  may  have  printed 
in  all  100,000;  the  forms  now  shown  me  (referred  to  in  the  testimony  of 
Nathaniel  Jarvis,  jr.,  and  of  Emanuel  S.  Goldstein)  look  like  those  we 
printed;  we  had  sometimes  one  press  running  at  this  work,  some- 
times three  or  four ;  one  press  would  work  off'  about  10,000  a  day. 

To  Mr.  Kerr  : 
We  have  printed  these  blanks  before,  prior  to  other  elections  ;  there 
was  more  of  this  printing  done  than  was  taken  out  of  the  building, 
because  we  ran  short  of  them  at  one  time,  and  after  that  we  always  had 
some  on  hand;  we  did  that  on  our  own  motion;  they  were  printed  by 
order  of  the  superintendent ;  I  do  not  know  any  of  the  clerks  of  the 
courts,  Mr.  Sweeney,  Mr.  Jarvis,  or  Mr.  Loew;  I  do  not  know  the  sheriff 
or  mayor. 

2101.  Q.  With  what  political  party  do  you  act? 
A.  The  republican  party. 

2102.  Q.  With  what  party  do  the  other  principal  employes  of  the 
convpany  act? 

A.  Some  are  republican,  and  others  democratic. 

New  York,  December  29,  1868. 
John  Robertson  sworn  and  examined. 
To  the  Chairman  : 

2103.  I  am  a  native  of  the  United  States.  I  was  furnished  with  a 
naturalization  certificate  by  a  person  named  Winter  or  Winters — Fred- 
erick, 1  think;  it  was  right  after  the  Pennsylvania  October  election 
this  year.  It  was  the  first  time  I  ever  saw  the  man.  He  said  he  had 
papers  for  me  and  would  like  to  have  a  little  money  on  them.  I  said  I  i 
did  not  know  anything  about  giving  money  for  papers.  He  told  me  he 
was  engaged  in  that  business.  I  think  the  paper  was  from  the  superior  ! 
court. 

To  Mr.  Kerr. 

2104.  I  am  not  positive  about  the  court.  An  acquaintance  of  mine, 
Mr.  Wood,  took  the  paper  over  to  the  police  headquarters.  I  am  a 
republican ;  so  is  Mr.  Wood.  Winter  told  me  he  was  a  democrat.  I 
never  saw  him  before  or  since,  and  do  not  know  where  he  can  be  found. 

New  York,  December  29, 1868. 
T.  J.  Gillmore  sworn  and  examined. 
To  the  Chairman: 

2105.  I  went  last  evening  to  serve  a  subpoena  issued  by  this  committee,  i 
directing  Paul  Dehlman  to  appear  as  a  witness.    The  name  is  Dellinger 
— not  Dehlman.    He  keeps  a  barber  shop  in  avenue  C.    When  I  went 
in,  Charles  Loew,  county  clerk,  was  there,  waiting  to  be  shaved,  and  there 
was  quite  a  crowd  of  other  roughs  there  too. 

2106.  Mr.  Kerr.  You  include  the  county  clerk  in4hat  description! 


ELECTJ ON  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  209 

Witness.  Yes,  sir.  When  I  presented  the  subpoena  to  the  barber  Mr. 
oew  told  hint  not  to  take  it  unless  J  had  the  original  to  show  him.  I 
lid  the  original  was  in  possession  of  the  committee.  Bellinger  would 
ot  take  the  subpoena,  and  as  they  showed  a  disposition  to  be  quarrel- 
Mne  I  left. 

To  Mr.  Kerr: 

2107.  This  was  last  night.  1  have  no  regular  employment  at  present, 
was  employed  to  serve  this  subpoena  by  Mr.  Davenport,  the  elerk  of 

ie  committee.     I  have  no  stationary  business  at  present. 

2108.  Q.  Do  you  belong  to  that  distinguished  class  that  you  call 
roughs  f 

A.  No,  sir. 

2109.  Q.  What  are  your  politics! 
A.  Republican. 

2110.  Q.  You  ait  sure  you  know  Mr.  Loew,  clerk  of  the  supreme  court! 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

2111.  Q.  AVhat  was  he  doing  there! 

A.  Waiting  to  be  shaved.  I  told  him  1  did  not  come  to  serve  a  sub- 
cena  on  him,  but  on  the  other  party,  and  to  mind  his  own  business. 

2112.  Q.  What  did  he  reply? 

A.  He  did  not  reply  to  me.  He  told  the  barber  not  to  take  the  sub- 
ceaa  unless  he  saw  the  original.  He  knew  that  it  was  not  the  original 
held  in  my  hand,  because  he  looked  over  my  shoulder. 

Andrew  J.  Broas  sworn  and  examined. 
To  the  Chairman  : 

2113.  1  was  inspector  of  elections  at  the  last  election  in  the  12th  dis- 
rict  of  the  13th  ward.  On  the  first  day  of  registry  a  man  named  Tirno- 
liy  Cullom  was  registered  from  No.  20  Goerck  street ;  but  immediately 
liter  he  left  we  discovered  that  that  house  was  not  in  our  district,  and 
ve  sent  an  officer  to  notify  him.  The  name  was  erased  from  the  registry. 
)n  the  day  of  election  the  same  man  presented  himself  to  vote,  but  his 
rame  was  not  on  the  registry,  and  finally  he  said  he  resided  at  No.  29 
loerck  street,  which  is  in  the  district.  I  objected  to  his  being  allowed 
o  vote,  as  he  was  not  registered;  my  republican  colleague,  Mr.  Austin, 
vas  also  opposed  to  his  being  allowed  to  vote;  but  one  of  the  democratic 
tispectors,  John  J.  Mulligan,  put  in  the  vote  forcibly,  against  our  protest. 

subsequently  ascertained,  prior  to  the  December  election,  that  the  man 
id  not  live  at  20  Goerek  street. 

By  Mr.  Eoss : 

2111.  Q.  Then  all  this  story  is  that  the  man  made  a  mistake  in  giving 
ie  number  of  the  house,  and  that  he  was  a  legal  voter  ! 

A.  Yes,  sir.  I  believe  the  man  had  a  right  to  vote;  but  the  question 
as  whether  this  inspector  had  a  right  to  force  the  ballot  in  without  the 
ian  being  registered. 

2115.  Q.  Was  there  any  illegal  voting  in  your  precinct,  so  tar  as  you 
now  1 

A.  I  do  not  know  of  any  but  this  case.  There  were  437  votes  polled 
our  precinct. 

David  Crowley  recalled. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

2116.  Question.  By  the  testimony  of  Charles  E.  Loew,  clerk,  and  the 
Huralization  papers  referred  to  therein,  it  appears  that  John  King,  of 

14  T 


210  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

318  West  Forty-first  street,  was  the  witness  for  the  naturalization  of 
James  Brown,  William  Honig,  August  Betzel,  and  Henry  Beaume.  State 
if  there  is,  or  has  been,  any  such  person  at  that  place  as  John  King. 

Answer.  There  is  not.  lumbers  316,  318,  and  320  West  Forty-first 
street  comprise  a  wood  yard,  kept  by  J.  Blair.  Nobody  resides  there,  and 
there  is  no  place  there  to  live  in. 

2117.  Q.  By  the  same  testimony  and  papers  it  appears  that  Robert 
Blume,  24  Clinton  street,  was  the  witness  for  the  naturalization  of  Fred- 
erick Henney,  Joseph  Herbert,  James  McCarty,  Hugh  Smith,  and  Michael 
Dunn.  State  if  there  is,  or  has  been,  any  such  person  as  Robert  Blume 
at  that  place. 

A.  1  Avent  there  last  evening  and  inquired  at  Nos.  22  and  24,  there  being 
but  one  entrance  to  the  rear  buildings.  I  went  into  the  buildings  on 
both  numbers,  rear  and  front,  and  could  not  find  out  any  such  man. 

2118.  Q.  By  the  same  testimony  and  papers  it  appears  that  Maurice 
Baker,  62  Washington  street,  was  the  witness  for  the  naturalization  of 
Patrick  Rafferty,  James  R.  Smith,  and  Samuel  Reynolds.  State  whether 
any  such  person  is,  or  has  been,  residing  at  that  place. 

A.  No,  sir.  That  is  a  storehouse,  with  the  entrance  on  \Yest  street, 
and  has  been  for  the  last  four  years.  T  inquired  at  the  office,  but  they 
knew  nothing  of  any  such  person. 

R.  W.  Mc  Alpine  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

2119.  Question.  State  your  business. 
Answer.  Journalist. 

2120.  Q.  For  what  paper  ? 

A.  For  several.  In  October  last  I  was  on  duty  for  the  New  York  Tri- 
bune. 

2121.  Q.  State  what  occurred  under  your  observation  in  any  of  the 
courts  of  this  city  where  naturalization  was  going  on. 

A.  I  made  but  one  visit  to' a  naturalization  court  in  this  city.  It  was 
near  the  time  of  the  November  election.  I  was  requested  by  the  man- 
aging editor  of  the  Tribune  to  visit  the  naturalization  court  Avhere  Judge 
Barnard  was  sitting,  and  to  write  a  spicy  but  accurate  account  of  what 
I  saw.  I  went  to  the  court  with  the  intention  of  learning  something  of 
the  modus  operandi  of  making  American  citizens.  I  sat  for  perhaps  half 
an  hour  before  I  saw  anything  particular  being  done  except  si mp jy  call- 
ing out  names.  At  a  given  time  a  certain  number  of  persons  whose 
names  had  been  called  were  gathered  in  the  middle  of  the  court-room, 
and  then  the  process  of  swearing  these  men  in  as  citizens  was  gone  into. 
What  I  noticed  was  that  there  could  not,  by  any  possibility,  have  been 
more  than  two  or  three  men  who  could  have  touched  the  Bible  at  the 
same  time,  and  I  noticed  that  when  the  judge  directed  that  those  who 
could  not  reach  the  Bible  should  raise  their  right  hands,  there  were  very 
few  in  that  crowd  who  raised  their  right  hand  or  any  other  hand.  The 
judge,  while  either  waiting  for  a  new  batch  of  men  to  swear  in,  or  for 
some  other  reason,  made  some  remarks  from  the  bench  in  reference  to 
certain  strictures  that  had  appeared  in  the  papers  of  the  city,  and  spoke 
of  the  writers  as  a  set  of  scoundrels  who  had  charged  him  falsely.  He 
said  he  intended  to  see  that  those  worthy  citizens  in  front  of  him  should 
be  protected  in  their  rights.  Then  he  ordered  the  court-room  to  be 
cleared.  He  said:  " Those  who  have  not  come  here  for  the  purpose  of 
being  naturalized,  or  who  are  not  here  by  order  of  the  court,  will  imme- 
diately leave.  If  they  do  not  immediately  leave  they  will  be  ejected  by 
the  officers  of  the  court."     At  the  beginning  of  the  address  I  had  risen 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  211 

om  my  seat,  and,  before  the  judge  had  fairly  concluded  his  remarks, 
i  officer  of  the  court  took  me  by  the  arm.  "Say,"  said  he,  "did  you 
,me  here  to  be  naturalized?"  "No,"  said  I,  "I  did  not."  "Then  the 
oner  you  get  out  of  here  the  better."  So,  without  letting  go  my  arm 
all,  he  marched  me  off  towards  the  public  entrance  of  the  court-room, 
lat  had  been  locked  and  bolted  after  my  entrance  into  the  room.  Then 
e  were  obliged  to  pass  through  that  crowd  of  as  yet  unnaturalized  citi- 
ns,  past  the  judge's  bench,  and  through  the  private  door.  That  ended 
y  experience  of  a  naturalization  court,  except  that  I  wrote  up  a  full, 
ir,  and  impartial  account  of  what  I  saw.  This  was  the  supreme  court, 
tfore  Judge  Barnard. 

2122.  Q.  How  many  lots  of  men  were  sworn  while  you  were  in  court? 
A.  I  think  only  two  lots. 

2123.  Q.  About  how  many  in  each  lot? 

A.  I  should  say  there  were  from  60  to  100  in  each  lot. 

2124.  Q.  How  long  were  you  in  the  court  ? 

A.  Perhaps  an  hour.  I  was  quite  interested  in  it,  as  I  had  never  before 
sen  persons  naturalized? 

2125.  Q.  State  what  you  heard  as  to  witnesses  being  sworn  in  reference 
>  naturalization  applications. 

A.  I  have  no  recollection,  whatever,  of  anything  being  said  on  that 
icasion  in  relation  to  witnesses.  I  remember  that  there  were  some 
►rmalities,  but  what  they  were  I  do  not  recollect.  I  know  that  the 
ames  of  witnesses  were  called,  and  I  remember  seeing  the  clerk  pass 
ack  certain  witness  papers  with  the  remark  that  they  were  not  properly 
lade  out. 

2120.  Q.  Who  administered  the  oath? 

A.  The  clerk,  I  think.     On  that  point  I  am  not  certain. 

2126 J.  Q.  Who  was  the  clerk? 

A.  1  do  not  know  his  name. 

By  Mr.  HOPKINS: 

2127.  Q.  You  saw  the  whole  process,  did  you? 

A.  Most  of  those  men  were  in  the  room  before  I  entered.  1  suppose 
ome  entered  after  I  came  in.  The  space  was  contracted.  The  men  who 
fere  being  sworn  occupied  the  middle  of  the  room ;  and  those  who  had 
»een  sworn,  or  who  were  about  to  be  sworn,  occupied  the  side. 

2128.  Q.  Did  the  judge  call  each  man  up  to  him  and  examine  him 
eparately  as  to  his  qualifications? 

A.  Nothing  of  that  sort  at  all. 

2129.  Q.  The  oath  was  administered  to  the  whole  promiscuous  crowd  ? 
A.  To  the  whole  batch. 

By  Mr.  Dickey: 

2180.  Q.  What  proportion  of  those  men  either  kissed  the  book  or  held 
p  their  hands? 

A.  Not  more  than  one-eighth  of  them  took  the  oath;  in  reality,  most 
f  the  men  in  the  batch  which  I  particularly  noticed  were  engaged  in 
onversation  at  the  time  the  oath  was  being  administered. 

2131.  Q.  At  the  time  the  judge  made  this  order  for  the  closing  of  the 
ourt-room,  were  you  taking  notes? 

A.  ]So,  sir;  I  did  not  take  a  note  while  I  was  in  the  court-room. 

By  Mr.  Boss : 

2132.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  any  of  those  men  were  being  naturak 
sed  at  the  time,  except  those  who  either  put  their  hands  on  the  book 
r  held  up  their  hands  ? 


212  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK 

A.  I  do  not  know,  except  that  they  were  gathered  by  the  officers  of 
the  court. 

2133.  Q.  But  do  you  know  that  those  other  men,  who  did  not  holdup 
their  hands,  were  not  waiting  to  have  their  names  called? 

A.  Those  who  were  waiting"  to  be  called  were  standing  where  1  was. 
When  a  man's  name  was  called  he  Avent  down  from  a  little  raised  plat- 
form and  walked  down  into  this  herd  of  men. 

2134.  Q.  I  do  not  know  how  you  can  tell  that  there  were  other  men 
naturalized  except  those  who  raised  their  hands ! 

A.  I  would  not  be  competent,  of  course,  to  swear  that  those  men  were 
naturalized;  but  still,  I  have  every  reason  to  believe  that  that  was  so. 

2135.  Q.  You  do  not  know  that  there  were  any  men  naturalized,  except 
those  who  did  hold  up  their  hands  or  kiss  the  book  ! 

A.  I  supposed,  at  the  time,  that  all  those  men  who  were  herded 
together  by  the  officers  of  the  court — brought  up  in  a  squad  in  the  middle 
of  the  room,  and  ordered  by  the  officers  of  the  court  to  hold  up  their 
right  hands — were  brought  in  there  for  the  purpose  of  being  naturalized. 
I  heard  the  officer  ask  several  of  them  why  they  did  not  hold  up  their 
hands.  It  struck  me  that  those  who  did  hold  up  their  hands  were  all 
paying  attention  to  the  words  of  the  judge  or  clerk. 

2130.  Q.  I  suppose  the  others  were  waiting  their  turn. 

A.  I  could  not  understand  it  so. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

2137.  Q.  Was  there  a  larger  number  of  names  called  than  there  were 
men  holding  up  their  hands  or  kissing  the  book  I 

A.  Yes,  sir;  for  once  in  awhile  a  name  would  be  called  to  which  there 
would  be  no  answer.     There  was  a  larger  number  of  names  called.    If 
the  man  answered  to  his  name  he  walked  down — sometimes  escorted  by  { 
an  officer — into  the  crowd. 

2138.  Q.  How  many  do  you  suppose  answered  to  their  names  and  were 
marched  into  this  herd  ? 

A.  I  suppose  that  in  each  one  of  these  batches  there  were  from  00  to 
100  men. 

2139.  Q.  Out  of  these  batches,  what  proportion  took  the  oath  f 

A.  1  thought  that  night  that  about  one  out  of  eight  or  ten  took  the 
oath. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

2140.  Q.  How  did  the  number  of  names  called  compare  with  the  num- 
ber herded  together  ? 

A.  It  was  very  nearly  a  tally.  There  were  very  few  who  did  not  ans- 
wer to  their  names. 

New  York,  December  21),  1808. 
William  Joralemon  sworn  and  examined,  (at  the  instance  of  Mr. 

Koss.) 

To  Mr.  Boss: 

2141.  I  was  inspector  of  elections  in  the  5th  district  of  the  0th  ward. 
My  republican  colleague  was  Mr.  Lynch,  and  the  democratic  inspectors 
were  Messrs.  Brophy  and  Donnelly.^  I  do  not  know  of  any  illegal  votes 
being  given  there.  I  think  we  took  all  proper  precautions  to  guard  the 
polls  and  the  registry  against  illegal  votes.  All  my  colleagues  seemed 
desirous  of  guarding  against  frauds.  I  saw  no  evidence  of  any  of  them 
desiring  to  get  in  fraudulent  votes.  All  the  votes  that  we  had  any  doubt 
doubt  about  were  sworn  and  were  pretty  thoroughly  examined. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  213 

2142.  Q.  Did  the  board  act  with  unanimity  in  admitting  or  excluding 
otes ! 

A.  It  did. 

2143.  Q.  It  did  not  appear  to  be  acting  in  a  party  spirit  ? 

A.  No,  sir.  One  of  the  democratic  inspectors  was  complained  of  by 
is  own  party  for  being  too  much  on  the  republican  side. 

2144.  Q.  You  thought  they  all  acted  fairly  and  justly'? 
A.  I  did. 

2145.  Q.  And  you  do  not  know  of  any  illegal  registering  or  illegal 
oting? 

A.  I  do  not. 

2140.  Q.  There  was  nothing  to  interfere  with  the  legitimate  exercise, 
f  the  elective  franchise? 
A.  Xo,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Hopkiiss  : 

2147.  Q.  Do  you  live  in  the  district ! 
A.  I  do  not. 

2148.  Q.  What  proportion  of  the  voters  do  you  know ! 

A.  I  do  not  know  any  of  them;  but  the  other  three  inspectors  lived 
i  the  ward,  and  one  of  them  in  the  district. 

214!).  Q.  What  proportion  of  the  voters  in  that  precinct  are  foreign 
orn  ? 

A.  Three-fourths  of  them. 

2150.  Q.  Irishmen  t 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

2151.  Q.  What  proportion  voted  on  new  naturalization  papers? 
A.  A  good  many ;  I  suppose  one-fourth. 

2152.  Q.  Two  hundred  or  two  hundred  and  fifty  ! 
A.  I  should  think  so. 

2153.  Q.  Did  you  scrutinize  those  papers  ! 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

2154.  Q.  Did  you  swear  them  \ 
A.  Yes.  sir. 

2155.  Q.  Two  hundred  and  fifty  5 

A.  I  cannot  swear  positively  that  that  number  were  sworn,  but  there 
rere  a  great  many. 

By  Mr.  Boss : 

2156.  Q.  You  swore  all  that  any  of  the  board  thought  doubtful? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

2157.  Q.  Was  it  not  the  habit  for  Two  of  the  inspectors  to  vouch  for 
arties  \ 

A.  In  some  instances.  Three  of  the  inspectors  were  residents  of  the 
ard. 

2158.  Q.  And  when  one  of  the  inspectors  vouched  for  a  party  you  did 
ot  examine  him  I 

A.  Sometimes  we  did. 

2150.  Q.  But  generally  you  did  not ! 

A.  We  examined  them  pretty  generally,  but  not  as  a  general  thing. 

21G0.  Q.  As  a  general  thing,  did  you  not  take  the  naturalization  papers 
3  prima  facie  evidence  of  the  right  to  vote ! 

A.  We  questioned  the  men  as  to  where  they  got  the  papers,  and 
nether  they  had  been  in  court,  &c. 


214  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

2161.  Q.  Was  it  not  easy  for  a  largo  number  of  these  men  to  have 
registered  on  fraudulent  papers  ! 
A.  I  think  so. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 
2102.  Q.  What  proportion  of  voters  did  yon  personally  know? 
A.  Scarcely  any. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

2163.  Q.  When  persons  came  with  new  naturalization  papers,  were  . 
they  generally  registered  on  them  without  inquiry? 

A.  No,  sir.     1  tried  my  best  to  keep  them  out. 

2164.  Q.  What  proportion  of  them  were  sworn  ! 
A.  I  suppose  we  swore  200. 

By  Mr.  Ross : 

2105.  Q.  You  were  one  of  the  republican  inspectors  ! 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

2166.  Q.  Did  your  republican  colleague  and  yourself  vouch  for  persons 
who  were  registered  1 
A.  He  did ;  I  did  not. 

2107.  Q.  And  the  democrats  extended  that  courtesy  to  him,  the  same  j 
as  you  did  to  tltem  ? 

A.  O,  yes:  we  had  no  trouble  at  all. 

New  York',  December  29,  1868. 
Charles  E.Wilbur  sworn  and  examined. 
To  the  Chairman: 

2108.  I   am    president    of   the    New    York    Printing    Company,   and ! 
have  been   since  its  commencement,  two   or   three  years  ago.    We  J 
printed  naturalization   blanks  for  the  various  courts  this  year  as  fol- 
lows:    For  the  superior  court:    October  2,  10,000  certificates  of  natu- 
ralization;   October  8,   10,000  certificates  of  naturalization;    October! 
15,  10,000  certificates  of  naturalization ;  October  3,  10,000  applications ;  I 
October  16,  20,000  applications  of  four  or  five  different  kinds.     I  believe 
they  were  delivered  to  the  officers  of  the  court ;  that  is  our  custom.     We 
printed  for  the  supreme  court:  October  6,  5,000  certificates  of  naturali- 
zation;   October  12,  5,000   certificates  of  naturalization:    October  15, 
10,000  certificates  of  naturalization ;  October  20,  10,000  certificates  of 
naturalization ;  October  6,  25,000  applications,  5,000  each  of  five  differ-  j 
ent  kinds;  October  12,  5,000  applications;  October  13,  10,000  applica- 
tions; October  16,  5,000  applications;  October  10,  5,000  applications;  i 
October  22,  5,000  applications.     They  were  delivered,  I  believe,  to  the  j 
officers  of  the  court.     The  aggregates  are:  for  the  superior  court,  30,000  ( 
certificates  of  naturalization  and  30,000  applications ;  for  the  supreme 
court,  30,000  certificates  of  naturalization  and  60,000  applications.    1 
know  no  reason  why  there  should  be  more  applications  in  the  supreme  j 
court  than  in  the  superior.     I  should  suppose  there  would  be  two  or  three 
times  as  many  applications  needed  as  certificates.     I  do  not  recollect  our  ; 
having  printed  naturalization  certificates  for  the  supreme  court  prior  to 
this  time.     There  may  be  many  blanks  on  hand  in  the  offices  of  the  clerks 
of  the  courts;  there  are  none  in  our  office.     The  company  is  a  stock, 
company. 

2169.  Question.  State  its  members,  so  far  as  you  know. 
Answer.  I  do  not  know  that  that  is  necessary  for  the  purposes  of  this 
investigation. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  215 

2170.  Q.  You  decline  to  answer  ? 
A.  I  prefer  not  to. 

2171.  Q.  Will  you  exhibit  to  the  committee  copies  of  the  blanks  print- 
ed at  your  office  ? 

A.  Here  is  a  copy  of  each  one,  with  the  date  and  the  quantity  marked 
thereon. 

2172.  Q.  On  whose  order  were  these  printed  f 

A.  I  cannot  tell  positively;  but  the  orders  do  come  from  the  clerks  of 
the  courts  by  messengers. 

2173.  Q.  State  if  any  were  printed  on  the  order  of  any  other  person 
than  the  clerks  of  the  courts, 

A.  On  the  order  of  no  other  person  than  the  clerk  or  his  deputy. 
2171.  Q.  Was  Mr.  Loew,  the  clerk  of  the  supreme  court,  at  your  office 
this  morning  f 
A.  jSTot  that  I  know  of. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

2175.  Q.  Does  your  company  do  all  the  printing  of  blanks  for  the 
courts  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know.  If  I  thought  any  of  it  was  done  elsewhere  I  would 
try  to  get  the  whole  business.  We  are  the  printers  for  the  county,  and 
all  this  work  is  charged  to  the  county. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

2176.  Q.  Did  your  company  print  Mr.  Tilden's  circular,  referred  to  in 
the  testimony  of  John  T.  Hoffman  f 

A.  It  did  not. 

2177.  Q.  Did  you  print  blank  mandamuses  prior  to  the  last  presiden- 
tial election  ? 

A.  We  did  not. 

New  York,  December  29,  18G8. 
Samuel  J.  Glassey  recalled  and  examined. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

2178.  Question.  State  what  application  you  made,  if  any,  to  Charles  E. 
Loew,  clerk  of  the  supreme  court,  for  permission  to  inspect  the  naturali- 
zation papers  in  his  office  this  year,  and  what  he  said  and  did  about  it? 

Answer.  I  called  upon  Mr.  Loew  about  four  or  five  weeks  ago,  having 
previously  written  him  a  letter  stating  that  I  desired  to  make  an  examina- 
tion of  those  records,  and  having  received  a  verbal  reply  from  him  to 
the  effect  that  he  wished  to  see  me.  I  had  an  interview  with  him  in  his 
office,  and  he  asked  what  I  wanted  to  do  with  the  papers.  I  told  him  I 
desired  to  make  an  examination  of  a  great  many  of  the  original  records 
to  ascertain  the  total  number  naturalized  during  the  month  of  October, 
and  the  number  naturalized  on  each  day  in  that  month,  and  that  I  should 
want  to  examine  nearly  all  of  the  original  records.  He  said  that  he  had 
shown  my  note  received  the  day  before,  to  a  gentleman  whose  name  he 
mentioned,  a  lawyer  of  this  city,  an  acquaintance  of  his  own,  Abraham 
R.  Lawrence.  Kot  knowing  me  personally,  he  had  consulted  Mr.  Law- 
rence, who  told  him  that  he  knew  me  well,  and  that  I  was  a  very  respect- 
able person.  Mr.  Loew  said:  "I  should  have  no  personal  objection  to 
allowing  you  to  examine  these  papers,  but  I  do  not  think  I  can  allow 
them  to  be  examined  at  all,  because  if  I  can  let  you  do  it  I  must  let  any 
member  of  the  bar  who  chooses  to  ask  it  do  it  also."  I  told  him  that  I 
had  a  distinct,  and,  as  I  conceived,  a  legitimate  purpose,  in  view ;  that 


ujjiiV/i  iv/n       J-  J.V n.  kj  u KJ      ill       nun        n/ni\. 


I  desired  to  make  this  examination  in  behalf  of  the  Union  League  club, 
with  a  view  of  ascertaining  whether  there  wen1  or  were  not  irregulari- 
ties and  frauds  which  had  been  charged;  that  I  had  no  bias  or  preju- 
dice in  the  matter,  and  proposed  to  ascertain  only  the  tacts  as  they 
existed.  Tie  said  he  was  perfectly  willing,  so  far  as  lie  was  personally 
concerned.  He  had  very  little  to  do  with  the  matter  of  naturalization, 
but  he  was  not  willing  to  allow  the  papers  to  be  examined  generally; 
that  if  I  would  give  him  the  names  of  any  particular  individuals  whose 
papers  1  wanted  to  see,  he  would  have  them  looked  up.  I  then  asked 
for  a  number,  which  he  said  he  could  not  give,  because  the  papers  were 
not  yet  arranged  and  indexed;  he  said  it  was  being  done  as  rapidly  as 
possible.  I  had  more  than  a  week  previously  made  some  inquiries  of 
the  clerk,  Mr.  Westlake,  in  charge  of  the  book  in  which  the  papers  arc 
indexed,  and  observed  that  he  had  indexed  the  proceedings  of  six  days, 
from  the  7th  to  the  12th  of  October  inclusive,  and  he  had  made  little  or 
no  progress  during  the  week  before  I  saw  Mr.  Loew.  1  had  two  inter- 
views with  Mr.  Loew,  and  I  think  at  the  second  of  them  he  said  that  he 
had  had  some  conversation  on  the  subject  with  Judge  Barnard,  and  that 
Judge  Barnard  had  expressed  the  opinion  that  he  ought  not  to  permit 
me  to  make  any  general  examination,  or,  as  he  expressed  it,  to  overhaul 
his  records. 

Mr.  Kerr  objected  to  the  witness  stating  what  somebody  else  had 
said  to  him,  and  moved  that  the  statement  in  reference  to  what  Judge 
Barnard  had  said  be  stricken  out. 

The  question  was  put  and  the  committee  refused  to  strike  it  out. 

2179.  Q.  State  if  you  got  permission  to  examine  the  records. 

A.  I  did  not.  He  said  that  he  would  have  any  particular  record  rela- 
ting to  individuals  Avhose  names  I  could  give  him  looked  for.  I  had 
with  me  a  list  of  some  six  or  seven  names,  and  showed  them  to  Mr. 
Westlake,  whom  [was  informed  had  charge  of  the  papers,  and  he  found 
one,  and  others  he  could  not  find,  because  he  said  they  had  not  yet 
been  reached;  under  the  arrangement  they  had  not  yet  got  to  that  day. 

2180.  Q.  State  if  you  communicated  to  Mr.  Loew  the  fact  that  you  had 
been  employed  as  counsel  by  the  Union  League,  to  investigate  this 
matter. 

A.  I  did  explain  it  to  him  Aery  distinctly. 

2181.  Q.  State  if  you  are  an  officer  of  the  court. 

A.  I  am  an  attorney  and  counsellor  at  law,  and  have  been  for  some 
12  years. 

2182.  Q.  State  anything  that  has  occurred  between  you  and  Mr. 
Sweeney  recently,  yesterday  or  to-day,  in  relation  to  the  examination 
of  the  naturalization  papers  in  his  office. 

A.  I  have  never  had  any  personal  interview  with  Mr.  Sweeney,  although 
E  have  had  a  great  deal  of  business  with  his  office ;  I  have  never  seen 
him,  and  though  I  called  at  his  office  yesterday  afternoon  with  a  com- 
munication from  the  chairman  of  this  committee,  Mr.  Sweeney  not  being 
there,  nor  his  chief  deputy,  1  gave  it  to  the  gentleman  who  was  in  charge 
of  the  office,  Mr.  Westlake.  I  communicated  its  contents  to  him,  and 
left  it  with  him,  he  saying  that  he  would  deliver  it  to  Mr.  Sweeney  per- 
sonally, and  that  it  was  already  arranged  that  the  desired  examination 
should  be  made,  and  that  the  papers  would  be  all  in  readiness  for  exam 
ination  by  nine  o'clock  this  morning,  and  if  I  went  in  there  this  morn- 
ing I  would  have  free  access  to  the  papers.  I  called  there  this  morning 
for  that  purpose,  and  Mr.  Westlake  informed  me  that  he  saw  Mr.  Swee- 
ney yesterday  afternoon  and  delivered  him  my  letter,  and  Mr.  Sweeney 
said  that  while  he  was  perfectly  willing  that  the  examination  should 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  217 

ake  place,  he  thought  it  proper  that  he  should  communicate  with  the 
ustices  of  the  court  before  allowing  it  to  be  commenced,  and  that  he 
vould  see  the  judges  early  this  morning  and  be  ready  for  me  by  11 
>'clock.  I  waited  until  11  o'clock,  but  Mr.  Sweeney  did  not  appear ;  I 
vent  to  his  office  at  12  o'clock  and  was  informed  that  he  had  not  been 
here;  I  waited  15  minutes  and  left  a  quarter  of  an  hour  ago.  Mr. 
Sweeney  had  not  been  there  this  morning. 

2183.  Q.  Will  you  produce  that  communication? 

A.  I  left  it  with  Mr.  Westlake  to  be  delivered  to  Mr.  Sweeney,  and 
Hr.  Westlake  informed  me  that  he  had  delivered  it. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 
2181.  Q.  How  long  have  you  been  practicing  law  in  this  city  I 
Q.  Twelve  years. 

2185.  Q.  What  courts  do  you  practice  in  I 
A.  In  all  the  courts  of  the  State. 

2186.  Q.  Where  do  you  live  % 

A.  Thirty-fifth  street,  in  this  city. 

2187.  Q.  Have  you  personally  known  Mr.  Loew  and  Mr.  Sweeney  for 
joine  time  past  ? 

A.  I  have  known  Mr.  Loew  for  some  two  or  three  years;  but  Mr. 
Sweeney,  the  clerk  of  the  superior  court,  I  don't  think  I  should  know  if 
[  met  him,  although  I  have  had  a  great  deal  of  business  with  that  court. 

2188.  Q.  What  kind  of  business  % 
A.  Law  business. 

2189.  Q.  What  is  the  name  of  your  firm  ? 

A.  I  have  no  firm.     I  have  a  partial  partnership  arrangement. 

2190.  Q.  Your  principal  practice  of  law  has  been  in  connection  with 
the  Union  League  in  looking  up  naturalization  papers,  has  it  not  % 

A.  That  has  been  my  principal  employment  for  the  last  four  or  five 
weeks,  not  before  that. 

2191.  Q.  Have  you  any  objections  to  state  what  the  Union  League 
pays  you  for  that  service  \ 

A.  I  really  don't  know.  I  have  received  a  retaining  fee,  but  have 
rendered  no  bill  and  made  no  charge.     I  am  a  member  of  the  club  myself. 

2192.  Q.  Are  your  relations  with  Mr.  Loew  pleasant  ? 

A.  I  have  never  had  any  relations  with  him  at  all.  I  had  no  personal 
intercourse  until  I  called  on  him  on  this  occasion.  I  have  not  seen  Mr. 
Sweeney  in  his  office  although  I  have  been  there  many  times.  I  am 
3ersonally  very  well  acquainted  with  all  his  deputies. 

2193.  Q.  Are  you  devoting  yourself  to  giving  advice  and  assistance  to 
his  committee  now  ? 

A.  I  have  given  information  to  it;  1  do  not  undertake  to  give  any 
tdvice. 

2194.  Q.  Are  you  acting  as  attorney  for  this  committee  % 

A.  No,  sir;  I  am  acting  professionally  for  the  committee  of  the  Union 
jeague  club. 

2195.  Q.  Has  not  the  Union  League  directed  you  to  give  your  services 
o  this  committee  ? 

A.  The  club  has  given  me  no  directions  excepting  those  at  the  time 
commenced  to  act  for  it  six  weeks  ago. 
219G.  Q.  Hid  you  propose  their  memorial  to  Congress  % 
A.  Xo,  sir. 

2197.  Q,  Who  did  % 
A.  Mr.  Jay,  I  think. 

By  Mr.  Ross: 

2198.  Q.  Do  you  practice  in  the  United  States  courts  % 


6±0  ELEUT1UK     iVKAUDS    1JN     ISUW      1  UKK. 

A.  I  have  practiced  there,  but  have  never  been  legally  admitted;  I 
never  had  occasion  to  do  so  excepting  for  a  short  time  during  the  war, 
when  I  represented  the  War  Department  in  habeas  corpus  cases,  but  I 
practiced  in  all  the  courts  of  the  State. 

2109.  Q.  How  many  cases  have  you  commenced  in  the  supreme  court 
of  the  State  in  the  last  year  t 

A.  It  would  be  impossible  for  me  to  remember  now. 

2200.  Q.  How  many  have  you  commenced  in  all  the  courts  during  the 
last  year  1 

A.  Quite  a  large  number;  it  would  be  impossible  for  me  to  remember. 

New  York,  December  29,  1868. 
N.  H.  Springsteen  sworn  and  examined,  (at  the  instance  of  Mr.  Ross.) 

By  Mr.  Ross : 

2201.  Question.  You  were  one  of  the  election  officers  in  this  city  at  the 
November  election,  were  you  not  ! 

Answer.  I  was  an  inspector. 

2202.  Q.  In  what  ward  and  precinct? 

A.  In  the  19th  precinct  of  the  11th  ward. 

2203.  Q.  Who  were  your  colleagues  on  the  board  .' 
A.  Mr.  Hunt,  Mr.  Dallinger,  and  Mr.  Mansfield. 

2204.  Q.  State  to  the  committee  if  there  were  any  illegal  votes  regis- 
tered or  voted  to  your  knowledge  $ 

A.  Well,  Mr.  Brown  was  set  down  on  the  register,  but  he  was  a  sus 
picious  character,  and  what  they  called  at  the  time,  a  repeater. 

2205.  Q.  What  was  his  given  name  ! 

A.  I  don't  know.     When  he  came  up  to  vote  Mr.  Hunt  challenged 
him ;  he  swore  in  his  vote  and  he  went  immediately  from   there  into ' 
another  district  in  the  same  ward,  as  I  understand,  and  voted  there. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 
Q.  You  state  that  from  hearsay  ;  you  do  not  know  it,  do  you  f 
A.  No,  sir  5  I  do' not. 

By  Mr.  Ross : 

2206.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  your  own  knowledge  whether  that  man  was 
a  legal  voter  or  not  ? 

A.  I  do  not. 

2207.  Q.  Did  he  vote  ? 

A.  He  did  in  my  district;  he  voted  under  the  name  of  Thomas  J. 
Brown. 

2208.  Q.  Independent  of  that,  was  the  registry  and  the  polling  welL 
guarded  I 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

2209.  Q.  Did  you  swear  many  men  who  had  certificates  of  registry  : 
A.  A  good  many  of  them. 

2210.  Q.  About  what  proportion  of  them  shoidd  you  think  % 

A.  I  should  think  there  were  some  fifteen  or  twenty  that  were  sworn. 

2211.  Q.  Was  there  harmonious  action  in  your  board  with  reference 
to  excluding  illegal  voters  from  registering  and  from  voting  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  there  was. 

2212.  Q.  You  all  concurred  in  it  ? 

A.  We  all  concurred  in  having  things  done  fair  and  square. 

2213.  Q.  Was  any  one  admitted  to  register  or  vote  excepting  by  the 
consent  of  the  board  ? 

A.  Not  one. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  219 

2214.  Q.  And  in  this  the  board  all  concurred  f 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

2215.  Q.  From  all  you  know,  was  the  election  fairly  and  honestly  con- 
tacted* 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

221G.  Q.  How  many  yoters  are  there  in  your  precinct  or  election  dis- 
rict  ? 

A.  In  the  general  election,  I  think,  we  polled  in  the  neighborhood  of 
70  votes. 

2217.  Q.  Do  you  reside  in  the  precinct  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

2218.  Q.  How  many  voters  do  you  know  personally? 

A.  I  should  say  I  know  75  out  of  the  570 ;  that  is  to  say,  I  was 
icquainted  with  them  so  as  to  know  their  names. 

2219.  Q.  How  many  voted  in  your  precinct  on  naturalization  papers  ? 
A.  Two-thirds  of  them  are  German  and  Irish. 

2220.  Q.  Out  of  those  you  swore  fifteen  or  twenty  as  to  their  papers, 
ind  the  rest  were  not  sworn  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

2221.  Q.  Would  it  not  have  been  easy  for  many  men  who  came  there 
wi$h  new  papers  to  have  been  registered  ? 

A.  Every  one  of  those  papers  was  set  down  as  doubtful,  and  the 
majority  of  them  were  challenged. 

2222.  Q.  But  you  say  you  only  swore  fifteen  or  twenty  ! 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  and  the  men  swore  that  they  went  to  the  City  Hall  and 
got  their  papers. 

2223.  Q.  According  to  your  own  statement  about  350  men  voted  in 
that  precinct  on  neAV  naturalization  papers ;  what  means  had  you  of 
knowing  whether  their  papers  were  fraudulent  or  not  ? 

A.  A  great  many  of  them  were  old  papers,  dated  as  far  bade  as  1855. 

2224.  Q.  What  proportion  of  them? 
A.  More  than  one-half  or  two-thirds. 

2225.  Q.  Then  one-third,  or  175,  came  with  new  papers  l  What  means 
had  you  of  knowing  whether  they  had  fraudulent  papers  or  not?  Was 
it  not  easy  for  the  board  to  be  imposed  upon  by  those  men? 

A.  When  a  man  came  in  we  asked,  "  Where  did  you  get  these  papers, 
md  did  you  have  your  witnesses  with  youf  and  if  he  answered  cor- 
rectly what  more  could  we  do? 

2220.  Q.  Where  a  man  answered  in  that  way  did  you  not  administer 
in  oath? 

A.  No,  sir. 

2227.  Q.  You  only  administered  an  oath  to  such  men  as  failed  to 
mswer  the  question  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir.  Mr.  Hunt,  who  was  a  republican  and  was  well  posted, 
lid  all  the  questioning,  and  I  do  not  think  there  was  a  lot  of  inspectors 
inywhere  that  stuck  closer  to  their  work  than  ours  did. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

2228.  Q.  Did  you  hold  when  a  man  presented  a  certificate  of  naturali- 
sation that  it  was  on  the  face  of  it  evidence  that  he  was  entitled  to  vote? 

A.  Not  in  all  cases,  but  generally  so. 


220  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

By  Mr.  Ross : 

2229.  Q.  You  state  that  the  leading  man  on  that  board  who  made  the 
examination  was  a  republican  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

2230.  Q.  Did  you  or  your  democratic  colleagues  ask  that  any  man 
should  be  permitted  to  register  or  vote  whom  he  objected  to '? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Henry  Waltman  sworn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instance  of 
Mr.  Kerr.) 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

2231.  Question.  Where  do  you  reside? 
Answer.   11)7  avenue  C,  in  the  11th  ward. 
22:52.  Q.  What  office  have  you  been  elected  to? 

•    A.   I  was  elected  member  of  the  assembly  on  the  3d  of  November  last. 

2233.  Q.  Of  what  party  were  yon  the  candidate? 
A.  The  democratic  party. 

2234.  Q.  Did  you  attend  in  person  at  the  polls  in  district  No.  ID,  in 
the  11th  wTard,  on  the  day  of  election? 

A.  No,  sir,  I  did  not. 

2235.  Q.  State  generally  what  knowledge  you  had  on  the  subject  of 
the  existence  of  fraudulent  and  spurious  certificates  of  naturalization 
during  the  last  presidential  campaign. 

A.   I  had  not  any  knowledge  of  any  of  it. 

2236.  Q.  State  whether  you  knew^  or  now  know  that  dining  that  cam- 
paign any  person  in  your  district  acting  in  the  interest  of  the  democratic 
party,  or  the  republican  party,  was  engaged  in  selling  or  giving  away  or 
procuring  or  distributing,  or  in  any  way  unlawfully  using,  such  certificates 
of  naturalization. 

A.  I  do  not  know  of  anything  of  the  kind  unlawfully. 

2237.  Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  saying  that  you  did  not  know  of  it 
unlawfully  ? 

A.  I  have  been  in  courts  where  naturalization  was  going  on,  and  have 
seen  persons  naturalized.  I  did  not  know  whether  some  of  them  resided 
in  my  district  or  not,  and  for  that  reason  I  say  I  did  not  know  anything 
of  what  Avas  going  on. 

2238.  Q.  State  to  the  committee  whether,  during  the  last  presidential 
campaign,  you  handed  voters  in  your  assembly  district  or  elsewhere  in 
the  city,  with  a  view  to  have  them  vote  in  this  election,  either  legal  or 
unlawful  certificates  of  naturalization. 

A.  I  have  handed  them  lawful  certificates. 

2239.  Q.  Can  you  name  some  of  the  persons  f 

A.  I  have  no  record  of  it,  but  I  can  tell  you  the  way  1  procured  them, 
or  the  part  I  took  in  it.  In  the  first  place  there  are  a  great  many  per- 
sons that  have  procured  papers  in  prior  years,  and  have  lost  their  pai>ers, 
and  in  order  to  have  their  names  registered  they  are  compelled  to  show 
papers,  provided  the  inspectors  demand  it,  and  it  therefore  becomes 
necessary  for  them  to  procure  duplicates  of  their  papers.  In  order  to 
give  persons  the  necessary  information  and  save  time  I  would  take  the 
names  and  residences  and  the  year  in  which  they  took  out  their  papers, 
and  the  witnesses  to  their  papers,  and  procure  duplicates  for  them.  1 
had  an  office  at  No.  8(>  avenue  C,  and  in  the  evenings,  after  the  judges 
made  up  their  minds  to  naturalize  in  the  evening,  in  order  to  save  the 
people  annoyance  in  waiting  for  the  clerk  to  make  out  their  applications 
for  certificates,  I  Avould  make  out  the  application  for  them,  and  they 
would  come  down  with  their  witnesses  to  the  court  and  go  through  the 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  221 

regular  form.  They  could  not,  however,  all  get  their  papers  that  even 
ng,  and  I  would  get  them  for  them  the  next  day.  In  that  way  I  have 
umdled  some  persons7  certificates. 

2240.  Q.  Did  you  ever,  at  any  time  during  the  last  election,  hand  to 
my  person  who  was  a  voter,  or  wanted  to  vote,  a  certificate  of  natural 
zation  that  you  knew  to  be  fraudulent,  or  believed  to  be  fraudulent,  or 
md  reason  to  believe  to  be  fraudulent  ! 

A.  STo,  sir ;  I  did  not. 

2241.  Q.  Do  you  know  Richard  G.  Hunt ! 

A.  1  have  seen  the  gentleman,  and  am  slightly  acquainted  with  him. 
I  believe  his  name  is  Eichard.  though  I  am  not  positive  about  Eichard  G. 

2242.  Q.  I  refer  to  the  gentleman  who  was  inspector  and  registrar  in 
me  10th  district  of  the  11th  ward. 

A.  I  hear  that  he  was  inspector,  though  I  am  not  much  acquainted 
with  him. 

2243.  Q.  Do  you  know  what  his  politics  are  * 

A.  I  can  only  speak  from  what  I  have  heard,  but  1  believe  he  is  a 
republican. 

2244.  Q.  During  the  election  in  your  assembly  district,  do  you  know  of 
vour  own  knowledge  of  any  illegal  votes  having  been  cast  in  favor  of,  or 
upon  the  procurement  of,  either  political  party  ? 

A.  Of  my  own  personal  knowledge  I  do  not  know,  nor  have  I  heard 
anybody  say  that  illegal  votes  had  been  cast. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

2245.  Q.  How  many  of  these  papers  did  you  deliver  to  parties  in  the 
11th  ward? 

A.  I  cannot  exactly  state  the  number:  there  might  have  been  100  or 
200. 

2240.  Q.  How  many  of  them  were  certificates  of  former  naturalizations, 
and  how  many  new  certificates  t 

A.  There  were  quite  a  number  of  duplicates,  probably  100  or  200. 

2247.  Q.  How  many  new  papers  \ 

A.  About  the  same  proportion.  100  or  200. 

2248.  Q.  By  what  court  were  they  issued ! 

A.  Sonic  by  the  superior  court,  and  others  by  the  supreme  court. 

2249.  Q.  Were  you  present  when  any  of  these  parties  were  sworn 
procure  their  papers  .' 

A.  1  was.  during  the  day. 

2250.  Q.  How  large  a  proportion  were  procured  during  the  day,  and 
how  large  a  proportion  during  the  evening,  in  Judge  Barnard's  court? 

A.  In  the  day-time  the  people  waited  for  their  papers,  and  in  the  even- 
ing I  got  them  for  them. 

2251.  Q.  Were  you  in  court  in  the  evening! 

A.  Xo.  sir;  I  was  at  my  office.  The  parties  woidd  go  before  the  judge 
m  the  evening,  and  I  would  get  the  papers  the  next  day  from  the  clerk 
9f  the  court. 

2252.  Q.  Did  you  distribute  those  papers  at  vour  office,  or  did  you 
send  them  to  the  parties  ? 

A.  A  majority  of  them  1  kept  at  my  office,  and  the  parties  would  call 
tor  them,  but  some  left  their  residences  with  me.  and  asked  me  to  send 
them  their  papers. 

22.j.'5.  Q.  Have  you  a  branch  of  any  committee  for  this  purpose? 

A.  1  was  a  branch  of  the  general  'committee  of  Tammany  Hall  that 
took  this  matter  in  hand.  They  had  a  committee  of  naturalization,  but 
»  was  not  a  member  of  that  committee. 


222  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

2254.  Q.  Had  the  Tammany  committee,  of  which  you  are  a  member,  a 
naturalization  office  in  every  ward  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  how  many  offices  they  had;  they  had  no  more  than 
one  that  I  know  of. 

2255.  Q.  Where  was  it  * 

A.  It  was  here  on  Centre  street. 

2256.  Q.  How  many  offices  similar  to  yours,  at  which  parties  had  their 
papers  prepared,  were  there  in  this  city,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Tam- 
many Hall  committee  f 

A.  I  don't  know.  Each  ward  had  a  general  committee,  and  acted 
for  itself. 

2257.  Q.  How  many  of  these  papers  were  prepared  in  your  office ! 
A.  About  500. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

2258.  Q.  Did  the  parties  coming  to  you  have  their  papers  ready  for 
being  passed  upon  by  the  court  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir,  they  were  all  ready. 

2259.  Q.  Do  you  know  that  the  parties  that  were  applicants  took 
their  papers  to  the  court,  or  were  they  sent  down  to  the  court,  and  the 
papers  sent  back  to  you  ? 

A.  They  were  not  sent  back  to  me.  As  I  stated  before,  I  kept  a  mem- 
orandum of  those  who  had  appeared  before  Judge  Barnard,  so  that  I 
could  get  their  certificates. 

2260.  Q.  Do  you  not  know  that  some  of  the  men  for  whom  application 
was  made  at  your  office  never  went  to  the  court  until  their  papers  were 
received  ? 

A.  I  have  no  knowledge  of  that. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

2261.  Q.  Did  you  personally  know  all  the  persons  whose  applications 
were  made  at  or  through  your  office  ! 

A.  No,  indeed ;  but  a  very  small  proportion  of  them. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

2262.  Q.  You  stated  that  you  were  not  a  member  of  the  general  com- 
mittee on  Tammany  naturalizations? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  was  not  a  member  of  the  committee  on  naturalizations, 
but  I  was  a  member  of  the  general  committee. 

2263.  Q.  State  whether  you  know  anything  about  the  pretended  natu- 
ralization at  No.  6  Centre  street,  where  Bosenberg  acted  as  chief  clerk! 

A.  I  know  nothing  particular  about  it ;  I  was  in  there  once  or  twice, 
but  not  on  naturalization  business. 

New  York,  December  29,  1868. 
Joseph  Beinhart  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

2264.  Question.  Did  you  ever  go  into  any  court  to  be  naturalized? 
Answer.  No,  sir. 

2265.  Q.  Was  a  certificate  of  naturalization  furnished  to  you! 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  don't  know  exactly  when,  but  it  was  four  or  five  days 
before  the  last  election. 

2266.  Q.  Who  gave  it  to  you! 

A.  John  Perrine,  of  Forty-second  street,  between  Second  and  Third 
avenues. 

2267.  Q.  Did  you  ever  present  it  to  have  your  name  registered  as  a 
voter  ? 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  223 

A.  I  went  then  to  the  polls  and  wanted  to  be  registered,  and  they 
rould  not  register  my  name  and  J  went  off  again  and  did  not  vote. 

By  Mr.  Koss : 

2208.  Q.  How  long  have  yon  been  in  the  United  States? 
A.  Fifteen  years  next  New  Year. 

2209.  Q.  Did  yon  ever  get  your  first  papers  ? 
A.  I  never  got  any  papers. 

2270.  Q.  Have  yon  lived  in  this  city  all  the  time  ! 
A.  Yes,  sir;  I  have  lived  in  the  20th  ward  14  years. 

New  York,  December  29,  18G8. 
Alexander  Ostandeb  sworr  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

2271.  Question.  In  what  business  are  yon  engaged? 
Answer.  I  am  a  lawyer. 

2272.  Q.  How  long  have  you  been  so  engaged? 
A.  For  20  years  ;  for  12  years  in  this  city. 

2273.  Q.  State  what  yon  know,  if  anything,  of  illegal  voting  in  this 
aty  at  the  last  presidential  election. 

A.  I  spent  a  couple  of  hours  on  the  afternoon  of  election  day  down 
n  the  0th  ward ;  the  first  place  I  visited  was  the  poll  in  Elizabeth  street, 
f  think  in  the  0th  ward,  near  the  corner  of  Bayard  street ;  there  was  a 
grocery  store  on  the  corner  of  Bayard  and  Elizabeth  streets ;  I  noticed 
quite  a  crowd  in  the  store  and  about  it,  and  I  stepped  inside  for  the  pur- 
pose of  seeing  what  was  going  on ;  there  were  several  men  leaning  over 
the  counter,  engaged,  as  I  thought,  in  looking  over  some  papers ;  a  man 
in  a  bine  coat,  just  inside  the  door,  partially  stopped  me  as  1  was  going 
in,  and  1  said,  u  Can  I  get  a  light  for  my  cigar?"  He  said  there  was 
nobody  smoking  there,  and  rather  edged  me  out;  I  took  the  hint  and 
went  out  and  walked  along  to  the  polling  place,  and  tin'  first  thing  I 
observed  was  a  couple  of  men  changing  caps  outside  and  close  to  the 
polling  place ;  one  of  them  went  in,  and  1  followed  him  in  and  I  saw  him 
vote;  he  then  came  out  and  re-exchanged  caps  with  the  other  man;  this 
operation  was  repeated  several  times,  different  men  voting ;  there  seemed 
to  me  to  be  half  a  dozen  more  men  who  were  banded  together  engaged  in 
that  business,  as  I  saw  these  men  in  company  together,  not  only  at  that 
polling  place,  but.  as  1  will  tell  you  shortly,  I  saw  them  going  together  to 
another  one  in  the  same  ward ;  I  saw  several  men  (and  this  blue-coated  man 
appeared  to  be  their  leader)  a  little  while  after,  going  around  to  a  poll  which 
was  at  No.  40  Bayard  street,  in  a  barber  shop,  and  which  was  away  about 
me  block  from  this  polling  place,  on  Elizabeth  street,  up  towards  Bowery, 
the  company  stopped  in  front  of  a  feed  store,  and  they  were  furnished 
with  little  slips  of  paper  on  which  were  names  and  numbers;  howl 
knew  that  these  were  names  and  numbers  was  because  I  saw  a  man  (not 
the  blue-coated  man,  but  another  man  who  appeared  to  be,  also,  a  leader) 
reading  the  name  which  was  upon  one  of  the  papers  and  the  number  to 
i  man  who  apparently  could  not  read  :  there  were  from  four  to  seven  of 
these  men  furnished  with  slips  at  that  time  and  went  in  and  voted. 

2274.  Q.  Were  they  the  same  men  who  had  voted  at  the  other  polling 
places  > 

A.  Some  of  them  were  the  same  men,  for  1  recognized  them.  One  of 
them,  on  going  into  the  polling  place,  Avas  told  by  the  inspector,  "you 
have  voted  before  to-day,  sir."  He  appeared  very  indignant,  and  said  he 
had  not.     Tin-  inspector  took  his  name  and  number,  and  the  man  gave 


224  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

him  his  card  of  business.  Another  of  the  same  men  whs  told  that  the 
name  was  just  voted,  and  then  the  fellow  simply  turned  upon  his  heel 
and  went  off  without  making  any  remark.  I  also  saw  these  men  coming 
out  of  a  grocery  store  with  these  little  slips  of  paper  in  their  hands,  and 
they  also  changed  caps  before  going  into  the  Bayard  street  polling  place. 

227.").  Q.  You  saw  these  men  vote  at  different  polling  places  ! 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

2270.  Q.  Can  you  state  whether  the  same  man  voted  more  than  once 
at  the  same  polling  place  after  changing  his  hat  or  cap  ! 

A.  I  would  not  swear  positively  that  I  saw  any  one  do  that,  but  I  told 
you  that  I  had  never  seen  these  men  before,  and  things  were  a  good  deal 
mixed  up ;  I  was  taking  notes  as  rapidly  as  I  could,  and  these  men  were 
changing  hats  and  caps  so  frequently,  that  I  do  not  know.  I  could  not  swear 
positively  that  I  saw  one  man  vote  more  than  once  at  one  polling  place, 
but  1  am  positive  that  I  saw  men  go  from  the  polling  place  on  Elizabeth 
street,  who  had  voted  there,  to  the  polling  place  on  Bayard  street,  and 
vote  there.  From  there  I  went  to  No.  07  Baxter  street,  opposite  to 
Franklin,  and  there  I  remained  until  the  close  of  the  poll.  This  was 
near  the  time  of  closing  the  polls.  I  saw  the  same  operation  of  changing 
caps  repeated  there  by  several  men  who  stepped  into  an  alley-way.  just 
on  one  side  of  the  polling  place,  where  they  would  make  the  exchange, 
and  step  right  out  into  the  street  and  into  the  polling  place  and  vote.  I 
did  not  see  them  deposit  their  votes,  because  there  was  a  great  crowd  in 
the  room,  and  they  went  behind  a  sort  of  screen  to  vote.  There*  was  also 
a  counter  that  extended  from  the  screen  out  to  the  window  opening  on 
the  street.  I  stood  by  that  window,  and  a  few  minutes  before  the  poll 
closed  I  saw  a  man  come  out  from  behind  the  polling  place,  behind  the 
screen,  with  a  slip  of  paper,  upon  which  he  wrote  two  names  and  num- 
bers and  handed  them  to  a  person  outside  the  counter,  who  went  out  and 
brought  in  two  men,  as  I  took  it,  to  vote  upon  those  numbers. 

2277.  Q.  Can  you  state  whether  the  tickets  which  these  repeaters 
voted  were  furnished  from  the  democratic  boxes  or  the  republican  .; 

A.  That  I  could  not  say.  The  little  slips  of  paper  were  placed  in  their 
hands,  and  I  did  not  know  the  politics  of  the  men. 

By  Mr.  Koss : 

2278.  Q.  How  many  men  do  you  think  you  saw  changing  caps  that  day  f 
A.  Well,  I  might  have  seen  six.  or  I  might  have  seen  twenty ;  that  is 

as  near  as  I  can  come  to  it. 

2279.  Were  you  employed  by  any  one  to  make  this  examination  f 
A.  I  was  not. 

2280.  Q.  How  long  have  you  resided  here  ! 
A.  Since  1852,  permanently. 

2281.  Q.  Where  do  you  live? 

A.  At  244  West  Thirty- seventh  street;  my  office  is  jS"o.  1  Park   Place. 

2282.  Q.  How  long  have  you  practiced  laAV  here  f 
A.  Since  1852. 

2283.  Q.  Have  you  ever  known,  in  a  contested  election,  that  persons 
would  go  and  find  out  who  had  not  voted  and  send  other  persons  in  to 
personate  them  f 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

22S4.  Q.  That  is  the  inference  you  drew  in  this  case  i 
A.  My  inference  was  that  these  men  who  had  access  to  the  polls  found 
that  there  were  two  names  registered  of  men  who  had  not  voted,  and 
they  furnished  those  names  to  the  parties  outside  that  they  might  vote 
upon  the  names. 


ELECTION  PBAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  225 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

2285.  Q.  That  is  the  general  style  of  repeating,  is  it  not  % 
A.  It  is. 

By  Mr.  Ross : 

2286.  Q.  Have  you  made  yourself  familiar  with  the  system  of  repeating  ? 
A.  I  got  more  familiarity  with  it  that  day  than  I  ever  had  before. 

2287.  Q.  Have  you  ever  been  engaged  in  the  business  of  furthering 
he  ends  of  repeating  yourself ! 

A.  I  have  not. 

2288.  Q.  What  political  party  do  you  belong  to  ? 
A.  I  am  a  republican. 

2280.  Q.  Do  you  belong  to  a  secret  political  organization  ? 
A.  I  belong  to  the  Union  League. 
2200.  Q.  Is  that  a  secret  organization  ? 
A.  Well,  I  suppose  it  is  in  some  respects. 

]S"ew  York,  December  29,  1868. 
Hugh  Ward  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

2291.  Question.  How  long  have  you  been  in  this  country  8 
Answer.  Two  years  on  the  26th  of  July  last. 

2292.  Q.  State  if  you  got  a  certificate  of  naturalization,  and  if  so,  where  1 
A.  I  got  it,  but  I  have  forgotten  the  name  of  the  place  where  it  was l 

t  was  in  Westchester  county. 

2293.  Q.  When  did  you  get  it ! 
A.  Two  months  before  election. 

2294.  Q.  Who  gave  it  to  you ! 
A.  Mr.  Smith. 

2295.  Q.  Who  is  Mr.  Smith  ? 

A.  The.  squire  then  in  Hastings. 

2296.  Q.  Was  there  any  judge  present  ? 
A.  Xo,  sir. 

2297.  Q.  Did  you  ever  go  into  court  to  get  your  papers! 
A.  Xo,  sir. 

2298.  Q.  Who  advised  you  to  go  and  get  your  papers  I 
A.  I  never  had  any  person  advise  me  about  it. 

2290.  Q.  Did  you  pay  anything  for  your  papers  I  { 
A.  I  paid  one  dollar. 

By  Mr.  Boss : 

2300.  Q.  Did  you  vote  on  your  paper  t 
A.  Xo.  sir. 

2301.  Q.  Did  you  try  to  vote  on  it  I 
A.  Xo.  sir. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

2302.  Q.  Why  did  you  not  vote  ? 

A.  Mr.  Lee  told  me  not  to  vote  and  I  took  his  word  for  it, 

Xew  York,  December  29,  1868. 
John  Donnelly  sworn  and  examined,  (at  the  instance  of  Mr.  Boss.) 
By  Mr.  Boss : 

2303.  Question.  Were  you  acting  as  an  election  officer  last  fall?  . 
Answer.  I  was  inspector  of  registrv  and  election  of  the  5th  election 

istrict,  6th  ward. 
15  t 


226  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

2304.  Q.  Who  were  your  colleagues  on  the  board  ? 
A.  Mr.  Jarolemon,  Mr.  Brophy,  and  Mr.  Lynch. 

2305.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  illegal  votes  being  given  there! 
A.  I  do  not. 

2300.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  illegal  votes  being  registered  1 
A.  None  to  my  knowledge1.     All  those  of  whom  I  entertained  the 
slightest  doubt  1  caused  to  qualify. 

2307.  Q.  Was  the  action  of  your  board  harmonious  in  excluding 
from  registering  and  voting  all  illegal  voters? 

A.  Yes,  sir.  I  have  acted  as  an  election  officer  on  several  occasions. 
and  I  have  never  seen  any  body  of  men  conducting  themselves  in  a 
more  proper  manner  than  our  board  did  at  that  genera]  election. 

2308.  Q.  Did  the  democratic  inspectors  attempt  to  get  anybody  regis- 
tered, or  to  vote,  who  was  objected  to  by  the  other  inspectors) 

A.  No,  sir;  there  was  more  harmony  in  that  district  than  in  any  other 
district  or  ward,  so  far  as  I  know;  all  my  colleagues  will  testify  the  same. 

2300.  Q.  You  have  no  knowledge  or  information  of  any  illegal 
registering  or  voting? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  acted  as  chairman  of  the  board,  and  in  all  cases  when 
we  entertained  the  slightest  doubt  I  administered  an  oath. 

2310.  Q.  Or  when  your  republican  colleagues  had  any  doubt? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  whenever  they  made  the  slightest  objection  I  adminis-  ' 
tered  the  oath. 

2311.  Q.  Was  the  board  unanimous  in  admitting  or  excluding  voters 
on  that  occasion? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  we  neither  rejected  any  one  unless  we  were  all  satisfied, 
nor  allowed  any  one  to  vote.  I  had  to  administer  the  oath  on  several 
occasions  to  men  whom  I  knew  to  be  legal  voters  myself,  some  of  them 
old  enough  to  be  my  father. 

2312.  Q.  Was  any  man  by  the  decision  of  the  board  permitted  to  vote, 
that  any  one  of  the  officers  was  opposed  to  ? 

A.  So  far  as  1  recollect,  there  was  no  instance  of  the  kind. 

2313.  Q.  Do  you  know  how  many  voters  there  were  in  your  district?   i 
A.  There  were  870,  I  believe,  registered,  and  I  think  from  825  to  832' 

voted. 

2314.  Q,  Do  you  live  in  the  district? 
A.  Yes,  sir;  at  112  Franklin  street. 

2315.  Q.  How  many  voters  do  you  personally  know? 

A.  A  great  many;  I  have  lived  a  long  time  in  the  ward,  and  presume 
I  know  about  one-fourth  of  them. 

2310.  Q.  What  proportion  of  the  voters  are  naturalized  citizens? 
A.  A  majority. 

2317.  Q.  Did  any  of  them  present  new  naturalization  papers? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  that  was  our  great  trouble,  almost  every  one  of  them  had 
to  qualify. 

2318.  Q.  Did  you  hold  that  when  a  man  presented  new  naturalization 
papers,  that  was  evidence  of  his  right  to  vote? 

A.  Well,  my  colleagues,  in  a  great  many  instances,  made  objection, 
and  we  would  question  the  applicant,  and  require  to  know  who  wer< 
their  witnesses,  and  all  such  inquiries  as  that. 

2319.  Q,  Did  you  not  hold  yourself,  that  if  a  man  presented  a  natural 
ization  paper  it  gave  him  a  right  to  vote  J? 

A.  I  was  under  that  impression  myself,  but  my  colleagues  differed 
with  me  on  a  great  many  occasions. 

2320.  Q.  How  many  men  were  rejected? 

A.  1  could  not  state  accurately  the  number;  there  were  in  the  whol< 
perhaps  50  or  more. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  227 

2321.  Q.  Were  these  men  who  presented  naturalization  papers? 
A.  Oh,  no;  but  men  who  had  lost  their  papers,  and  had  been  citizens 

for  a  long  time,  and  thought  it  necessary  that  they  should  have  gotten 
duplicates. 

2322.  Q.  Were  any  rejected  who  presented  naturalization  papers ;  and 
if  so,  how  many  % 

A.  There  was  only  one  that  I  can  recollect  certainly. 
8823.  Q.  But  a  small  proportion  of  them  were  sworn  ! 
A.  I  should  judge  that,  upon  the  whole  register,  it  would  be  sufficient 
to  assume  that  one-eighth  were  sworn. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

2324.  Q.  Do  you  reside  in  the  ward? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

2325.  Q.  Have  you  been  an  inspector  there  before  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

2326.  Q.  How  did  the  vote  this  fall  compare  with  the  vote  the  year 
before  \ 

A.  I  have  not  acted  as  inspector  in  the  same  precinct  for  about  five 
years;  but  the  last  time  I  did  act  there  the  vote  of  the  precinct  reached 
within  a  hundred  of  what  it  did  now.  It  was  then  700  and  odd,  and  this 
year  it  was  800  and  odd. 

New  York,  December  29,  1868. 
Solomon  Seixas  sworn  and  examined,  (at  the  instance  of  Mr.  Eoss.) 
By  Mr.  Boss: 

2327.  Question.  Were  you  one  of  the  election  officers  last  fall  ? 
Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

2328.  Q.  At  what  voting  place? 
A.  At  the  16th  district,  6th  ward. 

2iy2{,).  Q.  State  who  were  the  officers  with  you  I 

A.  Mr.  Van  Buren,  Mr.  Chapman,  and  Mr.  Willis  were  the  registrars. 

2330.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  illegal  votes  being  cither  registered  or 
voted  at  that  place  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

2331.  Q.  Did  you  use  ordinary  precaution  to  protect  the  polls? 
A.  We  did. 

2332.  Q.  State  to  the  committee  what  action  you  took  for  the  purpose 
of  protecting  them  ? 

A.  We  looked  at  all  the  papers,  and  any  paper  that  we  thought  doubt- 
ful we  did  not  receive.  We  found  one  paper,  for  instance,  that  was  all 
correct,  but  we  did  not  receive  it  on  account  of  the  man  saying  he 
did  not  have  his  first  papers.  All  the  rest  were  in  due  form,  I  believe, 
to  the  best  of  my  knowledge  and  belief. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

2333.  Q.  State  whether,  at  the  time  of  holding  the  board  of  regis- 
tration of  voters  and  the  taking  of  the  vote,  many  objections  were  made 
to  voters,  either  by  the  democratic  members  of  the  board  or  by  the 
republican  members  of  the  board? 

A.  No,  sir ;  there  were  a  few ;  there  were  some  votes  that  were  chal- 
lenged. 

2334.  Q.  When  such  challenge  was  made,  were  any  obstacles  interposed 
to  making  the  challenge  or  to  the  most  particular  inquiry  ? 

A.  No,  sir,  not  that  I  know  of.  When  a  challenge  was  made  it  was 
always  asked  on  what  grounds  the  vote  was  challenged;  and  when  the 


228  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

ground  of  the  challenge  was  deemed  reliable,  and  the  man  took  the  oath, 
the  vote  Avas  deposited  as  the  law  requires.  I  believe  that  if  a  man  swears 
in  his  vote  it  must  be  deposited  in  the  box. 

2335.  Q.  Was  there  any  difference  between  the  members  of  the  board 
as  to  your  duty,  when  you  came  to  swear  in  a  vote? 

.V.  Xone  at  all. 

2336.  Q.  Did  any  member  on  either  side  desire  to  make  inquiry  into 
the  right  of  a  man  to  vote  that  was  objected  to  by  a  member  of  the  other 
side? 

A.  ^Not  that  I  know  of. 

2337.  Q.  Do  you  know  Mr.  Anson  Willis? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

2338.  Q.  Was  he  on  that  board? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

2339.  Q.  Did  he  ever  make  any  objection  or  ask  that  any  objection  be 
put  which  any  other  member  of  the  board  objected  to? 

A.  I  don't  remember  anything  of  the  kind. 

2340.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  obstacle  having  been  placed  in  the  way 
of  careful  inquiry  as  to  the  right  of  a  man  to  vote,  by  anybody  on  that 
board  }. 

A.  I  don't  think  any  obstacles  whatever  were  put  in  any  man's  way.  I 
We  were  very  particular,  as*  we  had  taken  an  oath  to  do  our  duties  and 
we  intended  to  fulfil  them. 
By  Mr.  Ross : 

2341.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  republican  challenger  being  ordered  out 
of  the  way  on  election  day  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  he  had  made  two  other  challenges  and  withdrawn  them, 
and  he  was  obstructing  the  polls.     I  told  him  that  he  had  no  right  to 
challenge  in  that  way  and  that  if  he  did  it  again  unless  it  was  a  reliable  . 
challenge  I  should  put  him  out,  for  he  was  obstructing  the  voting,  and  j 
I  believe  that  he  was  put  out. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

2342.  Q.  You  say  that  he  challenged  some  men  % 

A.  He  challenged  three  or  four  men  and  withdrew  two  of  his  challenges,  j 
He  would  say,  "I  challenge  that  man  on  the  ground  that  he  does  not 
live  where  he  states."    When  the  man  showed  that  he  did  live  there  he  I 
would  withdraw  the  challenge. 
By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

2343.  Q.  Wha  t  was  your  opinion  as  to  the  real  purpose  of  that  challenge 
at  the  time  at  which  he  made  those  challenges  and  withdrew  them  i 

A.  That  his  purpose  was  to  delay  the  voting  as  much  as  possible. 
That  was  what  my  opinion  was,  and  I  think  my  colleagues  thought  the  I 
same  thing. 

2344.  Q.  Which  colleagues? 

A.  I  think  Mr.  Chapman,  and  Mr.  Van  Buren  I  know  did. 
By  Mr.  Hopkins: 

2345.  Q.  Mr.  VauBuren  was  your  democratic  colleague? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  Mr.  Chapman  and  Mr.  Van  Buren  were  both  by  when  the 
man  was  ordered  out  of  the  office. 
By  Mr.  BOSS: 

2346.  Q.  Was  any  person  registered  or  permitted  to  vote  at  that  poll 
who  was  not  agreed  to  by  at  least  three  members  of  your  board? 

A.  None  whatever,  that  I  know  of;  most  of  the  time  all  four  members 
were  agreed. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  229 

2347.  Q.  Did  you  have  any  wrangling  or  ill-feeling  on  the  board? 

A.  None  at  all.  The  most  amiable  feeling  prevailed,  and  we  had  a 
very  nice  time  of  it. 

2348.  Q.  Did  there  appear  to  be  a  disposition  evinced  to  protect  the 
polls  against  fraud  either  in  registering  or  in  voting  ? 

A.  Yes.     I  do  not  think  we  would  have  allowed  anything  of  the  kind. 
By  the  Chair 3i an  : 

2349.  Q.  State  what  this  man  said  who  was  turned  out  of  the  polling 
place  ? 

A.  He  challenged  a  man  whose  name  I  do  not  remember,  I  think  he 
gave  his  residence  as  Twenty-sixth  street,  and  he  understood  the  man  to 
say  Twenty-fifth  street,  and  said  "I  challenge."  We  asked  upon  what 
ground,  and  when  he  explained  we  questioned  the  voter  if  he  did  not 
live  on  Twenty-sixth  street,  and  when  the  challenger  heard  that,  he  said 
u  I  withdraw  the  challenge.''  I  told  him,  "My  friend,  you  must  be  very 
careful  and  listen  well  so  as  not  to  delay  the  voting."  Well,  two  or  three 
times  after  that  he  challenged  again  and  withdrew  the  challenge  in  the 
same  way. 

2350.  Q.  What  did  he  say  and  do? 

A.  Just  the  same  thin  g;  he  said  "  I  challenge,1'  and  then  found  out  he  wa  s 
mistaken  and  withdrew  the  challenge.  I  thought  he  was  rushing  it  too 
much  in  challenging  all  the  time  as  much  as  possible  and  I  told  the  offi- 
cers to  put  him  out,  and  he  went  out,  and  at  1  o'clock  in  the  afternoon 
he  came  in  again  and  voted  and  remained  in  the  room  and  was  very 
careful  afterwards. 

2351.  Q.  What  proportion  of  the  voters  in  your  district  were  natives  \ 
A.  I  cannot  tell ;  perhaps  one-half,  or  perhaps  not  so  many. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

2352.  Q.  You  say  you  put  the  man  out  because  he  was  obstructing  the 
polls  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

2353.  Q.  Did  you  not  know  that  it  was  the  right  of  every  citizen  to 
challenge  ? 

A.  I  did. 

2354.  Q.  Then  what  right  had  you  to  put  the  man  out  for  exercising 
his  right  as  an  American  citizen ! 

A.  Because  he  was  delaying  the  voting  by  challenging  and  then  with- 
drawing his  challenge. 
By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

2355.  Q.  How  many  challenges  did  he  make  ? 
A.  Four  or  five. 

2350.  Q.  How  many  did  he  withdraw  ? 
A.  Three. 

2357.  Q.  And  you  say  that  was  such  an  obstructing  as  authorized  you 
to  expel  him  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

2358.  Q.  Did  you  put  anybody  else  out  that  day  who  challenged  f 
A.  No,  sir. 

2359/  Q.  What  proportion  of  voters  in  the  district  do  you  know? 
A.  I  do  not  know  twenty  live  voters  in  the  precinct. 
2360.  Q.  Would  it  not  have  been  easy  for  you  to  have  been  imposed 

upon  by  a  large  number  of  persons  registered  upon  fraudulent  naturali- 
tion  papers ! 


230  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

A.  I  don't  think  it  would,  T  think  the  board  could  have  told  them  well. 

2361.  Q.  If  you  had  before  you  a  paper  purporting  to  come  from  a 
court  with  a  .seal  of  the  court,  how  could  you  tell  if  it  was  bogus  or  not! 

A.  I  suppose  unless  the  seal  of  the  court  was  on  the  paper  it  would  be 
a  bogus  paper.  • 

,     2362.  Q.  But  if  the  seal  was  there,  that  would  be  conclusive  in  your 
mind? 

A.  I  suppose  that  it  would  be  conclusive  that  it  would  be  a  right 
paper;  that  was  the  way  we  all  regarded  it,  not  one,  but  all. 

New  York,  December  29,  1868. 
James  J.  Brophy  sworn  and  examined,  (at  the  instance  of  Mr.  Koss.) 
I  iy  Mr.  Ross  : 

2362.  Q.  Were  you  an  election  officer  last  fall? 
A.  J  was. 

2304.  Q.  At  what  election  precinct? 

A.  Fifth  district,  sixth  ward. 

2.*>(>5.  Q.  State  to  the  committee  what  means  you  took  to  protect  the 
registry  and  ballot  from  illegal  voters  8 

A.  That  which  wras  required  of  me  by  law;  we  required  each  one  to 
answer  the  questions  put  to  him  whether  he  was  a  citizen,  if  there  was 
any  reasonable  doubt  as  to  his  being  a  citizen. 

2300.  Q.  Was  that  examination  pretty  thorough  and  strict"? 

A.  1  believe  1  asked  the  questions  which  were  in  the  book  of  our] 
instructions. 

2367.  Q.  You  asked  these  pretty  generally,  did  you? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

2308.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  illegal  registering  or  voting  in  that 
district? 

A.  I  do  not. 

2309.  Q.  Was  there  harmonious  action  of  the  board  with  reference 
to  protecting  the  registry  and  the  ballot  from  fraudulent  voters? 

A.  As  a  general  thing  there  was,  but  sometimes  there  was  a  differ! 
ence  of  opinion  and  we  settled  it  by  our  conversation ;  sometimes  on<| 
had  a  doubt,  and  we  put  the  questions  more  strictly  in  that  case.  Whei 
any  one  member  of  the  board  of  registry  had  any  doubts  about  th'l 
right  of  any  particular  individual  to  vote  he  put  the  questions  himselJj 

2370.  Q.  When  you  came  to  a  conclusion  it  was  or  was  it  not  with  th 
concurrence  of  the  board  ? 

A.  It  was.  We  agreed  either  to  reject  or  admit  a  voter  to  registry  b; 
the  concurrence  of  the  board. 

2371.  Q.  Was  it  brought  to  the  knowledge  of  the  board  that  ther 
were  persons  registered  at  a  certain  place  who  did  not  live  there? 

A.  We  never  ascertained  any  such  thing,  I  don't  know  any  such  cast 
I  know  there  were  men  who  would  go  and  see  if  voters  did  live  in  th 
place  where  they  registered,  and  if  any  one  had  any  doubt  they  coul 
be  there  to  challenge,  and  when  a  party  ivas  challenged  and  took  th 
requisite  oath,  we  considered  that  conclusive  proof  that  he  was  a  vote) 

2372.  Q.  Have  you  any  knowledge,  now  after  the  election  is  over,  < 
any  persons  being  illegally  registered  that  voted  after  it  ? 

A.  I  have  not. 

By  Mr.  DlCKEY: 

2373.  Q.  How  many  voters  are  there  in  your  precinct? 
A.  We  registered  870  voters. 

2374.  Q.   How  many  did  you  poll? 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW   YORK.  231 

A.  Eight  hundred  and  thirty-seven  at  the  presidential  election. 
2375.  Q.  How  many  voters  in  the  election  district  do  you  know  per- 
sonally I 
A.  1  should  judge  that  I  knew  300  out  of  the  837. 
2370.  Q.  What  is  your  occupation  ? 
A.  I  am  a  clerk  of  the  Harlem  and  Albany  Railroad  Company. 

2377.  Q.  How  many  votes  were  rejected  by  you  on  the  day  of  election  ? 
A.  I  should  judge  there  were  about  three;  there  may  have  been  more 

or  less,  but  certainly  not  over  six. 

2378.  Q.  How  many  were  challenged? 
A.  About  50,  or  from  that  to  100. 

2379.  Q.  You  took  the  oath  of  the  party  as  conclusive  evidence  in 
every  case  of  his  right  to  vote  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

2380.  Q.  You  heard  no  other  evidence  ? 

A.  We  followed  our  instructions  and  took  the  oath  of  the  party  as 
conclusive  of  his  right  to  vote  if  he  was  challenged. 

2381.  Q.  Did  you  get  any  other  instructions  besides  your  printed 
instructions  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

2382.  Q.  Were  you  at  a  meeting  of  the  Tammany  inspectors  ? 
A.  I  was. 

2383.  Q.  What  was  that  meeting  for? 

A.  It  was  an  open  meeting,  and  the  proceedings  were  published  in  the 
papers.  The  purpose  of  the  meeting,  if  I  can  recollect  it,  was  to  instruct 
us  that  in  case  there  should  be  an  attempt  made  to  intimidate  us  from 
receiving  votes  we  should  not  be  intimidated. 

2384.  Q.  Wlio  gave  you  those  instructions  ? 

A.  I  did  not  accept  them  from  anybody ;  it  was  only  spoken  of. 

2385.  Q.  Who  spoke  of  those  instructions  to  the  assembled  inspectors  ! 
A.  Well,  there  were  several  parties  present  that  day ;  I  could  not  say 

who  it  was  who  gave  those  instructions.  The  meeting  was  organized, 
if  I  recollect  right,  with  Mr.  A.  Oakey  Hall  as  chairman,  but  I  am  not 
positive  of  it. 

2380.  Q.  Did  he  give  you  any  instructions  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  not  that  I  considered  instructions. 

2387.  Q.  What  did  he  tell  you? 

A.  He  told  us  that  there  had  been  a  secret  meeting  of  the  republican 
inspectors  of  election,  at  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel,  and  from  what  he  could 
learn  of  it,  they  would  probably  make  an  attempt  on  election  day  by 
some  means  to  prevent  the  vote  from  coming  out ;  that  the  two  repub- 
lican inspectors  would  on  some  pretext  probably  leave  us  and  insist  that 
it  was  not  a  legal  election ;  and  he  said  that  in  case  such  a  thing  was 
done,  we  should  remain  at  the  polls  until  the  time  for  closing  the  polls 
arrived,  and  receive  the  votes  as  usual ;  those  were  only  the  words  of  a 
man. 

2388.  Q.  What  else  did  he  advise  ? 

A.  Well,  I  don't  know  that  I  can  recollect  any  other  particular  thing 
that  he  told  us. 

2389.  Q.  Who  else  made  a  speech  to  that  meeting? 
A.  I  do  not  recollect  the  parties. 

2390.  Q.  Did  Mr.  Tweed  make  a  speech  ? 

A.  Not  to  my  recollection ;  so  far  as  I  recollect  that  gentleman  was 
not  present. 

2391.  Q.  Who  else  made  a  speech  there  to  you  ? 

A.  I  believe  the  Hon.  John  Fox  told  us  that  if  we  required  any  instruc- 


232  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

tions  there  was  to  be  a  committee  sitting  in  Nassau  street ;  a  committee 
of  legal  gentlemen  who  could  give  us  advice  in  case  we  were  in  any  way 
confused  and  did  not  know  how  to  act. 

2392.  Q.  You  say  that  there  were  three  voters  rejected  at  the  polls; 
how  many  were  rejected  at  the  registry? 

A.  There  were  several  who  came  in  there  who  thought  they  were  in  the 
proper  place  to  register ;  when  Ave  ascertained  where  they  lived,  that 
they  did  not  live  in  that  district,  we  directed  them  to  the  proper  district. 
That  was  the  mistake  they  made. 

2393.  Q.  How  many  new  naturalization  papers  were  there  in  your  pre- 
cinct? 

A.  There  may  have  been  one  hundred  new  naturalization  papers. 

2394.  Q.  Were  those  who  produced  new  papers  examined  under  oath  ? 
A.  Some  of  them  were  ? 

2395.  Q.  How  many  ? 
A.  Xearly  half. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 
239G.  Q.  Where  was  that  meeting  held  ? 
A.  At  Tammany  Hall. 

2397.  Q.  Before  that  meeting  was  held  was  it  not  a  matter  of  public 
notoriety  that  there  was  a  large  number  of  what  were  called  fraudulent 
naturalization  papers  being  distributed  about  the  city? 

A.  Not,  so  far  as  I  believe. 

2398.  Q.  Was  it  not  so  charged  in  the  public  press  and  on  the  streets? 
A.  I  do  not  recollect  having  read  it  myself. 

2399.  Q.  You  did  not  hear  anything  of  such  charges  ! 

A.  Yes,  I  heard  of  the  arrest  of  a  man  by  the  name  of  Rosenberg,  I 
believe. 

2400.  Q.  Was  this  meeting  held  after  that? 

A.  I  could  not  swear  to  that;  it  was  held  on  a  Sunday  afternoon. 

2401.  Q.  Was  not  that  meeting  held  with  a  view  to  encourage  voting 
by  parties  who  had  naturalization  papers  whether  they  were  legal  or 
not ! 

A.  To  the  best  of  my  belief  it  was  not ;  it  was  held  more  for  the  pur- 
pose of  assisting  those  who  were  entitled  to  vote,  by  being  naturalized, 
to  get  their  rights. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

2402.  Q.  Were  not  you  advised  at  that  time  that  the  certificate  of 
a  court  was  conclusive  upon  you ;  did  not  Mr.  Hall  say  that  naturaliza- 
tion papers  with  the  seal  of  the  court  were  conclusive,  and  that  you  had 
no  right  to  inquire  regarding  them  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

2403.  Q.  WThat  did  he  say  about  the  seal  of  a  court  being  conclusive  ? 
A.  I  do  not  know  that  I  can  express  it  in  words ;  he  said  that  we 

should  always  take  it. 
By  Mr.  Boss : 

2404.  Q.  Did  he  say  that  it  was  prima  facie  evidence? 
A.-  Perhaps  that  was  it,  but  I  cannot  recollect. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

2405.  Q.  You  considered  that  it  was  conclusive  evidence,  did  you  not? 
A.  No,  sir;  a  man  might  have  found  that  paper  on  the  street.     If  I 

thought  that  lie  went  to  the  court  and  got  it  there,  I  would  consider  it  so. 

2406.  Q.  Was  it  not  true  that  Mr.  Lynch,  one  of  your  colleagues  on 
that  board,  objected  to  a  good  many  men  being  registered  who  were  reg- 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  233 

istered,  and  registered  because  you  and  your  colleague,  Mr.  Donnelly, 
vouched  for  them  ! 

A.  We  registered  no  one  until  after  Mr.  Lynch  was  satisfied  that  he 
should  be  registered. 

2407.  Q.  Be  careful  how  you  answer  that.  You  say  you  registered  no 
one  until  he  was  satisfied"? 

A.  To  the  best  of  my  recollection  we  registered  no  voter  where  he  held 
to  the  last  that  he  should  not  be  registered. 

2408.  Q.  Did  he  not  find  fault  with  the  registration  of  the  large  number 
of  voters  at  different  houses  in  that  ward,  say  at  472  Pearl  street,  and 
47G  Pearl  street? 

A.  No,  sir;  not  to  my  recollection.  He  would  ask  a  man  "Do  you  live 
there  V  I  remember  one  man,  John  Ward,  to  whom  he  said,  "  You  do 
not  live  at  478  Pearl  street;  you  live  at  City  Hall  Place."  Now,  that 
man  does  live  in  Pearl  street  with  his  father.  I  know  him  to  live 
there.  He  is  a  young  man,  with  whom  Mr.  Lynch  is  also  very  well  ac- 
quainted. He  had  once  lived  in  City  Hall  Place,  but  he  has  been  living 
in  Pearl  street  long  enough  to  vote. 

24(19.  Q.  Do  you  swear  that  this  Mr.  Donnelly  and  Mr.  Lynch  did  not 
have  sharp  words  in  regard  to  the  registry;  Mr.  Lynch  protesting  against 
the  registration  of  many  voters,  you  ami  Donnelly  vouching  for  them  t 

A.  The  only  sharp  language  that  I  recollect  was  between  Mr.  Don- 
nelly and  Mr.  Lynch,  ami  that  arose  about  the  case  of  a  man  that  Mr. 
Donnelly  said  that  he  would  vouch  for  himself.  If  I  recollect  aright  it 
was  the  case  of  a  person  by  the  name  of  Sullivan,  and  Mr.  Donnelly 
told  Mr.  Lynch  that  he  ought  to  know  him  ;  that  he  had  lived  long 
enough  there  to  know  him,  and  to  the  best  of  my  belief  now,  Mr.  Don- 
nelly convinced  Mr.  Lynch  that  the  man  had  lived  at  that  number. 

2410.  Q.  Then  you  say  that  every  man  who  was  registered  by  the 
hoard  was  registered  with  the  consent  of  Mr.  Lynch  ? 

A.  No ;  I  do  not  say  so,  because  Mr.  Lynch  was  not  present  all  the 
time. 

2411.  Q.  While  he  was  present? 
A.  Yes,  sir ;  while  he  was  present. 

New  York,  December  29,  1868. 
Richard  Day  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

2412.  Q.  Of  what  country  are  you  native  ? 
A.  Ireland. 

2413.  Q.  Were  you  ever  in  any  court  to  be  naturalized  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

2414.  Q.  You  never  took  any  oath  of  allegiance  f 
A.  No,  sir. 

2415.  Q.  Were  you  furnished  with  a  certificate  of  naturalization  % 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

2416.  Q.  Who  gave  it  to  you  ? 

A.  Michael  Conroth  brought  it  to  me. 

2417.  Q.  Have  you  got  that  paper  with  you  now  I 
A.  No,  sir. 

2418.  Q.  Where  did  he  give  it  to  you? 

A.  He  brought  it  to  the  house  where  I  lived,  on  Thirty-sixth  street. 

2419.  Q.  When  was  that  \ 

A.  J  nst  a  few  days  before  the  registry. 

2420.  Q.  Did  you  present  it  to  be  registered  as  a  voter  ? 


234 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 


A.  I  did,  bu1  they  said  it  was  not  correct,  and  asked  me  where  I  got 
it;  I  told  them  and  then  they  would  not  register  my  name. 
By  Mr.  Kerb  : 

2421.  Q.  Did  you  vote  I 
A.  No,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Ross : 

2422.  Q.  How  long  have  you  been  in  the  United  States  I 

A.   About  eight  years. 

212.;.  (,>.  Did  you  make  your  first  application  to  become  a  citizen f 

A.  No,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Kerr: 

2424.  Q.  Where  is  the  scallawag  that  gave  you  that  paper  I 

A.  He  is  at  home;  lie  lives  in  the  same  building  with  me,  on  Thirty- 
fourth  street. 

212.->.  Q.  Of  whom  did  he  gel  it  .' 

A.  ()!*  the  man  who  keeps  the  place,  MeMan  I  think  it  was,  who  keeps 
a  Liquor  store.  I  do  not  know  the  number,  but  it  is  on  Thirty -fourth 
street. 

By  the  CHAIRMAN  : 

2426.  Q.  Are  you  a  democrat? 

A.  I  don't  know  j  I  had  not  made  up  my  mind  how  I  would  vote  if  I 
was  registered. 


Hugh  F.  Dolan  recalled. 

2427.  Q.   Will  you  produce  to  the  committee  a  list  of  the  names  of  the 
persons  found  on  the  registry  list  as  registered  at  No.  288  Hudson  street! 

A.  I  produce  a  list  of  names  registered  at  this  place. 
(The  list  is  hereunto  annexed.) 

2428.  Q.  Will  you  produce  the  poll  list  from  the  12th  district,  8th  ward, 
of  this  city,  and  the  registry  list  lor  that  district  i 

A.  I  now  produce  them. 

2429.  Q.  How  many  of  these  names  do  you  find  on  the  poll  list  as  vot- 
ing there  during  the  presidential  and  State  election  .' 

A.  Every  name  on  that  list  marked  with  a   V  is  found  on  the  poll-list 
of  voters,  except  the  name  of  Andrew  Wilson. 


NAMES   ON  REGISTRY  FROM  288  HUDSON   STREET. 


Checked  23,   12  not=3o. 


l/John  D.  Betts. 
l/ James  Cavanagh. 
\/ James  Cook. 

William  Conner. 
V^John  Clarkson. 
\/ James  Dunn. 
•{/William  Davis. 
-/John  Drennon. 
{/James  Eveland. 
-/Lewis  Fox. 

Henry  Gregory. 
V Henry  S.  Hall. 
•/ Peter  Lynch. 

George  Logan. 
-/ James  Moran. 
-/Thomas  Moran. 

James  Mitchell. 
-/John  McEntee. 


David  McGrath. 
\/ Samuel  Merritt. 
\/ William  McGrath. 
\/ James  O'Rourke. 

Thomas  O'Neil. 
■/John  Oakley. 

John  Pierce. 
-/Augustus  Rogers. 

Henry  Strong. 
s/ James  Stewart. 

Andrew  Smith. 

William  Taylor. 

Samuel  Thompson. 
-/George  Wood. 
V  Henry  Wolf. 
-/Andrew  Wilson. 

George  Wilson. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  235 

I   Owen  E.  Westlake  recalled. 

Witness  :  I  now  present  to  the  committee  a  statement  of  the  naturali- 
sations for  the  years  1864,  1865,  1866  and  1867,  in  the  superior  court  of 
he  city  of  Kew  York,  as  follows:  1861,  6,510;  1865,  3,271 ;  1866,  6,588; 
867,  10,814.  I  also  produce  the  application  for  naturalization  of  Max- 
milian  Beck,  and  the  affidavit  of  the  witnesses,  dated  the  12th  day  of 
)ctober,  1868,  for  the  inspection  of  the  committee. 

I  David  Crowley  recalled. 
By  the  Chairman: 

2430.  Q.  Did  you  take  any  steps  to  ascertain  the  number  of  persons 
Who  resided  at  288  Hudson  street;  and  if  so,  when! 

A.  About  three  or  four  weeks  ago  I  was  up  there,  288  Hudson  street, 
lit  the  Palace  liquor  store,  and  I  iuquired  of  the  bar- tender  and  he  told 
ne  there  was  only  one  man  in  the  place  and  that  was  James  Moran,  the 
nan  who  kept  the  place.  I  asked  him  if  there  were  any  boarders  or  any 
,nen  who  lodged  there,  and  he  said  no,  only  this  James  Moran;  also 
nquired  next  door,  but  they  new  nothing  more  about  it. 

New  York,  December  29,  1868. 
John  A.  Foster  recalled. 
By  the  Chairman: 

2431.  Q.  State  what  yon  know  of  the  place  288  Hudson  street. 

A.  I  know  what  the  dimensions  of  it  are  as  appears  from  the  official 
records  of  our  tax  office.  The  lot  known  at  288  Hudson  street  is  18  feet 
by  30.     I  am  not  positive,  but  1  think  the  lot  is  ol  feet  deep. 

^2431£.  Q.  That  is  the  outside  dimensions J 

A.  Yes;  that  is,  from  party  line  to  party  line,  as  appears  from  the  tax 
map. 

2432.  Q.  How  many  stories  high  is  the  building  upon  the  lot  \ 
A.  It  does  not  appear  from  the  map. 
2432£.  Q.  State  what  lists  are  made  of  persons  who  are  supposed  to 

3e  voters  in  the  several  districts  of  this  city. 

A.  The  city  is  divided  into  wards  and  the  board  of  common  council  of 
he  city  divides  those  wards  into  election  districts.  The  intention  being 
aid  the  law  requiring  that  they  shall  be  convenient  districts,  sufficiently 
small  to  allow  the  voters  to  easily  vote  during  the  election.  There  are 
!2  wards  in  the  city  divided  into  340  districts.  The  larger  wards  into  a 
arge  number  of  districts  and  the  smaller  wards  into  a  small  number. 
)ne  of  the  wards  having  only  two  districts  and  one  of  them  27  districts. 

2433.  Q.  What  lists  of  voters  are  made  by  the  registers  of  election? 

A.  There  are  in  each  of  these  election  districts  appointed  four  revis- 
ers. These  registers  meet  in  the  large  districts  polling  400  votes  and 
towards,  two  days  on  the  first  meeting,  and  in  the  smaller  one  day;  but 
hey  all  meet  two  days  after  that,  making  at  least  three  days  for  regis- 
ering,  and  in  the  large  districts  four  days.  They  are  by  law  each 
equired  to  make  a  list  of  all  who  appear  ami  prove  themselves  entitled 
0  vote  and  register  their  names.  These  four  lists  are  left  in  the  hands 
f  the  registers  and  on  the  day  of  election  they  become  inspectors  of 
lection.  They  receive  the  votes  and  at  the  close  of  the  poll  they  pass 
hem  over  to  two  canvassers  who  canvass  the  votes.  These  registries  of 
lection  or  lists  are  required  to  be  used  by  them  during  the  election  day, 
nd  after  that  they  are  filed  with  the  ele'rk  of  the  county  of  New  York, 
r  if  it  is  the  December  election,  they  are  filed  with  the  supervisors. 

24331.  Q,  State  if  there  is  a  [toll-list  of  the  voters  made. 


236  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

A.  There  are  two  clerks  who  assist  the  registers  or  inspectors  on  the 
day  of  election,  and  they  take  the  name  of  each  person  as  he  votes. 
That  list  is  called  the  poll-list  and  is  used  by  the  board  of  canvassers  in 
canvassing  the  votes  after  the  poll  is  completed.  These  also  are  filed 
with  the  clerk  of  the  county  within  24  hours  after  the  canvass  is  completed. 

2434.  Q.  The  poll-list  regularly  should  not  have  on  it  the  names  of 
any  persons  except  those  who  voted? 

A.  No;  the  poll  list  can  only  contain  the  names  of  those  who  have 
voted  and  their  residences.  The  registry  contains  the  names  of  those 
who  have  registered  and  a  voter  must  have  registered  on  one  of  the  four 
days  prior  to  an  election. 

2434J.  Q.  Do  the  inspectors,  in  conducting  an  election,  use  the  regis- 
try list"? 

A.  It  is  their  duty  as  they  receive  the  votes  to  check  upon  the  regis- 
try list  the  names  of  those  on  the  list  who  have  voted;  consequently  the 
registry  will  contain  a  check,  usually  on  the  margin,  opposite  the  names 
of  each  man  who  has  voted. 

2435.  Q.  Is  the  check  usually  a  "  V  f ' 
A.  Yes;  a  mark  similar  to  a  "  V" 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 
2435J.  Q.  Is  that  check  required  by  law  ? 
A.  No;  the  law  does  not  say  how  it  shall  be  done. 

2436.  Q.  Does  the  law  require  that  the  names  shall  be  checked  off  as  j 
the  men  vote  I 

A.  No;  I  think  an  old  law  required  it;  it  is  common  law;  I  don't  think 
the  present  law  requires  it,  but  it  is  uniformly  done. 

2430 J.  Q.   So  far  as  you  know  I 

A.  I  mean  to  say  that  it  has  habitually  been  done  as  T  know,  because 
I  have  had  occasion  to  examine  the  whole  poll-list  in  our  office  on  several 
occasions. 

2437.  Q.  Do  you  know,  of  your  own  knowledge,  that  this  checking 
was  done  at  one  single  precinct  this  year  \ 

A.  It  was  done  at  my  own,  where  I  stayed  all  day. 
2437£.  Q.  How  do  you  know  it  was  done? 
A.  I  saw  it  done. 

2438.  Q.  By  whom? 
A.  By  the  inspectors. 

2438J.  Q.  Where  were  you  standing? 

A.  I  was  standing  on  one  side  of  the  table  and  they  were  standing  at 
the  opposite  side  of  the  table. 

New  York,  December  29,  18G8. 
James  F.  Hall  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

2439  Q.  State  anything  you  knowr  of  persons  being  registered  as 
voters  for  the  last  presidential  election;  that  is,  of  persons  making  appli- 
cation to  be  registered  who  were  not  entitled  to  be  registered  or  to  vote. 

A.  John  Maloney,  Michael  Morrisey,  John  Farly,  and  dames  McDer- 
mott,  at  the  first  district  in  Philliptown,  in  Putnam  county,  offered  to 
register  on  papers  which  afterwards  proved  to  be  bogus  papers. 

By  Mr.  Kerr: 
2440.  Q,  Were  you  an  election  officer  ? 
A.  1  was  not. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS  *IN    NEW    YORK.  237 

2441.  Q.  In  what  capacity  were  you  about  the  polls? 
A.  As  a  voter. 

2442.  Q.  With  what  party  did  you  vote? 
A.  Voted  the  republican  ticket. 

2443.  Q.  You  saw  these  men,  John  Maloney  and  others,  attempt  to 
vote  on  papers  that  proved  to  be  bogus? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

2444.  Q.  How  do  you  know  that ! 

A.  From  the  examination  to  which  they  were  subjected. 

2445.  Q.  Who  made  that  examination  i 
A.  The  officers  of  election. 

2446.  Q.  Did  you  hear  it  made  ? 

A.  I  did;  the  questions  were  suggested  to  some  of  them  by  me. 

2447.  Q.  In  what  way  did  their  invalidity  appear ;  how  did  it  come 
out! 

A.  That  they  were  not  present  when  the  papers  were  issued  by  the 
court,  but  that  the  papers  had  been  sent  to  them  by  some  person. 

2448.  Q.  Was  that  the  case  in  each  of  the  four  instances  ? 

A.  In  each  of  them ;  they  testified  that  they  had  never  been  natural- 
ized in  court ;  that  they  had  not  received  their  papers  in  court. 

2449.  Q.  Did  they  say  that  they  had  never  been  in  a  court  to  be  sworn 
as  citizens  \ 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  they  had  not  been  there  at  the  date  of  their  naturaliza- 
tion papers,  and  they  did  not  state  when  they  had  been  there. 

2450.  Q.  Did  every  one  of  them  state  that  he  had  been  naturalized 
at  all? 

A.  I  am  under  the  impression  that  one  of  them  claimed  to  have  been 
naturalized,  and  to  have  lost  his  papers ;  the  others  did  not  claim  it. 

2451.  Q.  Can  you  state  where  these  men  live  I 

A.  They  live  in  the  town  of  Philliptown,  opposite  West  Point,  at  what 
is  called  Garrison  Station. 

New  York,  December  29,  1868. 
Williax  H.  Hendrick  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

2452.  Question.  State  what  you  know  of  persons  registering  their 
names  more  than  once  in  this  city,  just  prior  to  the  last  presidential  elec- 
tion, and  of  such  persons  voting  more  than  once  at  the  last  election. 

Answer.  I  wrote  the  paper  which  I  now  hold  in  my  hand  in  order  to 
save  me  trouble  reciting  the  tacts  within  my  knowledge ;  I  wrote  it  from 
nemory. 

2453.  Q.  Eeferring  to  that  to  refresh  ""your  memory,  state  what  you 
mow. 

A.  I  was  engaged  by  Peter  Norton  to  join  a  gang  of  repeaters,  and  it 
»vas  understood  that  I  was  to  be  registered  as  often  as  possible  on  the 
wo  last  registry  days  previous  to  the  presidential  election  on  the  3d  of 
November.  Those  two  days  of  registry  were  October  30  and  31.  On 
he  night  of  the  30th  of  October  I  repaired  to  Peter  Mitchell's  liquor 
>tore,  corner  of  Bleecker  and  Greene  streets,  and  I  saw  there  a  congre- 
gation of  repeaters,  I  should  say  at  least  40  men.  There  I  met  Peter 
Norton,  who  had  engaged  me.  He  took  me  to  task  for  not  being  with 
hem  during  the  day.  I  made  some  plausible  excuse,  when  I  was  told  to 
>e  with  them  without  fail  the  next  day;  that  is,  I  had  missed  the  first 
lay  of  the  last  two  registry  days,  and  was  found  fault  with  for  not  being 
m  hand.     I  was  told  to  be  with  them  without  fail  the  next  day,  the  last 


238  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN   NEW   YORK. 

registry  day,  at  7  o'clock  in  the  morning.  The  next  day  I  consulted 
with  Colonel  Bliss,  who  said  that  Superintendent  Kennedy  suggested 
that  I  should  go  on  with  these  men  and  register  with  them,  keeping  a 
memorandum  of  my  proceedings.  After  I  was  engaged  with  this  party, 
I  went  to  Colonel  Bliss  and  reported  the  affair  to  him.  I  told  him  that 
I  would  not  go  with  them  unless  I  had  some  sanction  from  him,  because 
I  felt  that  I  might  compromise  myself,  and  1  was  not  willing  to  get  into 
any  such  company,  and  go  through  with  this  business  that  they  proposed 
to  ine,  without  I  had  some  authority  and  some  pledge1  that  I  would  he 
protected  in  it.  On  the  morning  of  the31st  of  October,  1808,  I  reported 
to  Peter  Mitchell,  according  to  promise,  ami  the  only  one  of  the  gaag 
I  found  there  at  that  hour  was  David  Homers,  who  claimed  to  be  Peter 
Norton's  right  hand  man.  He  asked  me  to  take  a  drink,  and  said  that 
Pete  Norton  had  been  up  with  the  boys  all  night,  and  that  he  had  gone 
home  for  a  nap.  Dave  said,  "You  and  I  will  go  about  and  do  a  little  work 
registering,  and  then  go  and  wake  up  Pete."  We  then  went  to  a  drink- 
ing saloon  and  saw  Peter  Burns,  corner  of  Elizabeth  and  Houston  streets, 
(No.  69  East  Houston.)  Mr.  Peter  Burns  furnished  us  with  names 
and  a  residence.  David  Somers  took  his  own  name  as  a.  resident  of 
69  East  Houston  street,  while  he  gave  me  a  slip  with  the  name  of 
"Charles  Walters,  69  East  Houston  street."  From  Burns's  place  we 
went  around  the  corner  to  the  place  of  registry  of  this  district,  when 
David  Somers  registered  himself  as  a  resident  of  GO  East  Houston  street. 
He  was  questioned  sharply  by  one  of  the  registry  officers,  and  was  chal- 
lenged. He  swore  in  his  registry.  I  was  then  registered  at  the  same  i 
place  as  a  room-mate  of  David  Somers,  under  the  name  of  "  Charles 
Walters,"  of  69  East  Houston  street.  We  then  returned  to  Peter 
Burns's  place,  who  inquired  if  it  was  all  right,  remarking  that  they  had 
everything  all  snug  in  that  district.  Peter  Burns  then  put  the  two  names, 
as  registered,  on  file  to  be  voted  on  election  day,  and  we  (David  Somers 
and  myself)  then  went  to  the  place  of  registry  of  the  first  district  of 
the  14th  ward,  where  I  registered  my  correct  name  and  residence,  604 
Broadway.  David  Somers  would  not  register  here1,  because  he  said  he 
was  too  well  known ;  besides,  he  said  that  he  had  registered  his  own 
name  the  day  before  in  a  dozen  places  in  different  parts  of  the  city. 
We  then  went  over  in  the  8th  wrard  and  joined  more  of  the  gang.  I  do 
not  know  their  names.  About  three  joined  Dave  Somers  and  myself,  ■ 
and  the  party,  five  in  number,  were  all  registered  at  the  two  registries  ; 
on  Greene  street,  one  near  Prince  and  the  other  near  Broome  street.  Of 
the  names  there  registered,  I  only  remember  W.  H.  Travis,  of  595  Broad- 
way, and  W.  H.  Travis,  of  117  Spring  street.  WThen  a  second  proposed 
to  give  his  residence  117  Spring  street,  another  member  of  the  five  I 
remarked,  "It  won't  do  for  any  more  to  give  117  Spring  street,  as  there 
is  only  room  there  for  one  man,  and  four  of  us  have  already  given  in 
that  residence."  Besides  the  above,  others  of  the  gang  arrived,  and  ask-  j 
ing  if  all  was  right,  registered  at  the  above  places  as  residents  of  84 
Greene  street,  the  residence  of  Peter  Mitchell,  who  was  the  candidate  of 
that  district  for  the  assembly;  I  think  it  was  the  5th  assembly  district. 
Dave  Somers  and  myself  then  went  to  the  house  of  Peter  Norton,  142 
Sullivan  street,  who  roused  up  from  his  nap.  Peter  Norton  and  the 
three  of  us  joined  the  main  body  at  Peter  Mitchell's  liquor  store.  There 
I  saw  slips  served  out  for  different  districts  by  Alderman  Norton  and 
his  brother,  Peter  Norton,  and  also  by  Peter  Mitchell.  Some  L'5  or  30 
names  were  here  given  out  with  residences  attached.  I  was  told  that  it 
was  understood  by  the  women  at  the  different  houses  how  to  answer  nil 
the  questions  that  might  be  propounded  to  them  by  the  police  or  by 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  239 

detectives  who  might  call  to  know  who  lived  there,  &c.  The  gang 
was  then  divided  into  parties  of  four,  six,  eight,  and  twelve,  and  went 
in  different  directions.  The  party  I  was  with  consisted  of  five,  each 
one  of  whom  made  an  extra  registry  at  a  polling  place  on  Varick  street. 
I  have  forgotten  the  names  registered  here.  This  was  Alderman  Nor- 
ton's district.  We  then  returned  to  Peter  Mitchell's  liquor  store,  which 
seemed  to  be  a  general  rendezvous  for  at  least  50  repeaters.  Here 
I  was  told  by  Peter  Norton  to  join  a  party  of  12  bound  for  the  6th  Ti  . 
The  party  were  strangers,  of  whom  I  did  not  even  know  their  names.  I 
hesitated,  but  Dave  Norton  said  it  was  all  right.  Dave  Norton  said, 
"  It  is  all  right;  go  along  and  do  as  the  rest  do,  and  I  will  make  it  all 
right."  I  joined  them,  and  we  walked  rapidly  together  to  Alderman 
Cuddy's  place,  44  Bowery,  and  in  five  minutes  time  Alderman  Cuddy  in 
person  produced  a  book  that .must  have  contained  several  hundred  names 
and  residences.  Each  of  the  12  was  furnished  with  a  name  and  residence. 
One  of  James  Welch,  of  60  or  70  Mott  street;  another  of  George  or  Wil- 
liam Bennett.  1  took  James  Darling,  of  63  Mott  street.  Alderman 
Cuddy  passed  these  cards  over  his  counter.  Each  one  got  a  card.  I 
now  present  to  the  committee  the  card  containing  my  name  and  address 
which  I  received. 


o 

JONS  DARLING 

Oi 

w 

60  Mott 

CO 

© 

tri- 

O 
3 

2454.  Q.  State  how  he  gave  you  that  card. 

A.  He  was  looking  over  his  book,  and  I  was  looking  over  his  left 
shoulder.  He  looked  over  the  list  and  said :  "  Who  will  take  John  this, 
or  John  that  V1  He  would  call  them  off  in  that  way.  I  felt  that  I  must 
call  for  one  name,  and  I  waited  until  I  heard  a  name  that  sounded  like 
an  American  name.  Most  all  the  names  were  Irish — such  as  Sullivan 
or  McCarthy.  I  felt  that  I  could  not  present  a  name  like  that.  Finally 
when  he  called  the  name  of  James  Darling  I  said :  "  I  will  take  this  f 
and  that  is  the  one  he  gave  me. 

2455.  Q.  State  if  he  looked  at  you  when  he  presented  it  to  you,  or 
whether  he  handed  it  in  such  a  way  that  he  could  not  see  yon  when  he 
gave  it  to  you. 

A.  I  do  not  think  he  saw  me.  I  do  not  think  he  caught  my  eye 
during  the  whole  time  I  was  in  there. 

2450.  Q.  He  handed  it  to  you  over  his  shoulder1? 

A.  Yes.  We  then  went  around  to  the  registry  on  Bayard  street,  near 
the  Bowery,  and  the  whole  twelve  were  registered  there.  One  or  two 
were  challenged,  but  they  swore  themselves  on  the  registry.  Numbers 
66,  62,  68,  and  70  Mott  street  occurred  very  often  on  Cuddy's  bo>k, which 
I  saw  by  looking  over  his  shoulder  while  he  served  our  party  with  their 
names ;  also  Nos.  62,  64,  and  G$,  on  Bayard  street,  The  gang  I  accom- 
panied then  returned  to  Peter  Mitchell's,  and  after  a  few  hours1  conver- 
sation we  agreed  to  be  on  hand  election  day  and  vote ;  and  with  the 
directions  of  Peter  Norton  that  I  should  call  on  him  for  my  reward,  I 
left  the  party  for  the  day.  I  was  told  by  one  of  the  party  that  they  had 
done  more  work  the  day  before  (the  30th)  than  the  day  on  which  I  was 
with  them,  (the  31st.)  In  conversation  with  the  chief  men  of  this  gang- 
since  the  election  I  have  heard  several  of  them  boast  that  they  had 


240  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

been  registered  and  voted  over  twenty  or  twenty-five  times,  and  some 
of  them  thirty  times.  It  was  invariably  the  rule,  when  challenged,  to 
swear  the  vote  or  registry  in.  On  receiving  my  instructions  for  the 
work  on  election  day,  and  in  reply  to  my  remark,  "  But  if  I  am  chal- 
lenged," the  reply  was,  "You  must  swear  it  in ;  if  you  once  weaken  you 
are  gone  up ;  we  will  get  you  out,  of  course,  but  it  will  hinder  the  work." 

2457.  Q.  I  present  to  you  four  cards  on  which  certain  names  appear. 
State  what  you  know  of  them. 

A.  These  are  cards  that  I  wrote  myself.  I  stepped  into  a  cigar  store 
before  I  went  to  Peter  Mitchell's, and  got  these  four  cards  and  put  them 
into  my  pocket  with  the  intention  of  putting  on  them  a  memorandum 
of  what  I  did  while  with  the  party  during  the  day.  I  had  a  lead  pencil 
in  my  pocket, and  alter  we  had  registered  in  Bayard  street,  I  went  back 
to  Alderman  Cuddy's  and  took  a  drink,  and  while  the  rest  were  talking 
and  drinking  I  went  down  into  the  water  closet  and  wrote  these  cards. 

2458.  Q.  What  did  you  write  upon  theml 

A.  Here  is  the  name  of  James  Goodwin,  No.  70  Mott  street ;  James 
Welsh,  residence  142  Sullivan  street.     Here  is  another  card  with  the 
name   of  Charles  Walters.   6!>    Houston    street,   and   David   Simmers. 
Both  received  slips  of  paper  from  Pete  Burns'  porter-house,  corner  of 
Houston  and  Elizabeth  streets.     David  Dummers  is  said  to  have  regis- 
tered in  real  name  a  dozen  times.     This  is  the  first  time  I  have  seen  ! 
these  cards   since  I  gave  them.     Here  is  another  which  has  upon  it  ' 
" Gordon  McKay, 595  Broadway."    W.  H.Travis  registered  twice — first 
from  117  Spring  street, and  84  Greene  street.    "George  Bennett, 02 Bay-  | 
ard  street  (it  should  have  been  William  Bennett)  registered  Bayard  i 
street,  near  Bowery."    Numerous  registered  from  142  Sullivan  street. 

2459.  Q.  Who  is  Peter  Norton  .' 

A.  He  is  a  brother  of  Alderman  Michael  Norton. 

2460.  Q.  What  is  he  politically  I 

A.  He  is  a  democrat — at  least  I  don't  know  whether  he  has  any  poli- 
tics personally,  but  he  seemed  to  be  interested  in  the  success  of  the 
democratic  ticket  in  that  ward. 

2461.  Q.  State  if  you  know  the  politics  of  these  repeaters  with  whom 
you  are  associated. 

A.  Well,  the  repeaters,  most  of  them  that  I  was  with  that  day,  I  do 
not  think  have  much  politics  one  way  or  the  other,  but  they  seemed  to 
have  been  keeping  on  good  terms  with  certain  parties  in  the  locality. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

2462.  Q.  Did  you  learn  of  which  political  party! 
A.  The  democratic. 

246:i  Q.  Norton  was  in  the  interest  of  that  party? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

2464.  Q.  And  Bums? 
A.  He  was  a  democrat. 

2465.  Q.  For  whose  benefit  were  you  making  these  registries  j  for  the 
benefit  of  the  democrats  or  the  republicans J? 

A.  The  democrats. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

2466.  Q.  Who  employed  you  to  engage  in  this  business? 
A.  Peter  Norton. 

2467.  Q.  Anybody  else  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  do  not  think  there  was;  I  do  not  think  any  one  else  gave 
me  direct  encouragement. 


ELECTION    FKAUDS   IN    NEW    YORK.  241 

2468.  Q.  How  did  you  come  to  go  to  Peter  Norton  for  such  employ- 
ment ? 

A.  I  did  not  go  to  him  for  employment ;  I  met  him  with  a  party  of 
sporting  men  at  Florence's  saloon. 

2469.  Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  "sporting  men?" 

4..  Men  that  keep  faro  banks,  fast  women,  and  fast  horses. 

2470.  Q.  What  is  your  business  ? 

A.  I  have  been  in  the  army  for  the  last  seven  years. 

2471.  Q.  Are  you  in  the  army  now  ? 

A.  I  was  discharged  on  the  24th  of  June  last. 

2472.  Q.  What  service  were  you  in  ? 

A.  The  general  service  of  the  regular  army. 

2473.  Q.  What  regiment  were  you  in  ? 

A.  In  no  regiment ;  it  is  impossible  for  a  man  who  is  in  the  general 
service  to  be  in  any  particular  regiment ;  the  general  service  embraces 
those  unassigned  men  in  the  army  who  have  never  been  sent  to  any 
regiment. 

2474.  Q.  Where  were  you  on  duty  ? 

A.  At  Governor's  island,  in  the  bay  of  New  York. 

2475.  Q.  Under  whom? 

A.  Under  General  Henry  D.  Wallen. 

2476.  Q.  Were  you  known  there  by  the  same  name  -under  which  you 
appear  here  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  as  William  H.  Travis. 

2477.  Q.  Is  that  or  is  this  your  real  name  ? 
A.  William  H.  Hendrick  is  my  real  name. 

2478.  Q.  When  did  you  leave  the  service  ? 

A.  On  the  24th  of  June  last  $  I  was  honorably  discharged,  and  I  have 
my  discharge  in  my  pocket. 

2479.  Q.  How  many  more  names  have  you  ? 

A.  That  is  all ;  but  I  would  like  to  have  it  appear  in  the  record  why 
I  was  on  Governor's  island  under  an  assumed  name. 

2480.  Q.  When  did  you  enter  the  service  at  Governor's  island  f 
A.  On  the  24th  of  June,  1865. 

2481.  Q.  What  duties  did  you  perform  there  ? 

A.  I  was  clerk  to  General  W^allen — Brigadier  General  Wallen. 

2482.  Q.  When  you  left  that  service  in  June  last,  what  did  you  do  ? 
A.  I  looked  for  a  situation  in  New  York ;  I  hoped  to  get  a  clerkship 

in  a  civilian  department. 

2483.  Q.  Did  you  find  any  such  employment  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  was  for  a  while  looking  for  a  situation,  and  I  got 
acquainted  with  these  men  in  my  idle  moments. 

2484.  Q.  You  did  not  find  any  situation  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

2485.  Q.  Then  you  went  around  with  these  sporting  gentlemen  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

2486.  Q.  And  your  business  was  visiting  gambling  houses  and  houses 
of  ill-fame? 

A.  I  must  decline  to  answer  such  questions  as  may  reflect  upon  my 
character ;  I  can  say,  however,  that  I  never  was  in  a  house  of  ill-fame ; 
but  I  will  have  to  acknowledge  that  I  have  been  addicted  to  going  into 
faro  banks. 

2487.  Q.  During  this  time? 

A.  During  this  time ;  in  fact  for  fifteen  years.    If  I  had  not  done  so  I 
should  never  have  got  in  with  these  parties. 
16  T 


242  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK 

2488.  Q.  During  this  time  were  you  part  owner  of  a  faro  bank,  or  of 
a  gambling  house? 

A.  Never,  sir. 

2489.  Q.  Did  you  not  keep  a  woman  who  was  not  your  wife  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

2490.  Q.  What  was  your  business  before  1865? 

A.  I  was  in  the  United  States  marine  corps ;  I  served  my  full  four 
years  as  sergeant ;  I  was  first  on  duty  at  the  Philadelphia  navy  yard. 

2491.  Q.  Under  whom? 

A.  Under  Lieutenant  Colonel  Ward  Marston,  at  that  time  command- 
ing officer. 

2492.  Q.  Where  did  you  next  do  service  ? 

A.  I  was  only  three  weeks  at  the  barracks  in  Philadelphia  when  I  was 
sent  to  Washington  among  a  squad  of  recruits. 

2493.  Q.  By  what  name  were  you  known  in  the  service  at  Philadelphia? 
A.  My  real  name,  William  H.  Hendricks.    I  also  have  my  honorable 

discharge  from  that  service.  v 

2494.  Q.  What  did  you  do  when  you  went  to  Washington  ? 

A.  I  was  instructed  in  the  drill ;  had  six  hours  drill  a  day  for  six 
weeks;  and  was  made  a  corporal  right  on  the  jump.  I  never  did  senti- 
nel duty  but  once. 

2495.  Q.  How  long  did  you  remain  there  ? 

A.  I  was  in  Washington  acting  in  the  capacity  of  corporal  for  three 
months. 

2496.  Q.  Under  whom? 

A.  Colonel  John  Harris  was  commandant  of  the  marine  corps. 

2497.  Q.  What  year  was  this? 
A.  I  enlisted  in  the  fall  of  1860. 

2498.  Q.  When  did  you  go  to  Washington  f 

A.  About  the  4th  of  September  in  the  same  year,  and  I  staid  there 
about  three  months. 

2499.  Q.  Where  did  you  then  go  ? 

A.  I  was  then  drafted  as  one  of  the  marine  guard  of  the  frigate  Mace- 
donian,  then  fitting  out  at  the  Portsmouth  navy  yard.     We  were  taken; 
in  a  body  to  Portsmouth,  under  command  of  Captain  Macaulay.     The 
ship  went  into  commission  about  the  1st  or  2d  of  January,  1861 ;   and  I 
we  made  a  cruise  of  13  months.    We  went  to  Vera  Cruz,  St.  Thomas,  and ; 
around  Cuba. 

2500.  Q.  Who  was  commander  of  the  ship  ? 

A.  Captain  James  Glynn,  of  the  United  States  navy. 

2501.  Q.  Under  what  name  were  you  there  ? 
A.  William  H.  Hendricks. 

2502.  Q.  What  rank  had  you  I 

A.  I  was  made  what  was  called  "lance  sergeant,"  when  we  got  on, 
board  ship. 

2503.  Q.  Did  you  remain  in  that  position  all  the  time  ? 

A.  Yes,  during  the  whole  of  the  13  months.  My  discharge  gives  the 
date  of  my  promotion. 

2504.  Q.  What  did  you  do  after  that  ? 

A.  The  ship  returned  to  Boston  harbor  and  went  out  of  commission 
I  then  had  the  privilege  of  a  furlough  of  10  days,  and  reporting  for 
duty  at  any  navy  yard  in  the  United  States  service.  I  took  my  fur 
lough  and  reported  for  duty  at  the  Portsmouth  navy  yard.  This  wasj 
about  the  last  of  February,"  1862.  I  was  two  years  on  duty  as  sergeant; 
at  the  Portsmouth  navy  yard. 

2505.  Q.  Where  did  you  go  to  from  there? 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  243 

A.  After  I  had  been  there  two  years,  I  came  to  New  York  and  visited 
ny  father,  who  was  then  living  in  New  York. 

2500.  Q.  Where  does  he  live  now? 

A.  At  Norwalk,  Connecticut. 

2507.  Q.  What  did  you  do  there? 

A.  I  was  with  him  for  several  months,  and  then  got  a  clerkship  in 
i  Washington. 

5508.  Q.  In  what  department  ? 

A.  In  the  Provost  Marshal  General's  department, 
i   2509.  Q.  At  what  date  was  that  % 

A.  1  do  not  remember  the  precise  date.     It  was  about  in  1865. 

2510.  Q.  What  were  you  doing  during  the  long  space  that  intervened 
>etween  your  service  at  the  Portsmouth  navy  yard  and  the  commence- 
aent  of  your  service  in  Washington  % 
i   A.  I  was  in  New  York  doing  nothing. 

•   2511.  Q.  How  long  did  you  remain  in  the  Provost  Marshal  General's 
lepartment  at  Washington  ? 

A.  Five  months, 
i   2512.  Q.  In  what  class  were  you  as  a  clerk  % 
:   A.  I  was  a  third  class  clerk. 

2513.  Q.  What  was  your  compensation  % 

A.  I  received  a  hundred  dollars  a  month, 
i   2511.  Q.  On  whose  procurement  were  you  appointed  \ 

A.  I  had  several  recommendations ;  one  from  Paymaster  Cunning- 
lam,  of  the  Macedonian ;  one  from  Paymaster  Bleecker,  of  the  Ports- 
mouth navy  yard ;  another  from  Anthony  J.  Bleecker,  of  New  York  city.- 

2515.  Q.  What  did  you  do  when  you  left  there  ? 

A.  I  was  discharged  from  there  for  visiting  faro  banks. 

2516.  Q.  Where  did  you  then  go  ? 

i  A.  After  I  lost  my  situation  I  was  very  poor.  I  had  a  wife  and  child 
:o  support,  and  became  very  much  reduced.  I  came  to  New  York  and 
bund  I  could  get  detailed  as  clerk  in  Colonel  Hayden's  office,  then  com- 
manding at  Governor's  island.  I  called  on  him  and  he  advised  me  to 
oilist,  and  told  me  if  I  would  do  so  he  would  appoint  me  clerk  in  his 
)ffice,  and  that  I  would  get  a  hundred  dollars  bounty,  which  would 
elieve  my  distresses.  I  enlisted  and  got  the  one  hundred  dollars  bounty 
n  advance,  and  two  hundred  dollars  bounty  which  came  afterwards. 
Yhen  I  went  to  him  I  felt  ashamed  of  the  circumstances  which  had 
>rought  me  to  it. 

2517.  Q.  After  you  left  the  service  on  Governor's  island,  you  did  not 
nter  again  into  any  kind  of  public  service,  and  you  have  since  had  no 
•usiness  % 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  did  not.     I  did  not  like  to  re-enlist  there. 

2518.  Q.  Since  you  have  left  that  service  what  other  business  have 
ou  been  engaged  in  excepting  what  you  have  stated  I 

A.  In  no  business  at  all. 

2519.  Q.  For  how  long  a  time  have  you  been  in  this  condition  ! 

A.  Since  the  24th  of  June  of  this  year  I  have  had  no  regular  business, 
lthough  I  have  occasionally  been  employed. 

2520.  Q.  Who  employed  you  to  go  to  Peter  Norton's  and  get  this  kiu& 
f  employment  from  him  ! 

A.  I  was  sitting  in  the  reading  room  of  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel,  when 

gentleman  I  knew,  by  the  name  of  Bay,  who  was  chief  clerk  of  the 

epublican  committee  in  session  there,  passed  through  the  room  and 

sked  me  what  I  was  doing.    He  told  me  there  was  plenty  of  work  to  do 

i  writing  for  the  committee,  and  that  I  could  get  four  or  five  dollars  a 


244  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

day,  and  might  as  well  go  there  and  write.  I  did  so,  and  in  the  evening 
I  went  to  this  drinking  saloon  and  there  it  was  proposed  that  I  should 
engage  in  this  business  of  repeating. 

2521.  Q.  Who  first  made  you  the  proposition? 

A.  I  was  a  stranger  to  Peter  Norton,  but  there  was  a  man  I  had  seen 
about  faro  banks.  In  fact  I  had  given  him  some  money,  and  he  came  up 
to  me  and  said,  aYou  want  to  make  a  stake  ?"  I  said,  "Certainly." 
"Well,"  said  he,  "here  is  Pete  Norton,  who  wants  to  get  people  to  work 
on  election  day." 

2522.  Q.  Who  was  this  man  of  whom  you  now  speak? 

A.  A  little  fellow  whom  they  call  "Horse  Jack;"  he  is  a  hanger-on 
about  faro  banks,  and  has  spent  most  of  his  life  as  a  jockey  about  New 
Orleans;  I  think  his  real  name  is  Jack  Hodge. 

2523.  Q.  Do  you  know  where  he  is  now  ? 

A.  I  understand  that  he  has  gone  to  New  Orleans,  but  I  am  not  sure; 
I  have  not  seen  him  for  some  months. 

2524.  Q.  Did  or  did  not  this  republican  committee  which  had  quarters 
at  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel,  or  any  person  belonging  to, it,  employ  or 
seek  to  employ  you  through  Mr.  Norton? 

A.  No,  sir;  the  proposition  was  made  to  me  before  they  knew  any- 
thing about  it.  ■ 

2525.  Q.  How  did  you  come  to  make  the  acquaintance  of  Mr.  Kennedy? 
A.  After  this  proposition  was  made  to  me  I  reported  it  to  Colonel 

Bliss,  and  he  told  me  to  come  next  day.  He  seemed  to  wish  to  consult 
with  somebody  before  he  told  me  ivhat  to  do.  I  called  again,  and  he  then 
told  me  that  I  could  go  with  these  men,  and  said  he,  "I  spoke  to  Mr. 
Kennedy  about  it,  and  he  says  perhaps  the  best  thing  you  can  do  is  to 
go  with  them  and  take  a  memorandum  of  what  you  do." 

2526.  Q.  What  assurance  did  he  give  you  of  reward  ! 

A.  He  told  me  he  could  not  tell  what  I  would  receive,  but  he  said  my 
expenses  would  be  paid. 

2527.  Q.  How  did  you  come  to  communicate  to  him  the  fact  that 
you  had  made  the  acquaintance  of  these  men  ? 

A.  Well,  I  am  rather  inclined  to  the  side  of  order  and  good  govern- 
ment. I  am  patriotic  in  my  feelings,  and  I  think  that  the  only  patriotic 
party  in  the  last  five  years  is  the  republican  party ;  my  sympathies  are 
entirely  with  them. 

2528.  Q.  Is  that  the  only  reason  you  had  for  seeking  him  and  making ! 
this  communication  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  that  was  not  the  only  reason ;  the  other  reason  was  that 
I  was  obliged  to  find  some  means  of  getting  employment,  and  I  thought 
I  might  as  well  be  employed  in  a  virtuous  cause. 

2529.  Q.  And  shift  from  a  vicious  one? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  think  it  was  a  decided  improvement. 

2530.  Q.  Did  you  get  out  of  the  company  of  those  bad  men? 
A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  have  kept  out  of  their  company  since  then.    I  have 

been  afraid  to  go  near  them. 

2531.  Q.  What  have  you  detailed  in  this  paper  to  which  you  hav 
referred,  about  your  association  afterwards  with  these  men? 

A.  I  did  not  associate  with  them  ;  but  I  met  one  or  two  of  them  at 
saloons  casually,  where  I  had  no  idea  of  meeting  them. 

2532.  Q.  After  you  entered  this  virtuous  service  then  you  ceased  to 
have  communication  with  the  bad  men  named  in  this  paper  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

2533.  Q.  Then  you  did  not  do  what  Superintendent  Kennedy  advised 
you  to  do,  cultivate  their  acquaintance  and  get  all  the  information  yoi 
could  from  them? 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  245 

A.  He  did  not  advise  me  to  do  that.  It  was  only  on  that  day  of  the 
registry. 

2534.  Q.  Who  advised  that  ? 
A.  Colonel  Bliss. 

2535.  Q.  Did  yon  see  Mr.  Kennedy  on  the  subject  of  this  business  ? 
A.  I  did  not  speak  to  him. 

2536.  Q.  Did  you  never  speak  to  him  on  this  subject  ? 

A.  Colonel  Bliss  told  me  to  meet  him  at  police  headquarters ;  but, 
although  I  saw  Mr.  Kennedy  there,  I  never  spoke  to  him. 

2537.  Q.  Have  you  ever  been  indicted  for  any  offence  against  the  laws 
of  the  country  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

2538.  Q.  Where  did  you  first  meet  Peter  Norton? 

A.  At  Florence's  saloon,  at  the  corner  of  Houston  street  and  Broadway. 

2539.  Q.  Where  does  he  live? 
A.  No.  145  Sullivan  street. 

2540.  Q.  What  is  his  business  ? 

A.  I  do  not  think  he  has  any  particular  business ;  I  never  heard  any- 
thing of  his  business ;  I  always  looked  upon  him  as  a  sporting  man,  who 
lives  by  his  wits. 

2541.  Q.  How  did  you  come  to  have  this  conversation  with  him  about 
this  business  of  repeating.  Did  you  suggest  it  to  him,  or  did  he  suggest 
it  to  you  ? 

A.  He  never  made  any  suggestion  to  me,  except  by  implication.  For 
instance,  this  Hodge  that  spoke  to  me  about  this  matter  introduced  me 
to  Norton,  and  said,  "  This  is  a  friend  of  mine,  and  he  will  go  into  this 
thing." 

2542.  Q.  What  did  Norton  say  then 


A.  Norton  said,  "All  right,  let  us  take  a  drink 


2543.  Q.  Who  drank  with  you  % 
A.  This  Hodge  and  Norton,  and  several  others  whose  names  I  cannot 

remember. 

2544.  Q.  What  did  you  drink? 

A.  I  think  I  took  a  Santa  Cruz  sour. 

2545.  Q.  Who  paid  for  it? 

A.  I  did'nt  see  who  paid;  there  was  a  great  crowd  drinking  at  that 
time. 

2546.  Q.  Were  they  all  drinking  on  the  same  treat  ? 

A.  I  do  not  think  they  were.  I  think  there  were  two  or  three  parties 
at  the  bar. 

2547.  Q.  Is  there  a  gambling  table  in  that  house  ? 
A.  Not  to  my  knowledge. 

2548.  Q.  What  did  Norton  say  on  the  subject  of  this  business  at  that 
time? 

A.  Norton  said,  "  We  will  give  you  something  to  do  on  election  day 
and  registry  days."  That  is  what  he  said,  and  I  said,  "  All  right,  I  will 
be  there." 

2549.  Q.  Did  he  ever  talk  with  you  much  afterwards  ? 

A.  Not  except  on  the  day  of  registering.  When  we  were  coming  back 
from  one  of  the  registering  places  he  had  a  conversation  with  me. 

2550.  Q.  What  did  he  say  then? 

A.  I  will  try  to  call  to  mind  what  he  said.  I  was  expressing  some  fear 
of  being  caught  in  this  thing.  I  asked  him  what  should  be  done  in  such 
a  state  of  things.  I  don't  remember  now  exactly  what  hypothesis  I  stated 
to  him ;  but  he  stopped  me  and  said,  "  Don't  talk  so  loud,  there  is  Cap- 
tain Young  of  the  detective  force  just  passing  us,  and  he  may  hear  you." 


246  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

I  asked,  "  Suppose  they  challenge  me  when  I  go  to  get  registered — what 
shall  I  do  ?"    "  You'll  have  to  swear  it  in,"  he  answered. 

2551.  Q.  And  all  this  time  you  were  in  the  service  of  the  republican 
party  of  New  York  ? 

A.  No,  sir,  I  can't  say  I  was  in  their  service. 

2552.  Q.  Were  you  then  in  Mr.  Norton's  service  ? 
A.  No,  sir ;  I  was  in  no  service. 

2553.  Q.  You  were  serving  no  master  just  then? 
A.  None  but  myself. 

2554.  Q.  Have  you  generally  served  all  of  your  employers  during  the 
last  eight  years  about  as  faithfully  as  you  did  your  employer  in  this  case ! 

A.  I  refer  you  to  my  written  recommendations  from  all  the  command- 
ing officers  under  whom  I  have  served. 

[Mr.  Dickey  objected  to  the  question,  but  after  discussion  it  was 
allowed.] 

2555.  Q.  During  the  last  eight  years  have  you  served  all  your  employ-   i 
ers  with  the  same  fidelity  with  which  you  have  served  Mr.  Peter  Norton 
on  this  occasion  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  and  with  much  greater  fidelity. 

2556.  Q.  What  other  conversation  had  you  with  Mr.  Peter  Norton  ? 
A.  I  do  not  think  I  had  any  more  conversation  with  him  at  any  time. 

2557.  Q.  Where  is  Peter  Mitchell's  liquor  store? 
A.  At  the  corner  of  Green  and  Bleeker  streets. 

2558.  Q.  What  kind  of  a  store  is  it? 
A.  A  retail  drinking  store. 

2559.  Q.  Is  it  a  gambling  house  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  not  that  I  know  of;  I  never  was  in  any  place,  only  in  the 
bar-room,  where  they  sell  liquor. 

2560.  Q.  Do  you  know  Peter  Mitchell? 

A.  I  know  him  by  sight,  and  was  introduced  to  him. 

2561.  Q.  Did  you  ever  have  any  talk  with  him  on  this  subject? 
A.  No,  sir. 

2562.  Q.  Did  Norton  or  Mitchell  ever  pay  you  anything  for  your  ser- 
vices? 

A.  No,  sir. 

2563.  Q.  Did  you  ever  ask  him  for  any  pay  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

2564.  Q.  You  are  sure  of  that? 

A.  Yes,  sir.     I  only  fulfilled  half  of  my  contract  with  him. 

2565.  Q.  Did  they  pay  any  of  your  expenses  ? 

A.  They  paid  for  drinks  during  the  day ;  nothing  more. 

2566.  Q.  Where  does  David  Somers  live? 
A.  I  don't  know. 

2567.  Q.  What  does  he  do? 
A.  He  is  what  they  call  a  "rounder." 

2568.  Q.  What  is  the  business  of  a  rounder? 
A.  It  is  a  difficult  word  to  define. 

2569.  Q.  You  have  been  acquainted  with  a  good  many  in  your  life, 
have  you  not? 

A.  Yes,  sir,  I  have  met  with  one  or  two. 

2570.  Q.  What  did  they  do. 
A.  They  were  hangers-on  at  faro  banks. 

2571.  Q.  That,  then,  is  the  business  of  a  rounder? 
A.  I  believe  it  is. 

2572.  Q.  Is  that  the  only  business  such  men  have? 
A.  I  believe  they  indulge  in  other  luxuries  besides  that. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  247 

2573.  Q.  Do  you  know  where  David  Somers  is  now? 
A.  I  do  not. 

2574.  Q.  When  did  you  see  him  last ! 

A.  I  passed  him  on  Broadway  one  day  since  the  registry,  about  two 
months  ago,  or  less. 

2575.  Q.  Did  you  speak  with  him  ? 
A.  No ;  I  avoided  his  recognition. 

2576.  Q.  How  have  you  managed  to  get  a  living  since  then? 

A.  Since  then  I  have  been  employed  as  a  clerk  in  the  officeof  the 
i  Union  League,  and  am  now  in  that  service. 

2577.  Q.  At  what  compensation? 

A.  I  have  been  getting  $18  per  week. 

2578.  Q.  Was  your  right  to  registration  questioned  ever? 
i    A.  No,  sir. 

2579.  Q.  Did  you  ever  swear  it  in? 
A.  No,  sir. 

2580.  Q.  Where  were  you  registered? 

A.  I  have  already  stated  from  the  paper.  I  should  have  to  have  a 
map  in  order  to  tell  you  without  referring  to  the  paper. 

2581.  Q.  In  what  part  of  the  city? 

A.  From  Pete  Burns's  we  went  from  Elizabeth  to  Prince  street,  and 
a  few  doors  above  Elizabeth  on  Prince  street  we  first  registered ;  that 
is  the  place  where  Charles  Walters  and  David  Somers  were  registered. 
I  was  registered  under  the  name  of  Charles  Walters.  We  then  went  to 
the  8th  ward,  where  the  places  of  registry  were  both  on  Greene  street — 
one  near  Spring  and  the  other  near  Broome  street. 

2582.  Q.  When  did  you  write  out  this  statement  from  which  you  have 
testified? 

A.  About  three  weeks  ago. 

2583.  Q.  From  what  did  you  write  it? 
A.  From  memory. 

2584.  Q.  You  remember  very  distinctly  all  you  have  done  during  this 
time  ? 

A.  No,  I  am  not  quite  certain  that  I  remember  everything  that 
occurred,  but  I  think  I  have  it  all  down  there. 

2585.  Q.  Do  you  ever  indulge  in  habits  of  intoxication? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  drink  occasionally,  but  in  moderation,  I  hope. 

2586.  Q.  You  hope? 
A.  Well,  I  know. 

2587.  Q.  Were  you  drunk  during  those  days  of  registration  and 
noting  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 
i    2588.  Q.  You  say  that  on  ascertain  day  you  reported  to  Peter  Mitch- 
ell; did  you  ever  have  any  conversation  with  Peter  Mitchell  on  the  sub- 
|  ect  of  your  business? 
j    A.  No,  sir. 
!    2589.  Q.  Did  you  ever  tell  him  how  often  you  had  registered? 

A.  No,  sir. 
;    2590.  Q.  Did  you  ever  tell  Peter  Norton  how  often  you  had  been  reg- 
stered? 

A.  No,  sir. 

2591.  Q.  Did  you  ever  tell  Peter  Norton  you  had  been  registered  at 

A.  I  think  I  may  have  given  him  to  understand  that  I  had,  but  I 
lon't  remember  telling  him  positively  that  I  had.  I  remember  meeting 
urn  that  day  and  telling  him  that  I  had  done  what  I  could,  and  he  said, 


248  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

"  Well,  you  be  on  hand  now  on  election  day,"  and  I  said,  "  Yes;"  and  he 
asked,  "How  did  you  make  out  to-day?"  and  I  said,  "I  did  all  I  could." 
That  is  the  only  conversation  I  had  with  Peter  Norton  on  the  subject. 

2592.  Q.  Have  you  seen  Peter  Norton  lately? 
A.  No,  sir. 

2593.  Q.  You  say  that  Peter  Mitchell  was  a  candidate  for  the  assembly, 
and  kept  a  saloon? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

2594.  Q.  In  what  district  was  he  running  for  the  assembly? 
A.  I  think  it  is  called  the  fifth  assembly  district. 

2595.  Q.  On  what  ticket  was  he  running? 
A.  I  suppose  the  democratic. 

2596.  Q.  Was  he  elected? 
A.  I  believe  so. 

2597.  Q.  Did  you  ever  have  any  talk  with  him  on  politics? 
A.  No,  sir. 

2598.  Q.  Did  he  keep  an  eating  house  as  well  as  a  drinking  saloon? 
A.  No,  sir ;  only  a  drinking  saloon. 

2599.  Q.  Did  you  ever  drink  there  on  his  expense,  or  at  his  invitation  ? 
A.  No,  sir;  I  believe  not. 

2600.  Q.  Who  is  Peter  Burns  I 

A.  He  is  proprietor  of  a  liquor  store  on  the  corner  of  Houston  and 
Elizabeth  streets. 

2601.  Q.  Was  he  one  of  the  men  whom  you  denominate  the  "gang?" 
A.  Well,  I  don't  know,  because  I  had  never  seen  him  before;  I  was 

only  in  his  place  about  five  minutes,  and  knew  nothing  about  him. 

2602.  Q.  Did  you  have  any  talk  with  him? 

A.  Yes;  there  was  a  little  chaffing  over  the  drinks  at  his  bar,  before 
we  went  around  to  the  registry,  and,  when  we  came  back,  about  the  elec- 
tion, and  how  everything  would  be  quiet  in  that  district;  that  was  about 
all. 

2003.  Q.  Where  did  you  go  from  Burns's  place? 

A.  We  went  around  to  the  corner  of  Elizabeth  street,  and  up  Prince 
street,  about  half  a  dozen  doors  above  Elizabeth,  towards  Broadway. 

2604.  Q.  You  say  David  Somers  registered  there  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

2G05.  Q.  How  did  he  secure  his  registration? 

A.  He  was  cross-examined  by  one  of  the  registrars  very  sharply,  and 
they  insisted  upon  his  swearing  that  he  lived  at  69  East  Houston  street; 
and  as  soon  as  he  was  sworn  and  was  registered,  he  was  rather  overbear- 
ing to  the  republican  registrar,  asking  him  what  right  he  had  to  ask  him 
these  questions,  and  talked  in  a  manner  that  almost  implied  that  he  was 
going  to  pitch  into  him  if  he  had  anything  more  to  say. 

2606.  Q.  How  did  you  know  that  Peter  Mitchell  was  a  democrat? 
A.  1  saw  his  name  upon  the  printed  democratic  ticket,  which  was 

posted  all  over  the  district. 

2607.  Q.  How  m  any  men  were  there  in  this  gang  to  which  you  belonged  ? 
A.  I  could  not  tell ;  more  than  I  could  count  during  the  excitement 

of  the  time. 

2608.  Q.  By  whom  was  this  gang  organized  ? 
A.  I  do  not  know  ;  I  can  form  no  idea. 

2609.  Q.  So  far  as  you  know  under  whose  direction  was  it  acting  ? 
A.  That  I  cannot  tell. 

2610.  Q.  How  many  of  the  persons  whose  names  you  have  given  us 
constituting  the  gang,  do  you  know  the  residence  of? 

A.  Only  two,  or  rather  but  one  only — Peter  Norton  ;  I  am  only  sure 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  249 

'  of  his  residence;  I  have  looked  in  the  directory  and  saw  other  resi- 
I  dences  there. 

2611.  Q.  Can  you  tell  from  memory  where  the  residences  of  the  others 
are? 

A.  I  think  Alderman  Norton  lives  on  Yarick  street. 

2612.  Q.  Do  you  remember  the  residence  of  any  other  one  which  you 
saw  in  the  directory  ? 

A.  I  saw  Peter  Norton's  residence  there  at  No.  142  Sullivan  street,  but 
I  never  saw  the  names  of  any  of  the  others  registered  in  the  directory, 
nor  do  I  think  they  are  there. 

2613.  Q.  Where  is  the  residence  of  Alderman  Michael  Norton  ? 
A.  On  Yarick  street,  I  do  not  remember  the  number. 

2614.  Q.  Do  you  know  Mr.  Norton  personally  ? 
A.  I  know  him  by  sight ;  I  never  spoke  to  him. 

2615.  Q.  Where  did  you  meet  him  ? 

A.  I  saw  him  at  Peter  Mitchell's  liquor  store  during  that  day  to  which 
I  have  referred. 

2616.  Q.  Where  is  his  office  as  alderman? 
A.  I  do  not  know. 

2617.  Q.  Do  you  know  when  he  was  elected  to  that  office  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

2618.  Q.  How  do  you  know  he  is  an  alderman  ? 

A.  I  happened  to  read  the  proceedings  of  the  board  of  aldermen  in 
some  of  the  public  prints,  and  I  saw  he  had  made  several  motions ;  that 
:  is  all  that  I  know  about  his  being  an  alderman. 

2619.  Q.  What  did  you  see  him  do  at  Peter  Mitchell's  ? 

A.  When  he  came  into  Peter  Mitchell's,  he  and  Pete  Norton,  who  is 
his  brother,  had  their  heads  together  and  were  handling  slips  of  paper 
with  names  on  them,  and  those  slips  were  given  to  David  Somers,  Avho 
gave  them  to  members  of  the  gang  who  went  to  the  sixth  ward. 

2620.  Were  you  of  that  gang  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

2621.  Q.  Did  Peter  Norton  give  them  to  you  ! 
A.  No,  sir. 

2622.  Q.  Did  Michael  Norton  give  out  any? 

A.  I  did  not  see  him  give  out  any  individually.  I  saw  his  brother  give 
them  to  Somers,  and  Somers  distributing  them. 

2623.  Q.  Did  you  know  what  those  papers  were  f 

A.  I  didn't  make  a  close  examination ;  I  had  some  of  them  in  my 
hands  afterwards  during  the  day,  and  they  had  names  and  addresses  on 
them. 

2624.  Q.  How  did  you  know  they  were  the  same  papers  ? 

A.  It  is  merely  a  matter  of  guess ;  I  came  to  that  conclusion. 

2625.  Q.  How  many  did  you  see  Alderman  Norton  give  to  Peter  Nor- 
ton? 

A.  I  do  not  know,  nor  can  I  guess. 

2626.  Q.  Who  was  standing  by  and  saw  this  done  besides  those  you 
have  named  \ 

A.  There  were  20  or  30  persons. 

2627.  Q.  Was  it  done  in  a  public,  open  way,  or  was  it  done  secretly? 
A.  Quite  publicly  ;  they  were  all  leaning  against  the  outside  of  the 

bar,  and  there  were  nearly  30  persons  present ;  or  at  all  events  more 
than  20. 

2628.  Q.  Were  they  all  belonging  to  this  gang? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  they  must  have  been  or  thev  would  not  have  taken  the 
papers  out  publicly. 


250  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

2620.  Q.  Was  it  at  that  point  that  the  gang  was  divided  up  into 
smaller  gangs  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

2G30.  Q.  By  whose  direction  was  that  done  ? 

A.  I  cannot  say,  but  those  three  parties  seemed  to  have  the  direction 
of  it ;  Peter  Norton,  Alderman  Norton,  and  Peter  Mitchell. 
*   2631.  Q.  What  did  they  do! 

A.  I  do  not  recollect. 

2632.  Q.  Did  you  hear  Peter  Mitchell  give  any  orders  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

2633.  Q.  Did  you  see  him  give  any  tickets  I 

A.  I  did  not  see  him  distribute  any  tickets ;  I  saw  him  handling  the 
tickets  and  talking ;  I  thought  they  were  slips  of  paper,  I  do  not  know 
what  was  on  them  ;  they  might  have  been  blank ;  I  do  not  know  what 
they  were.    That  was  all  I  saw  him  do  or  knew  of  him  to  do. 

2634.  Q.  How  many  persons  did  you  ever  see  at  Peter  Mitchell's  liquor 
store  at  any  one  time  during  that  day? 

A.  I  think  I  saw  25  or  30,  as  near  as  I  can  guess. 

2635.  Q.  What  is  Alderman  Cuddy's  business  ! 

A.  He  is  a  sporting  man,  I  believe,  and  is  interested  in  a  faro  bank. 

2636.  Q.  Do  you  know  where  he  does  his  sporting  business? 
A.  Only  from  hearsay ;  I  do  not  know  the  locality. 

2637.  Q.  Do  you  know  that  he  does  any  such  business  except  from 
hearsay  I 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  can't  say  that  I  do.  He  keeps  a  drinking  saloon  on  the 
Bowery ;  that  is  to  say,  he  is  the  ostensible  proprietor  of  a  liquor  saloon. 
I  never  saw  him  there  except  on  this  one  day. 

2638.  Q.  Is  his  name  over  it ! 

A.  It  is  called  "  Cuddy's  Hotel,"  and  is  next  door  to  the  Bowery  thea- 
tre; his  name  is  over  the  door  in  large  letters ;  it  is  only  a  drinking 
saloon,  although  there  are  three  or  four  lodging  rooms  about  it. 

2639.  Q.  What  intercourse  did  you  have  with  him  ! 

A.  None  at  all ;  I  never  spoke  a  word  to  him  in  my  life  excepting  when 
I  said  that  I  would  take  the  name  of  James  Darling. 

2640.  Q.  What  was  he  doing  when  you  said  that  \ 
A.  He  was  holding  out  these  cards. 

2641.  Q.  How  many  were  present  when  he  was  doing  it ! 

A.  I  am  sure  there  was  a  dozen ;  there  might  have  been  14  at  his  bar. 

2642.  Q.  Did  he  say  anything  about  the  repeating  business  at  the  time 
he  was  handing  out  the  tickets  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

2643.  Q.  How  many  did  he  hand  out  ? 
A.  Twelve  that  I  saw. 

2644.  Did  you  count  them  at  the  time  ? 

A.  No,  sir,  I  did  not;  but  I  knew  there  were  twelve  in  our  party  and 
each  got  supplied. 

2645.  Q.  What  were  their  names  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know ;  there  was  not  one  man  among  them  that  I  knew 
by  name. 

2646.  Q.  Did  you  ask  any  of  them  their  names  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

2647.  Q.  How  did  you  address  them  when  you  talked  to  them  ? 

A.  There  was  no  particular  way  of  addressing  them  ;  the  parties  seemed 
to  be  quite  fraternal  and  talked  the  same  as  a  couple  of  brothers  would 
do. 

2648.  Q.  How  did  you  talk  to  them  ? 


ELECTION    FEAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  251 

A.  I  assumed  the  same  style  and  maimer  that  they  did. 

2649.  Q.  Did  Mr.  Cuddy  give  any  directions  to  you,  or  in  your  hearing 
to  the  other  men  of  the  gang ? 

A.  I  think  he  did,  but  I  cannot  say  what  he  said. 

2650.  Q.  Did  he  drink  with  you? 
A.  No,  sir. 

2651.  Q.  Did  he  ask  you  to  come  up  and  drink  with  him? 
A.  No,  sir. 

2652.  Q,  You  never  saw  him  but  that  one  time? 
A.  That  is  all. 

2653.  Q.  Were  you  in  the  habit  of  frequenting  that  place  before  you 
saw  him  there? 

A.  No,  sir. 

2654.  Q.  Have  you  ever  met  him  since? 
A.  Yes,  sir;  once,  on  Broadway. 

2655.  Q.  Did  you  talk  with  him  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  nor  did  I  know  him  at  the  time  the  papers  were  served  out; 
I  had  no  idea  who  was  serving  them  out;  he  was  an  entire  stranger  to 
me,  although  I  may  have  seen  the  man  before. 

2656.  Q.  How,  then,  do  you  know  him  now  ? 

A.  Because  at  the  time  I  met  him  on  Broadway,  eight  or  ten  days  after 
the  serving  out  of  the  papers,  I  followed  him  four  or  five  blocks  to  find 
out  who  he  was ;  and  while  I  was  cogitating  how  I  should  find  out,  I  saw 
an  elderly  gentleman  who  spoke  and  bowed  to  him,  and  I  ran  after  him 
half  a  block  and  asked  him  who  the  gentleman  was  to  whom  he  bowed. 

2657.  Q.  Will  you  have  the  kindness  to  give  us  the  name  of  this  gen- 
tleman whom  you  followed  in  that  way  ? 

A.  I  have  no  idea  what  his  name  was ;  I  never  saw  him  before  or  since. 

2658.  Q.  Is  that  the  way  you  ascertained  the  names  of  the  other  parties  ? 
A.  No ;  the  other  men  I  knew. 

2659.  Q.  Did  you  know  Peter  Mitchell? 

A.  Yes ;  Peter  Norton  introduced  me  to  him  at  his  saloon. 

2660.  Q.  By  what  name  did  he  introduce  you? 
A.  By  my  right  name  of  Hendrick. 

2661.  Q.  When  was  this? 

A.  It  was  about  three  or  four  nights  after  I  met  him  at  Florence's 
saloon,  several  days  before  the  registration,  and  before  this  business 
commenced. 

2662.  Q.  At  whose  request  did  you  write  out  this  statement  to  which 
you  have  referred  in  your  testimony? 

A.  At  no  one's  request;  it  was  an  impulse  of  my  own. 

2663.  Q.  What  was  the  origin  of  that  impulse? 

A.  My  object  was  to  retain  in  my  memory  facts  that  I  expected  to  tes- 
tify to. 

2664.  Q.  Where  did  you  get  that  expectation  from? 

A.  I  was  told  that  there  would  probably  be  an  investigation  ordered, 
and  that  I  woidd  be  called  up  as  a  witness. 

2665.  Q.  By  whom  were  you  told  that? 
A.  Colonel  Bliss. 

2666.  Q.  Did  he  not  tell  you  in  that  connection  that  he  wanted  you  to 
write  this  out  and  fix  it  up? 

A.  No,  sir. 

2667.  Q.  Did  you  never  read  it  over  to  Colonel  Bliss? 
A.  No,  sir. 

2668.  Q.  Did  you  offer  to  vote  yourself? 
A.  Yes,  I  voted  once. 


252  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

2669.  Q.  Did  you  vote  as  a  repeater  S 

A.  No,  sir;  I  was  not  with  them  at  all  on  election  day. 

2670.  Q.  As  what  did  you  vote? 

A.  I  voted  in  my  own  natural  right. 

2671.  Q.  Did  you  vote  under  the  name  you  now  bear? 
A.  Yes  ;  William  H.  Hendrick. 

2672.  Q.  Where? 

A.  In  the  1st  district  of  the  14th  ward. 

2673.  Q.  What  ticket  did  you  vote? 
A.  I  went  for  Grant  and  Train. 

2674.  For  whom  did  you  vote  for  governor? 

A.  I  think  Mr.  Griswold's  name  must  have  been  on  my  ticket ;  I  voted 
the  general  republican  ticket. 

2675.  Q.  Did  you  see  any  other  of  this  gang  vote  there? 
A.  No,  sir. 

2676.  Q.  Do  you  know,  of  your  own  knowledge,  that  any  of  them  did 
vote? 

A.  No,  sir. 

3677.  Q.  Did  you  see  any  of  them  on  election  day,  at  all? 
A.  I  do  not  think  I  did,  either  in  that  district  or  in  any  other. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

2678.  Q.  If  you  desire  it  you  may  state  now  why  you  were  on  Gover- 
nor's island  under  an  assumed  name. 

A.  I  should  like  to  state  it.    When  I  lost  my  situation  in  Washington 
I  was  very  much  reduced,  scarcely  knew  what  to  do;  I  came  on  to  New  > 
York,  and,  although  I  had  a  father  here  who  was  keeping  house,  I  felt , 
ashamed  at  being  in  such  a  reduced  situation  and  would  not  go  near  him. 
I  was  ashamed  to  enlist  under  my  own  name,  and  it  was  on  the  impulse 
of  the  moment,  when  I  enlisted,  that  an  assumed  name  came  to  my  lips.  | 
I  had  no  contemplation  five  minutes  before  about  giving  that  assumed 
name.    But  after  I  got  upon  Governor's  island  I  had  a  very  good  char- 
acter, and  the  commanding  officer  took  a  fancy  to  me  and  took  me  as  his 
clerk;  and  when  I  seemed  to  be  getting  into  his  confidence  I  never 
exposed  what  my  real  name  was  until  I  had  been  on  there  two  years, 
and  then  I  told  General  Wallen,  and  he  said  that  as  it  had  been  going 
on  so  long  I  might  as  well  let  things  remain  as  they  were. 

New  York,  Wednesday,  December  30,  1868. 
John  J.  Mulligan  sworn  and  examined,  (at  the  instance  of  Mr.  Boss.) 
By  Mr.  Boss : 

2679.  Question.  Were  you  one  of  the  election  officers  last  fall? 
Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  I  was  an  inspector  of  election  in  the  12th  district 

of  the  13th  ward.    My  colleagues  were  Thomas  Flynn  (democrat)  and 
Messrs.  Austin  and  Broas. 

2680.  Q.  State  to  the  board  in  what  way  you  conducted  the  registra- 
tion and  the  voting,  and  what  means  you  took  to  prevent  illegal  votes 
being  registered  or  polled. 

A.  All  who  came  there  to  have  their  names  registered  were  questioned 
as  to  their  nativity,  and  if  they  were  foreigners  they  were  required  to 
produce  their  naturalization  papers.  Then  they  were  questioned  as  to 
how  long  thev  had  lived  in  the  State,  county,  and  district. 

2681.  Q.  Did  you  swear  them  I 

A.  Where  Ave  had  any  doubts  or  thought  that  they  were  not  legal 
voters  we  swore  them. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  253 

2682.  Q.  Was  the  examination  pretty  thorough  and  full  ! 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

2683.  Q.  Was  any  objection  made  by  any  of  the  other  inspectors  to 
challenging  or  examining  applicants  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  not  in  receiving  their  names. 

2684.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  any  illegal  votes  were  registered  or 
polled  in  your  district! 

A.  No,  sir. 

2685.  Q.  Do  you  recollect  anything  about  a  voter  having  made  a  mis- 
take in  the  number  of  his  residence? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  a  man  came  to  register  giving  his  residence  at  26  Goerck, 
and  when  he  came  to  vote  we  found  that  his  residence  was  at  29  Goerck 
street.  Objection  was  made  to  his  voting  on  the  ground  of  his  having 
given  a  wrong  number.  But  I  went  myself  to  see  whether  he  actually 
did  live  in  No.  29,  and  I  found  that  he  did,  and  that  he  was  a  legal 
voter. 

2686.  Q.  Was  there  any  disposition  evinced  by  any  member  of  the 
board  to  have  illegal  voters  put  on  the  registry  or  admitted  to  vote? 

A.  Not  that  I  am  aware  of. 

2687.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  illegal  votes  having  been  registered  or 
given  in  your  precinct  ? 

A.  No,"  sir  ;  I  think  they  were  all  legal  votes. 
By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

2688.  Q.  How  many  voters  were  sworn  f 
A.  About  a  half  a  dozen. 

2689.  Q.  How  many  voted  in  your  precinct  at  the  presidential  elec- 
tion ? 

A.  I  think  437. 

2690.  Q.  How  many  voters  were  you  personally  acquainted  with  ? 
A.  Perhaps  not  over  50. 

2691.  Q.  What  proportion  voted  on  naturalization  papers  ? 

A.  I  should  think  the  majority  of  the  voters  were  adopted  citizens. 
Most  of  them  produced  their  papers. 

2692.  Q.  What  proportion  of  them  had  been  naturalized  this  year  ? 
A.  Very  few ;  not  over  15  or  20 ;  I  do  not  think  there  were  so  many. 

4  2693.  Q.  In  the  case  of  this  man  who  voted  from  29  Goerck  street, 
had  not  his  name  been  scratched  off  the  registry  book  % 

A.  It  was  not  scratched  off  my  book.  Mr.  Broas,  I  think,  had  scratched 
it  off  his,  and  Mr.  Austin  had  marked  on  the  margin  that  he  did  not  live 
at  26  Goerck  street.  We  had  no  power  to  erase  anything  from  the 
registry  book,  only  to  mark  on  the  margin  whether  the  vote  should  be 
challenged.  That  is  the  way  I  marked  mine — "  Challenge."  Immedi- 
ately when  a  man  came  to  vote  we  challenged  him. 
To  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

We  did  not  find  out  where  he  lived  until  election  day,  and  on  that 
day  the  police  officer,  who  was  stationed  at  the  polls,  said  he  knew  the 
man  ;  that  he  lived  at  29  Goerck  street,  and  that  he  was  an  old  resident 
of  the  ward.  I  took  his  vote  on  the  ground  that  he  lived  there.  Then 
in  the  charter  election  the  other  inspectors  went  and  ascertained  that 
the  man  did  live  there  and  had  lived  there  for  18  months. 

New  York,  December  30, 1868. 
Morris  Livingstone  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  Chairman  : 
2695.  Question.  I  present  to  you  four  papers  purporting  to  be  certificates 


254  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

of  naturalization  from  the  supreme  court  of  the  State  of  New  York,  each 
dated  the  20th  of  October,  1868,  one  to  Henry  Beaum,  one  to  August 
Betzel,  one  to  James  Brown,  and  one  to  William  Honig ;  state  what  you 
know  of  these  papers. 

Answer.  I  went  on  the  20th  of  October  last  to  the  office  No.  6  Centre 
street,  which  was  at  the  time  an  office  for  naturalization  of  citizens.  I  saw 
there  a  man  named  Rosenberg  and  asked  him  whether  he  could  furnish 
me  with  four  papers  for  four  different  parties  who  wanted  to  become 
citizens  of  the  United  States.  He  told  me  he  could.  I  asked  him  what 
he  wanted  for  the  papers,  and  he  demanded  first  eight  dollars,  but  I 
made  a  bargain  with  him  for  seven  dollars.  He  told  me  to  call  for  the 
papers  by  and  by,  which  I  did ;  and  after  having  seen  him  several  times 
I  came  to  the  office  again,  and  he  nodded  to  me  that  the  papers  were 
ready  for  me,  and  I  went  with  him  into  an  adjoining  room,  where  he 
handed  the  papers  to  me  and  I  paid  him  seven  dollars.  After  I  got  the 
papers  I  gave  them  to  the  United  States  marshal.  These  are  the  same 
papers ;  I  recognize  them  by  my  signature  written  on  the  back  of  each 
of  them. 

2696.  Q.  How  long  after  you  asked  Rosenberg  for  the  papers  was  it 
before  you  got  them  ? 

A.  I  went  into  the  office  in  the  morning  and  he  told  me  to  come  about  I 
12  o'clock.    I  came  then  and  he  told  me  that  there  were  no  blanks  at 
that  time,  but  that  he  would  have  them  in  a  very  short  time,  when  he 
would  give  me  the  papers.    It  was  about  4  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  of 
the  same  day  when  he  handed  me  the  papers. 

2697.  Q.  State  whether  the  names  in  the  certificates  were  real  or  fie*  ' 
titious. 

A.  They  are  fictitious  names  which  I  got  out  of  my  own  head  just  as 
they  entered  my  head. 

By  Mr.  Kerr: 
2G98.  Q.  You  had  no  talk  with  anybody  else  but  Rosenberg? 
A.  Oidy  with  Rosenberg. 

2699.  Q.  And  aside,  so  that  none  of  the  others  could  hear  you  ? 
A.  We  spoke  in  a  low  voice,  and  he  cautioned  me  to  do  so. 

2700.  Q.  Who  asked  you  to  go  there? 
A.  I  was  introduced  to  Marshal  Murray. 

2701.  Q.  Did  he  employ  you  to  go  there? 
A.  No,  sir. 

2702.  Q.  Did  he  furnish  you  with  the  money  to  pay  for  them? 
A.  No :  but  Mr.  Kronberg  did. 

2703.  Q.  What  party  do  you  act  with? 

A.  I  act  with  no  party.  I  am  no  partisan  at  all.  My  sympathies  are 
with  the  republicans. 

New  York,  Wednesday,  Deeemher  30,  1868. 
Thomas  Flynn  sworn  and  examined,  (at  the  instance  of  Mr.  Ross.) 
By  Mr.  Ross : 

2704.  Question.  What  office  did  you  hold  at  the  last  election? 
Answer.  I  was  one  of  the  election  officers  in  the  19th  district  of  the 

13th  ward.  ' 

2705.  Q.  State  to  the  committee  whether  you  used  precautions,  and  if 
so,  to  what  extent,  to  prevent  persons  registering  who  were  not  entitled 
to  do  so. 

A.  We  exercised  all  the  caution  that  our  judgment  led  us  to.  If  we 
thought  there  was  reason  for  rejecting  an  applicant,  we  rejected  him;  if 
not,  we  registered  him. 


ELECTION   FEAUDS    IN    NEW   YORK.  255 


2706.  Q.  What  proportion  of  the  naturalized  citizens  were  sworn? 
A.  Very  few  were  sworn  in  the  registry.     The  inspectors  living  so 

long  in  the  neighborhood  generally  recognized  the  persons  comiug. 

2707.  Q.  Were  those  who  were  registered  without  swearing,  known  to 
some  member  or  members  of  the  board1? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

2708.  Q.  In  cases  where  they  were  not  known  to  any  member  of  the 
board  were  they  then  sworn? 

A.  They  were  then  sworn. 

2709.  Q.  In  reference  to  the  voting,  was  much  swearing  done  there! 
A.  There  was  more  swearing  done  there. 

2710.  Q.  Did  the  board  challenge,  or  permit  anybody  else  to  challenge  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir,  any  citizen  was  at  liberty  to  challenge,  but  he  would  have 

to  show  the  ground  on  which  he  challenged. 

2711.  Q.  Whenever  an  applicant  for  voting  was  challenged  he  was 
then  sworn  and  examined  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir j  unless  the  challenge  was  withdrawn;  if  the  challenger 
insisted,  we  were  forced  to  swear  the  man,  notwithstanding  we  might 
have  the  opinion  that  he  was  entitled  to  vote. 

2712.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  persons  who  were  registered  or  who 
voted  without  being  entitled  to  ! 

A.  I  do  not.  There  was  one  individual  named  Kelley  who  gave  us  a 
wrong  number,  and  there  was  some  trouble  about  that.  When  he  came 
to  vote  he  was  challenged  and  he  had  to  qualify  as  to  his  residence 
before  he  could  vote. 

2713.  Q.  Did  you  satisfy  yourself  that  he  was  entitled  to  vote  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

2714.  Q.  Then  you  do  not  know  of  any  illegal  vote  being  given  there  ? 
A.  I  do  not. 

To  Mr.  Dickey: 
2714J.  There  were  500  names  registered  in  our  district  and  470  or  480 
votes  polled.  Not  one-half  of  these  were  on  naturalization  papers. 
Yery  few  were  sworn  at  the  registry.  The  inspectors  were  generally 
satisfied  with  the  papers,  or  recognized  the  men  and  knew  them  to  be 
voters.  I  did  not  live  in  the  election  district,  but  a  few  blocks  from  it. 
I  used  to  live  in  the  district  until  last  May.  I  suppose  I  must  have 
known  from  30  to  35  of  those  who  voted  on  naturalization  papers.  The 
other  inspectors  knew  more  voters  than  I  did.  They  were  Mr.  Mulligan 
and  Mr.  Broas.    It  appeared  to  me  that  they  knew  a  good  many  of  them. 

2715.  Q.  Did  you  hold  that  when  a  man  presented  a  certificate  of 
naturalization  that  entitled  him  to  register  ? 

A.  I  did. 

To  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

2715 J.  We  did  not  strike  from  the  registry  the  name  of  this  man  Kelley, 
who  resided  at  No.  29  Goerck  street;  we  did  not  strike  his  name  off,  but 
we  put  a  note  upon  the  margin  to  challenge  him,  and  when  he  came  to 
vote  he  had  to  swear  in  his  residence. 

2716.  Q.  Did  not  one  or  two  members  of  the  board  protest  against  his 
vote  being  received  f 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

2717.  Q.  And  you  and  your  democratic  colleague  insisted  on  receiving 
his  vote? 

A.  Yes,  sir,  when  he  swore  to  his  residence.  The  two  republican 
inspectors  made  objection  at  first;  but  when  Mr.  Mulligan  explained  it 


256  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

to  them,  they  did  not  seem  to  persist.    The  man  had  given  a  wrong 
number.    He  actually  lived  in  the  district  and  was  a  legal  voter. 

New  York,  Wednesday,  December  30,  1868. 
Charles  E.  Loew  recalled  and  examination  continued. 
By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

2718.  Question.  Have  you  had  an  opportunity  of  consulting  with  the 
judges  of  the  supreme  court  on  the  question  which  you  submitted  to 
them  I 

Answer.  The  day  before  yesterday,  I  copied  the  communication  deliv- 
ered to  me  by  the  chairman  of  this  committee  for  submission  to  the 
judges.  I  had  a  copy  thereof  sent  to  each  of  the  judges.  The  general 
term  of  the  court  does  not  meet  until  Monday;  therefore  it  is  not  possi- 
ble to  get  their  answer  until  that  time ;  yet  if  the  committee  insist  upon 
an  answer  from  me  at  this  time,  I  shall  have  to  give  it. 

2719.  Q.  State  what  you  propose  to  do. 

A.  I  am  now,  as  I  have  been  from  the  commencement,  ready  and 
willing  to  allow  the  committee  to  make  any  examination  of  papers  and 
records  in  my  office,  although  it  is  contrary  to  State  laws.  And  while  I 
deem  it  disrespectful  to  the  court,  in  advance  of  its  answer  and  its 
decision,  for  the  committee  to  ask  this  thing,  still,  to  show  my  entire 
willingness  to  submit  those  records,  to  show  that  1  desire  a  proper  exam- 
ination to  be  made,  I  will,  under  protest,  permit  the  committee  to  send 
a  person  or  persons  to  my  office,  or  to  go  there  themselves,  and  make 
such  examination  as  they  desire,  and  I  will  furnish  them  with  all  the" 
facilities  which  they  require  for  making  such  examination — such  exam-; 
ination  to  be  made,  of  course,  (if  made  by  others  than  the  committee,) 
under  the  supervision  of  some  deputies  of  my  own. 

2720.  Q.  State  whether  your  papers  are  now  so  accessible  as  that  such 
a  person  sent  there  can  have  access  to  them  now. 

A.  At  any  time. 

2721.  Q.  From  this  time  until  the  examination  is  done? 
A.  At  any  time. 

By  the  Chairman: 

2722.  Q.  With  permission  to  make  a  list  of  the  names  of  persons 
naturalized  and  their  residences,  and  of  their  witnesses  and  residences?: 

A.  That  is  embraced  in  your  proposition. 
By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

2723.  Q.  State  whether  you  know  a  young  man  who  has  been  acting, 
as  messenger  for  this  committee  in  the  service  of  process,  named  T.  J.< 
Gillmore  ? 

A.  1  do  not  know  any  such  person  by  name. 

2724.  Q.  State  to  the  committee  where  you  were  on  the  evening  of  the 
day  before  yesterday,  from  4  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  until  10  o'clock  at 
night. 

A.  I  left  my  office  at  about  a  quarter  to  5,  in  company  with  W.  W. 
Cook.  I  proceeded  up  Broadway  as  far  as  Phalon's  barber  shop  in  the 
St.  Nicholas  Hotel,  went  through  the  tonsorial  business  there,  had  mj 
hair  cut,  brushed  up,  and  shampooed,  and  was  there  until  a  quartei 
past  6.  From  there  I  proceeded  to  Taylor's  saloon,  in  Broadway,  hi 
company  with  Mr.  Cook,  who  had  not  left  me,  to  get  some  tea.  I  lefl 
there  about  10  minutes  past  7,  with  Mr.  Cook,  and  went  to  Delmonico's 
at  the  corner 'of  Fourteenth  street  and  Fifth  avenue,  to  meet  som( 
friends ;  when  I  left  there  it  was  about  a  quarter  to  8.    I  jumped  into  £ 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK  257 

Fifth-avenue  stage,  Mr.  Cook  being  still  with  me,  and  went  to  the  cor- 
ner of  Fifth  avenue  and  Thirteenth  street,  and  from  there  to  Wood's 
Museum.  I  remained  in  the  museum,  in  company  with  Mr.  Cook  and 
some  other  Mends,  until  a  quarter  to  11. 

2725.  Q.  Do  you  know  a  man  by  the  name  of  John  Dellinger! 
A.  No,  sir. 

2726.  Q.  Did  you  see,  on  that  evening,  any  one  serving  or  attempting 
to  serve  a  subpoena  issued  by  this  committee? 

A.  No,  sir:  nothing  of  the  kind. 

2727.  Q.  Did  you  hear  any  conversation  between  any  one  professing 
to  be  serving  the  subpcenas  of  this  committee  and  any  one  else? 

A.  No,  sir. 

2728.  Q.  Were  you  ever  at  a  barber  saloon  in  Avenue  C? 
A.  I  was,  some  ten  years  ago,  at  No.  7. 

2729.  Q.  Were  you  there  the  day  before  yesterday  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 
Subsequently  the  witness,  T.  J.  Gillmore,  was  confronted  with  the 

witness,  Charles  E.  Loew,  and  examined  as  follows: 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

2730.  Question.  Do  you  see  that  gentleman  ? 
Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

2731.  Q.  Is  he  the  gentleman  whom  you  testified  to  yesterday,  as  hav- 
ing interfered  with  you  in  the  service  of  a  subpoena  ? 

A.  He  is  the  gentleman,  or  else  he  looks  very  much  like  him. 

2732.  Q.  Do  you  say  that  he  is  or  that  he  is  not  the  party  \ 
A.  I  do  not  think  he  is. 

Xew  York,  Wednesday,  Becemher  30,  1866. 
$A3rrEL  J.  Tildex  sworn  and  examined,  (at  the  instance  of  ]V£r.  Kerr.) 
By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

2733.  Question.  State  to  the  committee  what  relations  you  bore  during 
the  last  political  campaign  to  the  political  parties  in  this  State. 

Answer.  I  was  chairman  of  the  democratic  State  committee. 

2734.  Q.  Look  at  this  circular  annexed  to  the  testimony  of  John  T. 
Hoffman,  purporting  to  be  issued  by  you,  and  state  to  the  committee 
whether  you  were  the  author  of  it  or" not. 

A.  I  was  not. 

2735.  Q.  Do  you  know  personally  who  was  the  author  of  it? 
A.  I  do  not. 

2736.  Q.  State  whether  you,  as  chairman  of  the  democratic  State  cen- 
ral  committee,  distributed  this  circular  bv  the  mails,  vourself,  or  pro- 
mred  it  to  be  distributed. 

A.  I  did  not.  I  did  not  know  of  its  being  done,  and  I  did  not  authorize 
t  to  be  done. 

2737.  Q.  Do  you  know  anybody  who  did  it  ? 
A.  I  do  not,  except  as  a  matter  of  mere  surmise. 

2738.  Q.  Do  know  whether  Mr.  Tweed  did  it  or  not  ? 
A.  I  do  not.     I  will  state  what  I  do  know  of  it.     The  principal  com- 

aittee  room  of  the  democratic  State  committee  was  at  37  Park  Eow, 
rhere  Colonel  Samuel  North  was  in  official  charge.     There  was  also  for 

short  time  prior  to  the  election  a  room  taken  in  the  Metropolitan  Hotel 
>y  Mr.  Sweeny,  a  member  of  the  committee,  who  advised  me  afterwards 
hat  he  had  taken  it,  and  I  assented  to  it.     I  went  in  there  occasionally, 

enerally  as  I  went  up  town  on  my  return  from  my  office.  I  at  no  time 
17  T 


258  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

authorized  any  one  at  either  committee  room,  or  anywhere  else,  to  issue 
circulars  signed  with  my  name,  because  I  have  a  prejudice  generally  for 
seeing  what  my  name  is  signed  to.  I  have  a  particular  distaste  for 
"confidential  and  strictly  private"  circulars,  because  I  never  knew  of  any 
printed  circular  that  did  not  immediately  become  public.  I  have  had 
too  much  experience  in  such  things  ever  to  mark  circulars  in  that  very 
pretentious  way,  unless  I  wanted  to  insure  their  being  published  without 
unnecessary  delay.  A  day  or  two  before  the  election,  I  was  in  the  com- 
mittee room  at  the  Metropolitan  Hotel,  and  I  then  understood  that  a 
circular  had  been  issued  asking  for  early  election  returns.  It  had  been 
issued  some  time  previously;  by  whom  I  do  not  know,  but  I  understood 
its  purport  from  somebody.  I  saw  on  a  table  or  shelf  some  circulars 
signed  with  my  name,  but  I  did  not  read  them,  for  I  understood  their  i 
contents.  I  presume  they  were  the  same  circular.  1  never  saw  or  read 
it  until  I  read  it  in  the  public  prints.  Some  gentleman,  I  think  it  was 
Mr.  A.  Oakey  Hall,  spoke  of  it  as  having  been  intended  to  prevent  the, 
holding  back  of  the  returns  in  the  republican  districts  in  the  country1 
until  our  vote  should  be  ascertained,  in  order  that  the  returns  then  might 
be  manipulated,  stating  his  belief  that  frauds  of  that  description  were] 
practiced  in  L866,  when  Mr.  Hoffman  first  ran  for  governor. 

Q.  Practiced  by  whom  .' 

A.  Practiced  in  the  republican  districts  in  the  country.  T  did  not; 
attach  any  importance  to  the  statement,  for  the  reason  that  I  did  not' 
think  it  probable  that  that  thing  could  be  done  either  here  in  the  city  of; 
New  York  or  in  the  country  districts.  With  the  board  of  police  repub- 
lican, with  a  portion  of  the  inspectors  and  canvassers  republican,  with  a 
very  active  and  vigil  »nt  party  canvass  here,  it  would  seem  to  be  prob- 
able that  a  majority  of  the  election  officers,  or  half  of  them,  mighty 
obstruct  or  delay  the  returns;  but  it  never  seemed  to  me  at  all  probable] 
that  the^  could  change  the  result  without  the  certainty  of  instant  detec-, 
tion.  1  did  not  believe  Mr.  Hall's  suspicions  any  more  than  I  believed 
that  similar  practices  were  performed  here,  and  therefore  I  attached  no 
consequence1  to  them.  When  the  republican  newspapers  called  on  me  to 
say  whether  I  knew  about  the  circular,  particularly  my  friends  of  the 
Evening  Post,  I  did  send  an  answer,  as  much  because  I  was  not  pleased' 
with  the  pretentious  nature  of  the  document  to  which  my  name  had  been 
subscribed,  as  for  any  other  reason. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

2739.  Q.  You  stated  that  the  police  board  is  republican;  do  you  not 
know  that  it  is  equally  divided,  one-half  democratic  and  one-half  repub 
Mean*? 

A.  Yes,  sir,  I  believe  it  is. 

2740.  What  was  the  size  of  the  pile  of  circulars  that  you  saw? 

A.  Perhaps  an  inch  or  au  inch  and  a  half  thick.  That  was  just  befon 
the  election,  and  some  of  them  had  been  used. 

2741.  Q.  State  if  it  was  a  matter  of  common  notoriety  at  the  demo 
cratic  committee  rooms,  and  among  the  leaders  of  the  democratic  party 
that  such  circulars  had  been  issued  and  generally  distributed  1 

A.  It  was  not. 

2742.  Q.  Was  the  matter  spoken  of  as  a  fact  among  some  of  thos< 
having  charge  of  affairs  at  the  committee  rooms? 

A.  I  never  heard  it  spoken  of  in  any  other  way  except  as  I  mentioned 
up  to  the  time  of  its  publication  in  the  newspapers.  I  ought  to  add,  per 
haps,  that  the  night  of  the  election  I  was  in  the  Manhattan  club,  a  dem 
ocratic  club:  and  that  the  answers  to  these  circulars,  some  of  then 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  259 

addressed  to  me,  some  to  Mr.  Tweed,  were  read  during  the  evening,  to 
meetings  at  Tammany  hall,  and  meetings  at  the  club;  and,  so  far  as  I 
know  or  can  judge,  the  answers  were  made  public  as  fast  as  they  arrived. 

2743.  Q.  From  how  many  counties  were  answers  received  that  evening? 

A.  I  cannot  say  because  they  were  opened  generally  without  my  see- 
ling them;  1  should  think  not  from  most  of  the  counties.  They  were 
.generally  received  and  opened  in  the  public  meeting,  and  were  read 
publicly  in  the  Manhattan  club,  and  in  the  hall  and  parlor. 

2744.  Q.  Were  they  recieved  from  nearly  half  the  counties? 

A.  That  would  be  but  little  more  than  guess-work  on  my  part.  I  do 
not  know  that  I  opened  any  of  them  myself. 

2745.  Q.  Have  you  the  means  of  knowing  to  what  extent  answers 
iwere  received  next  morning? 

A.  I  have  not.  I  do  not  think  much  attention  was  paid  to  answers 
safter  that  evening,  because  the  newspapers  got  ahead  of  them  next 
•morning. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

274C).  Q.  You  have   stated  your   official  connection  with  the  patty 
'machinery  during  the  last  political  campaign  :  I  ask  you  whether  you 
have  heard  through  the  public  press,  or  otherwise,  of  certain  prosecu- 
tions being  instituted  against  one  Benjamin  B.  Kosenberg,  for  the  pro- 
'  curement  and  use  of  fraudulent  naturalization  papers  ? 

A.  Through  the  public  press  I  became  advised  of  there  being  such  a 
prosecution ;  I  did  not  read  the  testimony. 

2747.  (J.  Do  you  know  anything  about  the  place,  No.  6  Centre  street, 
where  Kosenberg  did  business? 

A.  I  do  not.  I  never  heard  of  him  until  I  read  of  him  in  the  news- 
papers on  that  occasion. 

2748.  Q.  Did  you  have  any  knowledge,  personally  or  officially,  that 
such  a  man  existed  there,  or  that  there  was  such  an  office  acting  in  the 
interest  of  the  democratic  party  % 

A.  I  did  not. 

By  Mr.  Dickey: 

2749.  Q.  You  were  chairman  of  the  State  central  committee,  and  I 
•appose  you  knew  but  little  of  the  details  of  the  minor  committees  in 
Ihis  city  ? 

A.  I  did  not  know  very  much  of  the  details  of  the  minor  committees. 

2750.  Q.  Do  you  know  where  the  naturalization  offices  of  your  party 
pre  dining  the  last  campaign,  and  who  had  charge  of  them? 

A.  Only  in  a  very  general  way.  There  was  generally  some  officer 
bout  the  City  Hall  who  looked  after  all  these  matters;  but  I  had 
othing  to  do  with  naturalization  at  all. 

2751.  Q.  You  do  not  know  where  these  committees  had  their  offices  for 
lie  purpose  of  assisting  naturalization  ? 

A.  I  do  not. 

2752.  Q.  Or  the  republican  either  ? 
A.  No  sir. 

New  York,  Wednesday,  December  30,  1868. 

I  Clarence  N.  Teller  sworn  and  examined. 

To  the  Chairman  : 

275.3.  I  reside  at  Croton,  Westchester  county.  I  acted  on  the  day  of 
ection  as  challenger  ;  I  was  acquainted  with  parties  who  had  not  taken 
it  their  naturalization  papers  regularly,  and  I  challenged  their  votes 


260  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

when  they  offered  to  vote.  On  being  questioned  they  stated  that  their 
papers  were  sent  to  them,  and  that  they  had  not  appeared  in  person  to 
get  them.  Some  of  thorn  swore  in  their  votes  and  others  did  not.  The 
number  of  naturalization  papers  in  which  registration  was  asked,  was 
between  80  and  90.  It  was  known  by  all  the  people  there  that  many 
persons  having  these  papers  were  strangers  and  were  not  entitled  to  vote, 
and  we  challenged  them  on  the  ground  of  their  not  being  entitled  to 
vote.  Many  of  them  admitted  they  had  never  been  in  any  court.  Some 
seventeen  of  them  who  offered  their  votes,  had  not  the  courage  to  swear 
them  in,  although  they  had  their  papers.  I  do  not  know  any  thing  else 
about  the  election  frauds. 
To  Mr.  Ross : 
2753}.  1  was  not  one  of  the  election  officers;  the  election  officers 
were  G.  W.  Lownsberry,  J.  Sherwin  and  Cyrus  Hillocher — two  demo- 
crats and  one  republican.  Lownsberry  and  Sherwin  were  democrats,  and 
Hillocher,  republican. 

2754.  Q.  Do  yon  know  of  any  illegal  votes  having  been  given  there? 
A.  I  would  have  to  refer  to  the  list  to  get  their  names. 

2755.  Q.  Do   yon  know  that  the  names  on  that  list  were  those  of 
illegal  voters  ? 

A.  I  think  so,  from  questioning  them. 

2756.  Q.     Do  you  know  any  of  these  men  whom  you  suspect  of  having 
voted  improperly! 

A.  1  think  I  know  one;  his  name  is  Morris  Cassidy.     He  admitted  j 
that  he  had  not  taken  out  his  first  paper  or  declared  his  intentions.    He 
had  lived  in  the  place  a  long  time  and  had  never  attempted  to  vote  or 
get  out  his  papers. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

2757.  Q.  Did  these  men  who  presented  naturalization  papers  say  they 
had  been  in  the  country  over  live  years  ? 

A.  Some  of  them  would  not  answer  any  such  question.     In  fact,  the 
inspector  would  not  allow  them  to  answer  questions. 

2758.  Q.  Did  any  of  them  answer  that  question! 
A.  Xo,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Eoss : 

2759.  Q.  Is  not  your  testimony  all  hearsay  as  to  these  men  being  ille- 
gal voters,  except  in  that  one  case  ? 

A.  ^o,  sir;  I  challenged  them  and  they  swore  in  their  votes. 

2760.  Q.  And  you  do  not  know  whether  they  were  legal  voters  or  not 
except  from  the  fact  that  they  swore  they  were  ? 

A.  They  swore  their  votes  in,  of  course. 

2761.  Q.  And  you  do  not  know  but  they  were  all  legal  voters  with  this 
one  exception  ? 

A.  I  do  not. 

2762.  Q.  State  whether  you  knew  these  men  personally,   yourself, 
except  in  the  one  case  to  which  you  have  referred  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  that  I  can  answer  that  in  the  affirmative.     I  do  not 
know  that  I  have  a  clear  recollection  of  any  of  them. 

2763.  Q.  Do  you  recollect  them  indistinctly?    Do  you  know  them  at 
all? 

A.  I  do  not  know  whether  I  can  mention  their  names  and  therefore  1 
do  not  have  the  recollection  which  I  ought  to  have. 

2764.  Q.  How  far  is  your  voting  precinct,  where  this  transpired,  from 
this  city ! 

A.  About  33  or  34  miles. 


ELECTION    FEAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  261 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

2765.  Q.  You  say  that  the  inspector  refused  to  allow  inquiry  into  the 
validity  of  naturalization  papers  i 

A.  Yes,  sir;  they  would  not  allow  inquiry.  If  they  had  done  so  not 
nearly  so  many  would  have  been  alloAved  to  vote.  They  would  not  allow 
me  to  ask  whether  the  men  presenting  naturalization  papers  had  been 
before  the  courts  or  not.  I  would  ask  them  sometimes  if  their  papers 
had  been  sent  to  them,  and  they  would  say  yes,  and  would  thus  commit 
themselves.  The  inspector  could  not  very  well  register  them  after  that. 
The  inspectors  soon  got  at  the  idea  of  not  allowing  men  to  answer. 

27(50.  Q.  They  took  the  papers  as  conclusive  of  the  right  of  a  party  to 
vote  I 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

2707.  Q.  Who  did  that  ? 

A.  Mr.  Lownsbury,  who  would  hand  the  paper  over  to  the  other  dem- 
ocratic inspector  and  ask  him  whether  he  thought  that  the  paper  was 
all  right,  and  the  other  would  answer  that  the  paper  looked  to  be  all 
right.     Then  the  reply  was  that  they  could  not  go  back  of  the  paper. 

2708.  Q.  When  were  these  papers  dated  ! 
A.  Most  of  them  were  dated  on  the  10th  of  October.     Some  17  of  them 

admitted  that  the  papers  had  been  sent  to  them.  There  was  one  man 
who,  after  they  had  taken  his  vote,  wanted  to  withdraw  it.  He  was 
somewhat  afraid  that  there  might  be  some  proceeding  against  him.  He 
therefore  wanted  his  vote  back  again,  but  it  was  very  quickly  put  in  the 
ballot-box.  Many  of  these  persons  with  naturalization  papers  were 
employed  in  the  brick-yards,  and  the  reason  why  we  watched  them  so 
closely  and  challenged  them  was  that  many  of  them  had  made  full  time 
on  the  day  their  papers  were  dated. 

New  York,  Wednesday,  December  30,  1807. 
William  H.  Bridgman  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chair  man  : 

2769.  Question.  What  office  did  you  hold  at  the  last  presidential  elec- 
tion \ 

Answer.  I  was  canvasser  of  the  1th  district,' 21st  ward. 

2770.  Q.  State  Avhat  you  know  as  to  persons  voting  more  than  once  on 
the  same  names  as  registered  in  that  district. 

A.  The  poll-list  that  was  given  to  us  at  the  close  of  the  polls  showed 
that  there  were  ten  persons  who  had  voted  twice  on  the  same  name. 
One  or  two  of  them  had  voted  after  1  came  there  myself,  and  I  saw  them 
swear  in  their  votes.  They  were  informed  that  these  names  had  already 
been  voted  on.  AYe  mixed  up  the  votes  as  much  as  possible  in  the  box 
and  drew  out  ten  ballots,  so  as  to  make  them  correspond  with  the  poll-list. 
The  names  were  entered  only  once  on  the  poll-list. 

New  YTork,  Wednesday,  Deeemher  30,  1808. 
Butler  H.  Bixby  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

2771.  Question.  What  office  did  you  hold  at  the  last  election? 
Answer.  I  was  canvasser  in  the  4th  district,  21st  ward. 
2<72.  Q.  State  what  you  know  as  to  more  than  one  vote  being  given 

m  the  same  name. 

A.  I  know  that  there  was  an  excess  of  votes  in  our  oanrass ;  an  excess 
ot  10  I  think.     It  was  said  to  have  occurred  by  the  same  name  being 


262  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

voted  on  twice.  The  inspectors  so  stated.  We  did  not  examine  the 
names  on  the  list  ourselves,  but  took  the  poll  clerk's  statement  that  there 
was  an  excess.  We  threw  out  ten  votes  from  the  ballot-box  without 
knowing  what  tickets  they  were.  We  did  not  examine  them.  There 
were  probably  300  democratic  votes  to  40  or  50  republican  ones,  so  that 
there  were  perhaps  live  democratic  votes  to  one  republican.  We  took 
out  these  10  votes  without  knowing  what  they  we're,  and  threw  them 
away  without  examining  them. 

New  York,  Wednesday,  December  30,  1868. 
William  C.  Barrett  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

2773.  Question.  State  what  you  know  of  the  modes  in  which  natural- 
ization was  effected  m  Judge  Barnard's  part  of  the  supreme  court,  last 
October. 

Answer.  I  have  been  in  Judge  Barnard's  court,  I  think,  on  three  occa- 
sions when  he  was  in  the  act  of  naturalizing  persons.  There  was  a  great 
crowd  of  men  in  the  room,  and  I  saw  nothing  that  I  can  say  was  actually 
Avrong.  Were  I  the  judge,  I  should  not  have  done  business  so  quickly, 
but  I  saw  nothing  wrong  on  the  part  of  the  judge,  or  on  the  part  of  the 
officers  of  the  court. 

2774.  Q.  State  whether  the  witnesses  were  examined  orally,  or  were 
they  simply  sworn  to  their  affidavits  by  them  subscribed  I 

A.  That  I  cannot  state;  I  have  no  recollection  ;  I  merely  went  casu- 
ally into  the  court-room,  and  had  great  difficulty  in  making  my  way  in. 

2775.  Q.  Have  you  any  knowledge  of  frauds  in  the  last  presidential 
election,  or  any  knowledge  of  facts  which  would  furnish  evidence  on  this 
subject  f 

A.  None  except  in  my  capacity  as  counsel,  and  this  I  decline  to  speak 
of;  I  was  counsel  for  Mr.  liosenberg. 
2770.  Q.  Are  you  a  democrat  ? 
A.  1  am. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

2777.  Q.  Were  these  men  naturalized  as  individuals  or  in  a  batch? 
A.  Even  of  that  I  would  not  feel  justified  in  speaking.     There  was  a , 

great  crowd  present  before  Judge  Barnard,  but  whether  they  were  sworn 
by  ones  or  twos  I  have  really  no  knowledge;  I  did  not  see  the  oath 
administered.  When  I  saw  the  crowd  I  immediately  left,  as  the  room 
was  so  heated. 

2778.  Q.  Was  the  process  different  in  that  court  from  other  courts  ? 
A.  The  same  particularity  was  not  observed  in  that  court  as  in  another 

court. 

New  York,  Wednesday,  December  30,  1868. 
John  D.  Perrine  sworn  and  examined,  (at  the  instance  of  Mr.  Boss.) 
To  Mr.  Boss: 

2779.  I  live  in  Forty -third  street,  between  Second  and  Third  avenues.  I 
know  nothing  whatever  about  fraudulent  naturalization  papers.  A  paper 
was  handed  to  me  in  the  office  for  a  man  employed  in  our  establishment 
by  the  name  of  Joseph  Bernhardt,  and  I  handed  it  to  him;  I  do  not  know 
where  it  came  from ;  I  am  almost  positive  that  it  was  from  Douglas 
Fyfe ;  lie  is  employed  in  the  establishment,  but  where  he  got  it  I  do  not 
know ;  he  resides  at  235  East  Forty-second  street.  He  left  no  other 
papers  with  me  to.be  distributed. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  2G3 

New  York,  Wednesday,  December  30, 18GS. 

James  J.  Neeles  sworn  and  examined,  (at  the  instance  of  Mr.  Boss.) 
To  Mr.  Eoss : 

2779J.  I  was  an  inspector  and  registrar  in  the  6th  district,  6th  ward. 
My  colleagues  were  Messrs.  Ogilvie,  Carey,  and  Philips.  We  went  accor- 
ding to  the  rules  of  the  police  department  in  preventing  illegal  registra- 
tion and  voting.  We  swore  probably  from  100  to  150  persons ;  some  had 
naturalization  papers,  some  had  not.  There  were  probably  20  or  25 
rejected  on  account  of  illegality;  they  registered,  but  did  not  come  to 
vote;  they  were  marked  to  be  sworn;  the  majority  of  them,  so  far  as  the 
inspector  proved  them,  were  legal  voters.  There  were  about  three  struck 
oft*  the  book;  these  were  men  who  had  brought  their  first  papers,  ima- 
gining that  they  were  entitled  to  vote  on  them. 

2780.  Q.  Were  there  any  persons  registered,  so  far  as  you  know,  who 
were  not  authorized  to  vote  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

2781.  Q.  Were  any  illegal  votes  given  that  you  know  of? 

A.  None  that  I  know  of;  I  am  a  resident  of  that  district  for  21  years; 
I  know  a  large  proportion  of  the  voters ;  I  should  think  I  knowr  from  150 
to  200  of  them. 

2782.  Q.  State  whether  those  who  voted  were  generally  known  hy 
some  member  of  the  board. 

A.  They  generally  were,  either  as  old  voters,  or  as  persons  who  had 
come  to  the  right  age  to  vote.  Some  one  member  of  the  board  was 
acquainted  with  each  man. 

2783.  Q.  Do  you  know  anything  about  repeaters  voting  at  your  polls'? 
A.  No,  sir ;  there  was  one  man  arrested  for  illegal  voting,  but  I  don't 

know  whether  he  was  a  repeater  or  not.  I  judged  at  the  time  that  he- 
was  an  illegal  voter,  because  I  had  never  seen  him  in  the  district;  but 
he  insisted  on  voting,  and  one  of  the  inspectors  had  him  arrested. 

2784.  Q.  State  whether  you  noticed  any  disposition  evinced  by  any 
portion  of  the  board  to  get  persons  registered  or  to  allow  them  to  vote 
illegally  ! 

A.  No,  sir,  nothing  of  the  kind ;  we  were  very  strict  in  the  examina- 
tion of  parties. 

2785.  Q.  Did  you  see  or  know  anything  about  men  changing  their  hats 
or  caps  or  clothing,  and  coming  and  voting  under  different  names? 

A.  No,  sir,  I  didn't  see  or  know  of  anything  of  that  kind. 

2780.  Q.  What  is  your  judgment  now  as  to  there  having  been  illegal 
votes  given  at  your  precinct  ? 

A.  From  what  I  have  seen  of  the  voting,  I  judge  it  to  have  been  per- 
fectly legal.  I  know  a  majority  of  the  voters,  and  I  think  I  could  men- 
tion 200  of  them  by  name.  As  far  as  I  can  judge,  I  should  think  they 
were  all  honest  votes. 

2787.  Q.  You  knew  of  no  effort  on  the  part  of  any  member  of  the 
board  to  get  in  illegal  votes  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  the  board  was  equally  divided,  and  acted  accordiug  to  jus- 
tice.   Everything  there  was  carried  out  correctly. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

2788.  Q.  You  say  that  one  man  was  arrested  f 

A.  Yes,  sir.  When  we  took  his  name  I  examined  the  books,  and  the 
other  inspectors  said,  "This  man  has  voted  before,"  I  said  to  him,  "Y^ou 
can't  vote  here ;  yon  have  voted  before."  He  said,  "  I  have  not."  Said 
I,  "  You  must  have  voted,  for  your  name  is  checked."    He  insisted  on 


204  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IX  NEW  YORK. 

voting,  and  the  inspector  ordered  him  to  be  arrested.     We  did  not  allow 
him  to  vote. 

2781).  Q.  Did  yon  recognize  him  as  a  man  who  had  voted  before  1 

A.  I  knew  that  he  did  not  belong  to  the  district. 

2700.  Q.  Did  yon  recollect  whether  he  had  voted  under  that  name 
before  \ 

A.  I  did  not. 

2701.  Q.  Then  it  was  possible  for  a  man  to  offer  his  vote  twice  without 
yonr  knowing  it  I 

A.  Yes,  sir;   I  knew  that  the  man  did  not  belong  to  the  ward. 

2702.  Q.   But  you  did  not  know  whether 'lie  had  voted  before  or  not? 
A.  "No,  sir. 

2703.  Q.  Where  did  you  hold  your  election  I 

A.  At  07  Baxter  street,  in  the  front  room  on  the  fust  floor. 

2704.  Q.  Jn  the  front  part  of  the  room,  or  the  back  part  I 
A.  In  the  back  part. 

2705.  Q.  Was  any  other  business  carried  on  in  that  room? 
A.  No,  sir. 

2700.  Q.  Is  there  a  hall  alongside  of  it  I 
A.  There  is. 

2707.  Q.  Is  there  a  teed  store  in  that  neighborhood  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

2708.  Q.  What  is  your  business? 

A.  A  carman — I  drive  a  horse  and  cart. 

2700.  Q.  What  is  the  name  of  the  man  whom  you  did  not  recognize?, 

A.  Atkinson.     lie  was  arrested  by  the  other  inspector. 

2800.  Q.  Did  I  understand  you  to  say  that  that  was  the  only  attempt 
of  a  man  trying  to  vote  twice  under  different  names  at  your  place  1 

.    A.  That  is  the  only  one  I  found  or  knew  of. 

2801.  Q,  How  many  voters  are  there  in  that  district? 

A.  I  believe  there  were  from  700  to  750  registered,  and  I  believe  wef 
polled  somewhere  in  the  neighborhood  of  680  or  690.     Out  of  that  num- 
ber I  should  recognize  150,  or  probably  more,  whom  I  know  personally. 

2802.  Q.  Do  you  say  that  either  you  or  one  of  the  other  inspectors 
knew  every  man  Avho  voted  there  that  day  ! 

A.  I  cannot  say  that;  the  other  inspectors  may  have  known  the  same 
men  that  I  knew.  They  must  have  known  them  or  they  would  not  have 
put  their  names  on  the  registry. 

.    2803.  Q.  Did  you  not  put  on  the  registry  the  names  of  persons  that 
you  did  not  know  I 

A.  Not  without  the  consent  of  the  other  members  of  the  board. 

2804.  Q.  Did  I  understand  you  to  say  that  the  board  knew  all  the  750 
men  who  voted  there  ? 

A,  I  cannot  say  that  they  knew  them  all  personally. 

New  York,  Wednesday,  December  30,  1868. 
John  McMahon  sworn  and  examined. 
To  the  Chairman: 

2805.  I  was  an  inspector  in  the  1st  district  of  the  11th  ward  of  this 
city.  I  have  made  a  memorandum  of  the  parties  applying  for  regis- 
tration who  were  rejected.  I  will  give  them  to  the  committee:  Adam 
Birmer,  124  Eidge  street;  he  was  swern  and  said  that  he  never 
was  at  any  court,  and  that  he  received  his  paper  from  some  per- 
son to  him  unknown.  Herman  Harburger,  77  Eidge  street:  he  made  a 
like  statement.     Charles  F.  Blush,  317  Houston  street:  he  said  that  a 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  265 

soldier  gave  him  his  paper.  Lawrence  Bauman;  his  residence  I  have 
not  got;  he  said  that  his  naturalization  paper  was  given  him  by  some 
person  unknown.  Eleazar  Kolm,  164  Attorney  street;  said  he  never 
was  at  any  court.  Isaac  Firth,  151  Attorney  street;  he  made  the  same 
statement  Herman  Bauscher,  30  Clinton  street;  he  made  the  same 
statement.  Peter  Schmidt,  105  Attorney  street;  he  made  the  same 
statement.  Philip  Simmer,  24  Clinton  street;  he  made  the  same  state- 
ment. Abraham  Croner,  117  Eidge  street;  he  was  sworn  by  us,  and 
swore  that  he  had  never  received  even  his  first  papers,  and  that  he  did 
not  know  his  witness,  whose  name  was  to  the  naturalization  paper  pre- 
sented to  us.  Charles  Ollendorff  190  Stanton  street;  he  swore  that  he 
never  was  at  the  City  Hall,  did  not  know  even  where  it  was,  and  that  a 
personal  friend  of  his  gave  him  the  paper.  Anthony  Stultz,  190  Stan- 
ton street;  he  swore  that  he  got  his  naturalization  paper  in  avenue  C, 
between  Sixth  and  Seventh  streets;  that  there  was  a  notary  there  in 
an  office,  where  there  was  also  a  lager-beer  saloon,  and  that  he  swore 
before  that  notary;  he  swore  that  he  never  was  at  the  City  Hall. 
Joseph  Wirtheimer,  125  Eidge  street;  he  was  sworn  by  us,  and  swore 
that  he  got  his  naturalization  paper  from  Alderman  Frederick  Eepper; 
that  he  was  sworn  in  the  office  of  Alderman  Eepper — that  is  to  say, 
in  his  lager-beer  saloon.  This  alderman  keeps  a  lager-beer  saloon. 
Wirtheimer  made  a  statement,  under  oath,  that  he  got  the  paper  from 
Alderman  Eepper ;  that  he  was  sworn  at  the  office  of  Alderman  Eepper, 
and  that  he  had  never  been  to  the  City  Hall  in  his  life.  This  same  per- 
son swore  that  a  person  by  the  name  of  Fulke  left  the  naturalization 
paper  at  his  house,  125  Eidge  street.  That  is  all  that  I  know  or  that  I 
have  taken  a  memorandum  of. 

By  Mr.  Eoss: 

2806.  Q.  Did  any  of  these  men  say  anything  about  having  lost  their 
original  papers  ? 

A.  No,  sir:  one  man  swore  that  he  never  had  any  original  papers. 

2807.  Q.  Did  any  of  them  speak  of  having  been  under  age  when  they 
came  to  the  country? 

A.  No,  sir. 

2808.  Q.  Did  any  of  these  men  get  registered? 

A.  No,  sir;  we  would  not  register  them  and  they  did  not  vote. 
By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

2809.  Q.  Did  the  board  retain  possession  of  these  naturalization 
papers? 

A.  No,  sir.  Two  men  tore  up  their  papers  on  the  spot,  as  though 
they  were  a  little  surprised  to  think  that  a  fraud  had  been  practiced 
upon  them.  Most  of  them  retained  their  papers;  we  did  not  feel  author- 
ized to  retain  them. 

New  York,  Wednesday,  December  30,  1808. 

William  M.  Tweed  sworn  and  examined,  (at  the  instance  of  Mr 
Kerr.)  '  v 

By  Mr  Kerii  : 

2810.  Question.  State  your  official  position. 

Answer.  I  am  deputy  street  commissioner,  member  of  the  board  of 
supervisors,  and  State  senator. 

2811.  Q.  State  what  relation  you  sustained  to  the  democratic  party 
during  the  last  political  campaign. 

A.  I  was  chairman  of  the  general  committee  at  Tammany  Hall. 


266  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

2812.  Q.  Do  you  know  who  composed  the  democratic  naturalization 
committee? 

A.  I  cannot  tell  you  all  the  names.     The  chairman  was  Moses  I).  Gale. 

2813.  Q.  Do  you  know  where  the  office  of  that  committee  to  facilitate 
the  business  of  naturalization  was  held ! 

A.  I  really  cannot  say.  I  know  it  was  somewhere  in  Centre  street, 
but  1  was  never  in  it. 

2814.  Q.  Do  you  know  anything  of  this  room  No.  <>  Centre  street? 
A.  No.  sir;   I  do  not. 

2815.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  (hat  was  the  office  of  Moses  D.  Gale, 
or  of  his  committee? 

A.  I  am  confident  in  my  own  mind  it  was  not,  but  I  am  not  willing  to 
swear  it  was  not. 

2816.  Q.  Do  you  know  anything  of  election  frauds  in  the  matter  of 
naturalization  during  the  last  canvass  having  been  practiced  by  either 
party? 

A.  I  do  not  of  my  own  knowledge. 

2817.  Q.  Do  you  know  anything  of  them  except  what  you  saw  in  the 
papers  ! 

A.  Nothing  except  that  one  of  the  assistant  district  attorneys  informed 
me  that  an  inspector  in  some  ward  had  been  indicted  by  the  grand  jury 
for  stuffing  the  ballot-box  :  I  do  not  recollect  the  inspector's  name.  Mr. 
Hutchings,  the  assistant  district  attorney,  was  my  informant. 

281S.  Q.   How  long  have  you  resided  in  the  city  of*  New  York? 

A.  All  my  life. 

2819.  Q.   Save  you  a  large  acquaintance  through  the  city  I 

A.  Nine  men  out  of  ten  cither  know  me  or  I  know  them;  women  and 
children  you  may  include. 

2820.  Q.  State  whether  you  know,  of  your  own  knowledge,  and  as  a 
result  of  your  acquaintance  and  observation,  that  during  the  last  eight 
years,  except  in  the  last  presidential  election,  the  business  of  naturaliza- 
tion fell  off  materially. 

(Question  objected  to  by  Mr.  Dickey  as  being  capable  of  being  proved 
by  statistics ;  objection  overruled.) 

A.  I  know  that  during  the  time  of  the  war  the  naturalization  business, 
for  which  Tammany  Hall  paid,  was  very  slight,  and  I  know  that  within 
the  last  year  it  has  been  reported  as  very  heavy ;  I  know  that  during 
the  presidential  election  preceding  the  last,  it  was  almost  impossible  to 
coax  an  adopted  citizen  to  be  naturalized ;  they  were  afraid  of  the  draft, 
and  that  they  might  be  required  to  serve  on  juries  and  other  matters 
affecting  their  personal  interest  or  their  personal  comfort. 

2821.  Q.  How  do  ordinary  years  compare  in  that  matter  with  the  year 
of  the  presidential  election  ? 

A.  Presidential  years  generally  exceed  ordinary  years  at  the  rate  of 
three  to  one ;  that  is  about  the  average. 

2822.  Q.  State  whether  your  identification  with  the  party  machinery 
is  extensive  or  limited  ! 

A.  It  is  very  extensive ;  I  have  that  reputation,  and  I  think  it  is  pretty 
well  deserved. 

2823.  Q.  State  to  the  committee  whether  you  personally  know  that 
during  the  last  campaign,  or  during  any  previous  campaign,  there  were 
in  the  city  of  New  York  any  number  of  men  who  were  republicans,  or 
who  professed  to  be  republicans,  or  who  ostensibly  co-operated  with  the 
republican  party,  but  who  were  in  fact  in  the  employment  of  the  demo- 
cratic party,  or  held  office  in  the  municipal  government,  and  whose  busi- 
ness it  was,  by  direction  of  the  men  who  managed  the  party,  to  get  them- 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  2G7 

selves  into  places  of  trust,  such  as  inspectors,  judges,  or  canvassers  of 
election,  in  order  that  they  might  in  these  relations  and  capacities  serve 
the  democratic  party. 

A.  I  know  of  none  such,  taking  that  question  as  a  whole. 

2824.  Q.  State  if  you  know  how  these  boards  are  constituted. 

A.  I  do;  they  are  appointed  by  the  commissioners  of  police,  and  are 
generally  supposed  to  contain  two  republicans  and  two  democrats,  as 
inspectors  of  registry,  who  also  serve  as  inspectors  of  election.  After 
the  close  of  the  polls  the  boxes  are  turned  over  to  two  canvassers,  who 
are  also  similarly  appointed  by  the  police  commissioners,  and  are  also 
supposed  to  be  one  republican  and  one  democrat.  Both  parties  are 
always  represented  by  one  or  more  persons  at  any  canvass  of  votes  that 
I  have  seen,  and  the  result  is  declared  as  the  result  is  arrived  at.  For 
instance,  on  the  half-dozen  different  tickets  each  vote  as  arrived  at  is 
openly  announced  by  the  chairman.  At  the  last  two  elections,  in 
November  and  December,  slips  were  made  as  soon  as  the  results  were 
announced,  and  sent  to  the  police  stations  of  the  various  precincts  and 
forwarded  to  headquarters,  from  which  the  official  record  was  copied ; 
I  believe  that  the  official  record  as  tiled  at  police  headquarters  about 
corresponds  with  the  official  result  as  declared  by  the  county  canvassers. 

2825.  Q.  At  what  time  is  the  transfer  of  the  ballot-boxes  made  by  the 
inspectors  to  the  canvassers  ? 

A.  At  sundown.  In  some  districts  they  allow  those  to  vote  who  are 
actually  in  the  room  at  sundown.  As  soon  as  the  sun  is  down,  tape  and 
sealing-wax  and  other  matters  of  that  kind  are  on  the  table,  and  the 
inspectors  immediately  seal  up  the  boxes,  and  the  canvassers  are  there 
to  receive  them,  and  they  canvass  them  in  the  same  room. 

2826.  Q.  In  the  presence  of  the  inspectors  ? 

A,  Yes,  sir,  if  they  have  a  niind  to  see  it  done.  It  is  an  open  canvass, 
and  is  carried  on  in  the  presence  ot  the  policemen  who  are  there ;  both 
sides  are  always  represented;  they  are  not  only  supposed  to  be  repre- 
sented in  the  canvassers,  but  also  represented  in  the  crowd  that  stands 
around.  When  the  official  result  is  announced  it  is  entered  in  writing 
and  figures  on  sheets  of  paper  attached,  and  each  sheet  of  paper  is,  by 
direction  of  the  police  commissioners,  signed  by  the  canvassers,  so  that 
one  sheet  cannot  be  taken  off  and  another  sheet  substituted,  except 
by  the  connivance  of  both  canvassers.  Each  sheet  of  paper  is  a  com- 
plete record,  so  far  as  it  goes,  of  the  result  found  by  the  canvassers. 
They  are  signed  at  the  bottom  as  an  attestation  of  their  accuracy,  and 
on  the  last  page  is  a  final  and  complete  signing  by  the  canvassers,  in 
their  official  capacity  as  canvassers,  and  with  the  formal  language  which 
the  courts  deem  necessary. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

2827.  Q,  Have- you  stated  all  the  offices  you  hold? 
A.  I  believe  I  have. 

2828.  Q.  You  stated  that  Tammany  Hall  has  paid  for  naturalization 
papers  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

2829.  Q.  Can  you  state  the  number  paid  for  in  each  year  for  several 
years  past ? 

A.  I  cannot ;  the  treasurer,  Mr.  Richard  B.  Connolly,  takes  care  of 
these  matters.  Mr.  Gale  probably  knows  better  than  any  other  gentle- 
man. 

2830.  Q.  What  officers,  in  connection  with  the  street  department,  hold 
their  appointments  under  you  1 

A.  All  under  the  street  commissioner  himself. 


268  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

2831.  Q.  How  many  of  them  are  there  ? 

A.  The  number  of  persons  employed  varies  according  to  the  work; 
the  number  of  officers  is  fifty  or  sixty,  or  may  be  seventy. 

2832.  Q.  What  is  their  compensation  ? 

A.   It  varies  from  $3,600  a  year  to  $2  50  a  day. 

2833.  Q.  How  much  of  the  time  are  these  officers  receiving  pay  each 
year  ?  • 

A.  These  officers  are  designated  by  the  common  council  and  receive 
pay  during  the  entire  year;  they  are  salaried  officers. 

2834.  Q.  State  if  a  portion  of  them  perform  but  little  service,  if  any. 
A.  .Men  differ  as  to  what  constitutes  little  services. 

2835.  Q.  State  the  extent  of  time  occupied  by  them  in  the  actual 
duties  connected  with  their  offices. 

A.   Frome  9  o'clock  in  the  morning  till  4  o'clock  in   the  afternoon. 

2836.  Q.  Do  you  mean  to  say  that  all  those  officers  have  been  thus 
employed  I 

A.  I  mean  to  say  that  the  ordinance  provides  that  they  shall  be  there 
from  nine  till  four.  I  don't  suppose  that  I  have  been  through  the  build- 
ing more  than  twice  a  year;  but  I  know  that  when  I  send  tor  them  during 
business  hours,  I  generally  find  them. 

2837.  Q.  Are  you  able  to  say,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  that  all  or  a  majority 
of  these  officers  are  engaged  in  any  official  duty  during-  the  hours  you 
have  named? 

A.  I  believe  they  all  are. 

2838.  Q.  Do  you  not  know  that  some  of  them  at  least  are  mere  sine- 
cures 1 

A.   I  do  not  know  that. 

2839.  Q.  State  it'  any  of  them  are  republicans. 

A.  I  think  not ;  yetf,  sir,  I  believe  there  is  one  man  who  is  a  repub- 
lican. 

2840.  Q.  State  if  any  employment  has  been  given  to  republicans  during 
this  year  in  the  street  commissioner's  office. 

A.  There  has  been. 

2841.  Q.  To  what  extent  ? 

A.  To  a  very  limited  extent,  of  course  ;  probably  five  per  cent. — not 
to  exceed  that. 

2842.  Q.  Did  the  persons  to  whom  employment  or  patronage  was  thus 
given  hold  any  office  in  connection  with  the  election  ? 

A.  Not  that  I  know  of.     I  do  not  know  of  one  instance  of  the  kind  ? 

2843.  Q.  Did  you  know  the  fact  that  Eosenberg  had  a  naturalization 
office  prior  to  the  election  ? 

A.  I  did  not.     I  never  saw  him  until  after  the  election. 

2844.  Q.  Can  you  state  whether  there  was  an  office  in  each  ward  where 
naturalization  papers  were  prepared  ? 

A.  I  think  not. 

2845.  Q.  Was  there  one  in  each  assembly  district  f 

A.  I  think  not.  In  my  own  ward,  the  seventh,  which  comx>rises  an 
assembly  district,  I  know  there  was  none. 

2846.  Q.  Do  you  know  that  there  were  such  offices  in  the  city  ? 

A.  I  understood  there  were  ;  they  were  not  under  the  direction  of  the 
Tammany  Hall  general  committee.  They  were  offices  supposed  to  be 
kept  open  by  individuals  who  took  an  interest  in  the  matter.  It  was 
nothing  that  our  committee  as  an  organization  had  any  power  over. 

2847.  Q,  Did  you  learn  that  fraudulent  naturalization  papers  were 
being  procured  prior  to  the  last  presidential  election? 

A.  I  did  not. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  269 

2848.  Q.  Did  you  bear  any  such  rumor  ? 

A.  O,  I  hear  rumors  on  every  subject ;  but  I  do  not  consider  that  testi- 
mony that  I  can  swear  to. 

2849.  Q.  Did  you  learn  or  were  you  informed  of  the  fact  that  men  were 
engaged  as  repeaters,  to  register  their  names  or  to  vote  at  the  last 
election  ? 

A.  I  did  not  know  of  any  such  fact.  Everything  you  have  asked  me 
there  have  been  rumors  about,  of  course.  I  have  heard  them  in  the 
general  rumble  of  city  politics  and  city  conversation. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

2850.  Q.  I  understand  you  to  say  that  the  ordinances  of  the  city  author- 
ize the  appointment  of  some  70  officers  in  the  street  department.  How 
many  employes  are  there  in  that  department  ? 

A.  That  varies  according  to  the  amount  of  labor  to  be  performed.  At 
this  time  of  the  year  there  are  only  about  that  70. 

2851.  Q.  How  was  it  about  last  October  ? 
A.  We  employed  from  200  to  400  men. 

2852.  Q.  And  you  say  that  five  per  cent,  of  the  number  were  repub- 
licans ! 

A.  That  is  a  large  estimate. 

2853.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  any  of  these  men  acted  as  inspectors  of 
election  f 

A.  I  do  not.  . 

2854.  Q.  Or  as  caiwassers  ? 
A.  I  do  not. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

2855.  Q.  What  induced  you  to  appoint  republicans  ? 

A.  I  was  born  in  New  York  and  have  lived  here  all  my  life,  and  have 
as  many  friends  among  republicans  as  among  democrats. 

By  Mr.  DiCKEYr : 

2856.  Q.  Were  these  men  appointed  on  account  of  their  personal 
relations  with  you  ? 

A.  They  were  appointed  because  they  were  my  personal  friends ;  some 
of  them  are  persons  with  whom  I  was  brought  up. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

2857.  Q.  Is  the  patronage  of  your  office  used  in  the  interest  of  the 
democratic  party  ! 

A.  It  is  used  for  the  benefit  of  the  city  government. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

2858.  Q.  I  suppose  that  the  patronage  of  the  democratic  party,  like 
that  of  other  parties,  is  given  to  democrats  f 

A.  Certainly  it  is. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  ! 

2859.  Q.  You  are  in  the  habit  of  employing  republicans? 
A.  Not  as  a  general  thing. 

2800.  Q.  Y^ou  would  not  like  to  employ  a  republican  if  you  did  not 
think  you  could  use  him  for  the  benefit  of  the  democratic  party  ? 

A.  If  a  republican  were  a  personal  friend  of  mine  and  desired  employ- 
ment, and  if  I  had  it  to  give  him,  I  would  give  it  to  him  as  quickly  as  I 
would  to  a  democrat. 

2801.  Q.  Do  you  know  what  amount  of  monev  Tammanv  Hall  expended 
this  fall  for  election  purposes  ? 


270  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

A.  No ;  but  I  do  know  how  much  money  we  have  got  to  expend  before 
we  pay  our  debts.  We  are  $12,000  behind.  I  cannot  tell  how  much  we 
raised. 

2862.  Q.  How  much  did  you  contribute  in  aid  of  the  democratic  party 
this  fall  ? 

A.  I  think  it  would  frighten  me  if  I  told.  I  do  not  know.  It  was  a 
continued  dribble — a  hundred  dollars,  fifty  dollars,  live  dollars^  two  dol- 
lars, and  oik1  dollar.     Perhaps  I  contributed  entirely  about  $10,000. 

2863.  Q.  May  it  not  have  been  $25,000? 

A.  No,  sir;  it  was  not  $25,000.  I  subscribed  $5,000  to  the  State  com- 
mittee, and  the  rest  went  out  in  driblets  after  that,  and  I  do  not  know 
what  I  did  give. 

2864.  Q.  You  do  not  know  the  aggregate  amount  that  Tammany  Hall 
raised  I 

A.  I  do  not. 

2805.  Q.  Were  the  officers  in  your  department  called  upon  to  assist? 

A.  They  all  did  assist. 

2800.  Q.  By  assessment  or  otherwise  I 

A.  By  voluntary  contributions.  I  most  certainly  expected  them  to 
contribute  to  support  the  party  ;  that  is  expected  as  a  matter  of  course. 

2867.  Q.  You  state  that  the  number  of  naturalizations  had  been  less 
for  several  years  .' 

A.  So  rumor  says. 

2808.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  the  number  has  increased  gradually 
since  1S04  ! 

A.  I  do  not  know  ;  but  my  impression  is  that  it  did  gradually  increase. 

2800.  Q.  What  is  your  impression  as  to  the  number  of  naturalization 
papers  issued  this  fall  ? 

A.  I  cannot  say  5  I  have  no  impression  whatever  on  the  subject. 

By  Mr.  Dickey:  ,  . 

2870.  Q.  What,  in  your  opinion,  is  the  proportion  between  native  and 
foreign-born  voters  in  the  city  and  county  of  New  York  ! 

A.  I  think  the  native  vote  is  about,  at  the  very  extreme,  not  over  one- 
third  of  the  whole,  although  what  we  call  the  foreign  vote  is  not  really 
entirely  a  foreign  vote,  as  it  includes  the  sous  of  adopted  citizens  born 
here,  but  whose  associations  and  affiliations  are  with  those  of  their  own 
nationality. 

2871.  Q.  I  want  to  know  the  proportion  of  those  who  would  vote  on 
naturalization  papers,  or  those  who  had  to  go  through  the  court  to  be 
made  citizens  ? 

A.  Probably  from  one-half  to  three-fifths  of  the  entire  vote  would  be 
foreign. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

2872.  Q.  Are  you  a  director  in  the  Erie  Railroad  Company  ? 
A.  I  am. 

2873.  Q.  How  long  have  you  been  ? 

A.  Since  last  August ;  I  was  elected  to  fill  a  vacancy. 

2874.  Q.  Is  Peter  B.  Sweeney  also  a  director  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

2875.  Q.  What  position  does  he  occupy  in  the  city  ? 

A.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Tammany  Hall  democratic  committee. 
287G.  Q.  Are  there  any  other  directors  of  the  Erie  Eailroad  Company 
members  of  the  Tammany  Hall  committee  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IX    NEW    YORK.  271 

By  Mr.  Kerb  : 

2S77.  Q.  What  are  the  other  directors  I 

A.  They  are  a  mixture  from  all  sections  of  the  State — a  mixture  of  all 
politics. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

2878.  Q.  How  long  has  Sweeney  been  a  director? 
A.  I  think  since  October  or  November  last.     He  has  never  attended 

a  meeting  of  the  board  of  directors  since  he  became  a  member. 

2879.  Q.  Was  he  appointed  receiver  in  any  suit  in  which  that  road 
was  interested  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  anything  about  it ;  rumor  says  he  was. 

2880.  Q.  Do  you  know  anything  of  the  secret  circular  referred  to  ill 
the  testimony  of  John  T.  Hoffman  2 

A.  I  have  heard  of  it. 

2881.  Q.  State  from  how  many  counties  you'received  telegrams  on  the 
evening  of  the  presidential  election. 

A.  I  did  not  receive  a  telegram  of  any  description  from  any  county, 
for  I  did  not  go  to  Tammany  Hall.  I  understood  there  were  quite  a 
number  of  telegrams  sent  to  my  address. 

2881*.  Q.  State  to  what  extent  this  circular  was  sent  out  from  this  city. 

A.  I  do  not  know. 

2883.  Q.  Have  you  any  information  ? 
A.  I  have  not. 

2884.  Q.  Neither  from  your  own  knowledge  nor  from  others  ? 
A.  Neither. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

2885.  Q.  State  how  large  a  force  you  had  employed  in  the  street  com- 
missioner's department  in  October  last ! 

A.  I  guess  from  500  to  GOO  men. 
2880.  Q.  No  more  ?. 
A.  No  more. 

2887.  Q.  That  is  about  200  more  than  the  highest  estimate  you  gave 
before. 

A.  We  average  from  200  to  400  men  during  the  summer  months — the 
working  months  of  the  year. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

2888.  Q.  Speaking  of  republicans,  personal  friends,  were  there  no 
employes  in  the  street  department,  republicans,  who  were  not  personal 
friends  of  yours  ? 

A.  I  do  not  recollect  of  any,  except  this  young  man  whom  I  spoke  of, 
and  who  was  there  when  I  went  into  the  office. 

2889.  Q.  1  speak  of  those  whose  names  appear  on  the  roll. 

A.  None  that  I  know  of.  There  may  be  some  who  have  been  employed 
by  me  at  the  solicitation  of  my  personal  friends.  1  do  not  recollect  the 
names  of  the  persons  employed  there ;  there  is  a  rush  most  of  the  time. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

2800.  Q.  Is  it  not  true  that  there  were  a  good  many  names  appearing 
on  the  roll  of  the  department,  as  employes,  of  persons  who  did  little  or 
no  service,  except  now  and  then  J 

A.  That  is  not  my  impression. 

2891.  Q.  Would  you  know  it  if  it  were  so? 

A.  I  would  be  likely  to  know  it,  although  it  might  be  without  my 
knowing  it ;  my  duties  are  indoors  entirely. 


272  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

2802.  Q.  Who  has  immediate  charge  of  the  working  force  of  your 
department,  and  who  would  be  likely  to  know  it  best  ? 
»  A.  Mr.  Robert  Clifford,  our  chief  clerk,  would  know  it  best. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

2893.  Q.  You  have  been  inquired  of  on  the  subject  of  the  amount  of 
money  which  you  contributed  during  the  last  campaign,  and  as  to  the 
aggregate  amount  contributed  by  your  political  friends  in  this  city.  I 
desire  to  ask  you  what  you  know  about  the  amount  contributed  by  per- 
sons of  the  republican  party  during  that  time? 

A.  I  really  do  not  know  that ;  it  is  a  matter  even  beyond  my  suspicion, 
much  less  knowledge. 

2894.  (L).  What  is  the  relative  ability  of  democrats  and  republicans  to 
contribute  to  such  purposes  I 

A.  It  is  generally  supposed  to  be  on  the  side  of  the  republicans. 
» 

New  York,  December  30, 18G8. 

ABRAHAM  de  Votjrsney  sworn  and  examined,  (at  the  instance  of  Mr. 
Ross*) 

To  Mr.  Ross: 

2895.  I  acted  as  inspector  of  election  in  the  0th  election  district, 
0th  ward,  at  the  last  presidential  election.  I  acted  two  days  as  register 
and  one  day  as  inspector.  The  first  two  days  of  registration  I  did  not 
act.  I  cannot  positively  swear  that  there  was  no  illegal  voter  registered 
there.  I  thought  1  recognized  on  two  or  three  different  occasions  a  half 
a  dozen  different  individuals  voting  more  than  once.  1  had  the  idea  that 
they  had  disguised  themselves  in  such  a  way  as  not  to  be  known,  but  I 
was  not  positive.  I  was  a  republican  inspector,  and  my  associate  was 
Mr.  Beeny.  When  we  challenged  parties  the  other  inspectors  refused 
to  swear  them,  and  we  remonstrated. 

2895  J.  Q.  So  that  there  was  a  sort  of  conflict  in  the  board  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir.  I  picked  up  my  books  and  left,  and  went  up  to  the  police 
headquarters,  and  my  partner  followed  me.  We  told  Superintendent 
Kennedy  that  it  was  no  use  to  act  there  as  inspectors,  for  we  could  not 
get  anything  like  a  legal  vote,  because  the  police  and  the  parties  about 
the  polls  were  all  against  us.  The  names  of  the  democratic  inspectors  j 
were  Mr.  Threall  and  Edward  M.  Haggerty. 

2890.  Q.  Did  the  election  still  go  on  after  you  and  your  colleague  went 
to  the  police  headquarters? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  and  we  knew  nothing  of  wdiat  transpired  while  we  were 
away.  The  superintendent  ordered  us  back,  and  we  got  back  as  soon 
as  possible. 

By  Mr.  Kerr: 

2897.  Q.  Why  did  you  go  away? 

A.  We  challenged  some  voters  who  came  to  vote,  and  the  other  inspectors 
would  not  administer  the  oath  or  permit  us  to  do  so.  We  were  satisfied 
if  we  persisted  there  would  be  a  general  row,  which  would  probably  end 
in  killing  some  of  us.  The  democratic  inspectors  said  that  the  names 
were  registered  there  and  that  the  men  had  a  right  to  vote. 

2898.  Q.  You  yourself  had  registered  them,  had  you  not  ? 

A.  I  did  not  serve  on  the  first  two  days.  The  democratic  inspectors 
said  that  for  every  name  that  was  registered  they  would  receive  a  vote. 
At  that  time  there  was  a  string  of  voters  probably  from  thirty  to  forty 
in  length,  and  Haggerty  said  he  would  advise  any  one  to  chuck  us  over 
the  counter  if  we  challenged  another  one  of  them. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  273 

2891*.  Q.  Was  Haggerty  president  of  the  board! 
A.  No :  Mr.  Threall  was  president.     Some  four  or  live  names  were  voted 
>n  twice. 

2900.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  other  frauds  in  the  election  there! 
A.  Xo :  I  do  iiot  know  anything  regarding-  the  canvassing. 

2901.  Q.  Or  in  the  voting  ! 
A.  >~o.  sir. 

2902.  Q.  All  you  know  is  that  four  or  five  men  vsted  twice  i 
A.  I  know  that  four  or  five  different  names  were  voted  on  twice,  and 

hat  the  only  way  we  could  get  a  legal  vote  there  was  to  challenge  these 
unties  and  then  have  them  arrested.  We  challenged  one  party  in  the 
Homing,  and  he  was  sworn  in.  We  ordered  the  police  to  arrest  him, 
>ut  the  other  inspectors  ordered  them  not  to  do  so,  and  he  was  not 
triested. 

By  Mr.  Kerb  : 

2903.  Q.  Were  these  police  officers  democratic  or  republican': 

A.  The  captain  is  a  democrat ;  his  name  is  Jourdan.  He  was  not  there 
.t  the  time.  He  sent  some  two  or  three  men  there.  I  do  not  know  what 
heir  politics  were. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

2901.  Q.  You  say  that  the  democratic  inspectors  objected  to  swearing 
whose  votes  were  challenged  ? 

A.  They  refused  to  administer  the  oath. 

2905.  Q.  Did  I  understand  you  to  say  that,  besides  four  or  live  persons 
^vho  voted  twice  on  the  same  names,  there  were  other  parties  who  yon 
thought  voted  twice,  in  disguise  '. 

A.  1  thought  so. 

_  106.  Q.  AVere  they  among  the  persons  whom  you  proposed  to  chal- 
and  were  prevented  from  challenging? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

2907.  Q.  AVere  you  appointed  in  the  place  of  somebody  else? 

A.  Yes,  sir:  1  was  appointed  in  the  place  of  a  party  who  had  been  sent 
here. 

-  5.  Q.  What  proportion  of  those  votes  were  given  on  naturalization 
apers ! 

A.  Five  hundred  and  eighty  odd  votes  were  cast  in  the  district,  and 

should  think  that  four  to  one  were  on  naturalization  papers. 

2909.  Q.  Iu  the  registry  or  at  the  polls  were  any  of  these  parties 
xamined  as  to  where  they  got  their  naturalization  papers? 

A.  Yes,  sir:  and  we  rejected  a  irood  many  at  the  registry. 

3910-2911.  Q.  How  many? 

A.  I  should  think  we  found  as  many  as  a  dozen  who  had  no  right  to 
igister  at  all  from  not  living  in  the  district,  or  from  some  other  cause, 
do  not  know  how  many  were  rejected  the  first  two  days  I  was  not  there. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

201i'.  Q.  This  was  a  pretty  good  precinct  for  repeating? 
A.  it  was  supposed  to  be.  1  think  it  next  to  impossible  for  any  man 
i  g<>  down  and  get  a  square  vote  at  that  precinct  unless  he  had  a  regi- 
ent  of  soldiers  with  fixed  bayonets.  I  think  it  is  the  next  thing  to 
apossible.  That  is  my  opinion,  based  on  my  experience  as  an  inspector, 
id  on  my  having  served  eight  years  in  the  police  department. 
1ST 


274  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

New  York,  December  30,  1808. 
Lorenzo  Carey  sworn  and  examined,  (at  the  instance  of  Mr.  Ross.) 
By  Mr.  Ross : 

2913.  Question.  At  what  precinct  were  yon  acting  as  election  officer 

at  the  last  election  I 

Answer.   At  the  6th  election  district  of  the  0th  ward. 
•  2914.  Q.  Were  yon  there  during  the  time  of  the  registry,  and  also  of 
the  election  .' 

A.  I  was  both  times. 

2915.  (v).  State  what  precautions,  if  any,  were  taken  by  the  officers  of 
the  board  to  prevent  illegal  registry  and  voting? 

A.  "1  do  not  know  that  there  were  any  special  precautions  taken. 

2916.  Q.  Did  you  register  illegal  voters  I 
A.  I  dare  say  we  did  some. 

2917.  Q.  How  many  do  you  think  yon  registered  \ 
A.  It  would  be  impossible  to  tell. 

2918.  Q.  Why  did  you  take  illegal  voters  I 

A.  Well,  because  we  could  not  help  it;  we  did  not  know  every  man 
personally. 

2919.  Q.  How  was  your  board  composed  politically  ? 
A.  It  was  half  and  half. 

2920.  Q.  Were  you  a  republican  or  a  democratic  inspector? 
A.  1  was  one  of  the  republican  inspectors. 

2921.  ().  Who  were  your  colleagues  1 

A.  Mr.  Ogilvie,  Mr.  Phillips,  and  Mr.  Nealis. 

2922.  <v>.  Did  you  intentionally  take  any  illegal  votes  ? 
A.  Certainly  not. 

292:5.  Q.  You  tried  to  prevent  it  ? 

A.  Of  course  we  (lid. 

2924.  Q.  But  some  illegal  voters  escaped  your  vigilance? 

A.  Yes,  it  was  evident  that  we  had  illegal  voters  because  we  had 
some  attempts  of  two  or  three  men  to  vote  under  the  same  name. 

292.").  Q.  Did  any  men  vote  twice  on  the  same  name1? 

A.  They  did  not  at  this  election ;  we  adopted  a  rule  that  we  would 
have  no  repeaters  ;  1  do  not  know  positively  that  there  were  any  illegal 
votes  given,  although  I  am  morally  certain  that there  were. 

292G.  Q.  Who  do  you  think  voted  illegally  \ 

A.  There  were  several  attempts  to  do  so. 

2927.  Q.  Who  did  vote  illegally? 

A.  I  could  not  specify  any  case,  for  I  do  not  know  of  any  personally. 
By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

2928.  Q.  Did  any  parties  register  twice  under  different  names  1 

A.  I  do  not  recollect  of  any  case  of  that  kind ;  such  a  thing  could  be 
done $  we  had  six  or  seven  hundred  voters  in  the  district,  audit  was 
impossible  for  us  to  know  them  all  personally. 

2929.  Q.  What  proportion  of  the  voters  in  your  district  voted  on  nat 
uralization  papers  ,; 

A.  I  suppose  at  least  nine-tenths  of  them. 

2930.  Q.  Did  you  examine  them  as  to  their  papers  under  oath  ? 

A.  Certainly,  we  examined  nearly  all,  except  such  as  Ave  were  person 
ally  acquainted  with;  I  do  not  think  we  have  fifty  native  voters  in  that 
district;  there  was  a  set  of  naturalization  papers  sent  to  my  store,  and 
delivered  to  a  young  man  in  the  store  who  never  went  to  the  court  at 
all ;  they  were  sent  to  him  filled  out  regularly,  and  apparently  with  the 
signature  of  the  clerk  of  the  court. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  275 

By  Mr.  lioss: 

2931.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  that  party  went  to  the  court  at  all? 
A.  He  did  not. 

2932.  Q.  How  do  you  know  8 

A.  1  have  his  word  for  it,  and  he  is  with  me  all  the  time ;  there  were 
several  such  cases  in  the  neighborhood ;  the  papers  seemed  perfectly 
correct. 

A  Oakey  Hall  sworn  and  examined,  (at  the  instance  of  Mr.  Kerr.) 
By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

293.'3.  Question.  State  to  the  committee  your  position  at  present  and 
during  the  last  year. 

Answer.  During  the  last  year  I  was  district  attorney  of  the  county  of 
New  York. 

2934.  Q.  Have  you  been  elected  to  any  other  official  position  % 

A.  Next  Monday  I  expect  to  assume  office  as  mayor  of  the  city  as  the 
successor  of  Mr.  Comins. 

2935.  Q.  Look  at  the  printed  circular  now  handed  to  you,  incorporated 
into  the  testimony  of  Governor  Hoffman,  and  say  if  you  recognize  it  % 

A.  I  recognize  it,  and  know  all  about  it. 

2936.  Q.  Tell  the  committee  what  you  kuow  about  it,  and  why  it  was 
issued,  and  for  what  purpose. 

A.  I  was,  as  I  have  been  for  several  years  past,  secretary  of  the 
executive  committee  of  the  democratic  State  committee,  and  during  the 
recent  campaign  1  acted  as  such ;  our  rooms  were  at  the  Metropolitan 
Hotel ;  this  circular  was  prepared  by  me,  and  ordered  to  be  printed  by 
me,  and  Mr.  Tilden's  name  was  signed  to  it  because  it  was  the  usage  to  sign 
the  name  of  the  chairman  of  the  main  committee  ;  to  a  very  great  extent 
Colonel  Samuel  North,  who  was  secretary  of  the  main  committee,  and 
myself  were  the  committee,  and  directed  or  supervised  all  its  details; 
all  the  printed  part  of  this  circular  is  my  composition ;  I  recognize  the 
letter  as  the  handwriting  of  Mr.  Rose,  who  was  a  deputy  clerk  of  Colonel 
North's,  and  he  interlined  it  at  my  request ;  there  are  added  to  the  printed 
circular  these  words,  u  And  give  orders  to  watch  carefully  the  count." 
To  the  best  of  my  knowledge,  and  to  my  entire  belief,  Mr.  Tilden  knew 
nothing  about  it ;  nor  any  one  else  except  Colonel  North  and  his  clerk, 
and  our  clerk  at  the  Metropolitan,  and  my  partner,  Mr.  Brown,  who  was 

I  member  of  the  Loyal  League  club,  and  to  whom  I  read  it  in  manuscript  f 
this  circular  was  printed  by  the  regular  printer  of  our  committee ;  I 
forget  his  name,  but  his  office  is  on  Centre  street,  near  the  Tombs. 

"2937.  Q.  State  now  what  was  the  purpose  of  that  circular,  why  you 
wrote  it,  and  what  you  did  with  it  after  you  had  it  printed. 

A.  Mr.  Brown,  my  partner,  was  a  very  exact  writer,  exceedingly  so, 
and  I  often  consulted  him  in  digesting  matters.  The  reason  of  my  show- 
ing this  paper  to  him  was  mainly  to  get  a  short,  concise,  digested  circu- 
lar, for  I  am  myself  rather  a  diffuse  writer,  having  been  an  editor.  This 
circular  was  sent  to  the  chairman  of  every  county  democratic  organiza- 
tion in  the  State  through  the  post  office,  not  under  a  frank,  but  with  the 
postage  honestly  paid.  The  object  of  it  was  this :  I  state  it  as  it  cannot 
he  any  reflection  now,  but  it  was  our  supposition,  and  especially  my  sup- 
position, that  two  years  ago,  when  Mr.  Hoffman  was  a  candidate  for 
governor,  we  found  that  no  returns  reached  the  city  of  New  York  from 

II  iy  part  of  the  State  of  New  York  until  between  the  hours  of  11  and 
V2  at  night — not  so  much  as  a  private  message.  As  an  old  writer  and 
sditor,  and  attendant  upon  the  newspaper  offices  on  the  evening  of  elec- 
tion for  nearly  20  years,  it  was  the  first  time  I  had  ever  noticed"  such  an 


276  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

incident.    We  supposed,  and  I  especially  supposed  that  it  was  by  pre- 
concert and  arrangement.     1  was  given  to  understand,  and  believed,  that 
in  the  meantime  the  vote  of  the  city  of  New  York  had  readied  every 
other  part  of  the  State.     There  are,  i   think,  1G,000  school   districts  in 
the  State  of  New  York,  and  the  change  of  one  vote  in  every  school  dis- 
trict would  very  seriously  affect  the  result.     A  similar  circular  to  this 
was  issued  the  year  before,  not  exactly  in  these  words,  but  with  the  same 
idea,  and  this  circular  was  issued  by  me  for  the  purpose  of  using  the 
only  hour  that  could  be  obtained  on  the  telegraph  after  the  closing  of 
the  polls — the  hour  which  usually  elapses  when  the  results  are  beginning 
to  be  known  everywhere.     The  purpose  was  to  get  local  estimates  from 
our  democratic  Mends  with  which  to  compare  and  to  check  the  returns 
when  they  came  in.     In  many  parts  of  this  State,  as  1  suppose  elsewhere 
in  the  rural  districts,  it  is  quite  practicable  to  understand  at  the  close  of 
the  polls,  before  the  vote  is  counted,  within  a  fraction  how  the  poll  stands, 
and  hence  the  object  was  to  get  what  would  seem  to  be  superficial  guess- 
work, but  which  was  really  an  approximate  statement.     In  other  words, 
the  idea  of  this  circular,  whether  well  founded  or  illy  founded,  Mas  sim- 
ply not  to  perpetrate  frauds,  but  to  check  frauds.     The  reason  why  the 
telegrams  were  sent  to  Mr.  Tweed  was  that  he  was  chairman  of  the  dem- 
ocratic committee  at  Tammany  Hall,  and  the  wires  were  connected  with 
our  hall  in  the  same  way  as  the  radical  committee  had  them  connected 
with  the  hall  at  the  Cooper  Institute.     I  was  selected  as  a  foil  to  Charley 
Spencer  at  the  Cooper  Institute;  he  announced  the  returns  there  audi 
announced  them  at  Tammany  Hall.     He  is  a  sort  of  a  radical  ad  ctiptcm- 
dum  talker  and  I  am  a  sort  of  democratic  ad  captand,um  talker.     We 
received  telegrams  to  the  number  of  more  than  200.     I  kept  custody  of 
the  telegrams  j  they  were  read  as  soon  as  received  from  the  desk  at  Tam- 
many Hall,  and  not  until  publicly  read  were  they  shown  to  any  person. 
They  were  then  taken  to  the  Manhattan  Club,  where  there  was  a  very 
large  meeting  as  at  Tammany  Hall,  a  very  splendid  congregation  of 
mourners.     The  fact  is  that  if  the  majority  in  the  city  of  New  York  be 
kept  at  the  figures  of  two  years  ago  it  carries  the  State  for  Seymour  by 
a  small  majority,  and  certainly  for  Hoffman  by  as  large  a  majority  as  Mr. 
Lincoln  got  in  1864.    Another  object  of  this  circular  was  to  induce  gen- 
tlemen upon  our  side  to  apply  in  such  numbers  and  so  frequently  to  the 
telegraph  offices  of  the  State  that  the  operators  would  know  that  returns 
o*f  some  kind  were  expected  over  the  wires,  for  I  believe  that  nine-tenths 
of  the  telegraph  operators  in  this  State  are  republicans. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

2938.  Q.  Is  not  that  so  throughout  the  country  ? 

A.  Let  me  be  president  of  the  telegraph  company  instead  of  Mr.  Or- 
ton  and  nine-tenths  of  the  operators  will  be  democrats.  We  can  get 
them  in  this  city  from  among  the  policemen  who  work  the  telegraphs  of 
this  city. 

To  Mr.  Kerr: 
There  was,  of  course,  an  important  object  to  be  attained  in  the  words 
written  by  me  in  the  manuscript  after  the  receipt  of  the  circular,  be- 
cause I  wanted  to  call  particular  attention  of  parties  into  whose  hands 
this  might  fall  through  the  post,  and  to  make  it  emphatic.  It  is  a  very 
emphatic  sentence.  The  reason  why  I  gave  special  attention  to  it  was 
that  in  the  proof  furnished  to  me  the  wrord  "  an"  was  printed  "no,"  so 
as  to  read,  u  There  is,  of  course,  no  important  object  to  be  attained,"  and 
that  would  have  defeated  the  very  object  of  my  putting  the  sentence 
in,  and  would  have'  made  it  still  more  obscure. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IS  NEW  YORK.  277 

2939.  Q.  Do  you  mean  that  we  shall  inter  from  what  you  have  said 
that  one  of  your  objects  in  sending  out  that  circular  was  to  direct  the 
attention  of  the  opposite  political  party  to  the  fact  that  you  had  organ- 
ized such  means  of  getting  information  I 

A.  We  did  not  want  to  attract  particular  attention  to  it;  that  was 
the  reason  why  it  was  headed  4i  strictly  confidential." 

2940.  Q.  But  the  moment  you  commenced  receiving  telegrams  in  re- 
sponse to  that  circular  you  then  desired  that  they  should  know  it? 

A.  Certainly. 

2941.  Q.  You  say  that  for  the  year  past  you  have  been  district  attor- 
ney of  the  <•( unity  of  New  York:  state  whether  in  that  position,  in  the 
discharge  of  the  duties  of  that  office,  you  ever  caused  any  bench,  war- 
rants to  be  issued  for  violations  of  the  law  which  it  is  the  duty  of  the 
police1  force  of  the  city  to  execute,  but  which  were  not  executed? 

A.  Not  in  the  plural.  A  bench  warrant  was  issued  for  the  express 
purpose  of  testing  whether  Captain  Mills,  of  the  8th  precinct,  would 
execute  a  warrant  against  Wesley  Allen.  Captain  Mills  had  been  de- 
servedly the  arrester  of  these  men.  He  was  a  high-minded,  incorrupti- 
ble, splendid  police  captain.  I  do  not  know  whether  it  is  parliamentary 
to  go  into  my  motives,  but  1  state  the  tact  that  I  issued  that  bench  war- 
rant to  test  tin1  power  that  is  exercised  by  such  an  incorruptible,  high- 
minded  man.  That  bench  warrant  was  out  three  weeks  before  the 
election  and  was  never  executed  until  after  the  election,  although  the 
man  was  in  tin1  city  and  1  could  have  arrested  him  at  any  moment. 

2942.  Q.  Was  it  his  duty  to  have  made  the  arrest  immediately,  under 
the  law  I 

A.  It  was  Iris  duty  to  take  that  bench  warrant  to  the  superintendent  of 
police  and  get  his  instructions. 
291').  Q.  Who  was  the  superintendent  of  police  during  that  time? 
A.  John  .V.  Kennedy. 

2944.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  the  delay  was  in  pursuance  of  direc- 
tions from  the  superintendent  of  police  ! 

A.  1  know  nothing  about  it ;  I  only  know  that  the  arrest  was  not  made. 

2945.  Q.  State  somewhat  in  detail  the  manner  in  which  the  election 
boards,  both  for  the  making  of  the  registry  and  the  receiving  of  the 
votes,  were  organized  during  this  year. 

A.  The  police  board  at  the  designated  period,  in  anticipation  of  the 
November  election,  a. re  charged  with  the  duty  of  naming  four  inspectors 
of  the  registry  and  of  election,  the  individuals  being  charged  with  the 
two  duties  in  the  340  districts  of  this  city ;  the  persons  so  named  execute 
both  duties.  They  care  for  the  registry  and  they  take  the  votes.  The 
police  board  are  also  charged  with  theduty  of  appointing,  in  time  for 
the  election,  two  poll-clerks  at  each  election  district,  and  two  canvass- 
ers at  each  election  district.  The  poll-clerks  assist  the  inspectors  in  their 
duty,  and  also  the  canvassers.  There  is  no  law,  that  I  am  aware  of,  estab- 
lishing that  the  four  inspectors  or  the  two  canvassers  shall  be  equally 
divided  between  the  two  political  parties,  but  such  has  been  the  usage. 
It  is  made  the  duty,  by  the  police  act,  of  the  superintendent  to  detail  on 
election  day  at  least  one  policeman  at  each  poll  in  each  election  district. 
There  is  usually,  however,  one  officer  inside  the  poll  and  one  outside. 

294(5.  Q.  How  avus  it  during  the  last  general  election? 

A.  All  this  machinery  which  I  have  described  was  in  operation,  so  far 
as  I  know,  and  1  visited  during  the  election  day  more  than  100  polling- 
places  personally. 

2947.  Q.  Was  this  machinery  so  organized  and  constituted  tlw  only 
machinery  lor  the  protection  of  the  election  and  of  the  poll  against  frauds 
or  unlawful  conduct  of  anv  kind? 


278  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

A.  It  was  the  only  legal  machinery,  bnt  not  the  only  practical  ma- 
chinery. The  practical  machinery  consisted  of  each  party  furnishing  at 
each  poll  a  challenger,  and  each  party  more  or  less  appointing  a  commit- 
tee to  conduct  the  poll  and  to  take  charge  of  the  expected  illegal  voting. 
It  was  generally  done  by  the  local  candidates,  or  supposed  to  be  done 
by  the  local  candidates  or  their  friends. 

2948.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  interruption  on  the  part  of  any  officer 
of  the  legal  force  to  which  you  have  referred  to  the  organization  of  that 
sort  of  voluntary  force  ?  . 

A.  I  do  not,  except  what  I  have  read  in  the  public  prints. 

2949.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  other  force,  lawful  or  unlawful,  being 
organized  for  the  purpose  of  protecting  the  polls  on  election  day  bv  any- 
body 1 

A.  I  have  already  stated  that  the  two  political  parties  had  agents  there. 

2950.  Q.  State  if  you  know  as  a  fact  that  the  marshal  of  this  federal 
district  appointed  or  created  any  such  force. 

A.  Well,  I  saw  several  individuals  at  the  polls  whom  I  recognized  as 
subordinates,  or  attaches  in  the  marshal's  office,  but  whether  they  were 
at  the  polls  to  vote  or  not  I  could  not  say. 

2951.  Q.  State  to  the  committee  whether  you  are  personally  familiar 
by  observation  with  the  mode  of  conducting  the  business  of  naturaliza- 
tion in  the  courts  of  record  in  this  State. 

A.  Only  as  a  lawyer;  I  never  saw  a  person  naturalized,  or  knew  per- 
sonally of  any  one  being  naturalized  except  my  own  mother-in-law, 
whom  I  naturalized  by  applying  for  her  papers  in  order  that  she  might 
hold  real  estate. 

2952.  Q.  Are  you  a  member  of  the  Tammany  committee  ' 

A.  I  am  a  member  of  the  general  committee  of  Tammany  Hall. 
2993.  Q.  Had  you  anything  to  do  with  the  committee  called  iii  your 
Tammany  organization  the  general  naturalization  committee  i 

A.  No,  sir;  Judge  Moses  D.  Gale  was  chairman  of  that  committee. 

2954.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  organization  for  the  purpose  of  facili- 
tating naturalization  that  had  an  office  at  No.  0  Centre  street,  in  a  cellar 
under  ground1? 

A.  No,  sir,  I  do  not;  you  refer,  of  course,  to  what  is  known  as  the 
Rosenberg  office ;  I  only  know  of  it  from  what  1  have  read  in  the  papers 
that  there  was  an  office  where  naturalization  was  said  to  be  done,  but  I ' 
know  of  my  own  knowledge  that  was  not  the  Tammany  naturalization 
room,  because  I  have  been  in  the  Tammany  room. 

2955.  Q.  Where  was  that \ 

A.  It  was  on  Try  on  Row,  sometimes  called  No.  1  Centre  street. 

295G.  Q.  Did  you  know  anything  about  the  persons  who  were  engaged 
at  No.  6  Centre  street,  or  what  they  were  carrying  on  there,  or  whether 
they  were  acting  with  the  countenance  and  approval  of  the  democratic 
organization  of  the  city  % 

A.  I  can  only  give  my  belief  as  to  the  organization,  and  I  can  gi  veiny 
knowledge  as  to  myself;  I  never  heard  of  such  a  thing  until  I  read  the 
accounts  of  the  charges  made  by  Marshal  Murray  against  Rosenberg  in 
the  newspapers. 

Q.  State,  so  far  as  your  knowledge  extends,  whether  the  genera]  com- 
mittee had  any  such  knowledge. 

A.  lean  only  say  for  the  committee,  magna  pars/wi,  thai  if  1  do  not 
know  of  it,  it  was  not  likely  that  anybody  else  would;  I  think  it  was 
three  days  before  the  election  that  the  Rosenberg  explosion,  as  it  was 
called  amongst  editors,  took  place. 

2957.  Q.  Between  that  time  and  the  day  of  election  did  you  make  any 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  279 

efforts  to  prevent  the  perpetration  of  frauds,  or  to  punish  such  frauds  if 
practiced  f 

A.  No,  I  did  not ;  it  was  not  my  duty  to  arrest  or  detect  crimes  or 
frauds;  that  belongs  to  the  police;  I  have  only  to  enforce  the  laws  by 
prosecuting  indictments ;  I  remember  addressing  a  meeting  of  the  demo- 
cratic inspectors  and  canvassers  in  regard  to  this  thing. 

2958.  Q.  State  for  what  purpose  that  meeting  was  held,  and  what  was 
the  legal  effect  of  what  you  said  ? 

A.  I  can  produce  the  circular  which  called  the  meeting,  which  will 
speak  for  itself. 

[The  further  examination  of  this  witness  was  postponed  until  Saturday 
next.  J 

James  Moran  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman: 

2959.  Question.  Where  is  your  residence  f 
Answer.  At  288  Hudson  street. 

2960.  Q.  State  what  persons  resided  at  288  Hudson  street  at  the  time 
of  the  registry  of  voters  in  this  city  for  this  year  t 

A.  I  let  out  all  the  upper  part  of  the  house. 

2901.  Q.  To  whom ? 

A.  To  George  Thompson. 

2962.  Q.  Did  he  reside  there  at  the  time! 

A.  No,  sir;  I  let  it  out  for  political  purposes;  they  held  meetings 
there. 

2963.  Q.  Were  there  any  lodging  rooms  in  the  upper  part  of  the  house  ? 
A.  There  were  six  rooms. 

2964.  Q.  Who  is  George  Thompson? 
A.  He  is  a  painter. 

2965.  Q.  To  Avhat  party  does  he  belong  f 

A.  He  is  a  democrat,  and  I  let  the  rooms  for  political  purposes. 

2966.  Q.  Did  any  person  reside  there  as  a  place  of  residence  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir ;  a  man  by  the  name  of  Betts,  to  my  knowledge. 

'2967.  Q.  Is  he  the  only  one  that  you  know  of  who  resided  there  ? 

A.  Xo;  there  were  a  great  many  about  there;  I  let  the  upper  part  of 
the  house  for  two  months,  which  expired  on  the  loth  of  December ;  I 
slept  in  the  house  myself. 

2968.  Q.  Did  you  know  of  any  person  residing  there  at  the  time  of  the 
registration  excepting  Betts? 

A.  Well,  sir,  there  might  have  been,  for  aught  I  know,  two  or  three 
hundred;  they  made  such  a  noise  that  I  thought  sometimes  they  would 
bring  the  house  down  ;  I  don't  know  where  they  slept. 

By  Mr. Dickey: 

29(19.  Q.  Did  you  know  the  names  of  any  of  these  parties'? 
A.  I  did  not ;  I  was  attending  to  my  own  business. 

2970.  Q.  What  were  the  political  purposes  for  which  you  let  the  rooms  i 
A.  To  hold  meetings;  I  rented  the  rooms  to  Thompson;  lie  had  got 

into  business  down  town  and  did  not  come  home  then  at  all. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

2971.  Q.  Did  you  occupy  the  lower  rooms  in  the  house  2 
A.  I  did  ;  but  there  was  nothing  but  a  bar-room. 

2972.  Q.  How  high  was  the  house? 
A.  Three  stories. 

2973.  Q.  Was  there  any  communication  between  that  house  and  other 
houses  ? 

A.  Yes ;  there  were  two  houses  in  the  rear. 


280  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IX    NEW    YORK. 

2971.  Q.  Were  they  on  the  same  lot.' 

A.  No,  sir. 

297.").  Q.  Who  occupied  those  houses  .; 

A.  A  man  by  the  name  of  Brady;  and  there  was  a  Frenchman  there 
who  kept  a  stand  at  the  coiner;  there  was  another  by  the  name  of 
•Gcrkey,  and  another  by  the  uame  of  Cobb;  I  do  not  know  how  many 
male  persons  they  had  in  the  houses. 

2976.  Q.  Do  yon  know  of  any  excepting  those  yon  have  named  \ 

A.   No:    I  only  know  of  those  who  paid  the  rent. 

By  Mr.  DlCKEY  : 
15977.  Q.    Are  those  houses  at  the  same  number  of  the  street  .; 
A.  No,  sir;  the  houses  front  on  Dominick  street,  whilst  my  house  was 
on  Hudson  street. 

\)y  the  Chairman  : 

2978.  Q.  Are  there  two  rooms  in  the  lower  story  of  the  house  and  three 
in  the  attic  I 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

2979.  Q.   How  deep  is  the  house  I 

A.    I  cannot  tell;    I  suppose  about  25  feel. 

2980.  Q.  What  is  the  width  on  the  front  .' 
A.   From  L8  to  20  feet. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins: 

2981.  (w>.  What  sort  of  political  purposes  was  the  house  usvd  for  \ 

A.  They  held  caucuses  there  and  meetings;  it  was  what  was  called  a 
headquarters. 

2982.  Q.  Was  it  known  as  a  rendezvous  for  what  are  called  "repeaters"! 
A.  No,  sir. 

2983.  Q.   Did  yon  know  what  was  done  there  ! 
A.  No,  sir. 

2984.  Q.  How  did  they  enter  the  upper  rooms  ' 
A.  Through  the  front  door. 

2985.  Q.  How  late  did  they  hold  their  meetings  .' 
A.  Sometimes  they  were  then1  all  night. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 


298(1.  Q.  Did  any  club  or  organization  meet  there 


A.  That  I  cannot  say.     I  am  not  certain  that  there  was  any  organized 
political  association,  nor  did  I  know  the  names  of  any  of  the  persons  who 
were  in  the  habit  of  going  there. 
By  Mr.  HOPKINS : 

2987.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  your  own  knowledge  if  any  man  lived  in  that 
house,  excepting  those  you  have  named,  at  the  time  of  the  registration  '- 

A.  There  was  this  man  Betts ;  he  did  not  reside  there,  but  lie  regis 
tered  from  there  and  voted. 

2988.  Q.  You  know  of  no  one  else  who  resided  there  at  the  time  of  the 
registration  ! 

A.  No,  sir. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

2989.  Q.  Are  you  an  active  democratic  politician  \ 
A.  No,  I  am  no  politician. 

2990.  Q.  What  business  is  carried  on  in  the  lower  room  \ 
A.  I  keep  a  liquor  store;  I  sell  whiskey. 

2991.  Q.  Were  you  a  member  of  any  political  organization  in  the  ward  • 
A.  No,  sir. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  281 

By  Mr.  Boss: 

2992.  Q.  Alight  there  not  have  been  quite  a  Dumber  of  persons  living 

;n  that  house  without  your  knowing  anything-  about  it ! 
A.  Exactly,  sir. 

2993.  (L>.  How  many  do  you  suppose  might  have  been  accommodated 
there  ? 

A.  Well,  I  <h>  not  know:  I  sometimes  thought  they  got  them  pretty 
thick. 

2994.  Q.  You  did  not  go  to  see  who  was  in  the  rooms  \ 
A.  No,  sir;   I  rented  them  out. 

2995.  (c>.  Then  there  might  have  been  20  or  30  for  aught  you  know  ! 
A.  Yes.  sir. 

2996.  Q.  And  for  all  you  know  they  might  have  been  voters  I 
A.  I  know  nothing  about  that. 

By  Mr.  HOPKINS : 

2997.  Q.  You  did  not  let  the  upper  rooms  for  the  purpose  of  people 
sleeping  there  ? 

A.  Yes.  sir.  I  did ;   [  let  them  do  as  they  had  a  mind  to  with  the  rooms. 
299S.  Q.  You  knew  what  they  were  going  to  use  the  rooms  for  ! 
A.  Xo.  sir.  I  did  nor. 

By  Mr.  Uoss: 
2999.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  any  persons  lived  in  the  upper  part  of 

the  house  .' 

A.  They  .slept  there  and  made  such  a  noise  that  they  kept  me  awake 
night  after  night  until  I  was  very  glad  to  get  rid  of  them. 

NEW  York.  Wednesday.  December  30,  L868. 
Joseph  K.  Paixe  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman: 

DO.  Question.  What  business  are  you  engaged  in  I 
Answer.  I  am  engaged  in  the  counting-room  of  A.  A.  Low  Cs:  Brothers 
of  this  city. 

3001.  Q.  State  if  you  have  a  knowledge,  experience,  and  capacity 
that  enable  you  to  determine  handwriting  and  whether  signatures  are 
feigned  \ 

A.  1  have  had  quite  a  large  experience  in  that  way,  and  I  think  that 
my  judgment  is  very  good  in  these  matters.  I  have  been  called  up  in  a 
good  many  cases. 

3002.  Q.  State  what  your  experience  was  in  the  Oiseo  case  ! 

A.  I  was  waited  upon  by  Mr.  Coe,  the  president  of  the  American 
Exchange  Bank,  in  that  case.  Photographs  of  supposed  forged  checks 
were  handed  to  me,  and  photographs  of  genuine  ones,  signed  by  John 
W.  Hunter,  and  my  opinion  was  requested  as  to  which  were  genuine 
and  which  were  false.  I  pointed  out  the  false  ones.  Then  Mr.  Coe 
requested  me  to  see  if  I  could  copy  the  signature  of  John  J.  Cisco,  in  a 
note  which  he  had  before  him.  "Yours  very  truly,  J.  J.  Cisco,"  so  that 
he  would  probably  think  that  it  was  his  own.  I  copied  that  signature  or 
tracing,  and  the  next  day  I  believe  it  was  presented  in  court,  and  Mr. 
Cisco  said  that  it  was  his  own  signature  ;  that  he  had  no  doubt  about  it. 
He  had  previously  sworn  that  nobody  could,  by  any  possibility,  deceive 
him  with  reference  to  any  signature  With  which  he  was  familiar.  1  sub- 
sequently testified  as  to  the  difference  between  the  genuine  and  the  false 
ks  in  the  same  case.     That  was  all  my  connection  with  that  case. 


282  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

3003.  Q.  I  present  to  you  a  number  of  applications  for  naturalization, 
referred  to  in  testimony  taken  before  this  committee,  and  ask  you  to 
examine  the  signatures  to  these  various  papers. 

Witness  retired  to  make  the  examination  required. 

NEW  York,  December  31,  1 80S. 
JOSEPH  E.  Falne  recalled  and  examination  continued. 
By  the  Chairman: 

3004.  Question.  Take  up  the  several  applications  for  naturalization  in 
the  superior  court  referred  to  in  the  testimony  of  Westlake  and  describe 
the  handwriting  in  each;  the  inline  of  the  applicant  in  each  ease  being- 
signed  three  times  and  that  of  the  witness  once. 

Answer.  In  the  application  of  William  Mali  a,  the  filling  up  and  all 
the  signatures  (except  that  of  the  clerk,  James  M.  Sweeney)  are  in  the 
same  handwriting'.  In  the  application  of  Daniel  Sullivan,  the  signatures 
of  the  applicant  and  of  the  witness  (William  Gould)  are  all  in  the  same 
handwriting  as  the  filling  up.  In  the  application  of  Maximilian  Beck, 
the  signatures  of  the  applicant  and  witness  are  also  in  the  same  hand- 
writing as  the  filling  up.  In  the  application  of  .Joseph  Rush  1  decline 
to  state  that  any  of  the  signatures  were  written  by  the  same  hand  as 
did  the  tilling  up,  though  I  have  pretty  strong  reason  to  believe  that 
they  were  all  throughout  written  by  the  same  hand.  In  the  remaining 
three  applications  the  signatures  of  the  applicants  and  witnesses  are 
made  with  a  mark.  There  is  no  attempt  to  change  in  any  respect  the  I 
handwriting  throughout  those  documents.  In  the  applications  of  Wil- 
liam Malia  and  dames  Montgomery  the  witness  is  the  same  person— 
Thos.  McGovern,  221  First  avenue.  In  the  one  case  his  name  is  signed, 
and  in  the  other  it  is  written  with  a  mark — "  Thos.  Govern,  his  mark." 
In  each  case  it  is  in  the  same  handwriting  as  the  filling  up  of  the  body 
of  the  document.  The  signature  of  the  clerk  is  not  in  the  same  hand- 
writing in  any  of  these  papers  as  the  signatures  of  the  applicants  and 
witnesses  or  as  the  filling  in.  In  the  three  applications  of  Kerwin, : 
Beck,  and  Montgomery,  the  signatures  of  the  clerk  are  in  the  same 
handwriting.  There  are  some  variations,  such  as  may  be  observed  in 
any  man's  handwriting  at  different  times;  but  the  characteristics  are 
essentially  the  same.  There  is  nothing  to  lead  me  to  question  but 
that  they  have  been  written  by  the  same  hand.  In  the  application  of 
William  Malia  the  clerk's  signature  appears  to  be  in  a  different  hand- 
writing from  those  three ;  and  in  the  application  of  John  Wallace  it  is 
in  still  a  different  handwriting.  Those  in  the  applications  of  Daniel 
Sullivan  and  Joseph  Bush  are  in  still  another  handwriting — both  alike. 

3005.  Q.  I  present  to  you  the  certificate  of  naturalization  issued  to 
Maximilian  Beck,  dated  October  19,  18G8,  referred  to  in  the  testimony 
of  Maximilian  Beck :  state  how  the  signature  of  James  M.  Sweeney, 
clerk,  compares  with  the  signature  of  James  M.  Sweeney  on  the  appli- 
cation about  which  you  have  testified. 

A.  It  seems  to  me  hardly  possible  that  the  signature  of  James  M. 
Sweeney  to  the  three  applications  of  Montgomery,  Kerwin,  and  Beck 
can  have  been  written  by  any  other  hand  than  the  hand  which  wrote 
the  signature  "  James  M.  Sweeney"  to  this  certificate  of  naturalization. 
The  signatures  of  Sweeney  in  the  other  applications  are  in  an  entirely 
different  handwriting  from  the  handwriting  of  Sweeney  to  this  certifi- 
cate of  naturalization.  There  are  some  resemblances,  as  if  an  attempt 
had  been  made  to  imitate  the  signature  in  two  of  them  ;  but  I  should 
say  they  were  not  written  by  the  same  hand. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  283 

3000.  Q.  1  now  present  to  you  30  applications  produced  by  Charles 
E.  Loew,  clerk,  and  referred  to  in  his  testimony :  take  them  tip  in  detail 
and  describe  the  handwriting  in  them.  (These  applications  have  all 
three  affidavits.) 

In  the  application  of  Henry  Stern,  dated  October  21,  (Jacob  Foerster, 
witness,)  the  signatures  of  applicant  and  witness  are  in  the  same  hand- 
writing as  the  filling  up  in  the  body  of  the  paper — with  an  attempt  at 
disguise. 

In  the  application  of  Charles  Fehling,  dated  October  16,  (James  Mc- 
Cabe,  witness)  the  same  statement  applies.  It  is  all  in  the  same  hand- 
writing except  the  signature  of  the  clerk. 

In  the  application  of  Patrick  Duffy,  October  17,  (Edward  Gonnoud, 
witness,)  the  same  statement  applies. 

In  the  application  of  James  E.  Smith,  dated  October  23,  (Maurice 
Baker,  witness,)  the  same  statement  applies. 

In  the  case  of  Samuel  Reynolds,  dated  October  23,  (Maurice  Baker, 
witness,)  the  same  is  true. 

In  the  case  of  Patrick  Rafferty,  dated  October  23,  (Maurice  Baker, 
witness,)  the  same  is  true.  The  signatures  of  Maurice  Baker  to  each  of 
these  three  applications  are  in  the  same  handwriting,  and  so  is  the 
tilling  up. 

In  the  application  of  August  Langer,  dated  October  5,  (Julius  Bock, 
witness,)  the  signature  of  Langer  is  in  the  same  handwriting  as  the 
filling  up.     I  am  not  prepared  to  say  that  the  signature  of  Bock  is. 

In  the  application  of  John  Winkens,  dated  October  19,  (George  Hill, 
witness,)  the  signatures  of  Winkens  and  Hill  are  in  the  same  hand- 
writing as  the  filling  up — with  some  attempt  to  disguise. 

The  signatures  of  Charles  E.  Loewr,  clerk,  in  the  applications  of  Samuel 
Reynolds,  James  R.  Smith,  and  Patrick  Rafferty,  are  in  the  same  hand- 
writing. 

In  the  applications  of  Charles  Fehling,  Henry  Stern,  and  John  Win- 
kens, the  signatures  of  the  clerk  are  in  the  same  handwriting,  but  in  a 
different  handwriting  from  the  others. 

In  the  application  of  August  Langer  the  signature  of  the  clerk  is  in  a 
different  handwriting  from  either  of  the  preceding.  Also  in  the  appli- 
cation of  Patrick  Duffy. 

In  the  application  of  Thomas  Schmitt,  dated  October  10,  (William 
Henry,  witness,)  the  signatures  of  Schmitt  and  Henry  are  in  the  same 
handwriting  as  the  filling  up  of  the  name  "Thos.  Schmitt,?  at  the  top  of 
the  application;  but  I  have  some  doubt  about  the  rest  of  the  filling  up 
being  in  the  same  handwriting.  The  signature  of  Schmitt  is  made  with 
a  mark ;  that  of  Henry  in  the  regular  way. 

In  the  application  of  Henry  Baum,  dated  October  20,  (John  King, 
witness,)  the  signatures  of  Baum  and  King  (the  latter  signed  with  his 
mark)  are  in  the  same  handwriting  as  the  filling  up. 

In  the  application  of  Thos.  Surridge,  dated  October  15,  (Peter  Burke, 
witness,)  the  signatures  of  Surridge  and  Burke  (both  signed  with  their 
marks)  are  in  the  same  handwriting  as  the  filling  up. 

In  the  application  of  John  Lehman,  dated  October  21,  (Jacob  Diehl,' 
witness,)  the  signatures  of  Lehman  and  Diehl  (the  former  signed  with 
his  mark)  are  in  the  same  handwriting  as  the  filling  up. 

In  the  application  of  John  Doolan,  dated  October  20,  (Owen  Garrison, 
witness,)  the  signatures  of  Doolan  and  Garrison  (the  former  signed  with 
,  his  mark)  are  in  the  same  handwriting  as  the  filling  up.  There  is  no 
attempt  to  disguise. 

In  the  application  of  Dan'l  O'Donohue,  dated  October  8,  (John  Mack- 


284  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

elson,  witness,)  the  signatures  of  O'Donohue  and  Mackelson  (the  latter 
signed  with  his  mark)  arc  in  the  same  handwriting  as  the  filling  up. 
There  is  an  attempt  to  disguise  in  the  signature  of  O'Donohue. 

In  the  application  of  August  Muller,  dated  October  L9,  (.John  (i. 
Diercks,  witness,)the  signatures  of  Muller  and  Diercks(botl)  signed  with 
their  marks)  are  in  the  same  handwriting  as  the  filling  up. 

In  the  applications  of  John  Doolan,  John  Lehman,  Thomas  Surridge, 
Henry  Baum,  Thomas  Schmitt,  and  August  Muller,  the  signatures  of 
Henry  E.  Loew,  clerk,  are  in  the  same  handwriting.  In  the  case  of  Dan- 
iel O.  Donohue  the  signature  of  the  clerk  is  in  a  different  handwriting, 
with  some  slight  resemblance. 

In  the  application  of  Frederick  Eenney,  dated  October  20,  (Robert 
Blume,  of  24  Clinton  street,  witness,)  the  signatures  of  Uenneyand  Blume 
(the  former  signed  with  his  mark)  are  in  the  same  handwriting  as  the 
filling. 

In  the  application  of  Joseph  Herbert,  dated  October  20,  (same  witness,) 
the  signatures  of  Herbert  and  Blume  (the  former  signed  with  his  mark) 
are  in  the  same  handwriting  as  the  filling  up. 

In  the  application  of  James  McCarty,  dated  October  20,  (same  witness, 
McOarty's  name  being  signed  with  a  mark,)  the  same  statement  is  true. 

In  the  application  of  Hugh  Smith,  dated  October  20,  (same  witness,) 
the  signatures  of  Smith  and  Blume  (the  former  signed  Avith  his  mark)  are 
in  the  same  handwriting  as  the  filling  up. 

In  the  application  of  Michal  Dunn,  dated  October  20,  (same  witness,) 
the  signatures  of  Dunn  and  Blume  (the  former  signed  with  his  mark)  are 
in  the  same  handwriting  as  the  filling  up. 

In  one  of  these  applications,  where  Robert  Blume  is  witness,  his  name 
is  signed  with  a  mark  ;  in  the  other  four  in  the  usual  way. 

The  signatures  and  filling  up  in  these  last  five  papers  are  all  in  the 
same  handwriting,  except  the  signature  of  the  clerk,  in  all  the  signa- 
tures of  Blume  there  is  a  manifest  attempt  at  disguise.  They  are  all 
dated  October  20. 

In  the  case  of  dames  Brown,  dated  October  20,  (John  King,  witness,) 
the  signatures  of  Brown  and  King  (tha  latter  signed  with  a  mark)  are  in 
the  same  handwriting  as  the  filling  up,  but  different  from  the  handwrit- 
ing in  the  five  preceding  papers. 

In  the  application  of  William  Honig,  dated  October  20,  (same  witness,) 
I  cannot  say  the  signature  of  Honig  is  in  the  same  handwriting  as  the 
filling  up  and  as  the  name  of  King,  signed  with  his  mark.  It  is  written 
with  a  different  pen  and  different  ink,  and  bears  the  German  charac- 
teristics. 

In  the  application  of  August  Betzel,  dated  October  20,  (same  witness,) 
the  signatures  of  Betzel  and  King  (the  former  spelled  "Lenzel"  and  the 
latter  signed  with  his  mark)  are  in  the  same  handwriting. 

fn  the  application  of  John  IsToelsch,  dated  October  20,  (Carl  Spoer, 
witness,)  the  signatures  of  Noelsch  are  in  the  same  handwriting  as  the 
rilling  up.  I  decline  to  say  that  the  signature  of  Spoer  is  by  the  same 
hand. 

In  the  application  of  William  Lukas,  dated  October  15,  (John  Wolf, 
witness,)  the  signatures  of  Lukas  and  Wolf  are  in  the  same  handwriting 
as  the  tilling  up,  though  there  is  a  very  manifest  and  earnest  attempt  to 
disguise  them. 

In  the  application  of  Jacob  Schafer,  dated  October  9,  (Jacob  Dahl, 
witness,)  the  signatures  of  Schafer  and  Dahl  are  in  the  same  handwrit- 
ing as  the  filling  up,  with  a  marked  attempt  to  disguise  them. 

In   the  application  of  William  Schmitt,  dated  October  19,  (Jacob 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  285 

Sterger,  witness,)  the  signatures  and  filling  up  are  in  the  same  hand- 
writing. 

In  the  application  of  Charles  Warnecke,  dated  October  19,  (Charles 
Jules,  witness,)  the  signatures  and  tilling' up  are  in  the  samehandAvritmg, 
with  marked  attempts  at  disguise  in  both  signatures. 

It  is  the  same  thing  in  the  application  of  Gottlieb  Kaffenberger,  dated 
( October  22,  (Rudolph  Wotke,  witness.)  There  is  quite  a  marked  attempt 
at  disguise  in  both  eases. 

In  the  application  of  Sebastian  Schneider,  dated  October  19,  (Henry 
i\Vier,  witness,)  the  signatures  of  Schneider  and  Wier  are  in  the  same 
handwriting  as  the  upper  filling  of  the  paper.  The  filling  up  at  the  bot- 
tom of  the  paper  is  in  a  different  handwriting. 

The  signatures  of  the  clerk,  Charles  E.  Loew,  to  the  applications  of 
William  Honig,  John  Xoelsch,  August  Betzel,  Jacob  Schafer,  Gottlieb 
Kaffenberger,  William  Schmitt,  and  Sebastian  Scheider  appear  to  be  in 
•the  same  handwriting.  The  signature  of  the  clerk  to  the  application  of 
William  Lukas  is  in  a  different  handwriting  from  the  preceding;  and 
the  signature  of  the  clerk  to  the  application  of  Charles  Warnecke  is,  1 
think ]  in  an  entirely  different  handwriting. 

3007.  Q.  I  now  present  to  you  papers  purporting  to  be  certificates  of 
naturalization  issued  on  those  applications.  Examine  them  and  describe 
the  handwriting. 

A.  The  names  of  the  parties  naturalized,  the  signature  of  the  clerk,  and 
the  date  are  in  three  different  handwritings  in  the  following  certificates. 
to  wit:  John  J.  Mercer,  Antonio  Gomez,  Alexander  K.  McCann,  Adolph 
Sleckelseine,  William  Honig,  Henry  Baum,  August  Betzel,  James  Brown , 
Hugh  Smith,  James  McCarty,  Michael  Dunn,  Joseph  Herbert,  Freder 
ick  Hemiey,  Henry  Stern,  Charles  Warnecke,  William  Lukas,  and  Gott- 
lieb Kaffenberger.  I  decline  to  say  that  there  are  more  than  two  hand- 
writings in  the  certificate  of  Thomas  Schmitt,  Sebastian  Schneider, 
August  Muller,  John  Winkens,  and  Thomas  Surridge.  The  signature 
of  the  clerk  is  in  a  different  handwriting  from  the  name  of  the  party. 
As  to  the  five  certificates  issued  from  the  superior  court,  I  think  that  in 
the  certificate  of  Joseph  Bush  the  name  of  Bush  and  the  signature  of 
the  clerk  are  in  the  same  handwTiting,  the  filling  in  of  the  date  being-  in 
a  different  handwriting.  In  the  case  of  John  Wallace,  the  name  of  the 
party,  the  signature  of  the  clerk,  and  the  date  are  all  in  the  same  hand- 
writing. In  the  certificate  of  William  Malia  the  name  and  the  date  are 
in  the  one  handwriting,  and  the  signature  of  the  clerk,  I  think,  in  another. 
In  the  certificate  of  James  Montgomery  the  name,  the  signature,  and 
lie  date  are  all  in  tile  same  handwriting. 

By  Mr.  BOSS: 

3008.  Q.  To  what  political  party  do  you  belong  . 
A.  To  the  republican  party. 

New  York,  December  31.  1868. 

8.  C  Hawley  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  CHAimiA^  : 

3009.  Question.  State  what  office  you  hold  in  this  city,  and  how  long 
«ui  have  held  it. 

Answer.     I  have  been  chief  clerk  of  the  metropolitan  police  since 
uly,  18G0. 

3010.  Q.  State  what  you  know  of  a  census  being  made  for  this  city. 
rhen  and  by  whom. 


286  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

A.  The  last  census  of  which  I  have  any  knowledge  was  undertaken 
and  made  some  progress  in,  previous  to  the  last  election,  as  I  understood, 
by  the  police  department  under  the  orders  of  Superintendent  Kennedy. 

3011.  Q.  How  long  before  the  last  election  I 

A.  I  do  not  personally  know  when  it  commenced,  but  some  time  in 
October  it  came  to  my  knowledge  that  the  business  was  in  progress. 

3012.  Q.  Have  you  the  original  books  of  the  census  so  taken  of  the 
6th  ward  \ 

A.   I   have. 

3013.  Q.  Who  has  charge  of  the  police  in  the  6th  ward  I 
A.  Captain  dourdan  is  captain  of  the  precinct. 

3014.  Q.  State  how  this  census  was  made  out. 

A.  I  do  not  know  personally  beyond  the  fact  that  these  books  were 
transmitted  to  my  office. 

3015.  Q.  Yon  now  produce  those  books  for  the  inspection  and  use  of 
the  committee  '. 

A.  I  do. 

[Books  presented.] 

By  Mr.  Kerb  : 
301G.  Q.  Do  you  know  how  these  returns  were  taken  I 
A.  I  have  no  personal  knowledge  on  the  subject. 

3017.  Q.   Do  you  know  by  whom  they  were  taken  I 
A.  Not  in  regard  to  each  particular  book. 

3018.  Q.  Do  you  know  why  they  were  taken  1 

A.  Only  inferentially.     1  suppose  they  were  taken  for  the  purpose 
collecting  information  to  prevent  frauds  in  registering  and  at  the  election. 

3019.  Q.  In  other  words,  this  was  a  partisan  census,  taken  for  parti- 
san purposes  in  the  city  of  New  Voi !. 

A.  Quite  otherwise;  it  was  intended  to  prevent  frauds  in  the  election. 
It  was  for  the  purpose  of  performing  the  duty  that  was  imposed  on  the 
board  of  police  by  law,  of  preventing  crime  of  all  kinds. 

3020.  Q.  Do  you  mean  to  say  that  there  is  any  law  of  the  State  of 
New  York  which  made  it  the  duty  of  the  superintendent  of  police,  prior 
to  the  last  election,  to  take  this  census,  or  cause  it  to  be  taken  S 

A.  There  is  no  law  that  requires  that  he  shall  take  a  census ;  what 
I  meant  to  say  is  that  the  law  requires  the  police  department  to  prevent 
all  manner  of  crimes  and  frauds  at  election. 

3021.  Q.  What  are  your  political  associations ! 
A.  I  would  be  ranked  as  a  republican. 

3022.  Q.  What  are  Mr.  Kennedy's? 

A.  He  would  be  ranked  in  the  same  way. 

3023.  Q.  Have  you  looked  over  these  returns  yourself? 
A.  I  have  never  looked  into  the  books  at  all. 

Martin  B.  Austin  sworn  and  examined,  (at  the  instance  of  Mr.  Ross.) 
By  Mr.  Ross : 

3024.  Question.  Were  you  an  election  officer  at  the  last  election  in 
this  city? 

Answer.  I  was  one  of  the  inspectors  of  the  12th  district,  13th  ward,  of 
this  city. 

3025.  Q.  To  what  political  party  do  you  belong? 
A.  I  have  always  voted  the  republican  ticket. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

3026.  Q.  Do  you  know  how  many  voters  there  were  registered  in  that 
district  ? 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  287 

A.  I  know  pretty  nearly ;  at  the  first  election  there  were  about  473, 
nri  at  the  subsequent  election  there  were  some  few  names  taken  oft 
|nd  some  few  put  on. 

3027.  Q.  What  proportion  of  the  voters  were  sworn  when  they  came 
->  register  ! 

A.  Very  few ;  I  do  not  know  that  there  were  any  sworn ;  we  asked  them 
11  the  questions.  On  the  first  day,  however,  we  did  not  ask  many 
uestions  because  we  were  new  hands  at  it. 

3028.  (}.  How  many  were  sworn  when  they  voted  ! 
A.  Four  or  five. 

3020.  Q.  What  proportion  were  registered  or  voted  on  naturalization 
apers  .' 
A.  I  should  think  at  least  three-fourths  of  them. 

3030.  Q.  Did  you  personally  know  the  men  who  voted  ? 
A.  I  only  knew  one. 

3031.  Q.  Did  you  live  in  that  election  district ! 
A.  No,  sir. 

3032.  Q.  If,  then,  they  were  not  sworn,  and  you  did  not  personally 
.now  tliem,  were  you  not  liable  to  be  imposed  upon  by  persons  present- 
ly naturalization  papers,  and  otherwise,  who  were  not  entitled  to  vote? 

A.  Yes.  sir. 

By  Mr.  Dicke v : 
:;(;:;:;.  Q.  Who  were  the  other  inspectors  of  election  for  your  district ! 
A.  John  J.  Mulligan,  Thomas  Flynn,  and  Andrew  J.  Broas. 

\\y  Mr.  Kerr: 
MY.'A.  Q.  Were  you  president  of  the  board  ? 
A.  No,  sir.     Mr.  Mulligan  was  president  of  the  board. 
135-3036.  Q.  Did  you  go  along  pleasantly  with  your  colleagues  in 
rlie  transaction  of  your  duties  there  ? 

-V.  Yes;  we  had  Aery  little  trouble.     There  was  one  vote  taken  by 
my  associates  that  I  protested  against,  because  I  did  not  think  the  man 
properly   registered.     Beyond   that   there   was   no   very  material 
Inference  of  opinion  among  us. 

3037.  Q.  Were  any  obstacles  thrown  in  the  way  of  a  proper  inquiry 
nto  the  right  of  men  to  vote  ? 

A.  No;  1  do  not  think  there  were  any. 

3038.  Q.  Were  you  in  attendance  upon  the  board  at  the  time  of 
egistration,  as  well  as  at  the  time  of  voting  I 

A.   I   was  generally,  with  a  few  exceptions. 

3039.  Q.  You  knew  of  no  illegal  votes  being  cast  except  this  one 
vhich  you  suspected  of  being  illegal  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  and  there  was  some  question  as  to  whether  that  was 
li  illegal  vote. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

3040.  Q.  Was  there  any  voting  twice  or  any  attempt  to  vote  twice 
>n  the  same  name 

A.  No,  sir  :  not  at  the  presidential  election. 
By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

3041.  Q.  In  registering  voters  did  you  take  a  certificate  of  natu- 
ralization as  conclusive  proof  of  the  right  to  vote? 

A.  Yes,  sir.  We  sometimes  asked  questions  as  to  where  they  got 
heir  papers,  and  who  were  their  witnesses. 

3042.  Q.  But  you  did  not  swear  them  I 
A.  No.  sir. 


288  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IX  NEW  YORK. 

Patrick  II.  Keenan  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  Chairman: 

3043.  Question.  Where  do  you  reside! 

Answer.   At  Nb.  169   Henry   street. 

3044.  Q.   What  office  do  you  hold? 

A.   I  am  one  of  the  coroners  of  the  city  and  county  of  New  York. 

3045.  Q.  With  which  party  do  yon  actl 
A.  The  democratic  party. 

3040.  Q.  State  who  lives  at  your  number  on    Henry   street. 
A.  A   family  named  Ryan,  and  my  brother-in-law,  Mr.  O'Neil. 

3047.  Q.  How  many  males  over  21  years  of  age  reside  there.' 
A.  Three — myself,  James   Ryan,  and   Dennis  O'Neil. 

3048.  Q.  Were  there  no  others  residing  there  in  October! 
A.  No,  sir. 

3040.  Q.  Do  you  know  men  by  the  names  of  Henry  Austin,  George 
W.Baldwin,  George  Brown,  Robert  A.Jones,  Louis  Light,  Henry  Law- 
rence, Charles  .Meyer.  William  Murphy,  John  Landers,  und  John  Beilly  ' 

A.   I  do  not. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

3050.  Q.  What  are  your  political  associations  1 

A.  Democratic.  I  have  always  voted  the  democratic  ticket  since 
I   have  had  a  vote. 

HUGH  F.  Dolan  recalled. 
By  the  Chairman: 

3051.  Q.  State  what  names  are  on  the  registry  list  as  registered  in  the 
sixth  district  of  the  seventh  ward  of  this  city,  at  the  house  of  Patrick 
II.  Keenan,  169  Henry  street. 

.V.  I  give  the  following  as  the  list  of  registered  voters  at  that  point: 
Henry  Austin,  (sworn  in;)  George  W.  Baldwin,  (sworn  in;)  George 
Brown,  Robert  A.  Jones,  (sworn  P.  (). ;)  Louis  Light,  (sworn  in  G.  O.;)  ■ 
Henry  Lawrence,  Charles  Meyer,  (sworn  P.O. ;)  William  Murphy,  (sworn 
P.  O.;)  Dennis  O.  Neil,  John  Sanders,  (G.  O. ;)  Patrick  H.  Keenan,  James 
Ryan,  John  Reiley,  (sworn.) 

3052.  Q.  Will  you  now  examine  the  poll  list  from  that  district  and  ward,  : 
and  state  how  many  of  these  names  are  on  the  poll-list  ? 

A.  Eight ;  I  have  George  Brown,  Louis  Light,  Charles  Meyer,  William 
Murphy,  John  Sanders,  Patrick  H.  Keenan, and  James  Saunders. 

3053.  Q.  State  what  names  are  registered  in  the  0th  district  of  the 
0th  ward,  as  residing  at  102  Bayard  street. 

A.  in  the  9th  district  of  the  Gth  ward  at  that  number,  \(V2  Bayard 
street,  I  find  the  name  of  George  Bennett ;  I  also  find  his  name  upon 
the  poll-list  of  the  district.  I  find  on  the  registry  list  the  name  of  James 
Darling,  GO  Mott  street;  I  do  not  find  his  name  on  the  poll-list  of  the 
district.  I  find  on  the  registry  books  of  the  second  district  of  the 
14th  ward,  the  name  David  Summers,  G9  East  Houston  street ;  his 
name  is  on  the  poll-list. 

Matthew  O.  HallenbaCk  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman: 

3054.  Question.  State  if  you  have  examined  the  registry  list  of  vol 
for  the  last  election  for  1st  district  of  the  8th  ward  of  this  city. 

Answer.  I  have. 

3055.  Q.  State  what  names  are  registered  as  at  1 10  Variek 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK  289 

A.  The  following  names  are  registered  there : 


Registered.  Voted. 

Samuel  Brad  way  October  30,  1868.  V 

Samuel  Artley,  October  31.  1868.  V 

Geo.  Bowers,  October  31,  1868.  V 

James  Berry,  October  31,  1868.  V 

.Henry  C.  Conner,  October  31,  1868.  V 

James  Ereline,  October  30,  1868.  V 

Henry  Fanton,  October  30,  1868.  V 

Owen  Farley,  (steamer,)  October  30,  1868.         V 

James  Flowers,  October  30,  1868.  V 

Owen  Gannon,  (steamer,)  October  30,  1868.         -/        Arrested. 

Thomas  Graham,  October  30,  1868.  V 

David  Hall,  October  31,  1868.  -/ 

Stephen  Jones,  October  30,  1868. 

Wm.  Johnson,  October  30,  1868. 

Geo.  Jones,  October  30,  1868. 

Ed.  Jenkins,  October  30,  1868.  •/ 

John  Kane,  October  30,  1868. 
'John  Martin,  October  30,  1868. 
.  Jas.  Myers,  October  30,  1868. 

Wm.  Ostrander,  October  31,  1868. 

Thos.  O'Donnell.  October  30,  186*. 

Wm.  B.  Short,  October  30,  1868. 

Samuel  Steavens,  October  30,  1868. 

Bernard  Travis,  October  30,  1868. 

James  Garvey,  October  30,  1868. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 
30b6.  Q.  What  is  your  business  % 
A.  I  am  deputy  clerk  of  the  board  of  police. 

3057.  Q.  How  long  have  you  been  acting  in  that  capacity  % 
A.  Five  years  next  May. 

3058.  Q.  With  which  party  are  you  politically  associated  % 
A.  The  republican  party. 

3059.  Q.  Do  you  know  anything  about  this  house  from  which  these 
names  are  registered  I 

A.  No,  sir. 

3060.  Q.  Do  you  know  whose  house  it  is  % 
A.  By  reputation  only. 

3061.  Q.  Do  you  knoAv  any  of  these  persons  '? 
A.  No,  sir;  excepting  Michael  Norton. 

3062.  Q.  When  did  you  make  this  examination  ? 
A.  I  made  it  to-day. 

3063.  Q.  What  does  the  word  " steamer"  after  the  name  of  Owen 
Farley  mean  i 

A.  I  do  not  know. 

L^wis  C.  Phillips  sworn  and  examined,  (at  the  instance  of  Mr.  Eoss.) 
By  Mr.  Eoss : 

3064.  Question.  State  whether  you  were  one  of  the  election  officers 
at  the  election  last  fall. 

Answer.  I  was,  at  No.  G7  Baxter  street. 

3065.  Q.  Who  were  the  other  officers  of  the  board? 
A.  Mr.  Carey,  Mr.  Ogilvie,  and  Mr.  Nealis. 

3066.  Q.  State  what  precautions,  if  any,  were  taken  by  the  board  to 
prevent  illegal  votes  being  registered  and  voted. 

A.  Well,  we  did  not  allow  any  persons  to  register  their  names  on  the 
day  of  registry  if  we  knew  them  to  be  frauds,  and  upon  the  day  of  the 
presidential  election  I  believe  there  was  one  man  arrested  for  illegal 
voting. 

19  T 


290  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

3067.  Q.  State  it"  you  swore  the  men  who  registered  or  voted. 

A.  Yes,  sir;  we  swore  a  great  many  of  the  men  who  registered.  Mr. 
Oglevie  was  chairman  of  the  board,  and  I  left  it  to  him  to  swear  every 
man  that  came  in  if  he  chose  so  to  do;  he  was  a  republican,  and  he 
swore,  I  suppose,  five  out  of  six  of  the  men. 

30G8.  Q.  Did  you  know  of  any  illegal  votes  being  given  I 

A.  Only  one,  and  in  that  instance  the  person  was  arrested  by  the 
direction  of  the  inspectors. 

30G9.  Q.  Were  any  other  illegal  votes  registered  or  given? 

A.  Not  to  my  knowledge. 

3070.  Q.  Was  there  harmonious  action  of  the  board  with  reference  to 
protecting  tin'  polls  against  illegal  voting  or  registry  J 

A.  There  was. 

3071.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  repeaters  who  voted  more  than  once  at 
your  poll? 

A.  Only  the  one  that  we  arrested. 

3072.  Q.  State  as  a  general  thing  if  those  who  voted  were  personally 
known  to  some  member  of  the  board. 

A.  Yes,  sir;  generally  most  of  the  board  knew  them. 

3073.  Q.   How  long  have  yon  lived  in  that  district? 

A.  Thirty-eight  years  I  have  lived  in  the  ward ;  1  was  born  in  the 
Bowery;  I  have  been  there  all  my  lite. 

3074.  Q.  You  think,  then,  that  if   there  had   been   illegal   votes  you  | 
would  have  known  it ! 

A.  I  am  pretty  certain  that  if  there  had  been  any  illegal  votes  cast  I 
should  have  known  it. 

By  the  Chairman: 

3075.  Q.  Were  men  sworn  in  at  the  time  of  registry  or  voting? 
A.  At  the  time  of  the  registry  we  swore  five  out  of  six. 

3076.  Q.  Did  you  swear  any  one  the  day  of  election? 
A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  think  five  or  six. 

3077.  Q.  How  many  voters  registered  in  your  district  ? 
A.  Some  800  odd. 

3078.  Q.  And  you  say  that  upon  the  three  days  of  registry  you  swore 
700  men? 

A.  No,  sir:  I  do  not  say  any  such  thing;  on  some  days  five  out  of  six 
were  sworn  by  Mr.  Ogilvie. 

3079.  Q.  Do  you  say  that  there  were  100  men  sworn? 

A.  Yes,  sir,  I  should  think  so,  but  I  cannot  state  the  exact  number. 

3080.  Q.  What  proportion  of  them  were  foreigners  ? 
A.  Well,  I  guess  they  were  pretty  nearly  all  foreigners. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

3081.  Q.  How  many  were  registered  on  new  naturalization  papers! 
A.  That  I  cannot  tell  exactly ;   there  may  have  been  about  10. 

3082.  Q.  Were  there  not  200  new  papers  issued  in  the  month  of 
October,  on  which  men  registered  at  your  polls? 

A.  No,  sir. 

3083.  Q.  Do  you  swear  that  positively? 

A.  I  swear  positively  that  there  were  not;  I  think  to  the  best  of  my 
knowledge  there  were  not  over  10  new  papers. 

3084.  Q.  Are  you  sure  there  were  not  100? 

A.  O,  no;  there  were  not;  I  am  sure  there  wrere  not  50. 

3085.  Q.  What  proportion  of  the  voters  of  that  precinct  do  you  know 
personally  ? 

A.  Well,  a  good  many ;  I  know  a  couple  of  hundred. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  291 

3086.  Q.  Then  you  don't  know  600  at  all I 

A.  I  might  know  them  by  sight  from  seeing  them  about  the  ward. 

3087.  Q.  How  do  you  know,  then,  that  two  or  three  hundred  of  those 
votes  were  hot  illegal! 

A.  I  do  not  know,  but  to  the  best  of  my  knowledge  they  were  not. 

3088.  Q.  Do  you  know  anything  about  this  repeating  business? 

A.  I  know  that  such  things  are  going  on,  but  I  have  never  seen  it 
myself  excepting  once  or  twice. 

3089.  Q.  Was  it  not  a  matter  of  common  notoriety  here? 
A.  I  read  about  it  in  the  papers. 

3090.  Q.  Have  you  not  heard  it  talked  about  otherwise  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

3091.  Q.  You  never  heard  it  suggested  on  the  street? 
A.  No,  sir. 

3092.  Q.  How  long  did  you  say  you  have  lived  in  New  York  ? 
A.  Thirty-eight  years ;  I  was  born  in  the  Bowery. 

3093.  Q.  And  you  never  heard  anything  about  repeating  ? 

A.  I  had  heard  about  it  in  the  papers,  and  had  heard  it  talked  about 
the  same  as  we  talk  about  murders  committed  that  they  report  in  the 
public  papers ;  we  did  not  see  the  murders  committed,  but  we  heard  of 
'  it.  If  anything  of  the  kind  was  going  on  at  our  poll  it  was  not  likely 
that  they  would  let  me,  one  of  the  officers  of  the  election,  know  anything 
about  it ;  it  is  not  likely  that  a  thief  would  tell  an  officer  if  he  had  com- 
mitted a  theft  or  a  burglary. 

Hugh  F.  Dolan  recalled. 

Witness.  On  the  poll-books  of  the  2d  district,  14th  ward,  I  find  on 
the  registry-book  the  name  of  James  Welsh,  142  Sullivan  street ;  I 
also  find  his  name  on  the  poll-books  of  the  same  district  in  the  ward. 
I  find  the  name  of  William  H.  Travis,  84  Greene  street,  on  the  poll-list, 
and  I  find  on  the  registry-book  of  the  8th  ward,  3d  district,  the  name  of 
Gordon  McKay,  595  Broadway  ;  I  do  not  find  his  name  on  the  poll-list. 

By  Mj.  Kerr  : 

3094.  Q.  Where  is  the  register  for  the  district  from  which  Travis 
comes  ? 

A.  I  cannot  find  it  in  the  office ;  I  have  made  search  for  it,  but  sup- 
pose it  was  never  filed  there. 

3095.  Q.  Who  is  the  proper  custodian  of  these  books  ? 
A.  Mr.  Edmund  Plumb,  a  clerk  in  the  county  clerk's  office. 

3096.  Q.  Do  you  know  where  these  registry  books  are  kept,  and  Avho 
has  charge  of  them  between  the  time  of  registry  and  the  voting  ? 

A.  I  cannot  answer  for  all  of  them ;  I  have  seen  the  clerks  come  in 
with  them  the  next  day  after  registry,  and  I  have  seen  others  come  in 
two  or  three  days  after. 

3097.  Do  you  know  anything  about  those  books  having  been  taken  by 
the  republican  committee  to  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel  at  any  time  last  fall? 

A.  I  do  not. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

3098.  Q.  State  if  you  have  examined  the  registry  for  this  year  at  197 
Henry  street,  alleged  to  be  William  M.  Tweed's,  and  of  167  Henry  street, 
alleged  to  be  the  house  of  Edward  J.  Shandley,  police  justice;  and  if  so, 
what  names  you  find  registered  there? 


292  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

A.  I  have  examined  the  registry  there  at  197  Henry  street,  and  L  find 
the  following  names  registered  there : 


Registered. 

Voted. 

Wm.  M.  Tweed. 

V 

Wm.  M.  Tweed,  jr. 

V 

Florence  F.  Gerald.  X  P.  0. 

Frank  Thomas. 

V 

Thos.  Boyd,  sworn  P.  0. 

Robt.  Gainer.  X  P.  0. 

From  107  Henry  street,  1  find  the  following  names  registered: 

Registered. 

Voted. 

John  Bennett,  sworn  P.  0. 

l/     Sworu  in. 

Thos.  Fitzgerald. 

George  Morgan. 

Jas   Weaver. 

Geo.  Williams. 

\/     Arrested. 

Chas.  Edwards. 

Sam'l  P.  Spies. 

• 

Ed.  J.  Shandley. 

V 

John  T.  Spies. 

V 

John  Dunne  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  CHAIRMAN  : 

3099.  Question.  What  office  have  yon  held  during  this  year  in  the 
city  of  New  York  \ 

Answer.  I  am  a  police  officer. 

3100.  Of  what  precinct,  and  who  is  your  captain? 
A.  The  Oth  precinct — Captain  Jourdan. 

3101.  Q.  With  what  political  party  does  Captain  Jourdan  act  ? 
A.   I  cannot  say. 

3102.  Q.  State  what  you  know  of  any  census  taken  in  the  6th  ward, 
and  what  instructions  were  given  for  it? 

A.  1  got  orders  from  my  captain  to  go  around  and  take  the  names  of 
all  the  male  residents  in  the  6th  precinct. 

3103.  Q.  Did  you  make  such  a  list  I 

A.  I  made  a  list  of  all  the  male  occupants  of  each  house  in  the  6th 
police  precinct  in  the  Oth  ward  of  the  city. 

3104.  Q.  Can  you  produce  to  the  committee  the  books  in  which  you  , 
made  that  list? 

A.  I  now  produce  11  books  containing  that  list. 

3105.  Q.  State  how  you  made  these  lists,  and  how  thorough  and  accur- 
ate they  were. 

A.  Well,  I  commenced  with  the  1st  district,  and  went  to  each  apart- 
ment in  each  house,  and  asked  for  names.  A  great  number  of  persons 
refused  to  give  the  names.  1  would  knock  at  a  door  and  ask  for  the 
names  of  all  the  male  residents  over  21  years  of  age.  In  a  great  many 
instances  1  had  the  door  slammed  in  my  face,  and  was  told,  "  we  have 
got  no  male  residents."  In  one  street  I  was  followed  by  a  man  to  each 
door,  who  said  I  was  a  radical  spj,  and  told  the  people  not  to  give  me 
any  names.  There  were  few  houses  where  there  were  not  some  names 
refused.  There  were  many  houses  with  which  I  was  acquainted  and 
where  I  knew  there  were  more  male  residents  than  I  was  given  the 
names  of,  and  I  would  put  down  the  names  of  those  residents  that  I 
knew  without  their  being  given  to  me. 

3106.  Q.  In  those  cases  where  the  occupants  of  the  houses  refused  to 
give  you  their  names  how  did  you  get  them? 

A.  I  made  a  memorandum  in  my  book  that  the  names  were  refused. 

3107.  Q.  Did  you  take  down  the  names  of  all  you  could  learn  t 
A.  Yes,  sir. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  293 

3108.  Q.  When  there  was  a  party  residing  at  a  house  whose  name 
you  could  not  ascertain  what  did  you  do  ? 

A.  I  made  a  memorandum,  "  names  refused." 

3109.  Q.  Did  you  give  the  number  of  persons  whose  names  were 
refused  ? 

A.  No  ;  I  could  not  state  how  many  persons  there  were  whose  names 
were  refused ;  I  could  not  tell  how  many  occupants  there  might  be.  I 
can  only  make  a  rough  estimate  of  how  near  I  came  to  getting  all  the 
names,  but  to  judge  from  the  number  refused  I  should  hardly  think  I 
got  more  than  half. 

3110.  Q.  In  those  cases  where  you  have  taken  the  names  and  given 
the  number  of  persons  whose  names  you  were  unable  to  get  at,  to  what 
extent  would  they  all  put  together  give  a  correct  statement  of  the  males 
in  that  ward ! 

!A.  I  cannot  state  exactly  ;  I  have  no  knowledge  of  how  many  persons 
there  were  residing  in  the  ward,  but  I  know  that  there  were  as  many 
parties  who  refused  to  give  their  names  as  there  were  who  gave  their 
names. 

3111.  Q.  What  does  the  memorandum  in  this  book,  "  ten  apartments 
where  there  were  families,"  mean  ! 

A.  It  means  that  there  were  ten  apartments  in  the  house  where  there 
were  families.  I  would  ask  how  many  male  occupants  over  21  years  of 
age  there  were,  and  they  would  refuse  to  give  me  their  names,  and  some 
of  the  women  would  say,  "My  husband  left  word  I  was  not  to  give 
any  names.''  In  almost  every  case  the  women  had  been  directed  by 
their  husbands  not  to  give  their  names,  because  the  papers  came  out 
and  stated  that  the  police  had  no  right  to  get  the  names. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

3112.  Q.  Then  are  we  to  understand  that  there  was  a  systematic 
organization  to  prevent  their  giving  the  names  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  anything  about  that,  but  I  know  that  names  were 
refused. 

3113.  Q.  What  papers  made  that  statement  I 

A.  I  read  an  account  of  it  in  the  Mercury;  they  told  the  women  to 
throw  soapsuds  on  us. 

3114.  Q.  Were  those  democratic  or  republican  papers  ? 
A.  That  I  cannot  say,  but  I  judge  democratic. 

3115.  Q.  You  were  prevented  in  that  way  from  getting  an  accurate 
census  of  the  ward  ! 

A.  Yes,  sir;  my  attention  was  drawn  to  the  papers  by  one  of  the 
police  officers  in  the  station-house,  Avho  told  me  to  be  careful  or  I  would 
get  some  soapsuds  on  me. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

3116.  Q.  State  to  the  committee  if  you  were  directed  to  make  this  cen- 
sus by  an  order  in  writing. 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  received  my  orders  from  my  captain ;  he  told  me  to  take 
these  books  and  to  collect  the  names. 

3117.  Q.  Did  you  take  an  oath  to  perform  the  duty  faithfully  ? 
A.  No,  sir ;  only  my  oath  of  office. 

3118.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  law  of  the  State  of  New  York  that 
requires  a  policeman  to  become  a  census-taker  ? 

A.  I  do  not. 

3119.  Q.  Is  it  not  the  fact  that  you  were  directed  by  the  superintendent 
of  police  of  this  city  to  make  this  census  in  the  interest  of  the  republican 
party  1 


294 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 


A.  The  orders,  so  far  as  I  could  learn,  came  from  the  superintendent 
of  police.  Generally  all  the  police  captains  act  under  the  orders  of  the 
superintendent,  and  he  is  a  republican. 

3120.  Q.  Did  any  of  the  papers  that  were  not  democratic — did  the 
Tribune  and  the  Times  advise  the  people  not  to  give  their  names  f 

A.  I  have  a  faint  recollection  of  their  doing  it. 

3121.  Q.  State  now  to  the  committee  if  you  do  not  know  it  to  be  a 
fact  that  this  census,  that  you  were  able  under  the  circumstances  to  take, 
is  so  absolutely  imperfect  as  not  to  give  any  just  indication  of  the  num~ 
ber  of  voters  who  lived  in  that  district. 

A.  I  could  not  possibly  make  any  estimate  from  the  census  I  have 
collected. 

Mr.  Kerr.  By  way  of  giving  a  specimen  of  this  census  I  propose  now 
to  have  copied  upon  the  record  the  first  ten  pages  of  this  book  of  tfye 
11th  district  of  the  6th  ward. 

(The  following  are  the  pages  referred  to:) 

Names  of  all  male  persons  living  in  the  eleventh  election  district  of  the  sixth  ward,  reported  by 

Patrolman  John  Dunne. 


George  Litte,  73  Baxter  street 

(3  parties  in  73  Baxter  st. ,  refused  names. ) 
Patrick  McFaize,  73£  Baxter  street. 
Patrick  Shannon,  73$  Baxter  street. 

(2 parties  in  73£  Baxter  st.,  refused  names  ) 
William  Nelson,  75  Baxter  street. 

(77  Baxter  street,  refused  names.) 
Michael  Finn,  79  Baxter  street. 
William  Divine,  79  Baxter  street. 
James  Connell,?9  Baxter  street. 
Michael  Hoy,  79  Baxter  street. 
James  Lenehan,79  Baxter  street. 
John  O'Brien,  79  Baxter  street. 
Michael  Donnelly,  79  Baxter  street. 

(24  families  in  79  Baxter  street,  of  which 
12  refused  names.) 
Thomas  Fay,  79  Baxter  street. 
Owen  Tucker,  79  Baxter  street. 
John  Hoy,  79  Baxter  street. 
John  Haskill,  79  Baxter  street. 
John  McKeon,  79  Baxter  street. 
John  McCann,  79  Baxter  street. 

(5  parties  in  rear  house  79  Baxter  street, 
refused  names. 
Michael  O'Brien,  81  Baxter  street. 
Patrick  Comedy,  81  Baxter  street. 
-    (4  parties  in  front  house  81  Baxter  street, 

refused  names.) 
Thomas  Lynch,  8i  Baxter  street,  rear. 
Matthew  Logan,  81  Baxter  street. 
John  Flynn,  81  Baxter  street. 

(6  parties  in  rear  house  81  Baxter  street, 
refused  names.) 
Michael  Glancy,  83  Baxter  street. 
Daniel  Harrington,  83  Baxter  street. 
John  Brien,  83  Baxter  street. 
Dennis  Sullivan,  83  Baxter  street. 
Michael  Mcehan,  83  Baxter  street. 

(2  parties  in  rear  house  83  Baxter  street, 
refused  names.) 
John  Favhay,  83  Baxter  street. 
Patrick  McLoughlin,  83  Baxter  street. 
Robert  Magunigan,  83  Baxter  street. 

(4  parties  in  front  house,  83  Baxter  street, 
refused  names. ) 
Francis  Early,  85  Baxter  street. 
Dennis  Shea,  85  Baxter  street. 
Patrick  Scally,  85  Baxter  street. 


1  Patrick  Haggerty,  85  Baxter  street. 

(3  parties  in  front  house,  85  Baxter  street, 

refused  names.) 
(All  the  names  in  the  rear  house,  85  Baxter 
street,  refused.     There  are  8  families  in 
the  house.) 
(All  the  names  in  the  front  house,  87  Bax- 
,  ter  street,  refused. ) 
Patrick  Madden,  87  Baxter  street. 
John  Madden,  87  Baxter  street. 

(3  parties  in  rear  house,  87  Baxter  street, 
refused  names.) 
James  White,  89  Baxter  street. 
Patrick  McLaughlin,  89  Baxter  street. 
Patrick  Gillen,  89  Baxter  street. 

(3  parties  in  front  house,  89  Baxter  street, 
refused  names.) 
John  DwirriD,  89  Baxter  street. 

(3  parties  in  rear  house,  89  Baxter  street, 
refused  names.) 
James  Cain,  91  Baxter  street. 

(All  the  names.     Only  one  in  91   Baxter 
street  has  been  refused.) 
Thomas  Kerns,  93  Baxter  street. 
Patrick  Wilhern,  93  Baxter  street. 

(3  parties  in  front  house,  93  Baxter  street, 
refused  names.) 
John  Welch,  93  Baxter  street. 
Eugene  McCarthy,  93  Baxter  street. 
Patrick  Mulaney,  93  Baxter  street. 
Daniel  Donoho,  93  Baxter  street. 
John  Granahan,  93  Baxter  street. 
John  Dugan,  93  Baxter  street. 
Daniel  Gilmartin,  93  Baxter  street. 
Patrick  Murry,  93  Baxter  street. 
Daniel  Campbell,  95  Baxter  street. 

(All  the  names  in  the  upper  portion  of  house, 
95  Baxter  street,  refused.  ^ 
Peter  McGo\van,97  Baxter  street. 
Patrick  McGowan,  97  Baxter  street. 
John  H.  Crew,  97  Baxter  street. 
William  Higgins,  97  Baxter  street. 
Peter  Kevlin,97  Baxter  street- 
John  Higgins,  97Baxter  street. 
Patrick  Brestlin,  97  Baxter  street. 
John  Monahan,  97  Baxter  street. 

O'Brien,  97  Baxter  street. 

Tiiomas  O'Donuell,  97  Baxter  street. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  295 

By  Mr.  Kerr: 

3122.  Q.  What  are  your  duties  ordinarily  as  patrolman? 

A.  I  am  what  they  call  a  "car  detective"  at  the  present  time. 

3123.  Q.  How  long  have  you  been  in  the  service  as  a  patrolman  f 
A.  For  about  four  years. 

3124.  Q.  What  have  been  your  duties  generally  during  that  time  ? 

A.  My  duty  as  a  general  thing  was  to  patrol  the  streets  and  look  after 
life  and  property. 

3125.  Q.  State  whether  it  was  any  part  of  your  duty  as  a  patrolman 
to  make  up  partisan  lists  of  voters  for  anybody. 

A.  I  never  knew  it  to  be  previous  to  getting  this  order ;  the  rules  and 
regulations  of  the  police  department  did  not  call  for  it. 

31 20.  Q.  Did  you  receive  any  additional  compensation  for  the  discharge 
of  this  duty? 

A.  No,  sir. 

3127.  Q.  State  whether,  while  performing  this  duty,  you  were  neglect- 
ing your  ordinary  duty  of  protecting  the  life  and  property  of  the  people 
of  the  city. 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  could  not  attend  to  my  duties  as  a  police  officer  while 
attending  to  this  business. 

3128.  Q.  Did  you  ever  have  any  interview  with  Mr.  Superintendent 
Kennedy  while  you  were  performing  this  duty  ? 

A.  I  did  not. 

3129.  Q.  How  long  were  you  performing  it  ? 

A.  Eight  or  ten  days  immediately  preceding  the  election. 

3130.  Q.  Is  it  true,  or  is  it  not,  that  your  experience  in  this  business 
is  a  fair  specimen  of  the  experience  of  all  the  patrolmen  engaged  in  the 
same  business  in  this  city,  so  far  as  you  know  I 

A.  Yes ;  I  have  had  conversations  with  several  of  them,  and  they  all 
say  that  they  had  considerable  difficulty  about  the  same  things. 

3131.  Q.  Did  you  use  the  same  care  to  get  these  names  that  you  would 
have  done  if  you  had  been  acting  as  a  census-taker  under  a  separate 
appointment  for  that  duty  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  went  into  every  house  just  the  same  as  if  I  had  been  a 
regular  census  taker. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

3132.  Q.  Do  you  say  that  you  went  into  every  house  where  people 
could  live  in  that  ward  f 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  every  house  that  I  knew. 

3133.  Q.  From  your  experience  in  that  way,  is  it  within  the  power  of 
the  police  of  the  city  of  New  York,  under  existing  regulations,  to  ascer- 
tain the  number  of  male  voters  in  any  ward  of  the  city  I 

A.  Well,  I  never  had  any  of  that  duty  to  perform  except  at  this  time. 

3131.  Q.  Did  you  ever  know  a  man  who  refused  to  give  his  name  for 
any  honest  purpose  ? 

A.  Not  that  I  know, of  5  the  women  were  instructed  by  their  husbands 
to  refuse  to  give  the  names. 

New  YTork,  December  31,  18U8. 
•  Louis  J.  Mottel  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  CHAIRMAN  : 

3135.  Question.  Of  what  country  are  you  a  native? 
Answer.  Germany. 

3136.  Q.  Bave  von  a  certificate  of  naturalization? 


296  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

A.  I  have,  and  now  produce  it  to  the  committee.  It  is  signed  "James 
M.  Sweeny,  clerk  of  the  superior  court  of  the  city  of  New  York,"  and 
dated  the  8th  of  October,  1868,  under  the  seal  of  the  court. 

3137.  Q.  From  whom  did  you  obtain  it,  and  where t 

A.  I  obtained  the  certificate  in  this  manner  at  the  court:  1  took  a 
witness  with  me,  but  he  had  not  much  time  to  wait.  They  told  me  it 
would  take  some  time  to  go  through  with  the  matter.  I  am  a  republi- 
can, but  1  thought  that  by  going  to  the  Tammany  Association  1  could 
get  put  through  much  sooner  than  in  any  other  way.  I  went  there 
and  told  my  intention,  but  I  did  not  understand  the  ropes.  They  said, 
"It  is  all  right;  we  will  get  you  your  papers  in  about  five  minutes." 
They  then  sent  a  man  with  me  and  said,  "You  go  along  with  him  and 
he  will  see  you  right  through."  I  asked  the  man  if  he  would  have  to 
take  an  oath,  and  he  said  it  was  not  likely,  that  it  was  all  right,  and 
that  as  I  had  been  in  the  country  long  enough  there  would  be  no  trouble 
about  it;  but  in  place  of  that  as  soon  as  I  came  into  the  court — I  think 
it  was  Judge  Barnard's — they  called  upon  this  man  and  asked  him, 
"Do  you  solemnly  swear  that  you  know  the  applicant  P  and  he  said  "I 
do."  1  thought  the  man  did  it  out  of  kindness,  but  I  had  a  feeling  that 
I  would  like  to  commit  him  at  once,  but  under  the  circumstances  could 
not  do  it.  Just  there  J  supposed  that  it  would  not  have  done  any  good 
to  denounce  him,  as  he  belonged  to  Tammany.  1  took  my  papers  and 
went  away,  but  I  subsequently  told  a  gentleman  interested  in  politics 
about  it,  and  said  that  if  my  evidence  would  do  any  good  I  should  be 
very  willing  to  appear. 

3138.  Q.  Where  did  this  take  place ?  was  it  in  the  superior  court  or 
in  the  supreme  court  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  which  court;  it  was  in  the  Rotunda.  I  got  my 
papers  first  at  the  court  in  the  City  Hall,  but  I  took  them  at  the 
Eotunda — that  is  to  say,  the  brown  stone  building  in  the  park  facing 
on  Chambers  street.     I  am  pretty  sure  Judge  Barnard  was  the  judge. 

3139.  Q.  Were  you  sworn? 
A.  I  was  sworn  in  the  court. 

3140.  Q.  How  long  had  your  witness  known  you  5 

A.  He  never  knew  me,  although  he  swore  he  had  known  me  since  I 
was  12  years  of  age. 

3141.  Q.  Do  you  know  who  he  was? 
A.  I  do  not. 

3142.  Q.  Do  you  know  wirere  he  is  now  ? 
A.  I  do  not. 

By  Mr.  Dickey: 

3143.  Q.  Where  did  you  meet  with  him? 

A.  At  the  headquarters  of  the  Tainmany  Association,  wdiere  they 
gave  out  intention  papers. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

3144.  Q.  What  is  your  age? 

A.  I  was  21  on  the  1st  of  June,  1868. 

3145.  Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  the  " Tammany  Association?" 

A.  Well,  the  ring,  I  suppose.  I  mean  by  the  Tammany  Association 
those  who  were  hired  by  the  Tammany  party  to  make  citizens. 

3146.  Q.  Who  were  the  Tammany  party  ? 

A^  Well,  they  are  a  fraud,  I  suppose,  but  I  do  not  know  exactly  who 
they  are ;  you  ask  me  a  question  that  I  cannot  answer.  There  are  two  par- 
ties in  this  city — the  Tammany  party  and  the  republican  party. 

3147.  Q.  Whom  do  you  mean  by  the  Tammany  party? 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  297 

A.  If  I  remember  right  the  heading  of  the  paper  on  which  I  signed  my 
intention  was  "Tammany  Association." 

3148.  Q.  Then  yon  call  it  the  Tammany  party  because  the  paper  upon 
which  you  made  your  declaration  was  headed  "Tammany  Association V 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

3149.  Q.  Were  there  any  other  words  there  to  indicate  the  political 
character  of  the  paper  besides  those  words  "Tammany  Association?" 

A.  1  do  not  remember  any. 

3150.  Q.  You  are  sure  you  remember  those  words'? 
A.  Yes,  sir;  words  to  that  effect. 

3151.  Q.  Were  they  printed  or  written? 
A.  Printed  at  the  head  of  the  paper. 

3152'.  That  is  all  you  know  about  the  Tammany  Association? 
A.  That  is  all. 

3153.  Q.  Did  you  ever  hear  of  such  a  thing  in  the  city  of  New  York 
!as  a  democratic  party  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

3154.  Q.  When  you  said  just  now  that  something  was  a  fraud  did 
you  mean  that  the  democratic  party  was  a  fraud  I 

A.  I  mean  that  so  far  as  my  transaction  was  concerned  it  was  a  clear 
fraud. 

3155.  Q.  And  you  were  a  party  to  that  fraud,  were  you  not? 
A.  I  was,  but  I  was  not  one  of  their  party. 

3156.  Q.  You  said  awhile  ago  that  you  went  to  the  Tammany  Asso- 
ciation because  you  knew  that  you  could  get  through  quicker ;  where  did 
you  go? 

A.  There  were  two  distinct  places  on  Centre  street,  one  for  the  re- 
publicans and  one  for  the  democrats,  and  I  went  to  the  latter.  It  was 
an  underground  office  at  the  corner  of  Centre  street,  on  the  square.  It 
was  a  grog  shop. 

3157.  Q.  Was  that  the  same  place  you  have  since  heard  of  as  the 
Rosenberg  headquarters  I 

'  A.  I  didn't  take  any  notice  of  the  name. 

3158.  Q.  Do  you  remember  the  number  of  the  place? 
A.  I  do  not. 

3159.  Q.  Do  you  know  where  No.  6  on  Centre  street  is? 
A.  I  do  not. 

3160.  Q.  Did  you  know  any  of  the  persons  whom  you  met  there? 
A.  No,  sir. 

3161.  Did  you  pay  anything  for  what  was  done  for  you? 

A.  I  paid  82  to  the  man  who  swore  for  me;  he  wanted  $10. 

3162.  Q.  Did  you  ask  him  his  name? 
A.  No,  sir. 

3163.  Q.  Was  he  a  young  man  or  middle-aged. 
A.  Middle-aged. 

3164.  Q.  Was  he  a  German  or  an  American? 

A.  I  should  judge  he*  was  an  Irishman.  I  should  judge  so  from  his 
speech. 

3165.  Q.  You  think  you  know  Judge  Barnard  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

3166.  Q.  And  was  it  by  him  you  were  sworn  ! 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

3167.  Q.  Do  you  know  the  clerk  of  either  of  the  courts  of  record  here — 
the  superior  or  the  supreme  court  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

3168.  Q.  Do  you  live  in  the  city? 


298  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

,  A.  Yes;  at  177  Tenth  avenue .;  I  have  lived  there  since  the.  1st  of  May. 
3109.  Q.  What  is  your  business? 
A.  I  am  a  dry-goods  commission  salesman. 

3170.  When  you  first  went  to  the  court  whom  did  you  take  with  you 
as  your  witness  ? 

A.  I  took  with  me  Albert  Moses,  who  had  been  a  schoolmate  of  mine. 

3171.  How  long  did  you  remain  in  the  court-room  before  you  went  over 
to  this  place  which  you  call  the  Tammany  headquarters? 

A.  I  first  went  to  the  City  Hall  to  the  naturalization  office,  and  there  I 
was  informed  that  1  should  have  to  go  to  the  Rotunda  with  my  applica- 
tion paper,  and  they  told  me  there  were  two  places,  one  for  the  republican 
party  and  the  other  for  the  democratic;  I  went  to  the  democratic  because 
I  was  told  that  I  could  get  through  quicker  there  than  at  the  other  place. 

3172.  Q.  You  went  over  there  because  you  thought  that  you  could 
expedite  your  business  by  so  doing) 

A.  I  had  that  idea,  and  it  was  a  correct  one. 

3173.  Q.  What  was  the  motive  that  prompted  you  to  go  to  one  place 
rather  than  the  other  ? 

A.  Want  of  time. 

3174.  Q.  State  whether  you  went  to  the  democratic  office  and  not  to 
the  other  place  because  you  believed  that  you  could  be  better  enabled  to 
perpetrate  a  fraud,  or  whether  you  did  it  to  accomplish  a  lawful  purpose. 

A.  1  went  there  with  the  pure  intention  of  accomplishing  a  lawful 
purpose ;  I  wished  to  get  my  papers  through,  and  1  had  my  witness 
with  me. 

3175.  Q.  Can  you  describe  the  man  who  offered  to  serve  you  as  witness? 
A.  Yes;  he  was  a  person  about  my  own  size,  and  with  sandy  whiskers 

and  moustache. 

3170.  Q.  Did  he  seem  to  be  what  is  ordinarily  called  a  raw  Irishman,  a 
man  lately  come  to  this  country? 

A.  No,  sir;  he  appeared  to  be  a  man  who  understood  his  business 
pretty  well. 

3177.  Q.  Did  you  have  any  conversation  with  hiin  about  his  name  and 
where  he  lived? 

A.  I  did  not;  I  think  he  said  his  name  was  Jeremiah  Connery. 

3178.  Q.  Did  you  vote? 

A.  I  did.     I  voted  the  republican  ticket. 

3179.  Q.  Did  you  vote  on  that  paper? 
A.  I  did,  and  was  registered  upon  it. 

3180.  Q.  Were  you  challenged  either  in  registering  or  in  voting? 
A.  I  was  not. 

3181.  Q.  Where  did  you  vote? 

A.  On  Twenty-second  street,  just  below  Tenth  avenue. 

3182.  Q.  To  whom  did  you  first  communicate  the  fact  that  you  had 
obtained  your  papers  in  the  way  you  have  stated? 

A.  I  cannot  say. 

3183.  Q.  To  whom  did  you  at  any  time  communicate  it? 

A.'  I  communicated  it  to  Mr.  Lemuel  H.  Marvin,  of  the  firm  of  Sprague, 
Colburn  &  Co.,  commission  merchants. 

3184.  Q.  Did  you  see  the  proprietor  of  the  grog-shop  where  you  went 
for  those  papers  ? 

A.  I  cannot  say;  there  were  several  men  behind  the  counter.  1  could 
not  see  who  was  the  owner  of  the  place. 

3185.  Q.  Did  you  see  stuck  up  above  the  saloon  into  which  you  went 
to  get  your  papers  anything  indicating  the  character  of  the  place,  or 
what  wras  to  be  obtained  there,  on  canvas,  or  painted  upon  a  board,  or 
anything  of  that  sort? 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  299» 

A.  Xo,  sir. 

3186.  Q.  Do  you  speak  or  read  the  German  language? 
A.  I  do. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

3187.  Q.  Did  they  furnish  you  with  any  other  ticket  at  that  place  * 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

3188.  Q.  What  was  on  it ! 
A.  A  number. 

3189.  Q.  Was  there  anything  else  on  it  besides  the  number  * 
A.  Yes,  -'Tammany." 

3190.  Q.  What  was  the  color  of  the  ticket? 
A.  Eed. 

3191.  Q.  You  were  entitled  to  get  your  naturalization  papers  1 
A.  O,  yes ;  I  have  been  in  the  country  long  enough. 

3192.  Q.  Then  the  only  fraud  was  in  your  witness J? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  felt  strongly  inclined  to  convict  that  person  at  the  time. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins: 

3193.  Q.  Do  you  think  you  could  identify  the  man  who  acted  as  your 
witness  ? 

A.  I  am  a  little  doubtful  about  that. 

By  Mr.  Boss: 
3191.  Q.  When  you  made  your  application  did  you  say  to  which  polit- 
ical party  you  belonged  ? 
A.  Xo,  sir ;  not  a  word  was  said  about  that. 

New  York,  December  31,  1868. 

Francis  Donnelley  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

3195.  Question.  State  what  office,  if  any,  you  held  in  this  city  in  con- 
nection with  the  election  during  the  present  year? 

Answer.  I  was  a  register  at  118  Pitt  street,  3d  district,  11th  ward. 

319G.  Q.  State  what  you  know  of  the  mode  of  conducting  the  last 
presidential  election. 

A.  I  was  checking  off  the  names  of  the  voters  that  come  in ;  I  was 
standing  at  one  end  of  the  counter,  and  there  was  a  young  man  stand- 
ing at  the  other  end ;  I  said  to  him  he  must  not  say  anything  to  the 
voters,  but  must  step  back  ;  I  saw  that  he  was  taking  the  names  of  men  ,* 
before  they  gave  their  name  in  he  would  say  "All  right;"  when  the  men 
came  up  to  vote  I  would  say,  "Hold  on,  I  have  not  got  their  names  yet," 
and  Mr.  Ferguson,  one  of  the  inspectors  on  the  other  side,  would  say, 
"We  cannot  wait  for  you,  it  would  take  us  all  day;'7  I  then  ordered  this 
young  man  to  step  back,  and  told  the  men  who  were  to  vote  to  come  up 
to  the  clerk  and  hand  their  names  to  that  person  and  nobody  else ;  he 
continued  in  the  same  way  ;  when  a  voter  would  come  up  he  would  say 
"All  right."  and  I  would  say  "Hold  on,  I  have  not  got  that  name  yet." 
After  a  while  I  went  out  to  vote  myself,  and  this  young  man  was  standing 
by  the  window,  and  I  told  him  he  had  got  to  stop  that,  he  had  no  busi- 
ness there ;  Mr.  Ferguson  said  he  has  a  right  to  stay  here  to.  help  us, 
and  there  were  some  others  there  who  said  the  same  thing ;  I  cannot 
recollect  who  now. 

3197.  Q.  Who  was  this  young  man? 

A.  I  understood  that  his  name  was  David  McKnight,  a  son  of  the 
deputy  sheriff,  Peter  McKnight. 


300  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

3198.  Q.   Was  he  a  voter? 

A.  No,  sir. 

3190.  Q.  Did  lie  have  possession  of  the  official  registry  list  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  he  had  no  business  with  it  at  all. 

3200.  Q.  Was  he  engaged. in  cheeking  off  the  names? 
A.  He  was  engaged  by  Mr.  Ferguson's  orders. 

3201.  Q.  On  what  book  did  he  check  off  the  names  I 
A.  On  Mr.  Ferguson  the  inspector's  book. 

3202.  Q.  That  was  the  official  register! 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

3203.  Q.  He  had  possession  of  that  to  check  off  the  names  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

3204.  Q.  Was  he  an  officer  of  election  .' 

A.  No,  sir;  lie  had  no  business  there  at  all;  he  was  a  young  man 
under  age. 

3205.  Q.  State  if  sufficient  time  was  given,  after  a  vote  would  be  taken, 
by  Mr.  Ferguson,  to  enable  you  to  ascertain  whether  the  name  of  the 
proposed  voter  was  on  the  register. 

A.  Yes,  sir;  they  gave  me  sufficient  time  at  times,  though  at  other 
times  they  did  not :  this  young  man  would  say  "All  right,"  and  drop  the 
vote  in  the  ballot-box  before  I  could  find  the  names. 

3206.  Q.  What  proportion  of  the  votes  were  put  in  in  that  way? 
A.   Well,  I  suppose  about  25  or  30  ;  there  may  have  been  more. 

3207.  Q.  About  what  number  of  persons  registered  in  your  district! 
A.  Somewhere  about  400;   I  think  409. 

3208.  Q.   What  proportion  of  them  were  foreigners  ! 
A.  They  were  nearly  all  foreigners:  over  two-thirds. 

3209.  Q.  Were  any  of  them  sworn  when  they  were  registered  \ 
A.   Yes,  about  a  dozen  or  so. 

3210.  Q.  Did  you  or  the  other  members  of  the  board,  so  far  as  you 
know  personally,  know  a  considerable  proportion  of  the  men  registered! 

A.  I  cannot  say;  I  did  not  know  many  persons. 

3211.  Q.  How  many  men  who  were  registered  as  voters  did  you  per- 
sonally know '] 

A.  I  could  not  say :  they  were  all  strangers  to  me. 

3212.  Q.  Did  you  live  in  that  district  I 
A.  I  did  not. 

3213.  Q.  Did  the  other  registering  officers,  so  far  as  you  know,  have 
any  personal  knowledge  of  a  considerable  number  of  the  voters  ? 

A.  I  believe  that  Mr.  Ferguson  knew  a  great  proportion  of  them,  and 
Mr.  Browm  knew  some  of  them. 

3214.  Q.  Who  were  the  democratic  inspectors ! 

A.  Mr.  Ferguson  and  Martin  Stump,  I  think  his  name  was,  a  German. 

3215.  Q.  Who  was  the  other  republican  inspector  ? 
A.  Mr.  Brown ;  I  do  not  know  his  first  name. 

3216.  Q.  Did  he  live  in  the  district ! 

A.  No,  sir;  he  lived  in  the  adjoining  district;  but  a  great  many  of 
the  voters  knew  him. 

3217.  Q.  Were  any  voters  swrorn  on  the  day  of  election  \ 
A.  Yes,  sir ;  three  or  four. 

3218.  Q.  In  that  great  number  of  persons  registering  on  naturalization 
papers  and  voting  on  them,  state  if  you  were  liable  to  receive  voters  who 
were  not  entitled  to  vote,  and  wrho  had  fraudulent  naturalization 
papers. 

A.  I  objected  to  those  papers  that  I  supposed  were  not  proper,  though 
signed  by  Mr.  Loew. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  301 

3219.  Q.  How  many  of  the  naturalization  papers  presented  were  this 
year's  papers  signed  by  Mr.  Loew  I 

A.  I  cannot  say  certainly;  there  might  have  been  30  or  50. 

3220.  Q.  State  if  the  two  democratic  members  of  the  board  claimed 
that  when  a  man  presented  naturalization  papers  he  was  entitled  to  be 
registered. 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

3221.  Q.  How  long  did  this  young  man,  McKnight,  continue  to  check 
names? 

A.  He  was  there  all  day. 
By  Mr.  Boss : 

3222.  Q.  What  "was  Mr.  Ferguson's  given  name  ? 
A.  I  think  it  was  Hiram. 

3223.  Q.  Did  Mr.  Ferguson  keep  the  books  and  check  the  names? 
A.  He  was  receiving  the  votes. 

3224.  Q.  What  were  you  doing? 

A.  I  was  checking  the  names  off  as  they  were  called. 

3225.  Q.  You  were  checking  the  voters ;  and  did  Mr.  Ferguson  have  a 
•book  also  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  he  stood  up  and  received  the  votes. 

3226.  Q.  What  did  your  other  colleagues  do  I 

A.  Mr.  Brown  helped  Mr.  Ferguson,  so  did  Mr.  Stump. 

3227.  Q.  What  did  McKnight  do? 

A.  He  had  no  business  there  at  all ;  he  was  inside  the  counter  with  us. 

3228.  Q.  Was  he  in  there  as  a  challenger  ? 
A,  No,  sir. 

3229.  Q.  Was  anybody  else  there  beside  him? 
A.  No  other  person  beside  the  two  clerks. 

3230.  Q.  What  was  he  doing ! 

A.  He  was  checking  off  the  names  on  Mr.  Ferguson's  book ;  he  would 
say  "all  right,"  and  then  the  vote  would  be  received. 

3231.  Q.  Did  he  check  off  the  name  of  an v  person  that  should  not  have 
voted  ? 

A.  I  took  him  to  do  it. 

3232.  Q.  Did  you  check  the  names  off  at  the  same  time? 
A.  I  did  not.  *  I  told  him  that  that  would  not  do,  but  they  dropped 

rotes  into  the  ballot-boxes,  and  told  me  that  it  would  be  too  late  if  they 
lid  not  go  ahead. 

3233.  Q.  Did  he  check  off  anv  names  you  could  not  find  on  your  book  ? 
A.  He  did. 

3234.  Q.  WTiat  names  were  they  I 
A.  I  cannot  tell. 

3235.  Q.  Then  there  were  some  men  who  voted  who  were  not  on  your 
)ook  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  found  some  of  them  afterwards. 

3236.  Q.  Do  you  know  any  person  who  voted  there,  whose  name  was 
lot  on  your  book ? 

A.  I  could  not  say  that  there  was  any  person. 

3237.  Did  not  your  book  and  Mr.  Ferguson's  agree? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

3238.  Q.  Did  not  McKnight  check  off  on  Ferguson's  book  ? 
A.  I  think  he  called  off  the  wrong  names. 

3239.  Q.  Then  you  were  afraid  that  he  did  not  call  the  right  names? 
A.  That  is  all. 

3240.  Q.  There  could  not  be  any  frauds  in  that  way,  could  there  ? 

A.  Oh,  yes,  there  might  have  been  frauds  in  that  way;  because,  they 


302  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

checked  off  names  and  put  votes  in  when  I  could  not  find  the  names  of 
the  voters.  There  was  one  instance  I  remember,  in  which  I  said,  "  That 
man  voted  before,7'  and  Mr.  Ferguson  said,  "If  you  find  that  that  is  so 
have  hi  in  arrested  for  voting  twice.'' 

3241.  Q.  Did  vou  find  that  he  had  voted  twice? 
A.  I  did. 

3242.  Q.  Did  you  have  him  arrested? 

A.  Nti.     I  could  not  find  him  after  he  went  out  of  the  poling-plaee. 

3242.  Q.  What  was  his  name  ! 

A.  I  could  not  tell  the  name;  they  were  all  Germans,  and  it  would  be 
very  hard  to  recollect  any  of  their  names. 

3243.  (}.  Were  there  any  votes  put  in  there  that  were  objected  to! 
A.  When  I  could  not  find  the  names  1  objected  to  the  votes. 

3244.  Q.  Could  any  vote  be  pat  in  the  ballot-box  without  three  of  the 
board  agreed  to  it  ? 

A.  T  don't  know. 

3245.  Q.  Did  not  the  three  inspectors  agree  as  to  the  votes  that  were 
received'/ 

A.  They  all  appeared  to  agree. 

3246.  Q.  The  only  reason  you  did  not  agree  with  them  was  that  you 
could  not  keep  up  with  them  in  checking  the  names  on  your  book? 

A.  I  could  not,  they  hurried  the  voting  so. 

3247.  Q.  And  you  wanted  to  delay  it  \ 

A.  No,  sir  ;  but  I  could  not  find  the  names  as  fast  as  they  could.  Mr. 
Ferguson  found  the  names  much  faster  than  I  could;  they  were  Ger- 
man names. 

324S.  Q.  Was  it  by  agreement  of  the  balance  of  the  board  that 
McKnight  was  checking  the  names  there  I 

A.  No,  sir;  I  objected  to  it,  but  Mr.  Ferguson  said  that  he  wanted 
him  to  stay  there  to  help  him. 

.'3249.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  fraudulent  votes  being  put  in  there '? 

A.  I  could  not  say  for  certain ;  there  may  have  beeih,  because  names 
were  called  out  which  I  could  not  find  at  the  moment. 

3250.  Q.  How  did  your  voting  list  compare  with  the  register  after  you 
got  through ;  did  you  have  as  many  voters  or  more  voters  than  there 
were  registered  ? 

A.  We  did  not  have  more;  I  do  not  think  all  those  who  were  reg- 
istered voted. 

3251.  Q.  How  much  did  the  poll-list  fall  short  of  the  registry -list  f 
A.  Well,  I  suppose  about  75. 

3252.  Q.  Then  there  were  75  men  registered  who  did  not  vote  ? 

A.  There  were  a  good  many  who  did  not  vote.  The  voting  went  on 
until  sundown,  and  some  had  not  time  to  vote. 

3253.  Q.  Then  there  was  some  necessity  to  hurry  ! 

A.  At  times  there  was  a  great  hurry,  while  at  other  times  we  would 
be  waiting  for  voters  to  come  in.  I  suppose  there  were  about  half  a 
dozen  at  the  polls  waiting  to  vote  when  the  polls  closed. 

3254.  Q.  Do  you  think  that  all  who  were  registered  were  legal  voters  ? 
A.  I  think  they  were  legal  voters. 

3255.  Q.  Did  you  use  considerable  precaution  in  making  your  registry 
to  have  none  but  legal  voters  upon  it ! 

A.  I  was  very  particular  about  that. 
3250.  Q.  Were  a  great  many  sworn  by  your  board  ? 
A.  Some  were  sworn ;  we  did  all  we  could  to  keep  out  illegal  votes 
from  the  registry. 
3257.  Q.  What  was  the  party  vote  of  your  precinct? 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  303 

A.  Well,  I  suppose  at  the  general  election  there  were  about  90  repub- 
lican votes,  and  there  were  350  votes  in  all,  but  I  cannot  state  for 
certain. 

New  York,  December  31,  18G8. 
Abraham  Baker  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  Chairman  : 
:V2ryS.  Question.  Where  do  you  reside  ? 
Answer.  At  134  Lewis  street. 

3259.  Q.  State  how  you  were  engaged  on  the  day  of  the  last  presiden- 
tial election  in  your  election  district. 

A.  I  was  appointed  challenger  for  my  district. 

3260.  Q.  State  what  you  observed  during  the  time. 

A.  Well,  I  took  my  position  in  the  morning  at  the  end  of  the  desk  at 

E*he  polling  place.  I  had  no  legal  authority  to  act  as  inspector,  but  I  was 
o  take  observations  and  if  any  illegal  voters  came  there  it  was  my  duty 
u)  challenge  them.  I  noticed  a  great  deal  of  informality  going  on,  as  I  had 
[been  an  inspector  of  election  previously  myself.  I  noticed,  for  instance, 
that  they  had  an  extra  inspector  appointed.  There  are  only  four  inspectors 
'allowed  by  law,  and  there  was  an  extra  one  in  there  with  a  book  of  the 
voters,  and  as  they  would  come  up  the  chairman  would  ask  their  names 
and  this  young  man  would  say,  "All  right,"  in  a  moment,  and  down  would 
go  the  vote  into  the  box,  and  the  voter  would  go  out  as  quick  as  possi- 
ble ;  in  fact  they  would  shove  him  out.  Well,  about  10  o'clock  they  voted 
one  man,  whose  name,  I  think,  was  George  Hughs,  and  one  of  the 
inspectors,  Mr.  Donnolly,  who  had  a  check-book,  said,  "  Stop,  stop,  this 
will  not  do  ;  I  cannot  find  these  names  at  all."  But  in  the  meantime  the 
man  had  voted,  and  they  had  shoved  him  out  of  the  room.  Mr.  Don- 
nolly kept  hunting  for  the  name,  and  he  said,  "  That  name  is  not  regis- 
tered at  all;"  and  in  fact  it  was  not  registered  at  all.  I  said  to  the 
inspectors  "  I  think  this  thing  has  gone  on  long  enough.  I  am  stationed 
here  to  see  that  things  are  done  right,  and  you  have  voted  men  who 
were  not  registered."  I  think  the  chairman  of  the  board  called  for  a 
police  officer  to  put  me  out.  I  then  stated  my  authority  to  act,  and  the 
police  officer  on  duty  sent  up  to  the  station-house  and  word  came  back 
from  the  captain  of  police  that  I  should  be  allowed  to  remain  there  as 
challenger. 

3261.  Q.  Did  you  challenge  the  illegal  voters  that  you  refer  to  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir ;  but  they  got  the  ballots  in  the  box,  and  shoved  the  man 

right  out  of  the  door,  and  said  it  was  too  late,  without  considering  my 
challenge  at  all. 

3262.  Q.  Who  was  this  young  man  who  had  a  registry  book  checking 
he  names? 

A.  His  name  is  McKnight,  a  son  of  Peter  McKnight,  who  was  alder- 
nan  of  that  ward,  and  one  of  the  deputy  sheriffs  of  the  city;  he  is  a 
roung  man  of  about  18  years  of  age. 

3263.  Q.  How  many  voters  were  sworn  that  day  ? 
A.  Not  one. 

3264.  Q.  Did  you  make  any  challenges  or  ask  that  any  voter  should 
>e  sworn  t 

A.  No  further  than  that  I  made  objections  of  the  kind  I  have  stated, 
was  told  that  if  I  should  attempt  to  challenge  my  life  was  forfeited. 
Cliere  were  men  there  threatening  me  all  the  time. 

3265.  Q.  When  you  made  challenges  were  they  considered  by  the 
nspectors  ? 

A.  I  made  no  direct  challenges. 


304  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

3266.  Q.  When  you  made  objections,  what  was  said  or  done  about 
those  objections;  were  they  considered  \ 

A.  They  were  considered  no  more  than  that  I  was  told  that  I  must 
keep  my  mouth  shut ;  and  they  wanted  a  police  officer  to  put  me  out 
and  the  crowd  outside  were  clamorous  that  1  should  be  put  out. 

3207.  Q.  State  if  anybody  received  votes  except  the  four  inspectors 
who  were  election  officers. 

A.  Yes,  sir;  this  young  man,  McKnight,  acted  as  Inspector  a  portion 
of  the  time,  and  received  Votes. 

32<>S.  Q,    Did  he  put  them  in  the  box*  8  I 

A.    Yes,  sir. 

3209.  Q.  State  if  he  exhibited  the  registry-book  or  list  of  names  to 
any  outside  parties,  and  if  so,  to  whom. 

A.  Yes,  sir;  behind  the  counter  there  was  a  window  looking  out  upon 
the  street,  and  this  young  man  would  stand  by  the  window  and  hold  up 
the  book,  and  persons  outside  who  would  have  pencil  and  paper  would 
take  off  the  names  of  those  who  had  not  voted.  The  young  man  went 
out  five  or  six  times.  I  kept  my  eye  on  him,  and  when  he  went  out  I 
would  follow  him.  He  would  go  round  the  next  corner  to  a  sort  of  ren- 
dezvous there,  a  low  crib,  into  which,  of  course,  I  would  not  be  admitted. 
In  a  few  minutes  after  you  would  see  a  little  squad  come  out  of  it  and 
go  round  and  vote,  and  the  inspector,  Mr.  Donnolly,  on  several  occasions 
found  that  the  mimes  had  all  been  voted  on.  The  attention  of  the  chair- 
man was  called  to  it  by  the  inspector.  u  Well,"  said  he,  "we  don't  care 
anything  about  it;  it  is  a  mistake."  I  do  not  knowrhowr  many  such  cases, 
there  were,  but  1  can  testify  positively  to  live  names.  About  4  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon  the  crowd  got  around  me  and  threatened  my  life,  so  that 
I  was  advised  I  had  better  leave,  and  did  so,  as  I  did  not  want  to  be 
killed. 

By  Mr.  Koss : 

3270.  Q.  Who  were  the  officers  of  the  board? 

A.  .Mr.  Ferguson  was  chairman  of  the  board  of  inspectors;  Mr.  Joshua 
Brown,  Mr.  Donnolly,  and  another  man  whose  name  I  have  forgotten, 
were  the  other  inspectors.     Mr.  Brown  was  a  republican. 

3271 1  Q.  Did  you  act  as  challenger  of  the  republican  party  I 

A.  I  was  the  only  one. 

3272.  Q.  Whom  did  tin4  democratic  party  have  as  their  challenger! 
A.  Well,  I  do  not  know ;  there  were  a  good  many  of  them ;  there  did 

not  seem  to  be  any  one  in  particular. 

3273.  Q.  Do  you  not  know  whether  they  had  a  challenger  there  or  nott 
A.  I  had  no  means  of  knowing  whether  they  had  or  not. 

3274.  Q.  You  had  no  doubt  of  your  having  a  right  to  be  there? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  was  appointed  challenger  by  the  republican  State  com- 
mittee. 

3275.  Q.  Why  did  you  think  that  McKnight  had  no  right  there? 

A.  Because  lie  was  acting  as  inspector.  The  law  only  calls  for  four 
inspectors,  and  he  was  acting  as  an  extra  inspector,  in  checking  votes  j 
and  they  took  in  votes  which  he  said  were  all  right.  He  had  no  authority 
to  act  there ;  he  was  not  above  17  or  18  years  old. 

3276.  Q.  Who  was  it  who  threatened  your  life? 

A.  There  were  some  40  or  50  men  around  the  door  there. 

3277.  Q.  Can  you  give  us  the  names  of  15  or  20  of  them? 

A.  I  did  not  know  their  names,  and  I  would  not  like  to  know  them; 
they  were  the  greatest  set  of  cut-throats  I  ever  saw. 

3278.  Q.  Did  they  cut  anybody's  throat  that  day? 
A.  I  did  not  see  it. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS   IN   NEW   YORK.  305 

3279.  Q.  Did  you  see  them  attempt  to  cut  anybody's  throat  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

3280.  Q.  Did  you  see  them  attempt  to  strike  anybody  or  to  do  violence 
on  anybody  ? 

A.  I  saw  two  or  three  little  rows. 

3281.  Q.  Did  any  one  attempt  to  strike  you  ? 
A.    Nobody  raised  their  hands  at  me. 

3282.  Q.  You  cannot  recollect  the  name  of  anybody  who  threatened 
you? 

A.  I  cannot ;  I  did  not  know  their  names ;  I  was  a  stranger  in  the 
district.  My  friends  told  me  that  I  had  better  not  challenge  anybody; 
and  it  was  said  in  my  hearing  that  if  I  challenged  anybody,  the  son  of  a 
bitch's  life  should  pay  for  it;  my  friends  advised  me  to  stay  there  and 
take  observations.  I  have  not  the  least  doubt  that  if  I  had  challenged 
personal  violence  would  have  been  inflicted  upon  me.  I  was  told  the  day 
after  that  I  got  out  of  it  very  lucky. 

3283.  Q.  Did  all  the  legal  voters  get  to  the  polls  to  vote  ? 
A.  I  do  not  know. 

3284.  jQ.  Was  there  a  crowd  there  at  the  close  of  the  polls  who  had 
not  voted? 

A.  I  cannot  tell;  I  was  not  there  at  the  closing  of  the  polls;  J  left  15 
or  20  minutes  before  the  polls  closed ;  I  was  advised  to  go  away  by  two 
or  three  of  my  friends;  for  if  there  is  any  fighting  to  be  done,  it  is  gene- 
rally done  very  soon  after  the  close  of  the  polls ;  I  had  been  picked  out 
as  a  victim,  and  so  I  thought  I  had  better  go  away. 

3285.  Q.  Had  you  been  active  as  a  republican  politician  during  the 
year? 

A.  Well,  I  was  a  pretty  good  stout  Grant  man.  I  am  a  disabled  sol- 
dier and  went  Grant  pretty  strong.  I  worked  for  the  republican  party 
so  far  as  my  influence  was  concerned. 

3286.  Q.  Who  were  the  men  connected  with  you  in  the  repeating  busi- 
ness, in  voting  the  republican  ticket  at  different  times  in  different  pre- 
cincts? 

A.  I  never  heard  of  any  such  thing  as  that. 

3287.  Q.  Were  you  not  engaged  in  it  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

3288.  Q.  Do  you  not  know  of  repeating  having  been  done  at  the  polls? 
A.  No,  sir. 

3289.  Q.  Do  you  not  know  that  the  republicans  repeated  here  in  this 
city  ? 

A.  I  never  heard  of  their  doing  it.  It  has  been  charged  by  the  other 
side,  but  I  could  not  swear  that  I  know  of  anybody's  doing  it. 

Robert  Murray,  United  States  marshal,  recalled. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

3290.  Q.  State  if  you  appointed  any  deputy  marshals  prior  to  the  last 
presidential  election,  for  the  purpose  of  being  present  at  the  election,  or 
)f  discharging  any  duties  in  connection  therewith. 

A.  I  did  not. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

3291.  Q.  Did  you  ever  contemplate  appointing  any? 
A.  I  never  did. 

3292.  Q.  Did  you  ever  state  to  any  one  that  you  intended  to  appoint 
iny? 

A.  I  never  did. 
20  T 


306  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

3293.  Q.  What  do  you  know  of  deputy  sheriffs  being'  appointed  prior 
to  election? 

A.  I  know  nothing  excepting  what  I  read  in  the  newspapers. 

New  York,  December  31,  1868. 
John  Phyfe  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

3294.  Question.  I  present  you  a  paper  purporting  to  be  a  certificate  of 
naturalization  to  Joseph  Reinhart,  dated  20th  of  October,  1868,  from  the 
supreme  court  of  this  State,  held  in  the  city  of  New  York ;  state  what 
you  know  of  that  paper. 

Answer.  I  think  I  saw  this  paper  before  during  the  election  time,  or  a 
paper  similar  to  it. 

3295.  Q.  Was  it  in  your  possession  ? 

A.  It  was  in  my  possession  so  far  as  taking  it  off  the  stand  and  pass- 
ing it  to  other  parties. 

3296.  Q.  Did  you  hand  this  paper  to  Mr.  Perrinne,  the  bookkeeper  of 
your  establishment? 

A.  I  might  have •  I  cannot  remember. 

3297.  Q.  Did  you  give  this  paper  to  Mr.  Perrinne  to  hand  to  Reinhart! 
A.  I  might  have  taken  up  this  paper  and  said,  "Here  is  a  paper  for 

Reinhart,"  as  we  do  when  any  letters  or  newspapers  are  brought  to  the 
shop. 

3298.  Q.  Who  brought  this  paper  to  your  shop  ! 
A.  That  I  cannot  tell. 

3299.  Q.  Did  it  come  by  mail? 

A.  I  don't  know.  I  will  tell  you  all  I  know  about  Reinhart.  There 
were  several  men  came  to  the  shop  and  inquired  if  there  were  any  men  in ' 
the  shop  who  were  entitled  to  naturalization  papers  and  had  not  got  them. 
They  asked  me  if  I  had  any  such  men  under  me,  and  I  told  him  I  did 
not  know,  and  inquired  and  found  there  were  some  men  who  said  they 
had  been  in  the  country  for  so  many  years  and  had  no  papers,  and  their 
names  probably  were  given. 

3300.  Q.  Was  Reinhart  among  them  ? 

A.  1  don't  know  •  it  may  have  been.     He  does  not  work  for  me. 

3301.  Q.  Did  you  give  names  to  these  parties  ? 
A.  I  did. 

3302.  Q.  Did  papers  come  in  those  names? 

A.  I  don't  know.     I  only  saw  this  paper  afterwards. 

3303.  Q.  Did  you  see  any  other  papers? 

A.  I  saw  papers  there — election  notices  and  papers  of  one  kind  and 
another — every  day. 

3304.  Q.  Did  you  see  any  naturalization  papers? 

A.  I  don't  remember  anything  about  it  more  than  that. 

3305.  Q.  You  did  not  give  out  other  papers  that  were  left  there — othei 
than  these  Reinhart  papers? 

A.  The  only  thing  I  had  to  do  with  them  was  looking  at  them.  Mr 
Perrinne  told  me  yesterday  that  he  gave  this  paper  to  Reinhart •  and  h( 
said  I  handed  it  to  him  at  the  office. 

3306.  Q.  Did  you  hand  any  others  besides  this  ? 

A.  I  do  not  recollect.  I  recollect  seeing  papers  there.  They  passec 
through  a  dozen  hands*,  probably,  and  we  did  not  know  anything  abou1 
whether  they  were  legal  or  illegal. 

3307.  Q.  Where  did  they  come  from? 

A.  I  know  nothing  about  it,  except  that  men  came  there  and  aske( 
questions,  and  got  the  names  and  took  out  papers. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  307 

3308.  Q.  Can  you  tell  the  name  of  any  one  from  whom  you  got  natu- 
ralization papers? 

A.  I  could  not,  except  this  one  that  came  into  the  office. 

3309.  Q.  Was  it  brought  in  by  some  person  $ 
A.  It  may  have  been. 

3310.  Q.  Do  you  know  how  it  came  in  the  office  ? 

A.  I  suppose  how  it  got  in,  but  I  cannot  say  certainly ;  there  were 
other  men  who,  no  doubt,  got  papers  there  on  the  other  side ;  there  were 
some  difficulties  about  this  man's  voting ;  he  was  a  republican,  and  he 
came  to  me,  knowing  that  I  was  republican,  and  asked  me  what  he  had 
better  do ;  he  said  there  were  other  persons  who  had  got  their  papers 
without  any  trouble,  and  he  had  been  two  days  in  getting  his ;  I  do  not 
know  how  the  paper  came  there  at  all. 

3311.  Q.  Have  you  any  knowledge  that  would  enable  you  or  us  to  find 
out  how  it  came  there  ! 

A.  I  could  possibly  find  out  who  got  his  name  and  trace  it  up  in  that 
way. 

Xew  York,  December  31,  1868. 
Slmeon  E.  Belmont  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

3312.  Question.  What  office  did  you  hold  at  the  last  presidential  elec- 
tion? 

Answer.  I  was  a  registrar  and  inspector  in  the  12th  district  of  the 
8th  ward. 

3313.  Q.  State  what  you  know  of  fraudulent  naturalization  papers 
being  presented. 

A.  I  doubted  a  great  many  papers  morally ;  I  think  they  were  not 
right  j  that  is  all  I  can  say. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 
3311.  Q.  Did  you  examine  men  with  such  papers  under  oath  f 
A.  Yes,  sir;  I  swore  them  and  challenged  them,  and  the  democratic 
chairman  registered  them. 

3315.  Q.  Did  they  swear  they  had  been  in  court  and  had  got  their 
papers  legally  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

3316.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  persons  voting  more  than  once  at  your 
voting  place  : 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  kept  my  book  on  which  seven  names  are  marked ; 
about  a  dozen  voted  seven  times ;  I  objected  to  it  and  was  overruled  by 
the  other  inspectors. 

3317.  Q.  Who  were  they  \ 

A.  Mathew  Jordan  and  Mr.  Lutrell ;  I  was  overruled  by  two  inspect- 
ors, and  the  law  says  it  must  be  three. 

3318:  Q.  Were  they  democrats  ! 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  told  them  that  I  saw  these  voters  coming  in,  one  three 
times,  and  another  four  times,  and  told  them  my  proof  was  positive 
that  I  saw  them,  but  they  overruled  me  and  swore  them  in. 

3319.  Q.  Where  was  your  republican  associate  on  the  board  ? 
A.  He  was  either  in  a  porter  house  or  drunk. 

3320.  Q.  What  was  his  name? 

A.  George  McPherson ;  the  first  day  of  registry  Mr.  Sellscock  was  my 
republican  associate,  and  he  was  nominated  as  chairman,  but  that  was 


308 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN   NEW   YORK. 


almost  two  weeks  before  the  last  days  of  registry,  and  in  the  meantime 
Mr.  Sellscock  resigned  because  his  business  called  him  out  of  the  city 
and  then  George  McPherson  came  in  his  place,  but  he  was  only  there  a 
very  short  time  ;  he  came  at  2  o'clock  and  was  there  for  about  an  hour 
and  a  half,  and  then  he  .went  away  and  did  not  come  back  until  about 
9  in  the  evening,  when  he  was  under  the  influence  of  liquor. 
By  Mr.  Ross: 

3321.  Q.  How  many  votes  were  given  at  your  voting  place  ! 
A.  I  believe  in  the  presidential  election  we  polled  425. 

3322.  Q.  How  many  did  you  have  registered  ? 

A.  We  had  more  registered.    We  polled  less  than  there  were  regis- 

3323.  Q.  How  many  I 
A.  I  believe  about  50. 

3324.  Q.  What  became  of  the  other  men  who  were  registered  ? 
A.  You  must  ask  them  that  j  I  do  not  know. 

By  Mr.  Kerr: 

3325.  Q.  Do  you  say  that  you  saw  one  man  vote  four  times  I 
A.  Yes,  sir.    I  saw  some  vote  four  times  and  some  three  times. 

3326.  Q.  Was  this  associate  inspector  of  yours  in  the  habit  of  getting 
drunk? 

A.  I  don't  know  anything  about  that.  It  was  the  first  time  I  eve 
saw  him,  and  I  hope  it  will  be  the  last. 

3327.  Q.  Was  he  there  on  election  day! 
A.  Yes,  sir ;  just  enough  to  swear  by.     He  came  and  asked  me  not  to 

say  how  little  he  had  attended,  so  that  he  might  draw  his  fee,  and  I  told 
him  I  did  not  care  whether  he  got  it  or  not,  as  the  city  was  rich  enough 
to  pay. 

3328.  Q.  Do  you  know  the  names  of  any  of  these  fellows  that  voted 
so  often? 

A   I  know  that  one  of  them  was  named  McCabe. 

(Hugh  F.  Dolan  here  came  before  the  committee  and  presented  tlu 
registry-list  of  the  2d  district  of  the  14th  ward,  stating  that  he  found 
upon  it  the  name  of  Charles  Walters,  registered  from  68  Hudson  street. 

:New  York,  December  31, 1868. 


Thomas  Brewster  sworn  and  examined. 
To  the  Chairman  : 

I  was  a  poll  clerk  at  the  last  presidential  election, 
committee  a  poll-list  with  a  caption,  as  follows : 


I  present  toth( 


^ 

a 

^ 

o 

►> 

j- 
o 

H3 

>- 

Names  of  voters. 

Residence. 

© 
© 

© 

c3 

e 

3d 

c 
o 

B 

© 

CO 

03 

'3 

2 

H 

W 

O 

< 

O 

•-5 

cc 

No.  1. 

No.  2. 

No.  3. 

No.  5. 

No.  6. 

No.  8. 

1.  A.B 

255  Elizabeth  St.... 

1 

1 

1 

! 

1 

1 

1 

2.  CD 

216  Elizabeth  st 

1 

1 

1 

1 

] 

1 

1 

3.  Walters,  Chas . . 

69  East  Houston  st.. 

ELECTION    FRAUDS    IX    NEW    YORK.  309 

Q.  What  do  these  marks  (1  1  1,  &c.)  indicate  ? 

A.  They  indicate  that  the  voter  has  voted  for  electors  of  President  in 
one  box,  for  State  officers  in  another  box,  for  Congress  in  another  box ; 
and  so  on. 
•    Q.  So  that  there  are  seven  ballot-boxes  ? 

A.  Yes. 

Q.  On  the  poll-list  that  yon  have  presented  there,  is  the  name  "  Wal- 
lers, Charles,"  residence  69  East  Honston  street,  with  no  marks  under 
:he  title  of  the  offices  to  be  tilled ;  what  does  that  indicate  ? 

A.  It  indicates  that  the  person  came  there  to  vote,  and  that  his  name 
*as  taken  down,  and  that,  for  some  reason  or  other,  he  did  not  vote. 
Such  things  happen  very  frequently. 

3329.  Q^  What  do  the  numbers  preceding  the  name  indicate? 

A.  The  number  of  voters. 


New  York,  Saturday,  January  2, 1869. 
Moses  D.  Gale  sworn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instance  of  Mr. 
Kerr.) 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

3329.  Question.  State  your  political  relations. 
Answer.  I  am,  and  always  have  been,  a  democrat. 

3330.  Q.  What  position  did  yon  hold  in  the  organization  of  the  party 
in  this  city  last  fall J? 

A.  I  was  a  member  of  the  Tammany  Hall  general  committee  for  1868. 

3331.  Q,  Did  you  act  as  chairman  of  any  subordinate  committee  ? 
A.  I  think  about  the  25th  of  September  the  chairman  of  the  general 

committee,  Mr.  Tweed,  announced  the  standing  committees,  and  I  was 
appointed  a  member  and  chairman  of  the  committee  on  naturalization, 
one  of  the  standing  committees  of  the  organization.  1  had  been  so  for 
some  years  previously. 

3332.  Q.  What  did  that  committee  do  ! 

A.  Immediately  after  the  announcement  of  the  standing  committees  I 
called  the  members  of  it  together  and  made  arrangements  to  proceed  at 
once  with  the  usual  business  devolving  on  the  naturalization  committee. 

3333.  Q.  Who  were  its  members  f 
A.  Myself,  Moses  D.  Gale,  chairman,  P.  H.  Keenan,  7th  ward,   S. 

McGrane,  20th  ward,  Alexander  Ward,  22d  ward,  Anthony  Miller,  13th 
ward,  and  Hugh  O'Brien,  11th  ward.  I  asked  those  gentlemen  if  they 
had  any  persons  whom  they  wished  to  be  employed  by  the  committee, 
and  they  said  they  would  send  down  the  names  of  some  parties.  That 
is  all  the  meeting  that  the  committee  ever  had. 

3331.  Q.  Did  you  have  an  office  ? 

A.  We  had.  I  would  state  that  the  business  of  the  naturalization 
committee  at  Tammany  Hall  has  always  devolved  upon  the  chairman, 
is  persons  are  not  very  anxious  to  devote  their  whole  time  to  a  business 
when  they  do  not  have  compensation.  We  had  an  office  at  the  corner 
3f  Center  street  and  Tryon  Eow,  in  the  basement.  It  Avas  in  a  lager-beer 
saloon  kept  by  a  man  named  Pfeffe  at  No.  1  Center  street.  I  found 
^*eat  difficulty  in  getting  a  place. 

3335.  Q.  Who  were  in  the  management  and  control  of  the  business 
)f  that  office? 

A.  I  employed  the  men  to  set  the  machinery  at  work.  I  employed  a 
Mr.  Mulligan ;  I  cannot  give  his  first  name.  Most  of  the  others  were 
strangers  to  me,  employed  on  the  recommendation  of  members  of  the 
general  committee.  There  was  a  branch  office  established  at  Tammany 
Hall. 


310  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

3336.  Q.  How  many  persons  were  employed  at  this  particular  office, 
No.  1  Center  street? 

A.  I  think  in  the  neighborhood  of  twenty. 

3337.  Q.  When  yon  employed  those  persons  what  orders  did  you  give 
them,  and  what  did  you  employ  them  for? 

A.  I  employed  them  as  they  had  always  been  employed  before,  to  be 
in  attendance  there  to  fill  up  naturalization  blanks  for  parties  who 
desired  to  procure  their  naturalization  papers  under  the  auspices  of 
Tammany  Hall — in  other  words,  to  facilitate  the  naturalization  of  all 
persons  who  were  entitled  to  get  out  their  papers  and  whose  design  and 
intention  it  was  to  support  the  democratic  candidates  at  the  approach- 
ing election. 

3338.  Q.  State  as  specifically  as  you  can  in  what  mode  it  was  that 
that  aid  was  to  be  given. 

A.  As  chairman  of  the  committee,  I  supplied  the  committee  with  all 
the  blank  naturalization  papers  and  had  them  all  arranged.  I  stationed 
the  men  at  the  desks.  The  duty  of  those  who  were  employed  as  clerks 
to  do  the  writing  was,  when  a  party  came  and  stated  that  he  wanted  to 
get  out  his  papers,  to  fill  out  the  blanks  all  ready  for  the  party  to  appear 
before  the  court  with  his  witness.  He  would  give  the  name  of  his  wit- 
ness, state  what  description  of  paper  he  wanted  to  get,  whether  as  a 
minor  or  his  second  paper.  The  clerk  would  fill  out  the  application  with 
the  name  of  the  applicant  and  the  witness,  and  then  send  a  messenger 
over  with  a  man  to  the  court  to  facilitate  them  in  getting  through. 

3339.  Q.  How  was  the  cost  paid — the  cost  of  court  fees  t 

A.  The  practice  always  has  been  to  furnish  an  order  in  the  shape  of  a 
ticket  upon  the  clerk  of  the  court,  who  usually  charged  it  against  the 
naturalization  committee  of  Tammany  Hall.  The  usual  practice  has 
been  for  the  clerks  to  make  up  their  statements  and  send  them  to  me, 
and  I  would  then  make  a  draft  upon  the  chairman  of  the  finance  com- 
mittee for  so  much  money  in  payment. 

3340.  Q.  Did  you  have  the  naturalization  blanks  printed  yourself  ? 
A.  I  had  them  printed  myself  with  the  exception  of  a  small  supply 

which  I  obtained  on  the  first  day  the  committee  transacted  business, 
from  the  clerk  of  one  of  the  courts.    I  could  not  get  them  in  time. 

3341.  Q,  Where  did  you  have  them  printed? 
A.  By  Pickford  &  Co.,  in  Nassau  street. 

3342.  Q.  State  whether  during  the  progress  of  this  business  of  facili- 
tating naturalization  under  your  supervision,  you  know  of  any  fraud 
having  been  practiced,  either  in  the  selling  of  fraudulent  certificates  of 
naturalization,  or  in  the  procurement  of  them  from  the  court  by  fraud  in 
the  testimony  of  witnesses,  or  by  persons  falsely  personating  men  who 
desired  to  be  naturalized? 

A.  I  do  not.  I  would  state  that  after  I  made  this  arrangement  of 
clerks  already  given  in  the  room,  I  left  it  to  Mr.  Mulligan  to  pick  out 
those  best  qualified  to  do  the  writing,  in  other  words,  those  who  were 
the  readiest  penmen,  to  fill  out  the  blanks.  Others  were  directed  to  be 
in  attendance  at  the  rooms,  and  to  give  any  information  which  parties 
might  require,  to  go  with  them  to  the  court,  and  to  put  them  in  line  and 
show  them  where  they  had  to  stand  and  what  they  had  to  do.  My  per- 
sonal attention  to  the  business  of  the  committee  was  very  limited.  My 
official  duties  required  the  greater  portion  of  my  time.  I  had  managed 
this  naturalization  business  for  some  years  before,  and  had  always  pur- 
sued that  course.  The  business  was  left  in  charge  of  other  individuals 
during  my  absence.  I  told  them  what  their  business  was;  that  they 
had  nothing  to  do  with  any  outside  arrangements,  but  were  simply  to 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  311 

fill  up  papers  and  to  discharge  their  duties  properly;  that  I  was  respon- 
I  sible  to  Tammany  Hall  for  what  was  done.  The  great  object  that  I  had 
in  view  was  to  prevent  any  fraud  being  practiced  on  Tammany  Hall;  in 
other  words  to  see  to  it  that  the  Tammany  organization  did  not  have  to 
pay  for  the  naturalization  of  parties  who  did  not  intend  to  support  the 
democratic  candidates.  I  know  of  no  instance  of  any  fraud  having  been 
committed.  I  know  of  no  instance  in  which  a  false  or  fraudulent  paper 
has  been  taken  out.  I  never  have  been  approached  on  that  subject  in 
the  whole  course  of  my  life,  or  while  I  was  connected  with  the  natural- 
,  ization  committee,  except  in  one  instance,  and  that  was  last  year,  when 
a  man  tried  to  convince  me  that  he  knew  me  personally  in  the  year  1841. 
I  told  him  he  was  undoubtedly  mistaken,  because  in  that  year  I  was  not 
a  resident  of  the  city  of  Xew  York,  but  of  Orleans  county,  in  this  State. 
I  heard  of  nothing  of  the  kind  in  the  last  election,  except  what  1  heard 
of  the  Eosenberg  affair  through  the  newspapers. 

3343.  Q.  State  what  you  know  of  the  place  where  Eosenberg  carried 
on  his  business. 

A.  It  is  a  place  in  Centre  street,  above  where  the  Tammany  Hall 
office  was.  Mr.  Eosenberg  had  nothing  to  do  with  our  office.  I  did  not 
employ  him,  but  if  he  came  in  at  any  time  asking  for  a  few  blanks,  as  1 
believe  he  did  on  one  or  two  occasions,  he  got  them. 

3344.  Q.  After  the  Eosenberg  case,  did  you  use  any  further  efforts  or 
give  any  directions  to  avoid  the  frauds  with  which  he  was  charged,  in 
connection  with  any  committee  over  which  you  had  control? 

A.  As  soon  as  I  heard  of  that  Eosenberg  affair  I  went  to  the  rooms 
and  called  Mr.  Mulligan  and  the  other  men  and  said,  "Boys,  has  there 
been  anything  going  on  here  contrary  to  the  directions  I  have  given  V 
They  said,  "  Xo,  sir ;  nothing  of  the  kind."  I  said,  "  My  design  has  been 
to  conduct  this  thing  so  as  to  have  it  entirely  satisfactory  to  Tammany 
Hal],  and  to  do  my  duty  as  a  member  of  the  committee.  You  know  what 
my  instructions  were.  If  any  of  you  have  done  wrong,  or  know  of  any- 
thing wrong,  let  me  know  and  I  will  stop  it  at  once." 

3345.  Q.  How  long  have  you  lived  in  the  city  of  Xew  York? 

A.  I  was  born  in  the  city  of  Xew  York,  and  have  only  remained  out  of 
it  10  years  during  my  life.     I  returned  to  it  from  the  west  in  1844  or  1845. 

3346.  Q.  Have  vou  been  all  that  time  identified  with  the  democratic 
party? 

A.  I  have  been. 

3347.  Q.  Has  your  connection  with  it  been  active  or  otherwise? 

A.  I  have  always  taken  an  active  part  in  politics,  to  my  extreme  regret 
now. 

3348.  Q.  Have  you  had  good  opportunities  by  observation  to  judge  of 
the  number  of  persons  of  foreign  birth  who  were  seeking  naturalization 
in  different  years  from  time  to  time  ? 

A.  I  have. 

3349.  Q.  State  whether  it  is  true  or  not  that  in  years  of  a  presiden- 
tial election  there  is  a  much  greater  ratio  of  men  of  foreign  birth  natu- 
ralized than  there  is  in  any  other  year. 

A.  There  is ;  there  is  more  excitement  and  more  interest  taken  in  the 
presidential  election  always. 

3350.  Q.  Is  it  true  or  not  that  during  the  war  an  unusual  proportion 
of  the  foreign  population  failed  to  be  naturalized  through  fear  of  being 
put  into  the  military  service  ! 

A.  I  should  auswer  th  at  question  in  the  affirmative.  It  was  my  observa- 
tion that  there  was  not  so  much  desire  to  become  naturalized  during  that 
time  on  account  of  liability  to  military  dutv,  and  that  subsequently  to 


312  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

that  there  was  a  great  rush  to  be  naturalized.  In  the  year  ISO?  there 
was  a  great  number  of  naturalizations,  more  than  I  had  any  idea  there 
would  be. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

3351.  Q.  Do  you  know  that  there  were  various  offices  over  the  city  for 
the  purpose  of  filling  up  blanks  and  procuring  naturalization  papers  of 
Tammany  Hall  ? 

A.  I  do. 

3352.  Q.  How  many  such  offices  were  there ! 

A.  One  was  established  at  Tammany  Hall  under  my  direction.  I  put 
a  member  of  the  general  committee  in  charge  there,  for  the  convenience 
of  parties  in  that  portion  of  the  city.  After  the  committee  had  got  fairly 
to  work,  a  branch  office  was  established  there  by  a  member  of  the 
organization  in  the  17th  ward.  I  also  established  a  branch  office  in  my 
own  ward,  the  10th  ward,  under  the  direction  of  Mr.  A.  C.  H.  Bogert. 
Very  little  was  done  there,  however.  It  is  a  German  neighborhood,  and 
my  impression  was  that  it  would  divide  the  crowd.  Mr.  Bogert  attended 
there  and  filled  out  the  blanks  when  there  was  any  application. 

3353.  Q.  Were  there  any  other  offices? 
A.  I  think  not. 

3354.  Q.  Did  you  have  printed  naturalization  blanks  in  all  these  places! 
A.  I  did. 

3355.  Q.  Were  they  procured  by  the  committee  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir.  There  were  no  blanks  got  from  the  clerks'  office,  except 
the  first  day  as  a  matter  of  accommodation. 

3350.  Q.  Did  you  furnish  blanks  also  to  Rosenberg's  office? 

A.  I  think  that  on  one  or  two  occasions  they  came  from  his  office  to 
get  some  blanks. 

3357.  Q.  The  tickets  that  were  used  to  be  delivered  to  the  clerks  of  the 
courts  to  pay  for  naturalization  were  red  tickets  \ 

A.  They  were  red,  printed  tickets,  with  my  name  stamped  upon  them. 

'AooS.  Q.  Were  the  red  tickets  that  were  used  in  Bosenberg's  office 
paid  for  by  the  money  of  the  organization  % 

A.  I  do  not  know  that. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

3359.  Q.  Did  you  furnish  the  German  naturalization  committee  witli 
tickets  % 

A.  I  furnished  them  on  the  application  of  any  party,  provided  I  was 
satisfied  that  they  would  be  used  for  the  purpose  of  naturalizing  persons 
who  desired  to  vote  the  democratic  ticket ;  and  what  I  had  to  guard 
against  was  that  Tammany  Hall  should  not  be  saddled  with  naturaliz- 
ing persons  who  would  not  vote  with  the  party.  An  attempt  was  made 
to  commit  a  fraud  on  Tammany  Hall  by  getting  these  tickets  through 
the  democratic  agency  and  furnishing  them  to  the  republican  organiza- 
tion. But,  to  the  credit  of  the  gentleman  who  conducted  that  organiza- 
tion, (Mr.  Peter  Cook,)  he  refused  to  have  anything  to  do  with  it,  and 
informed  me  at  once  that  such  an  attempt  was  being  made. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

3360.  Q.  Did  you  furnish  to  the  German  naturalization  committee 
those  red  tickets  % 

A.  I  presume  they  were  furnished ;  I  did  not  refuse  any  one  the 
tickets  ;  they  were  valueless  until  they  got  into  the  hands  of  the  clerks 
of  the  courts ;  and  then  they  became  a  charge  against  the  committee. 


" 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW   YORK.  313 

3361.  Q.  Do  you  know  how  many  tickets  were  paid  for  by  the  Tam- 
many organization ! 

A.  My  impression  is  that  there  were  over  40,000  tickets  furnished  to 
the  committee.  How  many  were  left  I  do  not  know.  There  were  a  great 
many  used  that  amounted  to  nothing.  A  man  would  come,  pretending 
he  was  going  to  get  100  men  naturalized.  I  would  cut  him  down  and 
give  hi  in  25  tickets,  and  probably  he  would  get  one  man  naturalized. 

3362.  Q.  How  many  sets  of  naturalization  blanks  did  you  procure 
and  furnish  ? 

A.  That  I  cannot  say;  I  certified  Mr.  Pickford's  bill  and  referred  it 
to  the  finance  committee.  Blanks  were  ordered  as  they  were  wanted.  •  I 
should  think  there  were  several  thousand  of  them.  I  was  not  able  to 
give  any  personal  attention  to  the  business,  as  I  had  my  official  duties 
to  attend  to. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

3363.  Q.  What  were  your  official  duties  ! 

A.  I  am  one  of  the  judges  of  a  district  court  in  this  city. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

3364.  Q.  Do  you  know  G.  W.  Herman  ! 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  he  is  one  of  the  supervisors  of  the  city  and  county  of 
Xew  York,  and  a  member  of  the  Tammany  national  committee. 

3365.  Q.  Do  you  know  that  he  was  also  chairman  of  the  German  nat- 
uralization committee  ? 

A.  I  have  heard  it  said  so ;  I  have  no  personal  knowledge  of  the  fact. 

3366.  Q.  Do  you  know  Patrick  H.  Keenan  ! 
A.  I  do. 

3367.  Q.  Does  he  live  at  169  Henry  street ! 
A.  I  do  not  know. 

3368.  Q.  He  was  one  of  your  national  committee  ? 
A.  He  was. 

3369.  Q.  He  was  one  of  the  coroners  of  the  city  and  county  of  Xew  York  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

3370.  Q.  Do  you  know  anything  of  the  number  of  persons  registered 
voters  from  169  Henry  street  f 
A.  No,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

3371.  Q.  How  many  tickets  did  Tammany  Hall  redeem  from  the  vari- 
3us  offices  of  the  clerks  ?. 

A.  I  do  not  know ;  I  have  not  yet  settled  with  the  clerks  of  the  courts. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

3372.  Q.  You  said  that  a  large  number  was  naturalized  in  1867 — can 
rou  state  about  how  many  ? 

A.  My  impression  is  that  there  were  10,000  naturalized  in  this  city. 

3373.  Q.  How  many  were  naturalized  this  year  1 

A.  I  cannot  tell  you  until  I  receive  vouchers  from  the  clerks'  offices. 

3371.  Q.  Have  you  any  way  of  making  a  calculation  ? 

A.  I  merely  kept  an  account  of  tickets  which  I  delivered.  My  plan 
vas  to  furnish  tickets  only  on  the  order  of  members  of  the  general  com- 
mittee, and  hold  them  responsible  if  the  tickets  were  misapplied. 

3375.  Q.  Can  you  form  any  estimate  of  the  number  of  naturalizations 
his  year  ! 

A.  Xo,  sir]  I  cannot. 


314  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

3376.  Q.  You  furnished  tickets  to  the  members  of  the  general  commit- 
tee at  large  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  the  fact  of  their  being  members  of  the  organization  was 
sufficient  protection  to  me  in  my  delivering-  the  tickets. 

3377.  Q.  And  they  were  furnished  to  the  number  of  40,000? 

A.  Yes,  sir,  in  the  neighborhood  of  40,000,  or  over;  probably  one-third 
or  one-half  of  them  were  wasted. 

3378.  Q.  Was  there  any  organization  that  furnished  tickets,  except  the 
republican  organization  and  Tammany  Hall,  at  the  last  election? 

A.  No,  sir;  the  general  committee  of  Tammany  Hall  has  been  always 
liberal  enough  to  furnish  any  outside  democratic  organization  with  facili- 
ties to  get  their  naturalizations.  I  have  heard  of  other  offices  being 
started,  but  I  suppose  they  were  on  individual  account.  I  had  a  man 
make  application  to  me  recently  to  pay  him  $60  or  $70  on  account  of  a 
person  who  said  he  was  authorized  to  open  a  naturalization  office,  and 
who  had  come  to  this  man's  place  and  borrowed  money  of  him,  and  ran 
up  a  bill  of  $G0  or  $70. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

3379.  Q.  What  proportion  of  the  men  naturalized  went  there  with 
tickets,  either  from  your  organization  or  from  the  republican? 

A.  1  cannot  form  any  estimate  ;   I  paid  no  attention  to  it. 

3380.  Q.  Were  you  ever  present  in  court  during  the  time  that  nat- 
uralization was  going  on  ? 

A.  1  was  on  one  occasion  before  Judge  McCunn,  in  the  superior  court; 
it  was  in  the  latter  part  of  October ;  there  were  some  six  or  eight  men 
in  the  court-room  being  naturalized ;  I  have  a  distinct  recollection  of  it 
because  I  sat  on  the  bench  with  Judge  McCunn  ;  there  could  not  have 
been  a  dozen  in  the  room  at  the  time ;  this  was  after  1  o'clock  in  the  day. 

3381.  Q.  Did  you  see  him  put  a  batch  through  f 

A.  I  saw  him  go  through  the  usual  forms  of  naturalization,  asking 
witness  Jones  if  he  knew  applicant  Smith,  and  how  long  he  had  known 
him. 

3382.  Q.  How  long  would  it  take  the  judge  to  examine  and  put  through 
an  applicant  when  you  saw  him? 

A.  A  couple  of  minutes,  I  suppose. 

3383.  Q.  At  the  rate  he  put  these  men  through  do  you  think  he  could 
put  through  a  thousand  in  a  day  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  what  a  man  may  do  if  he  is  hurried  ;  I  should  think 
he  might  do  it  by  going  there  early  and  staying  late. 

New  York,  Saturday,  January  2,  1869. 
David  Crowley  re-called  and  examined. 

By  the  Chairman: 

3384.  Question.  Do  you  know  William  H.  Hendricks,  who  was  a  witness 
here! 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

3385.  State  whether  you  have  made  inquiry  for  persons  who  he  alleged  | 
in  his  testimony  were  registered  as  voters  on  fictitious  names. 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  made  inquiry  for  the  following  persons  at  the  following 
places:  James  Darling,  No.  60  Mott  street;  George  Bennett,  No.  62 
Bayard  street ;  James  Goodwin,  No.  70  Mott  street ;  James  Walsh,  No. 
142  Sullivan  street;  Charles  Waters,  No.  679  Houston  street;  David 
Summers,  No.  679   Houston  street;  Wm.  H.  Travis,  Nos.  117  Spring 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  315 

street,  and  84  Greene  street;  Gordon  McKay,  No.  598  Broadway.  The 
only  person  whom  I  could  find  anything  about  was  this  man  from  595 
Broadway ;  I  learned  that  there  had  been  such  a  man  there ;  I  made 
inquiry  at  all  of  the  other  places,  but  I  could  not  find  or  hear  anything 
of  such  persons ;  Xo.  117  Spring*  street  is,  I  believe,  the  house  of  Mitchell, 
who  ran  for  assembly  on  the  democratic  ticket  at  the  last  election. 

New  York,  Saturday,  January  2,  18G9. 

William  H.  Greene  sworn  and  examined. 
To  the  Chairman  : 

3380.  I  am  patrolman  in  the  7th  precinct ;  I  am  a  member  of  the 
metropolitan  police,  and  have  resided  in  this  city  since  1852 ;  shortly 
before  the  State  election  I  was  transferred  to  the  6th  precinct,  and  was 
again  sent  back  to  the  7th. 

3380 h.  Q.  State  what  you  know  of  persons  registering  as  voters  prior  to 
the  last  election  from  the  houses  of  William  M.  Tweed,  Police  Justice 
Shandley,  and  Coroner  Keenan. 

A.  On  the  first  or  second  day  of  the  meeting  of  the  board  of  registra- 
tion in  the  6th  district  of  the  7th  ward,  I  was  stationed  at  the  place 
•of  registry  from  8  o'clock  in  the  morning  until  1  in  the  afternoon; 
dming  that  time  a  gang  came  there  from  the  Bowery ;  I  knew  several 
of  them  personally  by  name ;  I  knew  that  they  did  not  live  in  the  ward, 
much  less  in  the  district ;  there  were  some  twenty  or  twenty-one  of  them; 
the  following  were  registered  from  169  Henry  street,  (Coroner  Keenan's 
house:)  Henry  Austin,  George  W.  Baldwin,  George  Brown,  Bobert  A. 
Jones,  Lewis  Leight.  H.  J.  Lawrence.  Charles  Meyer,  William  Murphy, 
Dennis  O'Xeil.  John  Beilley,  John  Saunders. 

The  following  names  are  registered  from  Xo.  167  Henry  street,  (the 
house  of  Police  Justice  Shandley:)  George  Bennett,  Thomas  Fitzgerald, 
George  Morgan,  James  Weaver,  George  Williams. 

The  following  were  registered  from  197  Henry  street,  (the  house  of 
William  M.  Tweed.)  Robert  Gardner,  Florence  S.  Gerald,  Thomas  Greene, 
Franklin  Thomas,  Thomas  Boyd. 

I  knew  the  best  portion  of  these  men.  There  are  several  of  them  who 
have  got  several  aliases.  Xone  of  them  live  in  the  district  where  they 
were  registered.  Here  is  a  photograph  of  one  of  them  who  gave  the 
name  of  Henry  Lawrence.  He  has  an  alias  of  Charles  Williams,  and 
an  alias  of  ,k  Xipsey."  He  Avas  the  leader  of  the  gang.  I  got  this  pic- 
tare  at  the  station-house,  where  they  have  got  pictures  of  all  of  these 
celebrated  men  who  live  by  their  wits. 

3387.  Q.  State  how  this  picture  was  taken. 

A.  "  Xipsey''  objected  to  having  his  likeness  taken  and  made  all  kinds 
of  faces,  and  two  men  had  to  hold  him,  so  as  to  get  his  likeness  as  accu- 
rate as  possible.  He  registered  from  169  Henry  street,  Coroner  Keenan's 
house.  He  is  a  celebrated  pickpocket.  He  has  stolen  fortunes,  and  has 
been  arrested  several  times,  but  somehow  or  other  he  always  slips  through 
and  is  never  prosecuted. 

3388.  Q.  Do  you  know  what  political  party  he  acts  with? 
A.  Yes,  sir,  the  democratic. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

3389.  Q.  Did  the  board  ask  these  men,  when  they  came  to  register, 
any  questions  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

3390.  Q.  Did  they  swear  them? 


316  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK 

A.  That  man  Lawrence  was  not  sworn.  The  registrars  did  not  know 
these  men  at  all,  until  I  pointed  them  out.  The  thing  went  so  far  that 
I  said  to  the  registrars,  "Now  this  thing  is  played  out.  Here,  by  George, 
are  thieves  from  the  Bowery  coming  to  register  from  houses  where  they  do 
not  live  and  I  think  you  ought  to  put  a  stop  to  it."  One  of  the  registrars 
spoke  up  and  said,  "We'll  lay  for  them  on  election  day."  There  is  always 
a  proclamation  issued  by  the  mayor,  offering  $100  for  the  apprehension 
of  illegal  voters,  and  the  registrars  thought  they  would  "lay"  for  these 
men  until  election  day. 

3391.  Q.  Did  any  of  this  gang  swear  in? 

A.  One  or  two  of  them  were  sworn ;  Meyer,  and  Baldwin  and  Murphy 
and  Gardner  were  sworn,  I  think ;  but  this  man  Lawrence  was  not  sworn, 
because  he  was.  supposed  to  be  a  native.  I  think  he  is  an  Englishman, 
but  he  passes  for  a  native.  Gardner  also  registered  in  the  4th  district 
of  the  same  ward,  I  think  at  No.  2  Pike  street.  Another  pickpocket 
who  was  with  these  men  goes  under  the  name  of  "John  Reilly;"  his 
name  is  Patsey  Nolan.  He  lives  in  Oxford  street,  and  is  now  under  arrest 
for  stealing  a  diamond  pin. 

3392.  Q.  These  men  were  known  as  repeaters  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

3393.  Q.  Repeaters  are  generally  of  that  class? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  they  are  of  the  lower  order,  and  they  are  generally  men 
who  have  no  character,  and  who  would  as  soon  take  a  false  oath  as  not. 
I  spoke  to  this  man  Lawrence  after  he  registered,  and  said  to  him,  "I 
did  not  know  you  lived  up  here."  "  O,  yes,"  said  he,  "  I  have  lived  here 
for  two  years."  One  of  the  men  has  no  permanent  residence,  and  hangs 
out  at  the  New  England  Hotel,  and  at  a  place  in  East  Broadway,  north 
of  Catharine  street,  No.  20,  I  think ;  in  fact  he  lives  all  over. 

3394.  Q.  Did  any  of  these  men  have  their  lodging  or  residence  in  the 
house  from  where  they  registered  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  Henry  A.  Jones  goes  to  Keenan's  house  a  good  deal,  but 
he  does  not  live  there.  He  is  a  hatter  by  trade,  and  a  pretty  honorable 
kind  of  a  man.  A  few  days  after  that  I  was  notified  to  go  down  into  the 
sixth  ward  to  do  duty.  I  did  not  know  what  I  had  done  to  be  changed ; 
I  had  done  nothing  wrong,  but  the  thought  struck  me  that  it  was  for 
being  a  little  efficient  about  the  registry. 

3395.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  you  were  transferred  at  the  instance  of 
Police  Justice  Shandley  ? 

A.  I  do  know  that  perfectly  well,  because  I  was  told  so  by  Commis- 
sioner Acton  and  by  Shandley  himself,  Shandley  came  down  and  said 
he  would  get  me  off  the  police,  and  would  kick  my  damned  head  off,  call- 
ing me  a  damned  big  bull-head. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 
3296.  Q.  Was  that  because  you  reported  these  cases  % 
'     A.  No ;  I  asked  him  what  it  was  for,  and  he  said,  "  I  know  you  of  old." 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

3397.  Q.  You  state  that  the  officers  of  the  board  of  registration  did 
not  know  these  persons  to  be  thieves  and  "  runners  ?" 

A.  No,  sir ;  they  did  not  until  I  told  them. 

3398.  Q.  And  you  did  not  tell  them  until  after  the  men  were  regis- 
tered ? 

A.  After  they  were  registered. 

3399.  Q.  And  then  the  registrars  said  they  would  look  out  for  them 
when  they  came  to  vote  ? 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN   NEW    YORK.  317 

A.  Yes,  sir,  on  election  day.     One  of  the  democratic  registers  said, 
"  Well,  that  is  no  great  credit  to  Mr.  Keenan  to  have  a  thief  register 
i  from  his  honse. 

3400.  Q.  Do  yon  know  that  these  men  voted  ? 

A.  One  of  them  voted  and  was  arrested  by  one  of  my  associates  j  his 
\  name  is  George  Williams. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

3401.  Q.  Were  yon  transferred  between  the  time  of  registration  and 
the  day  of  election  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

3402.  Q.  On  the  complaint  of  Police  Justice  E.  J.  Shandley? 

A.  Yes,  sir.  A  few  days  after  the  election  I  was  transferred  back 
again. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

3403.  Q.  What  ticket  did  you  vote  at  the  last  election  ■? 

I  A.  I  did  not  have  a  chance  to  vote.  I  am  a  republican,  but  I  did  not 
have  a  chance  to  vote,  I  was  at  the  6th- ward  station-house,  and  my 
polling  place  was  up  at  the  7th  ward. 

New  York,  Saturday,  January  2,  1869. 

Joseph  Meeks  sworn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instance  of  Mr. 
Kerr.) 

Messrs.  Lawrence,  Dickey,  and  Hopkins  protest  against  the  examina- 
tion of  Meeks  and  other  officers  of  the  court,  because  their  examination 
will,  under  recent  acts  of  Congress,  relieve  them  from  prosecution ;  but 
they  will  not  now  interfere  with  the  discretion  of  Mr.  Kerr  in  calling 
witnesses.  This  memorandum  was  ordered  to  be  inserted  in  the  pro- 
ceedings. 

To  Mr.  Kerr  : 

3404.  I  am  a  deputy  clerk  of  the  superior  court  in  this  city.  I  have 
acted  in  that  capacity  since  the  first  of  July,  1862.  The  clerk  is  Mr. 
James  M.  Sweeney. 

3404J.  Q.  During  the  month  of  October  last  what  duties  did  you  per- 
form in  the  business  of  naturalization  ? 

>A.  I  signed  the  name  of  James  M.  Sweeney,  clerk,  to  the  certificates 
of  naturalization ;  I  have  the  power  under  the  statute  to  sign  his  name 
without  saying  that  it  is  done  by  me  as  deputy. 

3405.  Q.  Did  any  other  clerk  or  deputy  in  your  office  undertake  to  dis- 
charge any  of  these  duties  during  the  same  time  ? 

A.  Not  that  I  know  of. 

3406.  Q.  Look  at  the  applications  for  naturalization  made  by  Maxi- 
milian Beck,  William  Malia,  John  Wallace,  Joseph  Bush,  Daniel  Sulli- 
van, James  Montgomery,  and  Michael  Kerwin,  and  state  by  whom  the 
name  of  the  clerk  is  signed  to  those  applications  ? 

A.  In  the  application  of  Daniel  Sullivan  and  of  Joseph  Bush  the  name 
of  the  clerk  is  signed  by  Mr.  Westlake ;  in  the  application  of  John  Wal- 
lace and  William  Malia  the  name  of  the  clerk  is  signed  by  Mr.  Thomp- 
son; in  the  application  of  Maximilian  Beck  and  Michael  Kerwin  the 
name  of  the  clerk  is  signed  by  Mr.  Earley  ;  In  the  application  of  James 
Montgomery  the  clerk's  name  is  signed  by  Mr.  Gillespie.  All  of  these 
gentlemen  are  clerks  employed  in  our  office.  Mr.  Thompson  is  natural- 
ization clerk ;  Mr.  Gillespie  is  assistant  naturalization  clerk ;  Mr.  Earley 
is  a  general  clerk  in  the  office  without  any  special  duties,  and  Mr.  West- 


318  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

lake  is  general  term  clerk,  and  he  assists  during  naturalization  in  the 
upstairs  office. 

3407.  Q.  By  whose  direction  was  it  that  most  of  this  business  was  done 
by  you  f 

A.  By  the  direction  of  Mr.  Sweeney,  clerk  of  the  court. 

3408.  Q.  What  reason  did  he  assign  for  imposing  that  duty  on  you 
specifically? 

A.  I  have  had  general  charge  of  the  office,  and  the  clerical  duties 
connected  with  the  office,  ever  since  I  have  been  deputy  clerk  of  the 
court.  I  suggested  to  Mr»  Sweeney  that  there  should  be  a  uniform  sig- 
nature to  these  naturalization  certificates,  and  that,  as  he  might  be  called 
upon  to  attend  to  other  duties,  I  should  act  in  his  place  and  sign  all  the 
certificates,  so  that  there  might  be  one  uniform  signature  to  them. 

3409.  Q.  Tell  to  the  committee  in  your  own  way,  and  fully,  the  man- 
ner in  which  this  business  of  naturalization  was  conducted  in  the  supe- 
rior court  so  far  as  you  have  observed  the  process,  first  stating  what 
opportunities  you  had  for  observation. 

A.  I  had  the  entire  charge  of  the  issuing  of  certificates,  and  all  the 
clerks  engaged  in  that  business  were  under  my  supervision.  Owing  to 
the  smallness  of  the  office  of  the  superior  court  clerks,  and  not  being 
willing  to  let  naturalization  interfere  with  the  general  business  of  the 
office,  we  procured  vacant  rooms  in  the  City  Hall — rooms  that  had  lately 
been  occupied  by  the  sheriff.  They  consisted  of  three  rooms.  The 
middle  one  was  used  as  the  clerk's  office  proper.  I  had  a  desk  con- 
structed on  one  side  of  the  room,  behind  which  we  placed  five  clerks; 
and  behind  that  I  had  another  desk  at  which  we  placed  two  clerks.  I 
had  a  desk  at  one  end  of  the  room  overlooking  the  entire  office.  At  my 
left  hand  was  placed  the  seal  of  the  court,  fastened  to  the  window-sill. 
There  were  two  officers  of  the  court  stationed  to  preserve  order,  and 
three  police  officers  to  keep  the  lines  straight,  and  to  preserve  order 
generally.  As  the  applicants  appeared,  coming  from  the  court,  they 
were  formed  in  line,  and  one  of  the  officers  of  our  court  took  from  them 
the  papers  and  handed  them  to  the  five  clerks  stationed  at  the  desk.  I 
supplied  the  clerks  with  certificates  of  naturalization  as  they  needed 
them,  and  the  clerks  would  fill  them  up.  Then  they  were  handed  to  the 
clerk  in  charge  of  the  seal,  who  would  seal  them  and  hand  them  to  the 
applicants.  This  was  in  the  City  Hall,  in  the  old  sheriff's  office  down 
stairs  on  the  first  floor.  The  two  clerks  employed  at  the  desk  were 
engaged  in  filling  up  the  dates,  so  as  to  facilitate  the  issuing  of  certifi- 
cates. The  court  where  the  judges  sat  was  not,  as  a  general  thing,  in 
the  City  Hall.  The  court  did  sit  one  night  in  the  aldermen's  chamber. 
One  night  towards  the  close  of  the  business  two  courts  sat — one  in  the 
aldermen's  chamber  and  one  in  the  councilmen's  chamber.  The  superior  ■ 
court  business  is  divided  up  into  a  half  a  dozen  places,  as  it  has  had  I 
no  proper  accommodations.  The  court  has  held  sessions  in  the  room 
over  the  engine-house,  and  in  several  rooms  in  the  brown  stone  building. 

By  the  Chairman: 

3410.  Q.  Was  the  court  ever  held  in  the  aldermen's  room  for  any 
other  purpose  than  for  naturalization  during  1868? 

A.  No,  sir;  but  before  that  it  has  been  held  there  for  the  trial  of 
causes. 

To  Mr.  Kerr  : 

3411.  A.  After  the  parties  came  in  the  officers  would  collect  their 
papers  and  hand  them  to  the  clerks,  and  they  would  fill  in  the  certificates 
as  signed  by  me,  and  then  the  officer  would  hand  them  over  to  the  clerk 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  319 

who  sealed  them.  The  clerk  would  then  fill  up  their  names  and  hand 
them  to  the  parties. 

3411J.  Q.  By  whom  were  these  applications  brought,  from  the  place 
where  the  judges  sat,  to  that  office  ? 

A.  They  were  brought  by  the  parties  themselves.  I  was  there  the 
first  day,  I  believe,  and  there  were  some  brought  over  by  some  other 
parties,  but  I  stopped  that.  I  believe  Mr.  Cook  brought  over  some.  I 
do  not  know  but  that  some  were  brought  by  others.  I  issued  an  order, 
however,  the  next  morning,  that  the  papers  must  be  brought  by  the 
parties  themselves,  and  after  that  the  thing  was  stopped. 

3412.  Q.  State  where  you  kept  the  blank  certificates  of  naturaliza- 
tion before  anything  was  done  with  them. 

A.  In  the  naturalization  office. 

3413.  Q.  Did  you  ever  suffer  any  blank  certificates  of  naturalization 
to  go  out  of  your  office  to  be  used  in  naturalization  offices  about  the 
city  for  any  purpose? 

A.  All  the  blank  certificates  of  naturalization  were  under  my  charge 
and  control,  and  no  person  ever  received  any  blank  certificates  of  natu- 
ralization for  any  purpose  whatever.  I  never  signed  any  ahead,  and  I 
never  kept  any  over  when  the  naturalization  was  through.  If  I  should 
have  signed  any  ahead,  I  destroyed  them. 

3414.  Q.  Look  at  the  certificate  of  naturalization  contained  in  the  tes- 
timony of  Maximilian  Beck,  and  state  in  whose  handwriting  the  written 
portion  of  it  is. 

A.  The  figures,  "19,"  are  written  by  John  A.  Thompson;  the  letters, 
"sixty-eight,"  by  Mr.  Gillespie;  the  name,  "Maximilian  Beck,"  and  the 
figures,  "  19,"  by  Mr.  Thompson,  and  the  words,  "October,  sixty-eight," 
and  "ninety- third."  This  is  not  the  usual  form  of  certificate  issued  by 
the  court.  The  usual  certificate  is  a  smaller  paper  than  this.  The  clerks 
charge  a  little  extra  for  this  form.  Mr.  Gillespie,  who  has  charge  of 
these  forms,  filled  up  the  blanks  with  "sixty-eight"  and  "October,  sixty- 
eight,"  so  as  to  answer  for  that  month.  On  the  19th  the  paper  was 
handed  to  Mr.  Thompson,  and  he  wrote  in  the  figures  "19"  and  the 
man's  name.  It  was  then  sent  to  me  and  signed.  That  is  my  signature 
of  Mr.  Sweeney's  name. 

3415.  Q.  State  whether  you  did,  at  any  time,  under  any  circumstances, 
or  whether  you  suffered  any  of  your  deputies  to,  issue  any  certificates  of 
naturalization  to  any  person  without  first  having  received  the  order  of 
the  court  therefor. 

A.  Never,  under  any  circumstances. 

3416.  Q.  State  to  what  extent  you  had  an  opportunity  to  observe  the 
manner  in  which  this  business  was  done  in  the  court  by  the  court. 

A.  I  had  little  or  none,  because  I  was  engaged  all  day  in  the  clerk's 
office. 

3417.  Q.  Did  you  ever  know  or  observe  the  manner  in  which  business 
was  transacted  by  the  court,  in  these  naturalization  matters? 

A.  Only  such  knowledge  as  I  obtained  when  I  took  a  recess  for  a  little 
while  and  I  went  into  the  court-room  for  a  few  minutes.  What  I  saw  of 
it  was  this :  the  men  would  be  admitted  into  the  room  and  form  into  line, 
an  officer  would  collect  the  applications  from  the  parties  and  place  them 
on  the  judge's  desk ;  the  judge  would  then  call  the  applicant  and  his 
witness  before  him  and  examine  them  as  to  the  matters  contained  in  the 
affidavit;  if  satisfactory  to  him,  he  would  sign  the  order  for  naturaliza- 
tion; the  parties  as  they  were  brought  up  before  the  judge  would  be 
sworn  to  testify  the  truth  as  to  all  questions  put  to  them  touching  the  ap- 
plication for  naturalization;  after  they  passed  the  judge  the  applicants 


320  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW   YORK. 

would  then  have  the  oath  of  allegiance  administered  to  them ;  then  the 
parties  would  bring  over  the  applications  signed  by  the  judge's  initials 
to  the  clerk's  office. 

3418.  Q.  State  how  the  judge  indicated  his  approval  of  the  application. 

A.  If  the  application  was  admitted,  the  judge  would  put  his  initials 
upon  it,  or  if  the  application  was  refused,  the  judge  would  destroy  the 
paper. 

3410.  Q.  To  what  extent  did  he  do  the  latter? 

A.  That  I  cannot  tell.  I  remember  that  one  night  he  did  a  wholesale 
tearing  up,  but  as  a  general  thing  I  did  not  know  anything  about  it. 
The  applications  of  Maximilian  Beck  and  Michael  Kerwin  and  Daniel 
Sullivan  are  signed  by  the  initials  of  Judge  McCunn.  The  orders  in  the 
applications  of  James  Montgomery  and  Joseph  Rush  are  signed  by  the 
initials  of  Samuel  B.  Garvin.  The  orders  in  the  application  of  John 
Wallace  and  William  Malia  are  signed  by  the  initials  of  John  M.  Bar- 
bour. Messrs.  McCunn,  Barbour,  and  Garvin  are  judges  of  the  superior 
court. 

3420.  Q.  State  as  nearly  as  possible  what  proportion  of  this  business 
was  performed  by  the  several  judges  of  that  court? 

A.  Judge  McCunn  did  the  greatest  part  of  it ;  Judge  Garvin  the 
next.  These  two  judges  were  naturalizing ;  Judge  Jones  and  Judge 
Barbour  assisted.  They  were  holding  term,  and  when  they  got  out  of 
court  they  came  over  to  assist ;  but  the  bulk  of  it  was  done  by  Judges 
Garvin  and  McCunn.  Judge  Barbour  did  some,  but  not  much.  Judge 
Morrell  did  none.    He  was  in  Europe  from  June  until  the  3d  of  November. 

3421.  Q.  Look  at  the  certificates  of  naturalization  attached  to  the  tes- 
timony of  Andrew  B.  Leuchtner  and  state  by  whom  the  writing  part  of 
it  was  executed  ? 

A.  The  figures  and  words  written  in  the  application  of  A.  B.  Seigner, 
with  the  exception  of  the  clerk's  signature,  were  written  by  Edward  B. 
Heath,  one  of  the  clerks  in  the  superior  court  employed  in  naturaliza- 
tion in  the  room  which  I  have  designated.  The  signature  of  the  clerk 
was  written  by  me. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

3422.  Q.  Are  there  any  other  clerks  but  you  authorized  by  statute  to 
write  the  name  James  W.  Sweeney  to  these  certificates? 

A.  The  signing  the  name  of  Mr.  Sweeney  to  these  applications  is  a 
mere  clerical  matter.     It  is  not  a  certificate ;  it  is  merely  an  application. 

Mr.  Dickey.  It  is  a  certificate  that  the  witness  has  been  sworn  ? 

Witness.  It  is  required  as  a  mere  court  paper,  which  any  clerk  can 
sign.  My  construction  has  been  that  all  certificates  must  be  signed  by 
the  clerk  or  the  deputy ;  but  I  never  looked  upon  these  applications  as 
certificates,  but  merely  as  court  papers. 

3423.  Q.  The  clerks  who  signed  these  were  employed  in  the  clerk's 
office? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

3424.  Q.  They  were  not  in  court  when  the  process  of  naturalization 
was  going  on  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

3425.  Q.  Then  how  came  they  to  certify  that  the  persons  m were  sworn 
in  open  court  ? 

A.  Because  they  had  the  certificate  of  the  judge  to  that  effect. 

3426.  Q.  Then  the  clerk's  signature  was  not  to  the  papers  at  the  time 
the  party  took  the  oath  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN   NEW    YORK.  321 

3427.  Q.  But  was  subsequently  signed  in  another  room  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

3428.  Q.  You  have  said  how  the  middle  room  of  these  three  rooms 
was  occupied ;   what  was  done  in  the  other  two  rooms  ? 

A.  The  other  two  rooms  were  used  as  passage  rooms  for  ingress  and 
egress. 

3429.  Q.  Were  there  any  desks  in  these  rooms  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

«    3430.  Q.  Was  there  any  writing  done  there  f 
A.  No,  sir. 

3431.  Q.  What  was  the  basement  room  used  for? 

A.  That  used  to  be  the  room  for  the  sheriff's  deputies.  It  was  not 
used  last  October  except  as  a  lounging  room. 

3432.  Q.  These  applications  were  not  signed  by  you  until  they  came 
from  the  court  ? 

A.  Some  were ;  some  were  not ;  some  were  made  out  in  the  office. 

3433.  Q.  By  your  clerks? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

3434.  Q.  None  of  those  papers  that  you  have  examined  were  made 
out  by  your  clerks  I 

A.  I  "cannot  say  that  they  were. 

3435.  Q.  Then  the  first  that  any  of  you  clerks  were  able  to  see  of  these 
applications  not  made  out  in  your  office  was  when  they  were  brought  by 
the  parties  with  the  initials  of  the  judge,  and  then  you  attested  them  in 
your  office  I 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

3436.  Q.  And  that  was  done  by  any  of  the  five  clerks  who  happened 
to  be  there ! 

A.  Yes,  sir;  it  was  done  by  the  clerks  in  the  office. 

3437.  Q.  And  the  same  parties  who  signed  Mr.  Sweeney's  name  to 
them  filled  up  the  certificates,  did  they? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

3438.  Q.  Then  none  of  them  were  actually  attested  in  open  court? 

A.  They  were  not  attested  in  open  court  any  more  than  any  other 
certificate  issued  from  the  clerk's  office  is.  It  simply  attests  that  the 
man  was  sworn  in  open  court. 

3439.  Q.  How  many  of  these  papers  did  you  issue  on  any  one  day  last 
October  ? 

A.  We  averaged  some  days  300,  and  some  days  500;  and  one  day 
when  we  had  the  entire  force  of  judges  on,  we  had  about  2,000. 

3440.  Q.  Did  you  naturalize  25,000  in  30  days  I 
A.  No,  sir. 

3441 .  Q.  How  many  did  you  naturalize  in  the  30  days  preceding  the 
last  day  \ 

A.  To  the  best  of  my  knowledge  we  naturalized  about  18,000  during 
the  month  of  October.  We  commenced  on  the  first  and  closed  on  the 
23d.  I  counted  them,  and  to  the  best  of  my  knowledge  I  make  the 
number  about  18,000  for  that  month. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

3442.  Q.  I  understood  you  to  say  that  there  were  not  25,000. 
A.  I  do  not  think  there  were. 

•U43.  Q.  I  understood  you  to  swear  positively  that  there  were- not 
25,000. 
A.  I  would  not  swear  that  there  was  not  that  number. 
21  t 


322  ELECTION   FRAUDS    IN    NEW   YORK. 

By  Mr.  Dickey: 

3444.  Q.  You  said  that  they  averaged  300  a  day. 

A.  I  believe  that  they  averaged  from  300  to  500  a  day,  and  some- 
times more. 

3445.  Q.  After  the  first  of  October  did  you  issue  less  than  580  a  day? 
A.  There  may  have  been  days  when  we  did  not  do  as  many  as  that. 

(The  figures  contained  in  Westlake's  testimony  were  here  shown  to  the 
witness.)  I  do  not  know  what  figures  they  are.  I  cannot  swear  posi- 
tively as  to  the  work  done  by  each  court. 

3446.  Q.  All  the  certificates  were  signed  by  you  I  suppose? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  but  I  took  no  memorandum;  I  have  been  giving  my  esti- 
mate, and  I  should  not  suppose  there  were  any  more  than  1 8,000  for  the 
month  of  October. 

3447.  Q.  This  paper  shows  that  there^were  2G,000  certificates  issued 
in  October. 

A.  I  do  not  swear  that  the  paper  is  not  right. 

3448.  Q.  How  many  hours  dining  the  day  did  this  court  sit? 

A.  It  opened  at  10  o'clock  in  the  morning  and  adjourned   about  G 
o'clock;  then  met  again  at  7  and  sat  until  0  or  10  o'clock. 
3441).  Q.  How  many  night  sessions  were  held  in  that  court? 
A.  We  did  not  have  many  night  sessions. 

3450.  Q.  Then  the  court  did  not  really  sit  after  7  o'clock? 
A.  Not  as  a  general  thing. 

3451.  Q.  Did  these  judges  hold  separate  and  distinct  courts  ? 

A.  Judge  McCunn  had  the  lower  room  and  Judge  Garvin  had  the 
room  above. 

3452.  Q.  How  many  days  did  both  judges  sit ! 

A.  That  I  cannot  tell ;  I  know  the  fact  only  that  they  sat  at  these 
times. 

3453.  Q.  Were  there  any  means  taken  to  identify  the  party  who 
brought  the  application,  as  being  the  party  who  appeared  in  court?  was 
he  brought  over  in  charge  of  an  officer,  or  did  he  bring  his  own  paper!, 

A.  He  brought  his  own  paper. 

3454.  Q.  Then  you  do  not  know  that  the  party  who  presented  the; 
paper  to  you  was  the  same  that  appeared  in  court  ? 


A.  No,  sir ;  we  had  no  means  of  knowing  that. 

3455.  Q.  How  many  of  these  applications  were  presented  by  one  and 
the  same  man  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  of  any,  except  as  I  said  the  first  day,  when  parties 
brought  over  two  or  three  and  that  was  stopped. 

3456.  Q.  Did  you  look  to  see  whether  the  same  man  was  not  dupli 
eating  himself? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

3457.  Q.  How  do  you  account  for  the  excess  between  the  18,000  in 
your  estimate  and  the  2G,000  as  appears  by  Mr.  W'estlake's  testimony? 

A.  My  own  is  a  mere  estimate,  and  the  other  is  an  actual  count. 

3458.  Q.  Were  the  witnesses  ever  present  in  your  office  ? 

A.  They  used  to  come  at  first,  and  we  used  to  drive  them  out. 

3459.  Q.  Then  the  certificates  that  the  witness  was  examined  in  opei 
court  was  only  derived  from  the  initials  of  the  judge;  you  never  saw  thi 
witnesses  ? 

A.  We  did  see  them  when  they  came  in,  but  we  had  nothing  to  d< 
with  them  after  they  had  passed  the  judge. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

3460.  Q.  Do  you  know  a  man  by  the  name  of  Patrick  Gough  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 


ELECTION   FRAUDS   IN   NEW   YORK.  323 

3461.  Q.  Do  you  know  John  Caffrey  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

3462.  Q.  Did  you  examine  these  applications  as  they  came  in  approved 
by  the  judge  ! 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

3463.  Q.  Did  you  notice  the  fact  that  one  man  was  a  witness  on  a  part 
of  a  number  of  them  ? 

A.  I  did  not. 

3464.  Q. ,  Would  it  have  escaped  your  notice  if  it  were  so  ? 
A.  It  might.    What  I  was  most  particular  about  was  the  signature 

of  the  court. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

3465.  Q.  Did  you  examine  to  see  whether  the  papers  were  all  signed  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir  ;  and  if  any  papers  were  imperfect  I  threw  them  out. 

3466.  Q.  Are  there  not  in  your  office  papers  with  the  affidavits  blank  ! 
A.  I  do  not  know.     I  took  it  as  the  ground  of  my  action  that  the  clerk 

could  not  go  behind  the  act  of  the  judge ;  that  the  clerk's  duties  are 
merely  clerical,  and  that  when  a  judge  directs  the  clerk  to  issue  a  certifi- 
cate of  naturalization  he  is  bound  to  do  it. 

3467.  Q.  Suppose  parties  neglect  to  sign  the  affidavit ! 
A.  In  that  case  we  kept  the  papers  and  sent  them  back. 
34G8.  Q.  Did  you  do  so  ! 

A.  We  did  so  in  several  instances. 

3469.  Q.  Are  there  not  cases  in  the  office  where  that  was  not  done  ? 
A.  I  do  not  know. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

3470.  Q.  Did  you  scrutinize  any  of  the  other  signatures  at  all? 
A.  Xo,  sir. 

3471.  Q.  Look  at  this  application  of  Daniel  Sullivan,  and  state  whether 
the  signature  and  the  filling  up  are  not  all  in  the  same  handwriting. 

A.  I  do  not  think  they  are  in  the  same  handwriting ;  I  am  not  an 
expert  in  handwriting. 
By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

3472.  Q.  Were  you  always  in  the  office  while  this  business  of  naturali- 
zation was  being  transacted? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  was  there  from  10  in  the  morning  until  evening. 

3473.  Q.  Have  vou  the  means  of  knowing  how  late  the  courts  sat  each 
night? 

A.  I  have  the  means  of  knowing,  because  I  sat  until  the  court 
Adjourned ;  but  as  to  what  particidar  days  the  court  sat  in  the  evening, 
md  what  particular  days  it  adjourned  at  6  o'clock,  I  cannot  now  state, 
[t  sat  quite  a  number  of  times  in  the  evening,  but  it  was  not  a  habitual 
king.  There  were  not  constant  night  sessions  as  there  were  daily  ses- 
sions. 

By  the  Chair^ian  : 

34  i  4.  Q.  You  have  said  that  you  have  sometimes  returned  applications 
hat  had  the  initials  of  the  judge  endorsed  on  them,  when  they  were  not 
signed  by  the  witnesses  % 

A.  I  destroyed  them. 

3475.  Q.  Was  there  any  order  of  the  judge  about  naturalization 
xcept  the  mere  fact  of  his  initials  on  the  paper? 

A.  Xo,  sir. 


324  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

3476.  Q.  Where  were  the  names  of  the  applicant  and  the  witnesses 
signed  to  the  application  and  the  affidavit  ? 

A.  They  were  signed  outside  before  they  went  into  the  court. 

3477.  Q.  They  were  not  signed  in  court  1 
A.  No,  sir. 

3478.  Q.  Nor  in  the  room  occupied  by  you  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

3479.  Q.  Then  the  name  of  the  applicant  and  the  name  of  the  witness, 
as  a  general  thing,  were  not  signed  in  the  court-room  nor  in  the  clerk's 
room  occupied  by  you,  but  in  outside  places  in  the  city  having  no  con- 
nection with  the  court? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  the  larger  portion  of  them  were  so  signed. 

3480.  The  name  "  James  M.  Sweeney,  clerk,"  was  not  signed  in  the  court- 
room, but  after  the  papers  came  back  from  the  court  room  into  the  room 
occupied  by  you,  and  was  signed  by  the  different  clerks  there? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

3481.  Q.  Will  you  produce  to  the  committee  the  law  which  authorizes 
the  deputy  clerk  to  sign  the  name  of  the  clerk  to  papers  J 

A.  I  will. 

3482.  Q.  How  many  seals  were  there  in  the  court  ? 
A.  Two. 

3483.  Q.  Where  were  they  kept? 
A.  Both  of  them  in  my  safe. 

3484.  Q.  Where  was  the  seal  affixed  to  the  certificates  of  naturalization  1 
A.  In  the  room  down  stairs.    I  had  entire  charge  of  the  seals,  and 

locked  them  up  myself  at  night.    I  unlocked  the  safe  in  the  morning, 
and  was  the  only  person  who  had  access  to  the  seals.    We  had  two  seals, 
one  for  the  naturalization  office  and  one  for  the  general  office. 
By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

3485.  Q.  How  many  distinctive  branches  of  the  superior  court  sat  in, 
one  day  for  the  naturalization  of  parties? 

A.  Four ;  there  were  four  judges  of  the  same  court  sitting  in  different 
rooms  at  the  same  time. 

By  Mr.  Boss : 

3486.  Q.  Did  you  ever  leave  your  seals  when  you  went  out  of  the  omc( 
so  that  others  could  have  access  to  them ? 

.  A.  No,  sir. 

3487.  Q.  No  one  could  have  access  to  them  without  your  knowledge^ 
A.  No,  sir. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

3488.  Q.  When  you  or  other  clerks  signed  the  name  of  James  M.  Sweeney 
to  the  affidavits,  on  the  application  for  naturalization,  you  did  not  se< 
the  Avitnesses? 

A.  No,  sir. 

3489.  Q.  The  witnesses  did  not  appear  in  court  ? 

A.  O,  yes,  they  did;  but  we  were  not  in  the  court-room. 

New  York,  Saturday,  January  2, 1869. 
A.  Oakey  Hall  recalled  and  examination  continued. 
By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

3490.  Question.  When  we  adjourned  on  Thursday  we  were  talking  abou 
that  meeting  of  democratic  inspectors. 

Answer.  That  meeting  assembled  in  pursuance  to  a  circular,  which 
now  present ;  the  circular  is  as  follows : 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  325 

Sir  :  As  one  of  the  registrars  and  inspectors,  you  are  respectfully  notified  of  the  following 
resolution : 

"Tammany  Hall  General  Committee, 

"  October  19,  1868. 
"At  the  regular  meeting,  of  this  date,  it  was  unanimously  resolved  that  a  committee  of  three 
be  appointed  by  the  chair  to  call  a  meeting  of  the  democratic  registrars  and  inspectors,  for 
consultation,  &c,  &c.  &c,  with  said  committee  and  each  other. 

"  The  chair  appointed  Messrs.  Fox,  Purser,  and  Hall,  such  committee. 

"WM.  M.  TWEED,  Chairman. 
"Wm.  Hitchman, 
"John  Houghtalin, 

"Secretaries." 

In  pursuance  of  said  resolution,  the  committee  respectfully  and  urgently  request  of  you  to 
attend  for  the  above  purpose,  in  the  main  hall  of  Tammany  Hall,  on  the  afternoon  of  Sun- 
day, the  25th  instant,  at  3  o'clock  punctually,  and  to  bring  this  invitation  with  you  as  your 
voucher  of  admission. 

JOHN  FOX, 

GEO.  H.  PURSER, 

A.  OAKEY  HALL, 

Committee. 

3491.  Q.  Did  the  inspectors  meet  on  that  call? 

A.  The  inspectors  met  on  that  afternoon,  and  not  only  the  inspectors 
but  a  good  number  of  citizens. 

3492.  Q.  State  in  substance  what  transpired  there. 

A.  The  principal  object  of  the  meeting  on  that  occasion  was  to  have 
a  clear  understanding  in  regard  to  the  effect  of  naturalization  certificates. 
The  October  elections  in  Philadelphia  had  developed  the  fact  that  a 
question  had  been  raised  as  to  how  far  naturalization  certificates  were 
prima  facie  or  conclusive  proof  with  the  inspectors.  1  stated  to  the 
inspectors,  among  other  things,  that  I  had  the  day  before  addressed  a 
letter  to  Judge  Davies,  ex-judge  of  the  court  of  appeals,  and  who  was 
a  very  prominent  republican  politician,  and  that  whatever  response  1 
would  receive,  it  would  be  submitted  to,  and  I  would  recommend  them 
to  he  guided  by  it.  An  answer  was  received  from  Judge  Davies.  I  hand 
to  the  committee  a  copy  of  the  correspondence  which  was  sent  by  mail 
or  by  private  hands  to  each  inspector. 

The  correspondence  is  as  follows : 

REGISTRATION  LAW. 

Interesting  correspondence  betiveen  the  district  attorney  and  Hon,  Henry 
E.  Davies,  ex-judge  of  the  court  of  appeals. 

opinion  of  judge  davies. 

City  and  County  of  New  York, 

District  Attorney's  Office,  October  24,  1868. 
My  Dear  Sir  :  My  official  opinion  has  been  asked  upon  the  following  question,  (as  it  is 
repeated  in  the  opinion  it  is  here  omitted.) 

I  prefer,  as  I  have  been  an  active  partisan  during-  the  canvass,  to  be  guided  by  the  pro- 
fessional opinion  of  one  who,  like  yourself,  is  aloof  from  politics,  and  whose  calm  judgment 
ought  not  to  be  questioned.     Please  furnish  me  with  it. 
With  great  respect,  your  obedient  servant, 

A.  OAKEY  HALL. 
Hon.  Henry  E.  Davies. 


New  York,  October  28,  1868, 

149  Broadway. 
Hon.  A.  Oakey  Hall  : 
Dear  Sir  :  Your  note  of  yesterday  requests  my  opinion  upon  the  following  question,  viz. : 
II  a  naturalized  citizen,  who  claims  before  a  board  of  registry  the  rights  of  an  elector 
under  chapters  740  of  laws  of  1865,  and  812  of  laws  of  1866,  produces  before  said  board  a 


326  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK 

certificate  of  naturalization  from  a  court  of  competent  jurisdiction,  and  makes  proof,  to  the 
satisfaction  of  the  board,  that  he  is  the  identical  person  named  in  said  certificate,  what,  in 
such  case,  will  be  the  legal  effect  upon  said  board  of  said  certificate,  and  what  legal  rights 
do  such  production  and  proof  confer  upon  said  elector  respecting  his  right  to  have  his  name 
inscribed  upon  the  registry,  assuming  also  that  all  other  legal  rights  to  said  inscription  exist?" 

Before  proceeding  to  the  consideration  of  the  question,  it  is  needful  to  refer  to  the  existing 
provisions  of  the  acts  referred  to. 

Section  1,  of  the  act  of  1865,  declares  that  the  board,  after  its  organization,  "  shall  then 
proceed  to  make  a  list  of  all  persons  qualified  and  entitled  to  vote  at  the  ensuing  election  in 
the  election  district  of  which  they  are  inspectors." 

Section  4  of  the  same  act  also  declares  that  "any  person  not  born  in.  the  United  States, 
on  applying  to  have  his  name  placed  on  the  registry,  shall  prove  that  he  is  a  citizen  of  the 
United  States  by  producing  a  certificate  of  naturalization  from 'a  court  of  competent  jurisdic- 
tion; nor  shall  any  proof  of  his  being  a  citizen  be  received  unless  he  shall  first  show  to  the 
satisfaction  of  the  board  of  registry  that  he  is  unable  to  produce  such  certificate." 

The  act  of  1866  is  amendatory  and  supplementary  to  that  of  1865. 

Section  2  of  this  act  declares  "  that  no  person  shall  be  placed  on  such  register  if  he  shall 
be  objected  to  by  one  of  the  inspectors  or  by  a  qualified  voter  of  the  city  within  which  the 
election  district  is  situated,  unless  he  shall  be  known,  or  proved  to  the  satisfaction  of  such 
inspectors,  to  be  at  the  time  a  qualified  voter  of  such  election  district ;  nor  shall  the  name  of 
any  person  be  placed  or  retained  on  such  register  without  the  concurrence  of  three  of  the  four 
inspectors,  nor  except  in  case  of  compliance  with  section  7  hereof." 

No  person  born  out  of  the  United  States  shall  be  placed  on  such  register,  unless  he  shall, 
to  the  personal  knowledge  of  three  of  the  inspectors,  have  been  duly  naturalized,  or  shall  ; 
prove  his  naturalization,  as  provided  in  the  act  hereby  amended.  [Such  provisions  are 
found  in  section  4  of  the  act  of  1865,  as  follows :  "  And  any  person  not  born  in  the  United 
States,  on  applying  to  have  his  name  placed  on  the  registry,  shall  prove  that  he  is  a  citizen 
of  the  United  States  by  producing  a  certificate  of  naturalization  from  a  court  of  competent 
jurisdiction  ;  nor  shall  any  other  proof  of  his  being  a  citizen  be  received,  unless  he  shall 
first  show,  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  board  of  registry,  that  he  is  unable  to  produce  such 
certificate."] 

When  the  question  is  raised  upon  the  naturalization  of  a  person,  proof  shall  be  made  to 
the  satisfaction  of  the  inspectors,  by  his  own  oath  or  otherwise,  that  the  person  claiming  to  be 
placed  on  the  register  is  the  identical  person  named  in  the  certificate  he  produces. 

Section  7  of  the  act  of  1866  declares  that  "in  the  cities  of  New  York  and  Brooklyn  the 
name  of  no  person  shall  be  placed  upon  said  register,  unless  he  shall  appear  in  person  before  | 
the  said  inspectors,  and  prove  to  their  satisfaction  his  right  to  vote  at  the  next  election,  in  the 
election  district  in  which  he  claims  the  right  to  vote."  • 

OPINION. 

First.  If  three  inspectors  have  personal  knowledge  that  the  applicant  has  been  duly 
naturalized,  it  is  their  clear  and  imperative  duty  to  register  his  name,  if  he  possesses  the 
other  requisite  qualifications. 

Second.  If  they  have  not  such  knowledge,  then  the  right  of  the  applicant  to  be  registered 
is  to  be  established  in  the  following  manner : 

1.  By  the  production  of  a  certificate  of  naturalization  issued  to  the  applicant  by  a  court 
of  competent  jurisdiction,  and  all  courts  of  record  are  such  courts. 

2.  If  he  is  unable  to  produce  such  certificate,  then  the  board  are  to  be  satisfied  by  other  proof 
(and  the  oath  of  the  applicant  should  be  taken  as  prima  facie  sufficient  evidence)  that  the 
applicant  has  been  duly  naturalized  by  a  court  of  competent  jurisdiction. 

Third.  The  production  of  the  record  of  the  court,  being  an  exemplification  thereof  under  the 
seal  of  the  court,  and  generally  known  as  a  certificate  of  naturalization,  is  conclusive  evidence 
of  the  facts  therein  stated ;  and  also  conclusive  evidence  that  all  the  preliminaries  required  by  | 
law  to  establish  a  right  to  naturalization  have  been  complied  with.  This  was  adjudged  by  the 
court  of  appeals  in  this  State,  in  the  case  of  McCautry  vs.  Marsh,  1  Seldon,  263 ;  and  in 
Stark  vs.  Chesapeake  Insurance  Company,  7  Cranch,  420 ;  Ritche  vs.  Putnam,  13  Wend., 
524  ;  Spratt  vs.  Spratt,  4  Peters,  393. 

Fourth.  It  follows  that  where  the  applicant  produces  the  record  of  the  court  establishing  | 
the  fact  of  his  naturalization,  the  only  inquiries  open  and  remaining  for  the  board  to  make, 
and  upon  which  they  are  to  be  satisfied,  are: 

1st.  Is  the  record  produced  the  actual  record  issued  to  the  applicant  by  a  court  of  competent 
jurisdiction  7  and 

2d.  Is  the  applicant  the  real  person  described  in  the  record  or  certificate,  and  upon  whose  ■ 
right  to  citizenship  the  court  has  adjudicated? 

If  these  facts  are  established  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  inspectors,  they  have  no  legal  right 
to  refuse  to  register  the  name  of  the  applicant,  assuming  he  has  the  other  requisite  qualifications. 

Three  inspectors  are  competent  and  necessary  to  decide  all  questions. 

HENRY  E.  DAVIES. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN^  NEW  YORK.  327 

WITNESS  continued:  I  have  no  doubt,  and  so  answered  them,  that 
when  a  man  applied  to  be  registered  and  produced  a  naturalization  cer- 
tificate, and  wlien  there  was  no  doubt  of  its  being  the  original  seal  of  the 
court  and  signature  of  the  clerk,  it  was  conclusive,  and  that  the  inspector 
could  not  go  behind  that.  I  selected  Judge  Davies  to  get  an  opinion  from 
because  he  had  been  and  was  a  very  prominent  republican,  and  because  his 
opinion  would  be  of  more  service  than  my  own,  for  I  was  a  politician  as 
well  as  a  lawyer,  and  he  was  a  lawyer  without  being  a  politician,  except 
in  his  natural  affinities  towards  the  party  with  which  he  acted.  He  gave 
an  opinion,  which  I  furnish  to  the  committee,  and  it  is  to  the  effect  that 
the  certificate  of  naturalization  was  conclusive  upon  the  inspector. 

3493.  Q.  I  understood  you  to  say  that  you  addressed  a  meeting  assem- 
bled at  Tammany  Hall  under  that  call. 

A.  Yes,  sir;  and  I  also  answered  more  than  a  hundred  questions,  I 
should  think,  that  were  asked  by  different  inspectors  about  the  carrying 
out  of  the  peculiar  and  rather  blind  expressions  of  our  registration 
and  election  law.  There  were  a  good  many  republicans  present.  The 
intention  of  the  meeting  was  to  have  it  private,  but  I  recognized  several 
gentlemen  there,  one  of  them  from  the  United  States  marshal's  office,  and 
I  very  politely  told  them  that  it  was  a  private  meeting,  and  that  if  they 
wished  to  go  they  could,  and  that  if  they  wished  to  stay  they  could.  The 
main  object  of  the  meeting  was  to  consult  as  to  the  effect  of  naturalization 
certificates.  The  meeting  occupied,  I  should  think,  about  an  hour.  Another 
reason  of  the  meeting  was  to  say  that  instructions  would  be  prepared 
for  the  inspectors  and  sent  to  them.  The  year  before  a  pamphlet  instruct- 
ing them  as  to  their  duties  was  distributed  by  the  board  of  police  to  each 
inspector  and  canvasser,  by  order  of  the  board,  and  was  prepared  by  one 
of  the  commissioners,  one  of  the  clerks,  and  myself,  who  am  counsel  to 
the  police  board.  This  year  the  board,  in  its  discretion,  agreed  not  to 
distribute  them.  The  republican  party  reprinted  the  same  thing  in  sub- 
stance, with  some  amendments  taking  different  views  on  some  matters, 
and  we  reprinted  it  exactly  without  changing  it,  and  with  a  preface.  We 
thought  to  have  got  it  in  time  to  have  distributed  it  at  that  meeting,  but 
it  was  not  ready  and  had  to  be  sent  through  the  post  office. 

3494.  Q.  Was  it  sent  to  the  inspectors  and  canvassers  before  the  day 
of  election? 

A.  O,  yes  ;  and  before  the  registration  was  completed. 

3495.  Q.  State  whether  it  is  practicable,  considering  the  organization 
of  the  election  boards  and  boards  of  canvassers,  and  police  force,  and  of 
vigilance  committees,  to  practice  frauds  on  the  ballot-box,  in  the  count- 
ing or  by  manipulating  ballots. 

A.  I  do  not  think  it  is  possible  where  there  are  only  two  tickets,  but 
where  there  are  three  tickets  it  is  very  possible  and  very  probable — that 
is  to  say,  that  if  two  persons  are  running  for  the  office  of  governor,  it 
is  wholly  impossible  to  cheat ;  but  if  three  persons  are  running  for  the 
assembly,  or  if  six  are  running,  as  is  sometimes  the  case  here,  it  is  very 
easy,  by  collusion  among  all  the  canvassers  and  the  poll  clerks,  to  pre- 
sent one  of  the  two  candidates  between  whom  the  fight  lies  with  the  por- 
tion of  the  vote  which  has  been  really  cast  for  one  of  the  minor  ones, 
who  coidd  not  be  elected. 

3496.  Q.  That  can  be  done  by  tampering  with  the  ballots  and  trans- 
ferriug  them  from  one  box  to  another. 

A.  Xo,  sir;  they  would  have  to  do  it  after  the  ballots  have  been 
destroyed,  and  would  have  to  alter  the  tallies.  For  instance,  if  A.  B. 
had  100  votes,  B.  C.  had  90  votes,  another  30,  another  20,  it  woidd  be 
very  easy  to  diminish  the  votes  of  the  lowest  two  bv  five  or  ten  and  add 


328  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

them  to  the  vote  of  one  of  the  others ;  but  there  would  have  to  be  a  sort 
of  consent  or  collusion  with  the  candidate  himself. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

3497.  Q.  In  a  ward  where  one  candidate  gets  500  votes  and  another 
candidate  gets  350,  what  is  to  prevent  the  transfer  of  votes  from  one 
candidate  to  the  other? 

A.  I  do  not  think  that  could  be  done,  because  men  are  always  present 
watching.  The  canvass  is  very  public  and  well  watched.  And  an  alter- 
ation would  show  in  the  general  result;  that  is  to  say,  it  would  look 
very  odd  for  Horatio  Seymour  to  get  100  votes  on  the  electoral  ticket 
and  a  man  on  the  same  ticket  to  get  only  80,  because  in  this  city 
the  machinery  runs  pretty  regularly. 

3498.  Q.  Just  that  sort  of  discrepancy  arose  in  this  city  last  year, 
did  it  not? 

A.  I  have  known  such  instances,  but  they  are  very  few  ? 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

3499.  Q.  By  whom  are  the  ballots  destroyed? 

A.  The  canvassers  for  the  precinct;  the  statute  obliges  them  to 
destroy  them.  The  reason  for  the  statute  arises  from  the  fact,  that  it  had 
been  shown  several  years  ago  that  the  ballots  when  removed  had  been 
tampered  with. 

3500.  Where  are  the  returns  of  the  registers  required  by  law  to  be 
kept  between  the  time  of  registration  and  the  time  of  voting? 

A.  There  are  certainly  three  meetings  of  the  registers  in  this  city,  and 
perhaps  four.  "One  copy  of  the  list  made  at  the  first  meeting  is  to  be 
kept  by  each  of  the  inspectors,  and  carefully  preserved  by  him  for  use 
on  the  other  days  of  their  meeting  for  revision  and  correction."  One 
copy  is  to  be  filed  with  the  police  commissioners.  This  disposes  of  five 
copies.  "The  sixth  copy  of  the  list  is,  immediately  after  its  completion, 
to  be  posted  in  some  conspicuous  place  in  the  room  in  which  the  meeting 
is  held,  so  as  to  be  accessible  to  any  elector  who  may  desire  to  examine 
it  or  make  copies  thereof;  and  the  seventh  copy  is  to  be  filed  in  the 
bureau  of  elections.  Upon  the  final  adjournment  each  of  the  inspectors 
keeps  a  copy  of  the  registry,  now  fully  completed,  and  files  a  fifth  with 
the  county  clerk,  a  sixth  in  the  bureau  of  elections,  in  the  office  of  the 
chief  clerk  of  the  metropolitan  police." 

3501.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  irregularity  in  the  keeping  or  use  of  these 
returns  prior  to  the  last  election  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  of  any  irregularity,  except  from  the  affidavits  which 
I  have  obtained  by  official  inquiry. 

3502.  Q.  What  was  that? 

A.  Such  as  taking  the  lists  to  political  committees  at  headquarters. 

3503.  Q.  Could  those  lists  have  been  in  any  way  manipulated  to  the 
injury  of  the  election  by  the  committee  to  which  they  may  have  been 
delivered? 

A.  It  might  have  been  done,  but  would  have  been  very  difficult.  The 
most  that  could  have  been  done  would  have  been  to  manipulate  them, 
if  all  the  poll  registers  had  been  in  collusion.  Such  a  thing  as  that  is 
pretty  difficult. 

By  Mr.  Boss : 

3504.  Q.  Was  it  to  the  democratic  organization  that  these  Usts  were 
taken? 

A.  I  only  know  of  their  being  taken  to  the  Fifth  Avenue  committee 
We  did  not  want  them. 


ELECTION   FRAUDS    IN   NEW   YORK.  329 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

3505.  Q.  You  only  know  this  from  what  you  heard? 
A.  I  heard  two  men  testify  to  it. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

3506.  They  were  taken  there  to  be  canvassed,  I  suppose? 

A.  I  do  not  know  what  the  object  was.  It  is  sufficient  to  say  that  it 
is  just  as  susceptible  of  an  innocent  implication  as  of  a  guilty ;  and  is  as 
susceptible  of  a  guilty  one  as  of  an  innocent  one. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

3507.  Q.  Beferring  back  to  your  testimony  on  Thursday,  in  reference 
to  these  circulars,  I  understood  you  to  say  that  circulars  were  signed 
without  the  knowledge  of  the  parties  with  whose  names  they  were  signed? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  have  brought  one  or  two  other  circulars  to  which  Mr. 
Tweed's  name  was  signed  and  which  I  believe  he  never  saw. 

3508.  Q.  Do  you  know  a  judge  of  the  supreme  court  in  this  State 
named  James? 

A.  Very  well. 

3509.  Q.  Where  is  his  district? 

A.  It  is  one  of  the  northeastern  districts.  Oswego  is  in  his  district, 
and  so  is  St.  Lawrence. 

3510.  Q.  Is  it  remote  from  the  city  of  New  York? 

A.  It  could  not  very  well  be  more  remote ;  it  is  geographically,  and 
morally,  and  politically  remote. 

3511.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  Judge  James  being  here  on  the  day  of  elec- 
tion, and  if  so,  for  what  purpose  ? 

A.  Judge  James  was  here  on  the  day  of  election,  and  I  believe  the  day 
before.  He  held  a  court  at  the  Metropolitan  Hotel.  I  had  official  notice 
of  the  fact  given  me  by  the  police  authorities  that  he  would  be  here  to 
issue  orders  of  arrest  and  to  issue  writs  of  habeas  corpus. 

3512.  Q.  In  pursuance  of  what  law  of  the  State  of  New  York  did  he 
come  here  to  hold  court  in  this  city  ? 

A.  There  is  no  law  allowing  him  to  do  so,  and  there  is  no  law  forbid- 
ding it.  It  is  probably  constitutional,  because  a  judge  of  the  supreme 
court  in  this  State  has  jurisdiction  everywhere  in  the  State ;  but  the 
practice  has  always  been  until  the  feuds  between  the  Central  railroad  and 
the  Erie  road,  and  the  last  election,  for  a  judge  never  to  execute  an  order 
out  of  his  own  district,  or  to  hold  court  out  of  his  own  district,  except  on 
the  request  of  the  judges  of  the  district  into  which  he  goes.  It  was 
regarded,  as  it  was  undoubtedly,  a  precautionary  selection  on  the  part  of 
the  minority  party  of  this  city.  They  only  possessed  one  magistrate  in 
the  whole  city,  Justice  Kelly ;  all  the  rest  were  democrats.  Justice  Kelly 
had  power  to  issue  orders  of  arrest,  but  not  writs  of  habeas  corpus.  Judge 
James  did  issue  several  orders  of  arrest,  of  which  I  afterwards  had  official 
notice,  and  the  papers  which  he  forwarded  to  me  I  sent  to  the  court  of 
special  sessions  for  action,  where  they  belonged.  He  issued  one  writ  of 
habeas  corpus,  and  under  that  discharged  an  inspector  of  election.  No 
notice  of  it  was  given  to  the  attorney  for  the  people,  and  consequently 
the  people  were  not  represented.  I  am  the  man  to  whom  notice  should 
have  been  given.  The  notice  should  be  preliminary  to  the  hearing,  and 
it  is  a  misdemeanor  for  a  judge  to  hear  a  writ  without  notice  to  the  party 
interested.    In  that  case  I  had  no  such  notice  before  the  hearing. 

2513.  Q.  State  whether  there  exists  in  the  laws  of  the  State  of  New 
York,  either  general  or  relating  to  this  county,  any  law  that  makes  it 
the  duty  of  the  superintendent  of  the  police  to  cause  to  be  made  a  census 
of  the  qualified  electors  of  this  city  prior  to  an  election  ? 


330  ELECTION   FRAUDS    IN   NEW   YORK. 


A.  There  is  no  such  law. 

3514.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  attempt  being  made  by  the  superin- 
tendent of  police,  prior  to  the  last  election,  to  have  such  a  census  taken? 

A.  There  was  an  order  issued  some  time  ago,  when  the  board  consisted 
of  three  republicans  to  one  democrat,  that  the  superintendent  should 
take  a  census  for  the  coming  election.  The  board  was  equally  divided 
at  the  last  election,  and  the  two  democrats  forbade  the  superintendent 
taking  the  census  on  the  ground  that  it  took  a  large  number  of  policemen 
from  their  duty,  but  he  claimed  to  act  under  the  prior  order,  which  was 
not  rescinded,  and  he  was  understood  to  have  taken  such  a  census. 

3515.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  that  order  for  the  census  was  regarded 
as  having  legal  validity  ? 

A.  Judge  Bosworth  and  Mr.  Brennan,  the  two  democratic  commission- 
ers, thought  that  a  prior  order  relating  to  one  election  could  not  be  under- 
stood as  applying  to  another  election,  without  new  action ;  Mr.  Acton 
and  Mr.  Mannerie  thought  it  did,  and  the  superintendent  went  under  his 
old  order. 

3516.  Q.  You  have  stated  that  there  is  no  law  giving  the  board  authority 
to  order  such  a  census  % 

A.  No,  sir. 

3517.  Q.  Do  you  know  as  a  matter  of  fact  how  that  census  was 
attempted  to  be  taken ! 

A.  Yes,  sir.  I  have  two  books  in  my  office  and  they  have  all  the  rest 
up  there.  One  or  more  policemen  were  detailed  to  map  out  each  election 
district,  and  to  go  from  house  to  house  and  ask  at  the  door,  who  lived  in 
the  house  over  21  years  of  age  ?  The  supposition  was  that  an  an  s wer  would 
be  given.  If  given,  it  was  taken  down,  and  if  refused,  that  was  stated. 
The  object  of  it  was  to  compare  it  with  the  register's  book  as  a  check. 
The  avowed  object  was  to  prevent,  and  if  carried  out  as  avowed  it  would 
decidedly  prevent,  fraud.  But  whoever  could  get  sight  of  these  books 
could  perpetrate  very  extensive  frauds  by  giving  assumed  names 
of  men  absent  from  the  city,  or  non-voters,  and  use  their  name  and 
residence  to  vote  on  illegally. 

3518.  Q.  Who  had  the  custody  of  these  books  after  they  were  made? 
A.  Practically,  this  year  the  superintendent  of  police  had  control  of 

them,  because  the  board  did  not  treat  them  as  records. 

3519.  Q.  From  your  knowledge  of  politics  in  this  city  for  the  last  ten 
years,  and  from  the  habits  of  persons  of  foreign  birth  in  procuring  natu- 
ralization, I  ask  you  to  state  whether  it  is  a  fact  or  not,  that  during  the 
years  of  the  war  such  persons,  in  a  greater  proportion  than  hitherto, 
declined  or  failed  to  become  citizens  of  the  United  States  ? 

A.  I  know  that  fact  as  a  citizen  and  as  an  official,  and  as  a  member  of 
committees  to  raise  troops  in  this  city.  I  know  that  both  parties  com- 
plained, especially  the  democratic  party,  of  the  abstaining  of  Germans 
and  Irishmen,  and  other  foreigners,  from  naturalizing,  lest  they  should  be 
subject  to  the  draft,  and  of  persons  destroying  their  naturalization  certifi- 
cates on  the  same  ground.  The  records  of  the  courts  will  show  that 
during  the  years  1862,  1863,  1864,  1865,  naturalizations  were  compara- 
tively few,  while  the  arrivals  at  this  port  in  the  few  years  previously  had 
been  very  great. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

3520.  Q.  You  say  that  the  democratic  members  of  the  police  board 
refused  to  make  an  order  to  require  the  superintendent  of  the  police  to 
cause  the  census  to  be  made  in  the  year  1868  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 


ELECTION   FRAUDS    IN   NEW   YORK.  331 

3521.  Q.  If  a  faithful  census  had  been  made  by  competent  officers, 
would  it  not  have  furnished  the  means  of  detecting  fraudulent  voting? 

A.  To  a  great  extent  it  would ;  and  yet  it  would  be  also  liable  to  per- 
version. 

3522.  Q.  If  it  was  kept  in  the  hands  of  proper  officers  ? 
A.  Of  non-partisan  officers. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

3523.  Q.  Or  of  honest  partisan  officers  % 

A.  That  would  be  a  very  singular  phrase  in  this  city  to  be  applied  to 
either  party. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

3524.  Q.  Using  that  phrase  in  that  very  peculiar  form,  is  it  possible  for 
there  to  be  an  honest  partisan  officer ! 

A.  I  mean  in  reference  to  keeping  the  custody  of  these  records.  I  do 
not  mean  to  say  that  there  cannot  be  absolutely  such  a  thing  as  an  hon- 
est partisan  officer,  but  I  mean  that  such  a  phrase  as  that  in  reference  to 
such  custody  would  be  very  queer  indeed.  It  would  be  a  queer  phrase 
to  use  in  relation  to  the  custody  of  such  papers,  to  expect  any  very  ben- 
eficial result  from  it. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

3525.  Q.  You  say  that  a  census  would  furnish  the  means  of  fraudulent 
voting  by  enabling  repeaters  to  vote  on  real  names,  or  aliases,  or  others 
not  entitled  to  vote.  Would  not  a  registration  containing  real  names  of 
bona  fide  residents  enable  repeaters  to  vote  upon  the  names  of  persons 
entitled  to  vote,  but  who  did  not  in  fact  vote,  especially  towards  the 
close  of  the  polls  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir.  It  is  proper  for  me  to  add,  that  the  obtaining  such  a 
registration  in  the  city  of  New  York  can  only  be  partial,  exceedingly 
partial ;  because  the  answer  is  not  obligatory,  and  persons  would  refuse 
to  answer.  With  all  these  immense  tenement  houses,  where  there  are 
perhaps  a  hundred  voters  living,  and  where  removals  within  a  few  days 
before  the  election  are  very  numerous,  such  a  registration  must  be  partial. 

3526.  Q.  Would  not  the  same  difficulty  apply  to  the  registry  laws  % 
A.  No,  sir ;  because  when  persons  come  to  register  at  their  new  resi- 
dence they  are  obliged  first  to  take  their  names  from  the  registry  at  their 
old  residence. 

3527.  Q.  How  many  police  officers  are  there  in  this  city  % 
A.  I  think  about  2,000. 

3528.  Q.  Is  that  a  competent  force  to  preserve  peace  and  order  ? 

A.  No,  sir,  it  ought  to  be  double ;  this  city  ought  to  have  4,000  police- 
men. 

3529.  Q.  Are  not  police  officers  charged  by  law  with  the  duty  of  pre- 
venting the  violation  of  the  election  laws  % 

A.  That  is  one  of  their  general  duties. 

3530.  Q.  Are  they  not  authorized  by  law,  as  a  necessary  incident  of 
that  power,  to  adopt  any  means  that  conduces  to  that  end  ? 

A.  No,  sir,  except  statutory  means. 

3531.  Q.  Do  you  say,  as  a  lawyer,  that  when  power  is  conferred  upon 
officers,  they  cannot  adopt  the  necessary  means  conducing  to  that  end  f 

A.  I  say  that  where  general  powers  are  conferred  upon  an  officer  in 
such  general  terms  as  "to  prevent  frauds  at  elections,"  they  can  only  do 
it  by  following  the  directions  or  implication  of  some  statute. 

3532.  Q.  In  the  case  of  such  a  statute,  is  it  not  an  implication  that 
the  officer  may  adopt  the  necessary  means  to  enable  him  to  accomplish 
the  purpose  which  he  is  authorized  to  accomplish  ? 


332  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

A.  Yes,  sir,  in  particular  cases  coining  under  his  personal  supervision. 
But  the  point  I  was  getting  at  is,  that  the  police  department  can  only, 
under  the  orders  to  prevent  fraud,  employ  legislative  means  of  prevent- 
ing fraud. 

3533.  Q.  Do  you  not  know  that  the  democratic  newspapers  and  some 
leading  democratic  politicians  publicly,  and  otherwise,  advised  the  peo- 
ple, and  especially  democrats,  not  to  furnish  the  names  of  persons  to 
the  police  force  engaged  in  taking  the  census  prior  to  the  last  election? 

A.  I  can  answer  that  very  pertinently,  by  saying  that,  as  a  democratic 
editor  and  a  democratic  politician,  I,  myself,  gave  such  advice  for  the 
reason  that  I  deemed  such  action  by  the  police  a  dangerous  precedent. 

3534.  Q.  Was  not  such  census  taken  a  year  ago  under  the  order  of  the 
police  board  % 

A.  Yes,  sir,  when  the  board  was  composed  of  three  republicans  to  one 
democrat ;  and  the  same  advice  was  given  then.  The  advice  was  also  given 
for  the  reason  that  we  considered  that  the  less  the  police  department  had  to 
do  with  political  machinery  of  any  kind  or  description  the  better ;  and  as 
a  party  we  had  deprecated  the  placing  of  the  election  machinery  of  the 
city  in  the  hands  of  the  police  board,  and  taking  it  away  from  the 
people. 

3535.  Q.  Do  you  know  the  reputation  of  Henry  E.  Davies,  John  K. 
Porter,  Henry  Hilton,  James  Emott,  and  William  Fullerton,  as  lawyers 
and  men  of  integrity  % 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  in  my  judgment  there  are  no  better  lawyers,  or  men  of 
more  integrity  in  the  city  of  New  York  than  those  gentlemen. 

3536.  Q.  State  if  they  gave  an  opinion  as  to  the  duty  of  an  inspector 
of  registry  and  election  % 

A.  Yes,  sir.  I  am  one  of  the  regular  counsel  to  the  board  of  police, 
and  Mr.  Kennedy  expressly  declined  to  refer  the  matters  embraced  in 
the  opinion  to  myself  or  my  partner,  Mr.  Vanderpoel,  because  we  were 
democrats.  He  said  he  would  take  the  opinion  of  lawyers  who  were 
republican. 

3537.  Q.  Will  you  produce  the  opinion  these  gentlemen  gave? 
A.  Yes,  sir.    The  opinion  is  as  follows : 

Attention  is  called  to  the  following  opinion,  signed  by  Henry  E.  Davies,  late  chief  justice    l 
of  the  court  of  appeals,  John  K.  Porter,  late  judge  of  the  court  of  appeals,  Henry  Hilton,     \ 
late  judge  of  the  court  of  common  pleas,  and  William  Fullerton  and  James  Emott,  late 
justices  of  the  supreme  court. 

New 'York,  October  28,  1868. 

Dear  Sir  :  We  have  examined  the  law  as  to  registry  and  flections,  and  have  arrived  at 
the  following  conclusions : 

First.  We  are  of  the  opinion  that  the  inspectors  of  registry,  commonly  called  the  registers, 
must  be  "satisfied  "  that  any  person  claiming  to  be  registered  is  a  legal  voter  in  the  district 
where  he  claims  to  be  registered,  and  in  seeking  to  satisfy  themselves  they  may  gather  evi- 
dence from  the  statements  of  the  applicant,  and  from  other  sources.  If,  either  from  an  exami- 
nation of  a  person  who  presents  to  them  a  paper  purporting  to  be  a  certificate  of  naturaliza- 
tion, or  from  other  evidence,  they  are  not  satisfied  that  the  applicant  is  the  person  to  whom 
the  certificate  was  issued,  or  are  not  satisfied  that  he  is  entitled  to  its  possession,  in  any  such 
case  it  is  the  duty  of  the  inspectors  to  refuse  to  register  such  persons. 

Second.  As  the  inspectors  must  be  :'  satisfied  "  of  the  right  of  the  applicant  to  be  registered, 
his  mere  claim  to  be  so  registered,  apart  from  his  oath  or  from  other  evidence,  does  not  in 
any  way  establish  his  right.  Inspectors  in  receiving  or  rejecting  names  act  quasi  judicially, 
and  must  act  fairly  upon  evidence  satisfactory  to  their  own  minds. 

Third.  We  are  of  the  opinion  that  the  oath  of  an  applicant  for  registry  is  not  conclusive 
as  to  his  right  to  be  registered,  and  that  consequently,  even  if  an  applicant  offers  to  take, 
and  does  take,  the  legal  oaths,  the  inspectors  should  still  refuse  to  register  him  if  from  evi- 
dence they  are  satisfied  that  he  is  not  a  legal  voter  within  the  election  district. 

Fourth.  We  are  of  the  opinion  that  no  mandamus  can  be  legally  issued  to  compel  an 
inspector  to  act  in  a  particular  manner  indicated  by  a  court  or  judge.     Inspectors  act  judi- 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  333 

cially  in  passing  upon  the  right  of  persons  to  be  registered  and  to  vote.  If  one  is  issued,  the 
inspectors  are  entitled  to  an  opportunity  to  consult  counsel  before  taking  any  action,  as  it  is 
to  be  presumed  that  it  has  been  improvidently  issued  by  the  court,  and  that  on  the  attention 
of  the  court  being  directed  to  the  facts  it  will  be  recalled.  Writs  of  peremptory  mandamus 
cannot  lawfully  be  issued  or  granted  ex  parte,  if  there  is  no  alternative  writ  in  the  first 
instance,  the  party  is  entitled  to  a  notice  or  order  to  show  cause,  and  to  be  heard  on  such 
notice.  If  any  order  were  granted  against  a  register,  on  such  application,  it  would  be  appeal- 
able and  should  be  carried  at  once  to  the  highest  court.  A  writ  of  peremptory  mandamus 
granted  without  notice  and  without  an  opportunity  to  oppose  it  is  entirely  void  ;  the  writ 
must  be  founded  on  proofs  and  allegations  of  fact  made  under  oath,  and  then  may  be  denied 
and  disproved  under  oath.  Inspectors  should,  therefore,  when  one  is  served  upon  them,  con- 
tinue to  perform  their  duties  and  send  for  counsel  to  advise  them.  We  should,  however,  add 
that,  in  our  opinion,  no  paper  which  shall  interrupt  the  proceedings  of  the  board  can,  if  issued, 
be  legally  served  while  the  inspectors  are  engaged  in  the  performance  of  their  duties,  and  that 
if  any  attempt  is  made  to  break  up  the  board,  or  to  interrupt  its  proceedings,  it  is  competent 
for  the  board,  with  the  concurrence  of  three  of  the  inspectors,  to  order  the  police  to  arrest 
the  person  so  interrupting,  and  the  police  are  bound  to  obey  such  order. 

Fifth.  We  are  of  the  opinion  that  no  name  can  be  placed  upon  the  registry  unless  three 
of  the  inspectors  are  present  and  all  three  concur  in  placing  it  there. 

Sixth.  We  are  of  the  opinion  that  no  register  who  in  good  faith  observes  the  provisions 
of  the  law  can  incur  any  responsibility,  either  civil  or  criminal,  even  though  he  may  honestly 
err  in  weighing  the  evidence  upon  any  application  for  registration. 

Seventh.  It  is  clear  that  registers  must  meet  at  8  o'clock  a.  m.  of  Friday  and  Saturday, 
October  30  and  October  31,  and  must  adjourn  at  9  o'clock  p.  m.  on  each  day.     They  cannot 
sit  beyond  that  hour  on  either  day. 
Your  obedient  servants, 

HENRY  E.  DAVIES, 
JOHN  K.  PORTER, 
HENRY  HILTON, 
WILLIAM    FULLERTON, 
JAMES  EMOTT. 
John  A.  Kennedy,  Esq.,  Superintendent. 

3538.  Q.  Who  is  Samuel  North? 

A.  Samuel  North  is  a  citizen  of  Chenango  county,  secretary  of  our 
democratic  State  committee  j  I  do  not  think  he  holds  any  office. 

3539.  Q,  State  if  he  was  arrested  by  the  military  authorities  during 
the  war;  and  if  so,  for  what,  and  how  long  he  was  held  in  custody  1 

A.  He  is  the  Samuel  North  who  was  arrested  during  the  progress  of 
the  presidential  election  of  18G4,  but  why  arrested  I  do  not  know. 

3540.  Q.  Was  it  by  the  military  authorities ? 

A.  That  is  a  nice  question.  I  believe  the  colonel  himself  claims  to 
profess  not  to  know  who  arrested  him,  why  he  was  arrested,  or  anything 
about  it. 

3541.  Q.  How  long  was  he  held  in  custody  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know,  but  my  impression  is  that  it  was  several  months ; 
and  my  impression  also  is  that  he  was  finally  discharged  without  trial. 

3542.  Q.  You  have  stated  that  a  bench  warrant  was  issued  for  the 
arrest  of  Wesley  Allen.  Do  you  know,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  whether  that 
warrant  ever  reached  the  hands  of  the  police  officer u? 

A.  I  know,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  that  the  party  to  whom  I  gave  the 
warrant  stated  to  me  that  it  had  been  left  at  the  station-house  at  which 
Captain  Miles  commands,  with  his  name  written  on  it;  and  after  the 
election  Captain  Miles  arrested  the  man. 

3543.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  it  reached  the  hands  of  Captain  Miles 
until  the  day  before  the  arrest  was  made  % 

A.  I  only  know  it  was  left  at  the  station-house  some  two  weeks  before 
the  election,  directed  to  him. 

3544.  Q.  Did  you  ever  call  the  attention  of  the  superintendent  of 
police,  Kennedy,  to  the  fact  that  this  warrant  had  been  issued  ! 

A.  I  do  not  know. 

3545.  Q.  Do  you  not  know  that  some  law  or  regulation  requires  that 


334  ELECTION    FRAUDS   IN    NEW   YORK. 

all  such  warrants  shall  first  pass  through  the  hands  of  the  superintendent 
of  police? 

A.  No,  sir ;  there  is  no  such  regulation,  and  there  could  be  no  such 
regulation.  The  law  of  the  State  is  that  any  police  officer  shall  execute  a 
warrant,  and  the  practice  of  my  office  for  seven  years,  unchallenged  by 
any  instructions  to  me  to  the  contrary,  has  been  to  send  them  to  the 
station-houses,  addressed  to  private  patrolmen,  sergeants,  and  captains; 
and  I  understand  the  discipline  of  the  force  requires  that  each  person 
shall  take  it,  unless  there  is  some  objection,  to  the  superintendent,  to 
get  his  orders. 

3546.  Q.  Did  you  cause  the  attention  of  the  superintendent  of  police 
to  be  called  to  the  fact  that  this  warrant  had  been  issued  ? 

A.  It  was  issued  in  the  ordinary  way,  as  we  issue  all  warrants  directed 
to  special  officers  who  take  an  interest  in  cases. 

3547.  Q.  At  this  meeting  of  the  democratic  inspectors  of  election,  did 
you  advise  that  when  a  person  had  a  certificate  of  naturalization,  it  was 
satisfactory  evidence  of  his  right  to  be  registered  as  a  voter? 

A.  As  conclusive,  if  they  had  no  doubt  it  had  the  seal  of  the  court 
and  the  signature  of  the  court. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

3548.  Q.  What  did  you  consider  the  necessity  of  giving  such  advice 
just  at  that  particular  time  ? 

A.  Because,  at  previous  elections,  so  much  trouble  and  difficulty  had 
aiisen  from  the  fact  that  it  required  the  concurrence  of  three  inspectors 
to  put  a  man's  name  on  the  registry ;  and,  therefore,  if  the  board  were 
to  vote  two  and  two,  it  did  not  go  on ;  and  the  board  is  divided  two  and 
two,  politically.  We  understood  instructions  were  given  to  the  repub- 
lican inspectors  to  object  to  all  naturalization  papers. 

3549.  Q.  At  what  date  was  this  meeting  held  ? 
A.  On  the  Sunday  afternoon  prior  to  the  election. 

3550.  Q.  Before  that  time,  had  there  not  been  a  great  deal  of  excite- 
ment in  the  city  in  reference  to  naturalization  papers  being  scattered 
round;  and  had  not  several  men  been  arrested  for  delivering  papers 
charged  to  have  been  fraudulently  obtained  I 

A.  There  had  been  two  arrests  made  by  the  United  States  marshal. 
I  know  of  no  others. 

3551.  Q.  Was  Eosenberg  one  of  them  ? 
A.  Yes ;  I  heard  he  was  one  of  them. 

3552.  Q.  This  meeting,  you  say,  had  no  connection  with  the  excite- 
ment in  regard  to  those  cases  at  all  ? 

A.  Not  the  slightest.  I  do  not  think  the  subject  was  referred  to, 
except,  1  believe,  a  reference  was  made  to  it  by  some  of  the  crowd,  and 
something  was  said  by  me  about  the  marshal  putting  up  a  stool-pigeon 
game  to  frighten  naturalized  citizens.    I  think  I  used  that  expression. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

3553.  Q.  Was  there  a  meeting  also  of  the  democratic  canvassers  ! 
A.  Yes,  sir.     I  produce  to  the  committee  the  circular  calling  that 

meeting,  and  the  ticket  of  admission  to  it. 

The  circular  and  ticket  produced  by  the  witness  are  as  follows : 

Rooms  of  Tammany  Hall  General  Committee, 

Neic  York,  October  28,  1868. 
Sir:  As  one  of  the  democratic  canvassers,  you  are  respectfully  and  urgently  invited  to 
meet  with  the  committee  appointed  by  the  Tammany  Hall  general  committee,  for  conference 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  335 

,  as  to  legal  rights,  in  the  main  hall  of  Tammany  Hall,  on  Sunday  next,  the  first  day  of  Nov- 
ember, at  three  o'clock  p.  m. 

The  enclosed  ticket  must  be  presented  at  the  door,  as  without  it  you  cannot  enter. 
Very  truly  yours, 

JOHN  FOX, 
GEORGE  H.  PURSER, 
A.  OAKEY  HALL, 

Committee. 

[Card,  with  "Tammany  Hall  "  on  one  side,  and  "Admit  the  bearer ;  November  1,  1868— 
3  p.  m.,"  on  the  other.] 

3554.  Q.  At  what  date  was  that  meeting  ? 

A.  The  canvassers  are  not  appointed  until  very  shortly  before  the 
election,  and  this  meeting  was  held  on  the  Sunday  afternoon  before  the 
election. 

3~)oo.  Q.  At  that  meeting  what  instructions  did  yon  give  to  the  demo- 
cratic canvassers  as  to  counting  the  votes  ? 

A.  I  read  them  the  statute  directing  that,  in  case  of  the  electoral  ticket 
for  President  and  Vice-President,  each  name  on  the  ticket  must  be  can- 
vassed, and  the  tickets  not  counted  as  a  Avhole.  One  of  my  objects  in 
calling  attention  to  that  fact  was  to  prolong  the  count  as  far  as  possible, 
so  that  the  interior  could  not  hear  from  the  city  of  Xew  York  as  early 
as  they  had  done  at  former  elections. 

oooti.  Q.  So  that  the  result  should  be  announced  as  late  as  possible  ! 

A.  Yes.  sir. 

3557.  Q.  Your  object,  then,  was  to  get  the  returns  from  the  country 
before  they  got  the  returns  from  Xew  York  \ 

A.  Ko;  our  object  was  to  prevent  their  getting  the  New  York  vote; 
it  was  nothing  to  us  to  get  their  vote,  except  as  we  opened  the  Mires  and 
made  them  send  their  vote. 

3558.  Q.  The  effect  of  it,  then,  was  that  you  would  get  the  vote  from 
the  country  before  they  could  get  the  vote  from  the  city  ? 

A.  That  would  be  one  effect. 

3559.  Q.  Was  there  a  change  in  that  respect  from  the  practice  of  for- 
mer years  f 

A.  No,  sir  :  no  change  in  the  practice,  except  to  some  extent.  I  have 
been  an  inspector  myself:  and  a  great  many  inspectors  would  always 
canvass  each  name  on  the  electoral  ticket.  Some  would  do  so  because 
there  are  always  bets  as  to  who  shall  run  highest  on  the  ticket,  and  who 
shall  run  the  lowest.  We  had  another  object  in  this,  and  that  was  we 
thought  the  vote  would  be  rather  close,  and  that  we  might  elect  some  of 
our  electors  and  might  not  elect  others.  The  tickets  are  not  always  cor- 
rectly printed.  It  often  happens  that  two  or  three  names  are  left  off  the 
ticket,  and  it  would  not  do,  therefore,  to  count  each  ticket  as  having 
upon  it  33  names,  when  it  might  only  have  30  or  31. 

3500.  Q.  As  soon  as  the  result  from  the  country  began  to  be  an- 
nounced in  the  city,  did  they  not  then  stop  canvassing  separate  names 
on  the  ticket,  and  count  them  as  a  whole? 

A.  No,  sir.  I  think  not.  As  I  understand  it,  the  superintendent  of 
police  arbitrarily  interfered  witli  the  sworn  canvassers  in  the  discharge 
of  their  duties,  and  directed  them  to  hurry  up  their  count. 

3561.  Q.  How  much  later  was  it  before  you  returned  the  result  in  this 
city  this  year  than  it  was  at  the  last  presidential  election  ? 

A.  It  was  about  three  hours  later  than  usual. 

3501*.  Q.  At  what  time  was  the  result  announced  in  the  city  ? 

A.  I  think  about  half-past  eight. 

3503.  How  much  of  the  State  had  you  heard  from  at  that  time! 

A.  We  had  heard,  I  guess,  from  jfbout  one-third  of  it. 


336  ELECTION   FRAUDS    IN   NEW   YORK. 


By  the  Chairman  : 

3564.  Q.  When  you  say  that  you  advised  the  democratic  canvassers  to 
canvass  all  the  names  of  electors,  in  the  electoral  vote  for  President  and 
Yice-President,  you  mean  that  the  name  of  each  elector  on  every  ticket ' 
was  to  be  read  over  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir,  agreeably  to  the  schedule  furnished  them,  on  which  sched- 
ule  was  the  name  of  every  elector. 

3565.  Q.  Does  the  law  prescribe  which  ballot-box  shall  be  opened  first  I 
and  counted  % 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  the  presidential  ballot-boxes. 
By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

3566.  Q.  Do  you  mean  to  say  that  by  half-past  eight  you  had  ascer- 1 
tained  the  vote  of  the  several  wards  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir,  I  think  the  full  result  was  in;  the  substantial  result  was1 
in  by  that  time,  and  the  polls  closed  at  six  minutes  before  five  o'clock. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

3567.  Q.  Do  you  not  know  that  the  practice  at  former  presidential 
elections  in  canvassing  the  electoral  vote  was  simply  to  count  each  ticket 
as  a  whole  without  reading  the  names  of  each  elector? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  it  had  been.  My  attention  was  first  called  to  this  matter 
in  1864,  when  the  result  was  very  close.  I  wish  to  disavow  the  remotest 
intention  on  our  part  of  in  any  way  advising  the  canvassers  in  the  city 
of  New  York  as  to  the  State  of  the  country  polls;  and  as  a  matter  of  fact 
I  state  that  no  one  single  canvasser  in  the  city  of  New  York  knew  what 
was  the  country  poll,  excepting  as  he  may  have  heard  it  was  announced 
at  Tammany  Hall  or  Cooper  Institute.  Allow  me  also  to  state  that  these 
meetings  of  inspectors  and  canvassers  are  not  unusual.  It  so  happens 
that  I  addressed  a  meeting  of  inspectors,  of  the  first  republican  party 
too,  of  which  I  was  a  member. 

3568.  Q.  Will  you  produce  to  the  committee  the  law  as  to  the  can- 
vassing of  the  electoral  votes  I 

A.  The  law  of  1855,  chapter  513,  provides  for  the  canvass  in  the  State 
of  New  York,  and  the  order  in  which  they  shall  be  canvassed;  amended 
in  1856  by  chapter  79.  The  law  in  relation  to  electors  is  in  First  Revised 
Statutes,  page  435.     It  is  as  follows  : 

And  the  result,  being-  found,  the  inspectors  shall  surely  attach  to  a  statement  of  such 
canvass  one  ballot  of  each  kind,  found  to  have  been  given  for  the  officers  to  be  chosen  at  such 
election,  any  or  either  of  them,  except  those  given  for  electors  of  President  or  Vice-Presi- 
dent. *  *  *  *  ****** 

When  the  electors  of  President  and  Vice-President  shall  be  chosen  at  any  election,  the 
inspectors  shall  make  a  separate  canvass  and  statementof  the  votes  given,  and  for  electors 
in  the  order  prescribed  in  the  last  preceediug  section. 

Will  you  allow  me  to  add  also  that  at  the  meeting  of  inspectors  I  sub- 
mitted to  them  the  opinion  of  the  attorney  general  of  the  State,  which 
I  now  present  to  the  committee. 

The  following  is  the  paper  presented : 

Opinion  of  the  attorney  general  on  the  duties  of  boards  of  registry  and  inspection. 

The.  attorney  general  of  this  State  having  been  interrogated  as  to  the  duty  of  boards  of 
registry  and  inspection,  answers  under  date  of  October  19,  as  follows  : 

State  of  New  York,  Attorney  General's  Office, 

Albany,  Octobtr  19,  1868. 
Gentlemen  :  Absence  from  the  city  has  prevented  me  from  answering  the  inquiries  con- 
tained in  your  letter  of  September  30  until  the  present  moment. 

The  law  does  not  require  a  naturalized  citizen  in  any  case  to  present  his  certificate  of  nat- 
uralization to  tho  board  of  inspectors  on  offering  his  vote  on  election  day.     Such  board  has 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  o37 

no  legal  authority  to  require  it.  On  offering  his  vote,  if  challenged,  he  is  only  required  to 
take,  first,  the  preliminary  oath,  and  answer  all  questions  authorized  to  be  put  to  him  under 
that  oath.  It  is  immaterial  as  to  his  ultimate  right  to  vote,  how  he  answers  such  questions,  if 
he  does  not  refuse  to  answer  such.  He  is,  although  the  challenge  be  not  withdrawn,  still 
entitled  to  vote,  if  he  Avill  take,  secoud,  the  general  oath,  which  must  be  administered;  and 
his  vote  cannot,  on  taking  such  oath,  for  any  cause  be  rejected. 

The  object  of  the  preliminary  oath  is  to  elicit  facts  upon  which  the  person  offering  his  vote 
may  be  advised  as  to  his  rights.  But  such  advice  is  not  controlling.  The  right  is  with  the 
elector,  to  judge  of  his  own  qualifications  as  a  voter ;  and  if  he  is  willing  to  take  the  general 
oath  his  vote  must  be  received  by  the  board. 

The  board,  when  met  to  make  registration  of  voters,  have  a  right  to  require  the  produc- 
tion of  the  naturalization  papers  of  a  naturalized  citizen  offering  himself  for  registry.  You 
ask  "if  the  inspectors  have  the  right  arbitrarily  to  reject  the  voter  because  of  a  mere  suspi- 
cion that  the  papers  were  wrong  ?  "  If  the  papers  are  in  form  and  have  the  signature  of 
the  clerk  and  the  seal  of  the  court  impressed,  I  am  of  opinion  that  the  board  has  no  legal 
power  to  disregard  them. 

If  they  should  assume  that  the  papers  were  spurious  in  any  case  and  reject  them,  and 
refuse  to  register  the  name,  they  would  do  so  at  their  peril  and  render  themselves  liable,  if 
the  person  rejected  was  a  legal  voter. 

It  is  very  difficult  to  imagine  a  case  in  which  it  would  be  a  prudent  or  a  proper  exercise  of 
official  duty  to  do  so 

The  principle  is  fundamental,  as  applied  to  all  judicial  proceedings,  that  the  seal  of  the 
court  hem  which  the  record  emanates  implies  the  absolute  verity  of  the  record  and  makes  it 
conclusive. 

A  certificate  of  naturalization  under  the  seal  of  a  court  of  competent  jurisdiction  I  do  not 
believe  can  be  disregarded  at  the  mere  caprice  of  the  board  ;  and  it  would  be  an  arbitrary 
and  illegal  exercise  of  power  to  assume  that  the  seal  so  impressed  was  forged  or  surrepti- 
tiously affixed. 

Kespectfuilv,  yours, 

M.  B.  OHAMPLAIN, 

Attorney  General . 

Messrs.  NORTON  and  MoNTANGE. 

New  York,  January  2,  1860. 
John  II.  McOunn  sworn  and  examined,  (at  the  instance  of  Mr.  Kerr.) 

By  Mr.  Kerr: 
XM).  Question.  What  is  your  official  position? 

Answer.  I  am  at  present  one  of  the  judges  of  the  superior  court  of 
tli is  city. 

3570.  Q.  Were  you  one  of  the  judges  of  the  court  during  the  year 
of  1868? 

A.  Yes;  I  have  been  one  of  its  judges  for  the  last  five  years. 

3571.  Q.  Who  were  your  associates  during  the  year? 

A.  Chief  Justice  Robertson,  now  deceased,  Judge  Garvin,  Judge 
Morell,  Judge  Barber,  and  Judge  Jones. 

3572.  Q.  Is  your  court  a  court  of  record,  that  has  power  to  naturalize 
persons  of  foreign  birth  ! 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

3573.  Q.  It  has  appeared  in  evidence  here  that  during  the  month  of 
October  last,  from  the  1st  to  the  23d,  inclusive,  a  number  of  persons 
were  naturalized  in  the  superior  court  of  the  city  and  county  of  New 
York.  I  hand  you  a  statement  of  the  numbers  naturalized  upon  each 
lay  during  that  month,  as  furnished  by  the  clerk  of  that  court,  and  I 
isk  you  to  detail  to  the  committee,  in  your  own  way,  somewhat  speci- 
ically,  the  manner  in  which  this  naturalization  was  conducted  in  your 
'ourt,  and,  so  far  as  you  know,  in  the  court  when  held  by  any  one  of 
voivr  associates. 

A.  Judge  Garvin  and  myself  were  the  principal  judges  engaged  in 
naturalization.  I  always  took  my  seat  at  12  o'clock,  and  sometimes 
>efore  12,  and  we  pursued  the  ordinary  course  pursued  in  the  court  from 
he  time  that  I  first  knew  it.  Judge  Garvin  sat  from  the  time  the  court 
vas  opened  in -the  morning,  about  10  o'clock,  until  12  o'clock,  and  I 


T 


338  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

would  then  relieve  liiin.  I  sat  one  night  until  11  or  12  o'clock.  It  wa^ 
a  night  when  we  were  very  much  pressed,  and  I  desired  to  afford  even 
facility  to  those  who  were  clamoring  for  their  papers. 

3574.  Q.  Begin  at  the  time  when  an  applicant  came  into  your  court' 
room,  and  state  how  you  transacted  this  business,  step  by  step. 

A.  Well,  the  paper  was  made  out  by  the  clerk  of  the  court,  or  b^ 
some  one.  The  applicant  himself,  with  his  paper  already  made  out) 
came  in  and  presented  it  to  the  court,  and  the  applicant  for  the  right  oi 
citizenship  and  his  witness  were  both  sworn  together,  and  then  the,) 
passed  along  to  the  clerk  who  administered  the  oath  of  citizenship 
to  the  man  claiming  the  boon  of  citizenship. 

3575.  Q.  The  oath  of  citizenship  was  not  administered  by  the  courts 
.    A.  O,  yes;  in  the  presence  of  the  court. 

3576.  Q.  Then  you  did  not  know  the  origin  of  the  applications? 

A.  We  did  not  as  a  rule.  They  can  come  in  almost  any  form;  tii(\V 
have  printed  forms,  the  only  forms  in  fact  that  we  have  ever  acted  upon 
but  they  can  bring  the  application  in  a  written  form. 

3577.  Q.  State  with  what  particularity  and  care,  during  those  hurriei 
days,  you  were  in  the  habit  of  examining  parties  and  their  witnesses. 

A.  O,  we  were  very  careful;  I  was  very  careful,  and  so  was  Judg< 
Garvin. 

3578.  Q.  What  was  the  usual  course? 

A.  The  applicant  and  his  Avitness  were  brought  up  before  me  am 
sworn.  First  I  would  put  the  ordinary  questions  to  the  person  applying 
for  his  papers,  to  see  whether  he  was  a  proper  and  lit  subject  for  receiy] 
ing  the  rights  of  citizenship.  After  examining  the  applicant  himself,  j 
would  then  examine  the  witness,  to  know  how  long  he  had  known  the 
man  in  this  country.  That  was  done  very  speedily,  of  course.  Whei 
we  have  our  Park  filled  with  x>ersons  who  are  endeavoring  to  get  ; 
chance  to  exercise  the  right  to  vote  upon  such  an  occasion  as  a  presi 
dential  election,  of  course,  it  cannot  be  expected  we  would  take  tha 
time  that  would  be  taken  if  there  were  only  two  or  three  applicants  s 
day.  Very  few  applications  for  citizenship  had  been  made  in  our  com 
from  the  time  the  war  began  until  the  present  time,  comparative]; 
speaking. 

3579.  Q.  In  the  course  of  your  administration  of  this  duty,  did  yoi 
confer  the  right  of  citizenship  upon  nearly  all  who  applied  for  it? 

A.  No,  sir;  a  large  proportion  of  these  I  rejected. 

3580.  Q.  What  did  you  do  when  you  rejected  a  man0? 
A.  I  would  tear  up  the  papers,  so  that  the  papers  could  not  again  get 

before  another  judge,  and  throw  the  pieces  at  my  feet. 

3581.  Q.  Did  you  dispose  in  that  way  of  any  considerable  number?  i 
A.  I  may  have  rejected,  (and  I  am  quite  sure  that  Judge  Garvin  di(l| 

for  I  was  on  the  bench  with  him  when  he  was  naturalizing ;  before  hii 
hour  was  up,)  at  the  lowest  calculation,  from  five  to  ten  per  cent. 

3582.  Q.  State  to  the  committee  whether,  in  the  time  you  were  givim 
to  that  business,  you  had  an  opportunity  of  detecting  the  fact  that  A 
B,  for  instance,  was  coming  in  there  as  a  witness  for  half  a  dozen  per| 
sons  or  for  a  dozen. 

A.  Yes,  sir,  I  saw  many  such,  and  when  I  caught  a  man  at  that  onc<j 
I  never  would  receive  his  application  again.     I  can  retain  faces  in  in 
memory  as  long  as  any  other  x>erson  of  my  age.     I  quickly  detected  thesj 
persons,  and  not  only  that,  but  I  put  them  under  arrest  when  I  foiun 
them  coming  back  a  second  time. 

3583.  Q.  Where  did  you  hold  your  court  during  the  time  you  wer 
doing  this  business? 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  339 

A.  Principally  in  the  superior  court  room.  There  were  two  or  three 
evenings  when  there  was  a  great  press,  and  when  four  judges  were  sit- 
ting, that  I  held  court  in  the  board  of  councilmen  room ;  at  other  times 
I  sat  in  the  superior  court  room. 

3584.  Q.  During  all  this  time  where  was  the  clerk:s  office,  with  refer- 
ence to  the  place  where  you  sat  and  did  business  ? 

A.  Immediately  upon  my  right. 

3585.  Q.  Where  were  Mr.  Meeks  and  Mr.  Sweeney? 

A.  Their  offices  were  in  the  old  City  Hall,  and  our  court-rooms  are  in 
the  brown  stone  building  on  Chambers  street. 

3586.  Q.  How  many  clerks  did  you  generally  have  in  the  court-room'? 
A.  Two,  one  upon  each  side  of  me. 

3587.  Q.  What  were  their  duties  ? 

A.  One  was  to  swear  the  applicants  and  their  witnesses,  and  to  help 
me  in  detecting  frauds  that  might  be  attempted  to  be  perpetrated.  I 
never  administered  the  oath  unless  the  principal  and  the  witness  were 
together,  and  my  positive  instructions  to  the  clerks  were  not  to  deliver 
any  papers  to  a  human  being  but  the  person  applying  for  the  right  to 
be  a  citizen. 

3588.  Q.  Did  you  ever  administer  the  oath  of  citizenship  to  any  per- 
sons in  squads  or  singly  who  were  outside  of  your  court-room  % 

A.  Never  in  my  life,  nor  to  squads  in  the  court-room.  I  would  be  a 
foolish  man,  Avhen  we  have  such  splendid  honest  material  there  to  make 
citizens  out  of,  and  who  deemed  it  an  honor  to  become  such,  to  resort 
to  anything  that  wras  tricky  or  mean  or  contemptible. 

3589.  Q.  Do  you  believe,  from  your  knowledge  of  the  circumstances 
and  the  surroundings  of  those  rooms,  it  to  have  been  possible  that  at 
any  time  any  number  of  persons  could  have  come  into  your  court-room, 
and  could  there,  under  any  pretext  or  by  any  trick  or  device,  have  gone 
through  the  process  of  naturalization  without  themselves  having  been 
personally  present  before  you  % 

A.  I  should  think  not.  They  could  not  do  it  a  second  time  before  me, 
and  I  do  not  think  they  could  the  first  time.  Two  strangers  might  come 
in  with  their  papers  made  out,  and  might  swear  to  them,  and  might  go 
through  ail  the  examination,  but  they  would  have  to  be  very  skilled  men 
to  do  it. 

3590.  Q.  Suppose  that  ten  men  should  come  up  here  now  and  swear 
that  they  had  each  been  naturalized  in  the  superior  court  presided  over 
by  Judge  McCunn,  in  the  city  and  county  of  New  York,  without  them- 
selves having  been  inside  his  court-room'? 

A.  They  would  be  liars  of  the  first  water,  or  perhaps  I  had  better 
modify  that,  and  say  that  it  would  be  impossible,  unless  they  were  more 
than  human. 

3591.  Q.  You  made  it  a  rule,  then,  absolutely  to  have  or  to  suppose 
that  you  had,  all  persons  applying  for  naturalization  in  their  own  proper 
person  before  you  with  their  witnesses? 

A.  Yes,  sir,  in  every  instance. 

359^.  Q.  How  did  you  indicate  to  the  clerks  whose  duty  it  was  to  hand 
to  the  applicants  their  final  certificates  the  fact  that  you  had  passed  upon 
their  applications  % 

A.  I  signed  my  initials  to  the  application  and  handed  it  to  an  officer, 
and  the  officer  passed  it  to  the  clerk,  and  the  clerk  swore  in  the  appli- 
cant awd  directed  him  to  go  to  the  clerk's  office  and  get  his  certificate  of 
citizenship. 

3593.  Q.  Look  at  the  application  of  Daniel  Sullivan  and  state  whether 
the  order  for  the  certificate  to  issue  in  that  case  was  signed  by  you,  and 
if  so,  how. 


340  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

A.  It  was  signed  by  me  ;  these  are  my  genuine  initials ;  that  is  the 
way  in  which  I  have  been  in  the  habit  of  making  the  order  since  I  have 
been  upon  the  bench,  and  I  believe  it  is  the  way  in  which  all  my  associ- 
ates do  it. 

3594.  Q.  Are  you  aware  of  a  similar  practice  prevailing  in  the  other 
courts  of  record  here  $ 

A.  I  do  not  know.  I  know  that  when  1  was  naturalized  myself,  twenty- 
three  years  since,  that  was  the  rule. 

3595.  Q.  Look  at  the  application  of  Michael  Kerwin,  and  state  if  that 
is  your  signature  upon  it. 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  remember  that  man,  Kerwin  ;  and  1  remember  Sullivan 
also. 

3596.  Q.  Look  at  the  application  of  Maximilian  Beck,  and  state  if 
your  signature  to  that  is  genuine. 

A.  I  think  it  is. 

3597.  Q.  Examine  the  paper  and  stale  whether,  in  you  judgment, 
these  several  names  (not  yours  and  the  clerk's,  but  the  other  names) 
are  not  all  executed  by  the  same  hand. 

A.  They  appear  to  be  all  the  same,  but  in  such  a  ease  1  would  subject 
all  the  parties  to  a  severe  cross-examination.  When  J  found  papers  like 
these  in  the  same  handwriting,  I  would  ask  the  applicant  for  citizen- 
ship, and  his  witness  if  the  signatures  were  theirs,  and  if  they  said  they 
were,  I  took  it  for  granted  that  it  A\as  true.  The  initials  upon  this  paper 
of  Maximilian  Beck  do  not  look  like  my  signature,  but  they  may  have 
been  signed  by  me  with  a  new  pen. 

3598.  Q.  It  appears  that  on  the  14th  day  of  Oetober  there  were 
naturalized  in  the  superior  court  2,109  persons  ;  can  you  tell  about  how 
long  you  and  your  associates,  who  sat  at  all  on  that  day,  were  ii:  ses- 
sion ? 

•  A.  Yes;  1  can  tell  you  all  about  that  day.  Judge  Garvin  came  down 
that  morning  early  and  opened  his  branch  of  the  court.  He  stated  to 
me  the  night  before  that  there  was  a  very  great  pressure  of  people  to 
get  their  papers,  and  that  I  had  better  come  down  early  and  open 
another  branch  of  the  court.  I  came  down  the  next  morning  abotit  10 
o'clock  and  opened  another  branch  of  the  court  on  the  same  floor.  The 
courtroom  was  crowded  to  suffocation,  and  my  doing  so  did  not  seem 
to  relieve  the  court  at  all.  Judge  Barber  was  up  stairs  holding  another 
branch  of  the  court  in  the  general  term  room,  and  Judge  Jones  was  also 
holding  court  in  the  little  special  term  room,  so  that  upon  that  day  we 
had  four  judges  naturalizing.  I  sat  that  night  later  than  on  any  other 
night ;  I  felt  it  my  duty  to  do  so  ;  I  look  upon  the  boon  of  citizenship , 
as  a  very  great  boon  ;  and  I  have  no  doubt  that  those  applying  for  it 
look  upon  it  in  the  same  light. 

3599.  Q.  How  late  did  you  sit  that  night  .' 
A.  1  think  till  after  11  o'clock. 

3000.  Q.  Do  you  know  how  long  the  other  judges  sat  ? 

A.  1  think  I  can  tell  you.     Judge  Garvin  was  worn  out,  1  think,  about 

I  o'clock  in  the  day.     He  had  come  down  there  very  early.    Judge, 
Jones  I  think  sat  till  about  2  o'clock,  and  Judge  Barber  until  about  the 
same  hour,  until  they  broke  the  pressure.     I  remained  in  session  until 

I I  at  night. 

3601.  Q.  Do  you  recollect  the  date  of  the  institution  of  the  proceed 
ings  against  Rosenberg  ? 

A.  I  do  not.     ]  recollect  that!  refused  men  coming  from  there  as  wit- 
nesses repeatedly — men  who  1  supposed  were  connected  with  that  office. 

3602.  Q.  From  the  5th  to  the  13th  of  October,  inclusive,  there  were 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  341 


xoni  1,425  to  1,868  persons  naturalized  in  a  day — state  whether  you 
!iave  any  distinct  recollection  of  the  number  of  judges  who  co-operated 
n  the  business  of  naturalization  upon  those  days. 

A.  No :  I  cannot  tell ;  one  day  we  had  live  judges  sitting,  and  I 
>elieve  I  forgot  to  mention  that  Chief  Justice  Eobertson  naturalized 
;ome  persons  on  the  14th  ;  as  a  general  thing  he  did  not  do  much  of  that 
vork.  He  was  an  old  man  and  we  tried  to  keep  the  rough  work  of  the 
>rofession  away  from  him. 

3603.  Q.  Did  you  at  any  time  during  this  business  exclude  the  public 
rom  the  room  in  which  you  were  doing  it ! 

A.  Never.     On  the  contrary,  when  a  reporter  for  the  press  came  in, 

always  offered  him   every  facility  in  the  world.     We  were  doing  this 

laturalization  honestly  and  properly,  and  we  did  not  care  for  the  world 

teeing  us.     When  I  saw  it  charged  in  the  papers  that  we  had  excluded 

;ome  reporters,  I  felt  very  indignant  indeed. 

3604.  Q.  Do  you  know  anything  about  a  visit  made  to  New  York  by 
fudge  James,  a  non-resident  judge  of  the  supreme  court  of  this  State! 

A.  I  will  state  all  I  know  about  it.  Since  I  have  had  the  honor  to  be 
,  judge  of  the  superior  court  I  have  refrained  from  interfering  actively 
a  elections,  and  I  have  remained  at  home  after  voting.  This  year  I 
oted  early,  and  then  returned  to  my  home  and  stayed  there.  While  at 
tome  I  was  called  for  by  some  of  my  servants,  stating  that  some  men 
ranted  to  see  me.  I  called  them  up  in  my  library,  and  they  told  me  that 
i  man  by  the  name  of  McLoughlin — I  may  be  mistaken  in  the  name,  but 
le  was  an  Irishman — had  been  arrested,  and  they  stated  the  facts  attend- 
ng  his  arrest  in  a  very  concise  way.  They  said  that  a  certain  judge  was 
staying  at  the  Metropolitan  Hotel,  and  that  this  man  had  been  taken 
here  and  was  about  to  be  sent  somewhere  else.  I  said  I  knew  Judge 
lames  and  knew  him  to  be  a  good-hearted  man,  who  would  not  perpe- 
rate  any  wrong  against  even  the  humblest  citizen,  and  that  I  would  go 
mcl  see  him.  I  went  down  to  the  Metropolitan  Hotel  and  inquired  for 
ludge  James,  and  they  told  me  he  was  up-stairs,  I  think  in  room  No.  101. 

went  upstairs  to  that  room  and  knocked  at  the  door,  and  some  person 
»pened  the  door  and  saw  who  was  there,  because  I  am  as  well  known 
iere  as  the  town  pump.  He  announced  the  fact  inside,  and  I  suppose 
udge  James  permitted  me  to  enter.  I  did  so,  and  represented  to  Judge 
ames  what  I  supposed  was  the  correct  theory  of  this  arrest.  This  man 
ieLoughlin,  if  that  was  his  name,  had  moved  from  the  district  in  which 
e  lived  into  another  district,  or  his  district  had  been  divided  and  he 
as  uncertain  in  which  district  he  ought  to  vote.  He  inquired  of  the 
ispectors  in  which  district  he  shoidd  vote,  and  they  told  him  in  such 
ad  such  a  district.  He  voted  in  that  district  and  left  the  polling  booth 
>  go  elsewhere,  and  he  was  arrested  and  brought  down  for  voting  in  an 
aproper  district.  The  man  had  not  voted  before,  and  had  only  voted 
ice  and  in  that  district.  I  stated  these  facts  to  Judge  James,  and  he 
lid  at  once  that  the  man  must  be  liberated,  and  he  did  liberate  him. 
■Idle  I  was  there  one  of  my  constituents,  no  doubt,  was  brought  in,  and 
3  said,  "  Judge,  I  am  not  guilty  in  this  matter  at  all." 

3605.  Q.  Was  he  an  Irishman  }. 

A.  No,  sir;  he  was  a  native  and  ••  to  the  manor  born."  but  he  knew  me 
Ty  well.  He  said,  "  I  am  not  guilty,  and  if  his  honor  will  send  a  police 
Beer  with  me  I  will  convince  him  that  I  am  not  guilty.*7  I  repeated 
hat  he  had  said  to  me  to  Judge  James,  and  Judge  James  felt  inclined 
send  an  officer  with  him,  but  Mr.  Jay  was  there  and  Mr.  Bliss  and 
ulge  Hilton,  and  others  (as  Charles  Lamb  would  say)  "  who  did  not 
dong  to  us,"  and  the  judge  finally  said  that  he  could  not  afford  time  for 


342  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

a  police  officer  to  go  with  the  man.  I  then  said,  "  I  shall  feel  it  incum" 
bent  upon  me,  if  application  is  made  to  me,  to  issue  a  writ  for  this  man? 
to  get  him  out,"  and  I  left;  and  I  think  Judge  James  left  immediately 
after.  That  night  or  the  next  morning  I  issued  a  writ  to  bring  up  all 
Judge  James's  prisoners  before  me,  and,  after  notifying  him  at  the  place 
where  he  had  been  and  ascertaining  that  he  had  left  for  parts  unknown, 
I  discharged  the  squad  arrested  by  him  that  day — and  that  ended  the 
matter.  I  would  say,  in  explanation,  that  I  know  Judge  James  to  he  a 
pure  and  high-minded  man. 

By  the  Chairman: 
3G0G.  Q.  You  have  spoken  of  a  squad  having  been  arrested  by  liirn  5 
do  you  mean  that  he  arrested  or  ordered  many  men  to  be  arrested"? 
A.  They  were  arrested  under  his  warrants  as  a  magistrate. 

3007.  Q.  Was  he  authorized  to  issue  such  warrants? 
A.  O,  yes;  we  are  all  magistrates. 

3008.  Q.  Were  you  present  when  Judge  James  released  an  election 
officer  named  S.  S.  Urmy  ? 

A.  I  was  there  when  some  man  was  released.     Some  application  was  1 
made  while  I  was  there,  but  I  paid  no  attention  to  it ;  I  was  chatting 
with  Mr.  Jay  and  Judge  Hilton. 

3009.  Q.  From  what  you  heard  and  saw,  was  the  release  properly  made?  i 
A.  Well,  I  cannot  speak  of  the  release  at  all. 

3010.  Q.  Has  a  judge  power  to  discharge  upon  a  habeas  corpus  ? 
A.  He  has  power  to  inquire  and  discharge  for  proper  reasons. 

3011.  Q.  When  an  application  is  made  in  proper  form,  does  a  judge 
have  power  to  discharge  upon  habeas  corpus  without  giving  notice  to  the 
district  attorney  ? 

A.  Yes,  I  think  he  is  bound  bylaw  to  give  notice1  to  the  district  attor- 
ney of  his  county;  the. statute  requires  it. 

3012.  Q.  Suppose  the  district  attorney  is  not  to  be  found,  is  the  man 
to  be  kept  in  custody  ? 

A.  No;  but  the  statute  provides  for  the  means  of  serving  the  notice; 
it  declares  explicitly  that  there  shall  be  written  notice  served  upon  the 
district  attorney,  and  the  service  of  the  paper  is  regulated  by  the  statute. 

3013.  Q.  Is  the  man  to  be  kept  in  custody  two  days  before  he  can  have 
a  hearing? 

A.  I  think  not.  I  have  always  been  inclined  to  stretch  the  rule  against 
that  law,  and  I  am  one  of  the  magistrates  of  this  city  who  have  done 
that.  Sometimes,  when  I  find  a  man  really  in  distress  and  an  innocent 
man,  I  stretch  the  law  and  let  him  go.  I  think  the  rule  of  law  not 
imperative  on  the  judge. 

3014.  Q.  Do  you  recollect  naturalizing  in  your  court,  on  the  7th  of  I 
October,  1808,  Daniel  Sullivan? 

A.  I  think  I  do.  I  see  my  initials  to  his  paper,  and  I  have  no  doubt 
at  all  that  he  underwent  a  strict  cross-examination.  I  think  I  remember  1 
the  instance. 

3015.  Q.  Do  you  remember  naturalizing  Maximilian  Beck  in  your  court 
on  the  12th  of  October? 

A.  1  remember  a  man  by  the  name  of  Beck,  whom  I  refused  to  natu- 
ralize, but  I  am  inclined  to  think  I  naturalized  this  man ;  I  think  these; 
are  my  initials  upon  his  paper,  although  the  signature  is  not  my  ordinary! 
one. 

3010.  Q.  Do  you  remember  naturalizing  Michael  Kerwin  on  the  16th 
of  October? 

A.  I  think  i  do.    In  every  case  where  I  found  the  parties  had  not 


ELECTION  FKAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  343 

signed  the  papers  themselves,  but  had  made  their  crosses  or  marks,  I 
paid  particular  attention  to  a  strict  examination. 

3617.  Q.  Do  you  remember  naturalizing  in  your  court,  on  the  8th  of 
October,  Joseph  Rush  ? 

A.  Not  without  looking  at  the  paper. 

3018.  Q.  Do  you  remember  naturalizing  in  your  court,  on  the  25th  of 
October,  James  Montgomery  and  John  Wallace? 

A.  The  names  are  familiar,  but  I  do  not  know  without  looking  at  the 
papers. 

3019.  Q.  Are  you  personally  acquainted  with  a  man  by  the  name  of 
Daniel  Sullivan? 

A.  O,  yes,  and  half  a  dozen  of  them. 

3020.  Q.  Where  does  he  live? 
A.  Well,  I  cannot  tell  you. 

3(?21.  Q.  Hoav  long  have  you  known  him? 

A.  I  have  known  one  Sullivan  for  27  years. 

3622.  Q.  Are  you  personally  acquainted  with  Michael  Kerwin? 

A.  I  do  not  remember.  I  know  plenty  of  Kerwins ;  one  of  them  is  a 
reporter  and  a  friend  of  mine.  I  remember  naturalizing  a  man  by  the 
name  of  Kerwin,  from  the  reason  that  I  have  known  a  man  who  is  a 
newspaper  reporter  by  the  name  of  Kerwin. 

3023.  Q.  Of  what  country  are  you  a  native  ? 

A.  I  am  an  Irishman  from  the  ends  of  my  hair  to  my  toe-nails. 

3024.  Q.  How  long  have  you  been  in  the  United  States? 
A.  Since  1843. 

3G25.  Q.  Do  you  know  Maximilian  Beck  personally? 

A.  The  name  is  familiar  to  me.  I  rejected  a  man  by  the  name  of  Beck, 
and  that  has  stamped  the  name  on  my  mind.  Whether  this  Maximilian 
Beck  is  the  one  I  rejected,  or  not,  1  cannot  tell.  I  am  inclined  to  think 
that  I  naturalized  this  man,  from  my  signature  to  the  paper. 

3626.  Q.  Do  you  say  that  you  rejected  from  5  to  10  per  cent,  of  the 
applications  made? 

A.  At  least  that. 

3627.  Q.  Were  from  5  to  10  per  cent,  of  the  applications  made  by  per- 
sons who,  from  evidence  you  had  before  you,  were  not  entitled  to  natu- 
ralization ? 

A.  They  were  made  by  persons  who  supposed  themselves  entitled  to 
naturalization  and  were  not.  I  will  tell  you  how  it  was.  Witnesses 
would  come  up  for  the  purpose  of  testifying  they  had  known  applicants  for 
two  or  three  years  before  the  application  was  made,  but  it  would  .turn  out 
in  the  cross-examination  that  they  did  not  know  the  parties  long  enough. 
They  supposed,  being  ignorant  persons,  that  they  had  known  them  long 
enough,  but  upon  close  examination  it  would  turn  out  that  they  had  not, 
and  the  principal  part  of  the  refusals  and  of  the  papers  being  rejected 
was  on  that  account.  The  man  applying  for  the  papers  might  have  been 
long  enough  in  the  country,  still  the  witness  would  not  have  known  him 
long  enough,  and  I  would  get  out  of  patience  and  tear  their  papers  up 
and  tell  them  to  pass  along,  because  they  were  consuming  time  that  was 
valuable. 

3628.  Q.  What  proportion  of  the  persons  naturalized  did  you  know 
personally? 

A.  O,  a  great  many ;  I  have  a  wonderful  recollection  of  faces,  and  I 
am  pretty  well  known  here  among  my  own  people  and  among  the  Ger- 
mans, and  we  naturalized  a  great  many  Germans. 

3629.  Q.  Were  a  great  many  naturalized  whom  you  did  not  know? 
A.  Of  course,  a  vast  number;  but  I  knew  a  great  many. 


344  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW   YORK. 

2630.  Was  it  the  case  that,  if  you  did  not  know  them,  when  they  came 
up  presenting  themselves  as  applicants  by  given  names,  you  took  it  for 
granted  they  were  the  men  they  represented  themselves  to  be? 

A.  Xo,  I  did  not ;  I  gave  them  a  very  close  cross-examination.  When 
I  saw  that  a  man  was  honest  and  that  the  application  was  an  honest  one. 
perhaps  I  would  pass  them  with  a  very  ordinary  examination. 

3631.  Q.  You  say  that  the  applicant  and  witnesses  were  all  sworn  at 
one  time  \ 

A.  'No;  not  all  at  one  time,  but  the  applicant  and  witness  alone.  1 
never  swore  a  batch.  I  administered  the  oath  individually  in  every 
instance  to  the  applicant  and  the  witness. 

3632.  Q.  In  what  form  did  you  swear  the  parties  .' 

A.  To  my  invariable  question,  "Have  you  read  the  affidavit?"  the 
answer  would  be,  "Yes,  sir."  "  Do  you  understand  the  contents  thereof  F 
"Yes,  sir."  Then,  if  the  witness  swore  with  uplifted  hands,  I  would 
administer  this  oath :  "You  do  solemnly  swear,  in  the  presence  of  the 
ever-living  God,  that  these  affidavits  you  have  subscribed  are  true;"  or, 
if  the  witness  swore  on  the  book,  "  You  solemnly  swear  that  the  affidavits 
you  have  subscribed  are  true."  That  was  the  end  of  the  formula,  and 
then  the  cross-examination  would  begin:  "How  long  have  you  known 
this  man  in  this  country  ?"  "So  many  years.''  "Bo  you  know  that  lie 
came  here  under  the  age  of  18?"  Well,  if  a  man  hesitated  for  a  moment, 
I  would  tear  up  the  papers  and  tell  him  to  pass  along:  but,  if  the  answer 
was,  "I  have  known  him  from  his  boyhood,"  or  "from  Avhen  he  was  16 
years  old  in  this  country,"  I  would  then  ask,  "  Do  you  know  him  to  be  a 
man  of  gootl  moral  character  and  attached  to  the  Constitution  of  the 
United  States  of  America?"  If  he  said,  "Yes,"  I  would  then  turn  to 
the  applicant  himself  and  ask  him,  uHow  long  have  you  been  in  this 
country?"  and,  if  I  doubted  the  man,  from  his  answer,  I  would  ask  him 
what  ship  he  came  over  in,  and  from  which  port,  for  I  have  knowledge  of 
almost  all  the  steamships  and  packets,  and  if  I  found  that  the  man  pre- 
varicated, then  I  would  destroy  the  application. 

3633.  Q.  Suppose  it  was  not  the  application  of  a  minor,  but  of  an 
adult,  what  would  be  the  process  of  naturalization? 

A.  He  has  his  first  certificate  then,  and  it  is  only  a  question  whether 
he  has  been  in  this  country  all  the  time  since ;  or,  if  he  has  been  abroad, 
whether  it  was  with  the  intention  of  residing  abroad.  The  applicant 
and  his  witness,  in  such  a  case,  would  be  sworn  in  the  same  ivay  that  I 
have  already  stated.  I  would  ask  then:  "Have  you  read  the  affida- 
vits?" and  if  they  said  they  had  not,  I  would  go  on  and  read  the  affi- 
davits ;  if  they  said  "  yes,"  I  would  swear  them  to  the  truth  of  the 
affidavits.  After  that  I  would  ask  the  witness  "  How  long  have  you 
known  this  man  in  this  country?"  and  "Is  he  a  man  of  good  moral 
character  ?  "  &c.    That  was  all. 

3634.  Q.  You  put  the  inquiry  whether  they  had  read  the  papers, 
before  you  administered  the  oath  ? 

A.  I  did. 

3635.  Q.  And  then  you  swore  them  that  the  affidavits  were  true  f 
A.  Yes,  sir,  I  did ;  I  never  missed  that. 

3637.  Q.  The  blank  applications  were  filled  up  before  the  applicants 
and  witnesses  came  into  the  court  ? 

A.  O,  yes. 

3638.  Q.  Did  the  applicants  or  the  witnesses,  or  either  of  them,  sign 
the  papers  in  court  ? 

A.  Sometimes  they  would,  but  as  a  general  rule  they  did  not. 

3639.  Q.  You  have  said  that  you  arrested  some  parties  ;  for  what  did 
you  arrest  them  ? 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IK    NEW    YORK.  345 

A.  Some  for  testifying  or  attempting  to  testify  to  the  identity  of  men 
they  had  not  known  long  enough.  I  did  it  for  the  purpose  of  deterring 
those  in  my  presence  from  attempting  to  perpetrate  frauds. 

3640.  Q.  How  many  did  you  arrest  t 
A.  Over  50. 

3641.  Can  you  name  some  of  them  ? 
A.  I  cannot  at  this  moment. 

3642.  Q.  How  long  were  they  detained  in  custody  U 
A.  All  day,  and  then  I  would  let  them  go. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

3643.  Q.  Did  you  not  often  find  that  persons  attempted  to  be  natur- 
alized under  the  minor  form  who  were  not  entitled  to  be"? 

A.  Plenty  of  them.  I  found  men  attempting  to  be  naturalized  who 
had  been  born  here ;  for  what  purpose  I  cannot  tell  you.  I  could  detect 
them  from  their  conversation,  and  I  arrested  many  such  men. 

3644.  Q.  Were  they  trying  to  be  naturalized  under  other  names  than 
their  own  ? 

A.  Undoubtedly.     Some  of  them  would  say :    "  They  will  not  allow 
me  t£>  vote,"  and  I  would  answer  "I  cannot  help  that;  you  cannot  be 
,  naturalized,  for  you  were  born  here." 

3645.  Q.  Then  you  may  have  naturalized  "  natives  to  the  manor  born" 
under  assumed  names  % 

A.  Very  few.  I  do  not  suppose  there  is  another  judge  in  town  who 
knows  so  many  of  the  class  of  persons  that  you  are  speaking  of  as  I  do. 
That  class  of  young  men  you  speak  of  are  nearly  all  politicians,  and  they 
make  it  their  business  to  know  every  man  in  the  ward  and  his  where- 
abouts and  business,  and  are  consummate  politicians.  These  are  the 
men  who  come  in  to  be  witnesses,  and  honestly  witnesses.  Sometimes 
I  would  stop  them  and  say :  "You  cannot  be  a  witness  in  this  case," 
and  they  would  ask  "Why  not?  I  have  known  this  man  for  20  years." 
Well,  perhaps  the  man  Avould  say  it  in  such  a  way  as  would  convince 
me  at  once  that  it  was  true. 

3646.  Q.  Did  you  examine  the  handwriting  of  the  subscribing  wit- 
nesses ? 

A.  Sometimes  I  did,  and  would  make  them  sign  their  names  in  my 
presence. 

3647.  Q.  How  often  did  you  do  that? 
A.  Frequently. 

3648.  Q.  Did  you  detect  any  of  them  ! 
A.  No,  sir;  I  did  not. 

3649.  Q.  From  an  examination  of  the  papers  there  seem  to  be  some 
signed  by  the  same  parties  ;  did  you  detect  anything  of  that  kind  ? 

A.  I  did  once  in  a  while,  and  then,  for  the  purpose  of  relieving  the 
court,  I  would  say,  "  Is  this  your  signature  f  Sometimes  the  man  woidd 
say,  "  It  is  not  my  signature  ;"  but,  if  the  man  acknowledges  it  to  be 
his  signature,  whether  he  signed  it  or  not,  it  is  his  signature  in  law. 

3650.  Q.  Then  the  court  did  not  inquire  whether  he  had  really  writ- 
ten it! 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  usually  did.  When  I  detected  the  fact  that  the  signa- 
tures were  all  in  one  handwriting,  I  would  ask,  "Did  you  authorize  this 
man  to  sign  the  paper  f>  and  he  would  say  "  Yes." 

3651.  Q.  From  the  number  of  persons  you  naturalized,  must  not  your 
cross-examinations  have  been  exceedingly  brief"? 

A.  A  man  can  cross-examine  a  great  many  witnesses  between  9  in  the 
morning  and  11  at  night.     I  can  examine  two  a  minute. 


346  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

3652.  Q.  And  naturalize  them  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  and  do  it  as  honestly  as  you  can,  or  any  other  man  living. 
A  man  with  a  quick,  keen  eye,  and  who  understands  human  nature, 
cannot  he  cheated  if  he  gets  half  a  minute  at  a  corrupt  and  bad  witness. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

3653.  Q.  Did  any  one  witness  appear  before  your  court  in  a  great  num- 
ber of  cases  I 

A.  Yes,  I  think  there  were  one  or  two  who  undertook  to  appear ;  I 
stopped  them. 

3oo4.  Q.  Who  were  they  ! 

A.  I  think  a  man  by  the  name  of  Murphy,  and  a  man  by  the  name  of 
McCaffrey. 

3655.  Q.  Do  you  know  Patrick  Goff? 

A.  Yes  ;  I  stopped  him. 

Mod.  Q.  Do  you  know  John  McCaffrey  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  stopped  him  after  the  name  got  familiar  to  my  ear. 

3657.  Q.  He  was  a  deputy  sheriff,  was  lie  not  ? 
A.  I  do  not  know. 

3658.  Q.  Do  you  know  how  many  persons  had  been  naturalized  of!  his 
testimony  before  you  stopped  him  I 

A.  I  do  not. 

3659.  Q.  Do  you  know  for  how  many  he  had  been  a  witness  before 
you  stopped  him  ? 

A.  He  cannot  have  been  for  many  with  me. 

3660.  Q.  When  you  stopped  him  was  anything  done  with  the  certifi- 
cates that  had  been  granted  previously  upon  his  testimony  $ 

A.  I  cannot  tell  that ;  I  had  signed  my  name  to  some  of  them. 

3661.  Q.  Did  the  court  take  any  steps  to  revoke  those  previously 
signed  upon  his  testimony  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  but  that  I  may  have  sent  over  to  the  clerk  to  stop 
such  papers. 

3662.  Q.  Where  the  papers  had  been  already  delivered,  did  you  take 
any  steps  to  have  them  cancelled  f 

A.  I  think  I  did  upon  several  occasions. 

3663.  Q.  How  were  they  cancelled?  • 

A.  After  the  clerk  got  them;  of  course,  not  after  the  certificates  were 
granted. 

3664.  Q.  Has  not  the  court  power  to  set  aside  certificates  of  naturali- 
zation procured  by  fraud  ? 

A.  Yes ;  I  have  done  it. 

3665.  Q.  Cannot  you  make  an  order  annulling  a  certificate  of  naturali- 
zation without  having  possession  of  the  certificate  $ 

A.  I  suppose  we  can ;  we  can  grant  an  order  declaring  that  the  per- 
sons naturalized  shall  not  vote ;  but  they  go  to  the  registry  and  are 
registered  and  vote,  and  that  is  an  end  of  the  story. 

3666.  Q.  You  have  stated  that  you  released  certain  persons  arrested 
on  election  day  by  Judge  James.    How  were  they  released  1 

A.  Upon  habeas  corpus. 

3667.  Q.  Were  they  released  the  same  day  ? 

A.  O,  no ;  I  granted  the  writ  the  same  day,  but  did  not  release  them 
until  I  found  out  that  Judge  James  did  not  intend  to  do  anything  more 
in  the  matter. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

3668.  Q.  About  how  many  persons  had  McCaffrey  sworn  to  as  witness 
you  stopped  him  ? 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  347 

A.  I  really  cannot  tell. 

3069.  Q.  Six,  eight,  or  ten  ? 

A.  O,  more  than  that,  a  great  many  more  than  that.    McCaffrey  was 

I  one  of  those  ward  politicians  who  had  been  born  in  the  ward  and  resided 

in  it.    He,  knows  everybody  in  the  ward,  and  every  foreigner  who  comes 

into  the  ward,  and  such  a  man  is  capable  of  testifying  to  any  number 

of  them  if  he  knows  the  fact. 

3670.  Q.  Then  why  did  you  stop  him  ? 

A.  He  was  carrying  the  thing  to  extremes — he  had  gone  beyond  rea- 
sonable bounds. 

By  Mr.  Ross : 

3671.  Q.  How  could  certificates  of  naturalization  be  procured  by  per- 
sons who  had  not  been  before  the  court  ? 

A.  By  forgery  only. 

3672.  Q.  Suppose  men  testify  that  they  have  got  papers  that  were 
sent  to  them  in  a  different  way  $ 

A.  They  must  have  been  represented  in  court  by  some  one  else ;  it  is 
impossible  for  the  court  always  to  guard  against  that. 

New  York,  January  2,  1869. 
George  W.  Walling,  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  Chairman  : 
3073.  Question.  State  what  office  you  hold  in  the  city  of  NeAv  York. 
Answer.  I  am  one  of  the  inspectors  of  the  metropolitan  police  force. 

3674.  Q.  Name  some  of  the  duties  of  inspectors. 

A.  It  is  my  duty,  at  the  proper  time,  to  be  at  the  police  headquarters, 
and  for  the  balance  of  the  time  to  supervise  certain  districts  and  visit 
them. 

3675.  Q.  State  what  you  know  in  relation  to  "repeaters,"  as  they  are 
called,  or  fraudulent  voting,  at  the  last  presidential  election  in  this  city; 
and  whether  you  arrested  any  parties  or  seized  any  papers  in  connection 
therewith  ? 

A.  On  the  Friday  night  previous  to  the  election,  the  night  of  the  30th 
of  October,  Superintendent  Kennedy  sent  for  me  to  meet  him  at  the 
Fifth  Avenue  Hotel.  I  met  him  there,  and  he  introduced  me  to  a  young 
man,  whose  name  I  do  not  know,  and  told  me  that  this  young  man  knew 
something  about  parties  who  were  registering  for  the  purpose  of  u  re- 
peating." I  talked  with  him  and  directed  him  to  meet  me  the  next 
morning  at  8  o'clock— Saturday,  the  31st  of  October.  I  left  him  then, 
and  went  to  the  station-house  to  get  six  men  from  Captain  Campbell, 
captain  of  the  18th  precinct,  in  citizen's  dress.  I  met  the  young  man 
the  next  morning,  and  he  then  stated  to  me  that  a  man  by  the  name  of 
William  Varley,  alias  Reddy,  the  blacksmith,  had  charge  of  a  company 
of  "repeaters,"  wrho  had  been  registering  from  Catharine  street,  and  he 
believed  they  were  going  the  next  day  to  29  East  Broadway  to  register. 
I  went  near  that  vicinity,  and  from  time  to  time  1  sent  these  officers 
that  were  now  with  me  to  watch  number  29  East  Broadway.  They 
came  back  and  reported  several  times  that  they  saw  no  one,  until 
about  dinner  time,  between  12  and  1  o'clock,  when  we  separated,  and  I 
directed  them  to  meet  me  again  after  dinner.  We  got  back  probably 
near  2  o'clock.  I  sent  them  around  again,  and  they  came  back  and 
reported  that  they  had  seen  several  men  come  out  from  29  East  Broad- 
way, and  go  to  a  place  of  registry,  and  go  into  a  place  of  registry.  Of 
course,  the  officers  did  not  follow  them  in,  for  they  might  have  suspected 
something.    They  followed  the  men ;  I  saw  them,  after  coming  out  of 


348  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

the  registry,  go  back  to  29  East  Broadway  again,  and  then  leave  29  East 
Broadway  and  go  to  another  district,  and  go  in  there,  and  then  come 
back  again. 

3670.  Q.  What  was  the  first  district  they  went  to  8 

A.  I  think  it  was  the  1st  district  of  the  7th  ward.  The  officers  came 
back  and  reported  to  me,  "  It  is  all  right ;  they  are  now  registering." 
We  then  separated.  Some  went  up  East  Broadway  and  some  down.  One 
of  the  officers  told  me  that  he  had  seen  a  man  standing  on  the  stoop  of 
the  house  who  appeared  to  be  on  the  look-out.  A  Veil,  we  rushed  into 
the  house,  No.  29, East  Broadway,  and  as  we  rushed  in  the  man  who  was 
standing  at  the  step  rushed  in  also.  There  were  seven  persons  there 
beside  him;  he  made  the  eighth.  I  directed  the  officers  to  seize  all  the 
books.  We  seized  a  book  that  was  on  a  table,  at  which  a  young  man  was 
sitting,  and  Ave  took  the  eight  persons  whom  we  found  there,  with  the 
book,  to  the  police  headquarters.  The  book  is  here,  and  I  now  produce 
it.     I  think  it  is  marked  "  1st,  3d,  and  6th  districts  of  the  7th  ward." 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

3G77.  Q.  Who  were  those  menjwho  had  charge  of  the  hook  ! 

A.  The  man  watching  on  the  stoop  was  a  dei  mty  sheriff;  I  do  not  recol- 
lect his  name  now.  All  the  names  are  entered  at  our  headquarters. 
One  of  the  parties  arrested  there  was  a  party  whom  I  knew  very  well 
by  reputation  as  a  pickpocket.  I  do  not  know  the  name  lie  gave  at 
headquarters. 

3678.  Q.  Were  the  persons  you  arrested  there  officers  of  election?  • 
A.  No,  sir ;  they  did  not  claim  to  be.    They  stated  that  it  was  the 

roll  of  a  club;  that  was  the  statement  of  the  parties. 

3679.  Q.  Did  they  tell  you  what  the  club  was  organized  to  do  1 
A.  No ;  they  did  not  say. 

3680.  Q.  What  was  the  business  of  the  fellows  you  arrested  ? 

A.  I  knew  but  one  of  them  positively.  He  is  a  pickpocket,  or  has 
that  reputation.  The  deputy  Avas  on  the  stoop.  He  went  in  as  they 
rushed  in. 

3681.  Q.  Do  you  know  that  he  had  anything  to  do  with  it  % 

A.  I  cannot  say  anything  about  that.  He  was  on  the  stoop  and  the 
officers  reported  to  me  that  he  had  been  on  the  stoop  for  some  time, 
watching. 

3682.  Q.  Did  vou  arrest  him  with  the  others  ! 
A.  I  did. 

3683.  What  did  he  say  when  he  was  arrested  ? 

A.  Well,  he  denied  being  connected  with  the  party. 

3684.  Q.  Did  you  take  him  to  headquarters  % 
A.  Yes,  we  took  the  whole  eight. 

3685.  Q.  What  was  done  with  them? 

A.  They  were  discharged  that  night  on  habeas  corpus. 

By  Mr.  Dickey: 

3686.  Q.  Who  granted  the  habeas  corpus  f 

A.  Well,  I  can  only  inform  you  from  what  I  learned.  I  will  state  the 
circumstances.  We  took  the  men  to  police  headquarters.  I  wished  to 
find  Beddy,  the  blacksmith,  whom  I  knew  well  and  wanted  to  go  to  his 
place  to  arrest  him,  or  to  look  for  any  books  that  I  might  find  there. 
As  I  was  going  out  I  met  Counsellor  Howe,  and  he  requested  me  to 
take  the  prisoners  before  the  police  court.  It  was  near  4  o'clock  and 
the  court  had  not  closed.  I  said  there  was  another  party  I  wished  to 
get,  and  I  immediately  left  the  building  and  went  down  to  Beddy  the 
blacksmith's  place.     I  did  not  find  him,  but  I  searched  his  place,  and  at 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  349 

his  place  I  got  the  book  and  the  papers  which  I  now  produce.  When  I 
returned  to  police  headquarters  it  was  after  court  hour.  Counsellor 
Howe  had  stated  that  unless  I  took  the  prisoners  immediately  before 
the  police  court  he  would  habeas  them. 

By  the  Chairitan  : 
3G87.  Q.  You  say  the  parties  arrested  were  released  on  habeas  corpus 
the  same  night? 
A.  I  found  them  released  on  habeas  corpus  the  next  morning. 

3688.  Q.  Were  they  held  to  bail  or  discharged  ? 
A.  They  were  discharged. 

3689.  Q.  By  whom  ? 
A.  Judge  Barnard. 

3690.  Q.  Were  they  kept  in  custody  two  days? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  went  to  the  police  headquarters  the  next  morning  to 
take  them  before  the  police  court,  and  then  I  learned  they  had  been  dis- 
charged over  night.  The  book  which  I  took  from  29  East  Broadway,  and 
which  I  have  produced,  is  a  four-quire  book,  in  a  board  cover,  leather  bind- 
ing, and  of  the  usual  size  of  foolscap  paper.  I  delivered  it  the  same  night 
to  the  superintendent.  At  the  first  part  of  the  book  several  leaves 
have  been  torn  out,  and  also  several  leaves  have  been  torn  out  towards 
the  last  part  of  the  book.  There  are  pages  on  which  names  and  num- 
bers of  streets  are  left.  The  book  is  in  the  same  condition  now  that  it 
was  when  I  took  possession  of  it. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

3691.  Q.  Where  has  this  book  been  since  you  captured  it  ? 

A.  I  presume  in  the  custody  of  John  A.  Kennedy,  superintendent  of 
police.  I  have  seen  it  in  his  custody  at  different  times.  I  saw  it  in  his 
office  the  night  before  last. 

3692.  Q.  When  you  first  got  the  book  did  you  make  a  critical  exami- 
nation of  it  and  its  contents  ? 

A.  I  think  I  examined  the  list  of  names,  and  noticed  the  districts,  &c, 
and  numbers. 

3693.  Q.  How  many  pages  of  names  were  there  at  the  time  you  got  it  ? 
A.  I  cannot  say;  I  made  no  memorandum. 

3694.  Q.  How  many  districts  did  they  contain? 
A.  Three,  I  think. 

3695.  Q.  Which  districts  were  they  ? 

A.  I  recollect  the  first  and  sixth  distinctly,  and  I  think  the  third,  but 
I  am  not  positive  whether  it  was  the  second  or  third. 

3696.  Q.  Bo  you  knoAv  how  many  names  wrere  in  the  book  ? 
A.  I  believe  one  hundred  and  twenty-six ;  I  am  not  positive. 

3697.  Q.  Was  the  book  when  you  got  it  exactly  as  it  is  now?  Were 
the  numbers  of  streets  carried  out  as  they  are  here  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir.     I  have  no  doubt  about  that  at  all. 

3698.  Q.  Did  you  make  any  particular  memorandum  of  the  number  of 
names  or  the  names  themselves  at  the  time  ? 

A.  No,  sir.  I  delivered  it  over  to  Superintendent  Kennedy.  1  casu- 
ally ran  over  the  names  and  I  think  1  counted  them,  but  I  am  not  posi- 
tive about  it. 

3699.  Q.  How  long  have  you  been  connected  with  the  police  of  this 
city* 

A.  Twenty-one  years  on  the  24th  of  last  month ;  1  have  been  a  patrol- 
man and  captain  of  police,  and  part  of  the  time  1  was  captain  of  the 
detective  force  at  police  headquarters. 


350  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

3700.  Q.  How  many  of  these  persons  whose  names  are  on  the  book 
did  you  know  personally  ? 

A.  I  did  not  look  over  them  with  a  view  to  ascertain. 

3701.  Q.  Did  you  have  any  distinct  recollection  that  you  knew  any  of 
them? 

A.  No,  sir.  I  did  not  recollect  particularly  that  I  knew  any  of  the 
names. 

3702.  Q.  Are  the  names  of  the  parties  you  arrested  on  the  book? 
A.  I  do  not  know. 

3703.  Q.  What  became  of  the  part  of  the  book  that  has  been  torn  out? 
A.  I  do  not  know ;  it  was  torn  before  I  got  it. 

To  the  Chairman  : 
Witness.  The  book  which  I  have  produced,  and  which  I  got  at 
Eeddy  the  blacksmith's,  is  similar  in  size  and  binding  to  the  first  book 
which  I  produced,  and  has  also  a  number  of  leaves  torn  out  of  it  from 
the  front  part  of  the  book.  The  paper  is  different  from  that  of  the  other 
book,  in  this,  that  the  other  book  is  white  paper,  ledger  form,  with  top 
ruling  and  ruling  at  the  sides,  while  this  is  blue  paper  with  only  cross- 
ruling.  The  first  two  leaves  which  are  left  in  this  book  not  torn  out 
have  names  written  on  them  and  numbers  of  streets,  and  slips  have  been 
cut  out  so  that  the  first  leaf  is  nearly  all  cut  away.  Out  of  the  second 
leaf  two  slips  have  been  cut.  The  next  page  has  fifteen  names  with  , 
numbers  of  streets  on  it,  headed  u  Sixth  Ward,  Ninth  District."  Then 
after  a  few  pages  there  is  another  page  with  names  and  numbers  of 
streets  on  it,  with  part  of  the  top  and  bottom  of  the  leaf  cut  off.  Then 
follows  a  page  nearly  all  cut  out.  In  the  book  are  seventeen  slips  of 
white  paper  with  marginal  endings,  similar  to  the  first  book.  Some  of 
the  slips  have  names  only  on  them,  while  others  have  names  and  num- 
bers of  streets ;  most  of  them  names  only.  I  present  a  specimen  of  each 
sort  of  slip.  These  slips  have  evidently  been  cut  out  of  the  book  first 
produced,  or  one  like  it.    The  slips  presented  are  as  follows : 

"  Georg  Nolan, 

"44  Market  street.*' 
"  Edward  Reardin." 

Witness.  In  this  latter  book  there  are  also  upon  separate  slips  of 
paper  other  names  and  numbers,  and  some  papers  of  no  importance. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

3704.  Q.  State  whether  at  the  time  you  got  this  second  book  you  care- 
fully examined  it  and  made  any  memorandum  of  its  contents  with  a  view 
to  identify  it  hereafter,  or  whether  you  just  handed  it,  after  a  general 
examination,  to  Superintendent  Kennedy  % 

A.  I  handed  it  to  Superintendent  Kennedy  after  a  cursory  examina- 
tion. 

3705.  Q.  Since  then  you  have  had  no  custody  of  either  of  the  books? 
A.  No,  sir  ;  I  have  seen  them. 

3706.  Q.  Do  you  know  the  number  of  names  in  this  last  book  ? 
A.  I  do  not. 

3707.  Q.  Do  you  know  the  persons  whose  names  are  in  it? 
A.  I  know  William  Varley. 

3708.  Q.  Do  you  find  the  following  entries  in  the  book?     "Grand 

Army  of  the  Republic.    Many  men  of  many ."    "  Early  and  Often 

Association  will  hold  their  third  annual  ball." 

A.  Yes,  sir. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IX  NEW  YORK.  o51 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 
;;709.  Q.  What  became  of  Varley  .' 

A.  He  was  not  arrested ;  lie  was  not  in  either  place.  Varley  kept  a 
drinking  saloon. 

New  York,  January  2,  1869. 
Howard  T.  Marston  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  CHAIRMAN  : 

3710.  Question.  State  if  you  prepared  certain  statistical  tables  from 
official  sources  and  otherwise :  and  if  so.  what  they  are. 

Answer.  Yes.  sir,  I  have;  and  I  now  present  them  to  the  committee. 

3711.  Q.  Make  such  a  statement  as  will  enable  the  committee  to  un- 
derstand what  the  tables  are,  and  the  results  that  they  establish. 

A.  I  made  an  abstract  of  the  total  number  of  men  enrolled  in  the  city 
and  county  of  New  York  for  1863-?64,  and  noted  the  exceptions:  which 
exhibit  1  have  marked  ••A." 

3712.  I  then  made  an  abstract  from  the  census  of  1805,  showing  the 
total  population  by  counties :  also  the  total  number  of  votes  in  the 
State — the  native  and  naturalized  in  separate  columns  :  also  the  num- 
ber of  aliens.  I  then  added  tour  per  cent,  per  year  for  three  years,  to 
find  the  whole  number  of  estimated  voters  in  the  State.  1  then  gave 
the  republican  and  democratic  and  total  vote  of  the  State  for  1868,  as 
published  in  the  daily  journals  ;  then  the  per  cent,  of  votes  to  voters, 
and  the  per  cent,  of  voters  to  total  population :  and  the  per  cent,  of 
aliens  to  total  population :  which  exhibit  is  marked  ••B." 

3713.  I  then  made  an  abstract  of  the  actual  number  of  votes  polled 
from  18G5  to  1868 — the  vote  for  secretary  of  state,  president,  governor, 
&c.j  in  their  order;  that  is.  the  vote  for  President  when  it  occurred,  and 
then  for  governor :  otherwise,  for  secretary  of  state.     And  also  the  per 

.  of  increase  for  three  presidential  terms,  commencing  with  1856 
and  ending  with  1868;  which  exhibit  is  marked  "C." 

3714.  I  then  made  an  abstract  of  the  male  population  of  New  York 
city  by  wards,  showing  the  whites  and  colored  in  separate  columns; 
which  exhibit  is  marked  UD." 

715.  I  then  made  an  abstract  of  the  comparative  population  of  the 
city  of  Xew  York  from  1700  to  1865  inclusive,  by  wards,  showing  the 
actual  increase  of  numbers,  the  time  of  formation  of  the  different 
wards,  and  from  what  taken  ;  all  of  which  is  official,  and  from  the  State 
census  ;  which  exhibit  is  marked  "E." 

3716.  I  then  made  and  examined  personally  an  abstract  of  the  total 
population  of  the  State  of  New  York,  by  counties,  from  the  censuses 
for  the  years  lS45-'50-'o5-'60,  and  1805:  which  exhibit  is  marked  "F." 

3717.  I  then  had  made  and  examined  personally  an  abstract  of  the 
number  and  nativity  of  the  male  population  of  Xew  YYuk  city :  which 
exhibit  is  marked  "G." 

•"•718.  I  then  made  an  abstract  showing  the  number  of  votes  polled 
in  excess  of  the  registry  of  the  different  wards  and  districts  of  the  city 
of  New  York  :  which  exhibit  is  marked  '-K." 

3719.  I  then  had  made  and  personally  examined  an  abstract  showing 
the  total  male  population  of  the  6th  ward — census  of  1860  and  1S65; 
which  exhibit  is  marked  "L." 

3720.  I  then  had  made  and  personally  examined  an  abstract  showing 
the  total  number  of  votes  polled  by  wards  and  districts  in  the  city  of 
New  York,  at  the  November  election  of  1868 :  which  exhibit  is  marked 


352  EJECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

3721.  I  then  had  made  and  personally  examined  an  abstract  showing 
the  total  number  of  votes  registered,  and  by  wards  and  districts,  in  the 
city  of  NewT  York,  for  the  November  election  of  1868 ;  which  exhibit  is 
marked  UN." 

3722.  I  then  made  an  abstract  from  the  census  of  1865,  showing  the 
number  of  votes;  then  added  four  per  cent,  per  year  for  three  years;  I 
then  gave  the  actual  vote  of  1868 ;  1  then  added  four  and  a  half  per 
cent,  per  year  since,  to  the  census  of  1805  ;  which  exhibit  is  marked  "H.» 

3723.  I  then  made  an  abstract  showing  the  number  of  voters  in  the 
State  of  New  York,  by  counties,  for  the  years  1 835-'45-'55,  and  18C5, 
taken  from  the  State  censuses  for  those  years:  which  is  shown  in  col- 
umns, numbers  1,  2,  3  and  4  of  Exhibit  O. 

3724.  From  these  columns  I  computed  the  rate  of  increase  per  year 
for  the  last  10  years  and  the  last  30  years.  These  are  given  in  numbers 
7,  8,  0,  10,  11  and  12  of  the  same  exhibit. 

3725.  1  then  took  the  annual  rate  of  increase  for  30 years,  and  com- 
puted the  number  of  voters  in  ouch  county  in    1868  at   such  rate  of  I 
increase  for  each    county;   that  is  shown    in  number  5  of  the  same 
exhibit. 

3726.  I  then  made  the  same  computation,  using  the  annual  rate  of 
increase  for  each  county,  as  shown  in  the  last  ten  years  ;  that  is  shown 
in  number  6  of  the  same  exhibit. 

3727.  I  copied  from  the  census  the  percentage  of  voters  to  the  total 
population,  as  given  in  the  last  four  State  censuses:  which  is  shown  in 
numbers  13,  14, 15  and  16  of  the  same  exhibit. 

3728.  I  then  made  an  estimate  of  the  number  of  voters  in  the  State, 
by  counties,  using  as  my  basis  the  annual  rate  of  increase  for  that  par- 
ticular decade,  as  shown  by  these  tables;  this  is  shown  in  numbers  17. 
18,  19  and  20  of  the  same  exhibit. 

3729.  I  then  took  from  the  Tribune  Almanacs  the  total  number  of 
votes  actually  polled  during  the  same  years :  which  is  shown  in  numbers 
21,  22,  23  and  24  of  the  same  exhibit. ' 

3730.  Q.  State  if  these  tables  are  correct. 

A.  They  are  correct,  to  the  best  of  my  knowledge  and  belief,  as  I  com- 
puted them  carefully,  and  have  compared  them  and  looked  them  over. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

3731.  Q.  How  long  have  you  lived  in  the  city  of  New  York? 
A.  I  came  here  last  April  or  May. 

3732.  Q.  Where  did  you  live  before  ! 
A.  In  New  Hamrjshire. 

3733.  Q.  What  is  your  business  here  .' 
A.  I  am  a  lawyer  by  profession. 

3734.  What  are  your  politics  l? 
A.  I  am  a  democrat. 

3735.  For  whom  did  you  vote  at  the  last  election  ? 

A.  1  did  not  vote  at  all ;  I  had  not  been  in  the  city  long  enough. 

3736.  With  whom  did  you  co-operate  in  the  last  presidential  election  1 
A.  With  the  democratic  party. 

3737.  Upon  whose  procurement  did  you  make  these  various  tab 
A.  I  was  employed  to  do  it  by  the  Union  League  committee. 

3738.  How  did  you  get  at  the  number  of  persons  enrolled  in  1863-'64  V 
A.  I  took  it,  I  think,  although  I  cannot  swear  positively,  from  tin1 

enrolment  as  published  in  the  "Transcript"  at  the  Astor  library. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IX    NEW    YORK. 


353 


By  the  Chairman  : 

3739.  Q.  Did  you  make  any  political  speeches  during  the  recent  pres- 
idential canvass  I 

A.  I  did. 

3740.  Q.  Where. 
A.  Some  in  this  city;  some  in  other  parts  of  the  State;  and  some  in 

the  first  district  of  Maine,  just  before  the  congressional  election  in  the 
fall.     Shaw  and  Lynch  were  the  candidates  for  Congress. 

3741.  Q.  For  which  party  did  you  make  those  speeches  ? 
A.  For  the  democratic  party. 


A. — TJie  number  of  men  enrolled  in  the  eity  of  Xeic  York,  1863-64. 




First 3,049 

Second 1,210 

Third 1,700 

,  Fourth 4.  ^03 

Fifth 5,516 

Sixth ;  4,096 

Seventh 7,  608 

Eighth ,  7,719 

Ninth 8 ,  425 

Tenth 7,510 

Eleventh 10,835 

Twelfth ,  3,912 


Wards. 


Number 
enrolled. 


Thirteenth 

Fourteenth  ... 

Fifteenth 

Sixteenth  

Seventeenth  ... 

Eighteenth 

Nineteenth 

Twentieth 

Twenty-first  .. 
Twenty- second 

Total . . . . 


5, 

5, 

8, 
15, 

9, 

io! 

7, 


621 

724 
7.06 
522 
811 
331 
104 
819 
534 
497 


151,052 


The  following  are  the  recognized  causes  of  exemption  from  enrolment : 

1.  Being  over  45  years  of  age. 

2.  Being  under  20  years  of  age. 

3.  Being  an  alien,  and  never  having  voted  or  declared  his  intention  to  become  a  citizen. 

4.  Having  furnished  a  substitute  in  anticipation  of  the  draft. 

5.  Having  been  drafted  and  paid  commutation. 

6.  Having  been  drafted  and  furnished  a  substitute. 

7.  Having  been  drafted  and  received  a  certificate  of  permanent  physical  disability. 

8.  Being  permanently  physically  disqualified. 

9.  Having  served  two  years  in  the  army  or  navy,  during  the  present  war,  and  been  hon- 
orably discharged. 

23  T 


354  ' 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 


•uo!jBindo(f|tJjo;o; 
suaiiB  jo  "jueo   joj 


o;«r3'*!otc(OH^'!)'ffj«^naootiMNHio^Mf5(0'»'-i«pj)!ooo!2ait>^c)1 


^rocM-a-ceroreostotoi 


Pi  o 


i  <&  i-  ri  «p  rt  n  < 


i  <n  .-i  cm  <r< 


CM  C»  CM  CM  . 


ie  — >  to  'O  -r  -^>  CJ  — i  o  CI  x  tj<  — 


i  CM  CM  CM  Ci  CI  CI  CI  C>  CM 


"gJ8}0A  OJ 
S8JOA    JO     "11180     J8J 


O.  'TO  00  X  ' 


t-ooc».  —  —  aotoco  cm  io- 

—  {-  —  CJ  -rr  CJ  — '  to  CJ  — '  . 

ciretoo  —  ao-rososO' 


i-  -f  >~  —  X ■  -r  — ' i-KSKOxO-JHin 

M<NN^wOoounoiOn»4S 


isoaonn^a.i'^aafioooBt'i 


o^t'!:   i 


o"to*  to  tnefei 


o  o 


uc)i)ocooTrC'a3t3C;ous>nioeinfO 

OMQOQOaOTt-Ot-tC-II'Wr-m-cXC! 


■  ao  ao  cj  ^r  os  o  oo 


IS 


"s<CMcocvf^"-<r^'<mir5CiTrt^-9,CMCMcccio 


TMScinnROKoo^^a^Mio  to"i-" 


(3  ? 


t^  i.o  r-  co  —  !>•  os  m  re  -r  c*  —  —  ci  to  re  ci  ■ 
n  m  o)  n  o  oc  c  i in  x  c>  o  cm  ©  ©  <c  i 

—  ior~  —  CMrcr^aocjrectocMaotoTtci 

cm"  to*  in  to"  oo"  os"  rf*  >o"  -»"  id"  tj<*  w"  oo"  x5  ro"  co"  ro  • 


to  —  f^  cj  re  to  cj  —  ao  ao  re  —  -i  ~  -r  —  to  ^ 

•V  CM  O  — ■  CI  to  00  00  re  —  O.  CI  X  CI  C  to  tC  O 
«f»*f  OONtCff.  t^  —  «Mt»-  OSOOIO 

o*  oo*  r>  re" ■">*  to"  — *  re"  r-*  *ri  cm  ci"  m"  oo*  ci  os" to* i-T 


•5981  a! 

8HIJS  8q}  UI  K.I8JOA 

[Wjoj    aqj   oj    pap 

PB  "1080  18(1  9AI.I.UX 


oooos'*-|LOttcoo-j  cc  ei  re  t  to  to  ei  —  »r  to  to  os  —  ao  ?»  a>  s  (»  ci  c.  noxc*- ■  co  os  os 

OS  OS  O  »>  CM  CO  Tf  I X  Irt   re  f-  iC  to   —  to  i-  PC  X  X  —  t-  T  OS  Os  —  O  -J-  CM  (-  -r  J^  O.  ©  O  1Q 

tdMMnciffiWrtCc.Rxr.c.  ^"•cn'ci-ajnwv-^RtC'rT'j'C.i-i-t —  io  ao 


n  (c  *  t»  o  to  lt^i- ci  2  o  <o  ao  os  cj  re  f >  ao  i 

CM  —  re  —  —  ©  —  —  o:  to  re  i-  ©  re  re  re  to  cj  cj  cc  < 
^a^aowincisooo^xajRDi.ini*      ooDtnejio^csoD^oss^cc.  to  _  ■ 


tO  CM  tj.  O  CM  CM        CI 


cf  ■<**  cc"  ri  cm"  —  — "     — '  o"  to*  to*  c  *  to"  — *  oV  h 


I 

I 


PQ 


ncivwotcrtO' 


'  t^  to  J^  LO  CI  tC  ©  —  t^tCOSCIxr-^TOiO.  O01V 


voaoRvhcoootosmatono^h      aioootc©. 

CM—  rlHH  H  rt  Hi-lOl  —  IO  1 


'loceaooosroorommi 


'  cm  re  -^<  io  c>  os  o  ro  tj<  ao 

©COPOWCCOiCMtO  —  O  —  C"5  0St^"»<-9«-  —  —  IOWT" 

sncMos  —  t^  rr  os  ec  t*  os  ootc  —  t^tc  —  mcMr^to  —  T»«ooomiocM-<rcecM»>o. 


csntoiot^toceceotoLereotoin 
coco-t-tc§o5£ 


m  o  t~eo  moo  ■ 


,  cj  ei  re  ©  x  to  ao  5 
i«toai,MM^'H 


I"! 

s  s  2  p  ■ 


u   *   ° 

fl  <c  oj  *;  £  § 


►,"2=i?"SPC'Qsa5 
n&Sfc  £f-§  S  «  §  s  3  g I    . 

SS  £  «  siifli"  o  o  »  S'C  S  S9  §  *  «  S*i  J.i  s  o  o  i.»  s  s  c  -  . 


2  pS  o  S^S^I-E  g 


~  2 


ELECTION   FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 


355 


3)TO>o!s-*p<-ici'*nyi,-<pCiGi<OTt~mci-3'Ci 


■  Mn^'on-" 


«S«CIW!I  3*  CM  34  C<  !N  34  Ci  3J  3«  3*  3i  O*  3*  31  34 


tO  tt  34  34  :=  3f!t'3>9t>'*-i<J,'-CinMMO-Q0 

35  74  co  ao  t-  ao  ~  ooo— it-aoMooi  t-c-noou 


CC  CO  CO  3}  t^ 


"  o  co"  ci"  to"  o  cm"  f" cm"  co" co"  ■**" to  to"  co"  oo~  of  ■*<"  ■*"  i-T 34"  r-T 


KNco<NtN<»'*eoTt<T»«aoo«tctoojTt<ei3 


e-no*' 


ao  05  tt  co 


S3  35  JO  00  35  CO  34  ( 
1  CDCO*rH"c»3f  rHOfrHi-T  «r"       CO~34"34~, 


iCDOQOaD«J<C034— (3IC 


7   33  £2  ~  5°  ,x  t"  00  (-  rt>  CC  tC  i>  —  35  34  f  CO  HO  t-  CO  QO 
Sf  1-"  t-"  t-"  Co"  •«!»"  ©"  — <"  O*  t-"  \f> 


—  3!  m  t  co  -h  •<*  ao"- 


-  £  ~  «~  31  34  T  31  tO  O  CO  O  <-  O  TT  —  TJ<  — ■  — i  CO  35  LO 

"ic^ifOoiinnr-t-oaj^iiUJcscBai-Hn* 


oo"c<"    eor-T-^" 


ifl         -I  CO         Hi 


,^2~~~<:^co£co^x>fr-3*c©o^©co35ocoo 

OMnMSXOfKJWOOOttWOHHi.'JN-lO 


co  to  co  to  35  nt~-*t'\nrpa}i!itdi>tt-*poiO},<*sD- 


-  S  5;  33  35 
34  34  ^  35  00 


30  ■<*<  00  t-  CO  00 

i^'T-ir)35tc^.C003O(M1^<3535t0t0 

^-nvcsHiXifHtocoHiji^HOn 
5  £  SfSSSfoofcSS  Q*aTao  o"  in-TeVHcTef 


l?iJlX010-!3^-<0: 
>"*C034COt^34-'»<^OCO< 
I— I 


111 

5  o  § 


,      a  n  » .=  -g 

£".£  £^  >~»x  S  ® 
J   cG   s   >>*» 


356 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 


"8981  °1  H)8I  uio.i.1 
asBOjoui  jo  -juaD  .10^ 


W8IOJ098X  uiojj  cswojpsw 

asuajoui  jo  -ju^o  jaj       *"'   .        . 


nfixjocato^oinnTfrtoto^ffl' 


co<Ncoaccoscoococo-«»'CO<r} 


(7i  ^  irt  —  on  co  o>  lo  — '  i-  i<  oo  oo  so  c*  • 


t~  oo  no  "»•  -<f  so  sx.  rt^^Nnouitint 


•098roj9C8r  "iojj 
8SBd.ioui  jo  -juao  .isj 


SC-HCOOOO  —  -»'LOOJ-<raOCO— 't-^<<-S75CJi 


CiCToiooNwxxonuioowffiO' 


•^naiJis'ojj 


•8JBJ8 

jo  A\iB?aaoag 


so*  es  s-."  o"  cJ  co'  j-"  aT  i-T  ec"  K  cj"  m"  o*  lo"  m"  m"  t»"  t-" 


lOTfinooo-f'-i-^-frocDcoorjioo— 'cmo 


as  <c  o  a  a  f^  s 
r»  f-  cj  oo  so  so  i  - 

N  I^  "•  ?"  -  Q  CC 


ffi  C»  Ol  Tl  C^  «  N  "t  r3  W  -■  -i"  (O 

_  _>  i-  oo  se  e-  co  —  o*  o  to  —  oj  f-  o* 


*~-  cj  no  so  io  m  cr.  x  ci  k  r  tc  i 

TTOI-CMCiC-fflX-OX 

so  oo  ~  so  c*  —  oj  —  (jo-vt^t^- 


»C  00  CO  -< 

'  rr  »  ^  no 
i  «*  -i  ift  t~ 


U0TU8A0*) 


-T  — "TO  SO  00  •*•  35  —  CO  OJ  TO  SO  CJ  C  O)  — '  G>»  CO  OJ 

lO  IC  ■»  T  C.  C  -^  iC  K  O  X  -  O  r  31  -  lO 

aoo:io--t^inaoio~  " 


nnos-.aoffi' 


R-o(MK:iRf  Jiii'rif  trj' 


ocoaoLOt-aiooi-'raocosT.  co  en  lo  co  ci c 


•9JBJ8 
JO  AJBjajOdg 


-'MNOX'CHOrOl^CIMXODnnt-'* 

oo  co  co  J- —  —  -r  : 

scLOCOftoaoi-t^' 


f«inoi3-.xo>3)xxRnRx:)onc 

Cl  ■*  «  ffl  -J  II  31  X  'C  -  —    71  C(T1"»SHO 

•vcxeocviO'^oo'voot^oo  -cr3;-oo-i 


a>scsosccnaoio^o-vLOt ct  ^  ci  io  n  m 


■S8' 


•(-i--fOt^-s<-HO)W 


•^uopisaJd 


©-*<?»  — 'oo?  —  io  so  so  t~  so  -*<  —  oo  so  ci  ci  •»• 

»O^X'*310X--*rtttRXM'5  0X 

~    ">c*OHCOOxtnexxo 


■*  o  •>*  oo- 
—  oo  —  o  < 


tff3.ROOhOC1'3:hX!,:-i(tl-l 
Cn  CO  SO  00  CO  CO  —  C>  ~,  C>  SC  C:  --  ST.  ->  CO  3;  SO 

WTfOO>-01Mr|-n-C!t-.r)iRT)OHO 


nxxoirtCnejioffl^esMtciotioffl* 


•91B}S 
JO  A\m}3J09g 


-'NO(o*n-aooo(o-i*(MMa(o*iN*co(sof:noioffl(»c(Moon'N*oM 
n  o  in  t>  x  n  r  '£  ci  o  a  ^  -■  c  <m  c  a  ti>  n  c  o  -  x  rt  i-  a  o  i^  a  ■-  t»  c  x  f  in  h  noo 
oiQocoffiaicxwtD-caaini^i^eiTLiL'ctci-CRX'MoxDcaRtje-inif) 


oiM^xocinajaiotca" 


"so*     oo'cn  c*»o"i^*ao*sc"sc*sc"ao"cr.  t~"— *oo*io"co*— "ct 


•jouaaAoo 


00  STjOOrf  ! 


■  irj  t-  o  io  o  » 

i  Ol  rr  N  ifi  m  h 

iwxaicno^Ti-^^innon 


aojt-txcinxo 


oo  oo  lo  o>  lo  r5inxxm 
Trincxmo ■  a  j> 

-OOOhORM-iiO 


ojooi^oooooocoomcoooo. 


■  w  to  so    •  i^  e*  c*  lo  i-  oo  lo  so  <so  oo  o>  t-  —  oo  lo  o»  —  « 


•9JB18 

jo  XjBjajoag 


-ic*ino-'f-^aNTf--c(r;)inin 

t»a«nscx)  ci  i.o  g»  o  so  co  . oooor  (- 

ic  <-<  co  —  o  —  ■ 


oc  t-t^  cooo: 


o  a  n  n 


r-  ir-  tr~  Qt  oo  -J"  -*     •  I-  SS  0»«-<  t»  ©  <C  WW  IO  tfj  B5 


CJ  SC  CO  CD  00  00  vr  c»  —  00  00  ->  •*  « 

(Crrocm-  i-  —  -  -  ~  <-  cn  r»  io 


sosomtooooo-^t^ooco^t^oc 


>  co  ■«<  •*  -<r  so 


ono,<t«'*i»-'Oin-jR)'*int-ini 
X  t'  R  SC  Ml  .')  t^  r  o  r  -  r h  o  i 


csOTTpeoGc-H^eocosoi 


-i  «  r  a  m  a  x 
xixR-scoa 
t-  m  r»  lo  *t  oi  n 


^TSCiO 


O0l~CT.  ^<MinO5O5int^00<Nl 


iO  tt  SO  SC  SO 


JO  A*JBJ8J0ag 


o>  -a*  so  co  — i— '  so  so  a  CJS0-<j,r~o»'*<soLO-^cocr3t^Tt<r7f--j 

sooot'WOssatooRXOX'-x^inincjjsc-^axinin 
'ratxt'xxoo-'conxaifj-" 


co  Oi  -r  — '  -r  io  - 


•  .  —  /^  —  — '  i—  _ .  j~'  >- .  •  .  . .  ~j  —j  —    j-  »—  »-  w » 

u-ooxo'Mxi'XM^anaoeoxi 


toooo-^,ooooLOtct^osoco'<*,iOLOio 


f,'_  _  ^  LO  t irj  so  sc  i*  t  a  «  m  h  o  si 

^ff?  i-l  «T5  rl  ^  HH 


•jon.i3x\oic) 


i-05-^<t^coocrio>i 
io  cj  cj  —  io  t^  t^  r 

(NCOiOt-SO»-'0-<j.oODSCCJ>CO(NLOSOC000  1^lOSO<N{^SO(7*— '0US55SO00T-- 


t-  t-  to  SO  t»<  CO  — i  —  c;  — ■  LOOJ  —  < 


't^so^saioiioooao-^LOj>  —  o-r- 


•8}B}S 

jo  XaBiajoag 


_  joass: 

l0CT5SCOS0r-,C0~O'O  —  00000000CO-*C>CO^J"f-SOLO 

io""  io"  lo"  so"  i » t~~  Tf"  f."  ^,'  pf  ^r  kJ  oo*  co"  co*  co*  co"  ■*"  -<j>"     lo*  so"  < 


'r-Tfaicotcouf-ciLOao- 


B  f~  m 
c  ff»  f  , 


ei 


•^aapisejci 


"g-JS-f-SO-JST.  2|35lOrJ<CO-*t-CO'J<-'  ■<j«rotO'»<COt^'OOOCOl^'«*>'OiOCftO)'^'Ol'T»2Jr'0. 

soja-'i>OrHR-ooxxinR-ion'*-ioo'-rinc<RR^oininciaxino*1" 
oc--<a^ac<ax'3'«'vinaon(0-Hoi.nax«socionc»so^-cRRin-j"1^ 

od"o*  t-"t~-"o"o"Lo"oo*oo"Lo"so"oo"^-"ofio"Tf'"in"sc*to"     t-"(M"  o"'*'^"  of  m"  so"  crTi-'o*  so"  0*00"  tnn<-  ^' 

rl  — 1  r-l  r-t  rH  ^  CO  i-H  *~  — 1  —I  i-t  <*  <" 


•3)b;s 
jo  Xau^ajogg 


inxoaLnsoMONMt^- iciffl' 


—i  S71SO    .    -  _    . 

coast-— i  —  cMcncocosoooscoocnojcft  ojcO'O      CJcnsccciROf^-rRNC'O'a'W 
t->-Hr—  oo  ci  —  t^s75t^co-HOjoicoi>cosccooo^c'ODsoTj<r^'«<mcMoooo-.  " " 


co  io  co  • 

t--*so"'<9"oo"t~ ' 


>»9  2Pa§§B3'§ 


S      - 

cr  ha  p  ce 
s  a    " 


—  — '  u  rt  ;*j;j  :  or  ^^Cx£s*ii-.rto5S*.Saj.*;c3ooa)~a  =  uSt-*i-, 

<!<!«000-;ooo-;flflWHhhOOKSbW^WSg?iii'>!;0000000( 


?nO»=^c8^.2s»C 

•=•3  a  c  ^  SPl;  Sg|5ls 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 


357 


aoOr-NOCMHrt^'-O'VOPtlMOCT-ifJtO 

i  'rt    i r       ~  1 1 1  r~ 


-.OIHff)  H  H  ^H  — ,  rl  —I  >->  rH  1-1  f-1 


hwooockc-'O',  .. 

e  ?;  «  n  c  c  h  ^)  O)  ci  f — ro-j*ffiiow 

ccoioito^ooooo" 


iO  f»  1.0  m  t^  t-  qd  n  x 


"cTlOTf  -V^OOtCOODICWi^MOfCOBHiji 


CC  tC  O*  --  - 

05  O*  SO  CI  "»<  -O"  —  <35  »o  Ol  — ' 


to  oo  — '— '  a>  ■»  10  10  o  - '« 

-  to  CI  ?:  2  C  'J  to  -^ 
■    -(»OCOOOB 


i_5  15  i.in|5 

"  do  it: 
Wei  o  t  i<  o  m  n  (^  to  ci  to  to'cc"***  o*o*uc  m*^" 


"Bfia^o*-"teoooo»ocij;o(-^«c»'* 

1 1^  cc  to  tc  s  n  00  j)  m  o  ci  ~  c  -  to  o  «  o  -  ic 


Mnnt»!cntc^~^ff)Oi 


'ccaot~>ooo— 'ooooctaocit-oooi-^cr-air 10 

iHfaint'CD-int"M(MUOO)Qt)'fl,CC5-iOCC 

E  ro"  of  ao"  V  cc*  to*  0  of  0"  m"  o"  «n  to*  o"  cc"  t»"  ao"  m"  —  pf 


IS 


1  CI  -t>  CI  aj  O  I-  CI  CI  00  CI  00  t)>  to  00  CC  -*  —  Ol  I 


ccccoit^tcao"*  —  cc 


a>  —  to  to  to  —  3-- ' 


NibotesiariwsiM'jfflooDOxoi' 


CsaDTfCCO-<J'-<»'t~l.n'-*'00fCCCt©^*J-rf<O>OtCteTt< 


wo*aaooio*e5;Ortfifl-«!OOin 
o  ci  ci  -*  cc  cc  -3<  — ■  oivOQOT^aioto- 'cc 

WVOtO-OWKOtCSl-fCDCnCITO^Cl 

to" in  cc" cc  of "»"  ■*  r-" o"  cc  to"  m" of  to"  to'  of  ■<**  oo"  of  to'  of  •*" 


C— 'tC~~~.  CCCCCC— 'aOOlCCCICIOl-^-fOC-f— '— ' 
tS  -J  CC  {-  CI  CI  O  Tf«  CI  CI  o  cc  t-  -5  CC  CC  =5  J-  CC  {-  OJ  — 

cooomcct^oo— 'oicot^i-cootocc  — ■  c»  cco-v  — 
1^  •*"  cc  cc  of  tjT  ,**  tC  m"  cc"  to'  10"  of  to"  to"  of  -s"  oc"  05"  to"  cc"  *r" 


-  CC  CI  CC  OJ  cc 


lt^^00CJ)O0itC00C}|--CnO-H00CC 

i-ja-nciccciciscii — <  o> 

^  to  oo  t~  ^f  OJ  — >  o:  M^oo^oot^ 

f  to"  V  00"  m"  10"  -T  rt"  o"  — "  -<j*  to"  r-"  cc"  o"  cc" 


:SSi 


x  tc  re  cc  o  •*"  Tp"h."«o  m"  {^"to*cc*to"^*cc""<**of  o*to*Tj*Tr" 


^StSSaiOQotcM-^ciars^oxaxon^ 

V  2  3  9  S*>  '2  O  O  to  o.  CI  t-  3  -  3-.  cc  to  C;  to  -r  t-  rr 


'jnnowo-oaww.  .. 

-■  IO  00  -  -  CI  Cl  -  '•  T  IO  CI  T  3)  !D 

~"I9)A£AVINI0(0(< 


"o  ^j  cc  cc  o>  cccc*  to"  o"  of  to'  uc"  c  f  10"  to"—"  ccotf  of  to"  of  V 


«  »  ci  oSSSSSSSo 


.  -(Mmojcososxoc:'* 
.-£  *2  .9 ■  —  m  —  oi  to  —  ci  —  to  -r  -tr  01 
lc  w  to  00  -r  "*  ci  j ^  o  n  (-  ^  o 

^  o"  of  of  I-*  cc"  of  o"  cc  00"  cc"  -*"  OD*  Tf"  TJ."  01"  co"  t~"  *-'  TJ."  00*  cc" 


*."+ 


1   o 


®«  «  £  re  £ 


-    -  -    o  5  o<  «  cb  .at  >»  * 


§«g'£^3s|>M 


*    5 


358  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

D. — Male  population  of  New  York  city — From  the  census  of  1800. 


Wards. 

Males, 
white. 

Males, 
colored. 

Wards. 

Males, 
white. 

Males, 
colored. 

First  . . 

9, 155 
1,437 

1,970 
12,  152 
10,815 
13,319 
19, 720 
17,713 
20, 664 
14,411 
29, 165 
14,319 
16,  189 
12,956 

58 

47 

22 

48 

652 

146 

59 

1,261 

168 

85 

92 

135 

267 

441 

12, 429 

20, 748 
35, 055 
25, 244 
13,793 
31,687 
22,  I.", 
31,812 

332 

239 

Third 

127 

Fourth 

128 

Fifth 

236 

Sixth 

623 

Twenty-first 

155 

Eighth  

Twenty-second 

Total 

70 

Ninth 

Tenth  .. 

3^6, 908 
4,614 

5,391 

Includes 

Under  20  years 

Over  20  years 

77 

Thirteenth 

175,278 
216,243 

Fourteenth 

ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 


359 


of  r-T  co"  t>  x"  os  to"  o"  oo"  i-T  go  x"  to"  co"  i  rs  — <"  of  *>"  of  — "  x"  t~" 
1-i.-ii-'cocococoioo<o<o*~<'3'c-'<t<cotcco"'3< 


m^oicotcoi^rco. 


ictoojoo-^oi'Tt^ooi^ 


X  Ol  CO  —  O*  <0  OS  OS  ' 


sianMiniKMooffitoNTiitonxintcin^io 
"iffltoot>ooon*(»cato 


'  OJ  to  tOlO 
_  _  _;  x  to  tj<  to 
tOCOOJtOtOtOtOtOCOf>"^«Oi  — lOOOhlOf 

of  to"  o"co"  of  -r"  of  -*"  o"  co"  co"  o"  x"  m"  of  cf  co"  — <"  x" 


waaonr5ioaaawcr<i.Hi<?:H 


I  Ol  Ol  >-i  "<r  0» 


6rioi»nHaot«ooioo5i^i 
o"  to"  i-"  lo"  of  i>  of  of  gf  of  t>~  -h"  x"  t 


'ao^Hoooooo^oen 


IHHnOCIOI 


Hnanwonanxmooxoo 
nooo^fM^nn-caoo 

P3M«M-iOOOt»n*a(BON 

r-T  oo"  of  of  i>  so  tff  o"  «>  to"  -<r  i-T  of  -»•" 


oj  o  — i  o  co  — i  oi  no  to  o*  tj<  x 

n-iotaoaxion^n 
anxnoOfHfiaana 

of  of  o"  of  lo"  o"  ■*"  ■*"  o"  CO  i>"  t-" 

rtrlrt«H«H« 


O  ■<*<  —I  to  — '  OS  to  to  CJ  to 

00rtOnnooB»o 

©OlOlt^TCOOC-r-lX 
Ofx"ofo"ofco"co"co"-<"l>~ 


oaioton^tootco'*' 
co  co  o>  lo  oj  oj  x  o  -<j>  ot 

tOTj.Tj<00LOXXt-COX 

»>•"  t^-"  t-"  of  t»T  r-T  o"  o"  t"  cf 


ntscvoofloao 


OST  "9« 

t-"x"t>-'  O  Tf 


iOJOS^O 


Ol  to  •V  CO  Tp  f>  OS 

CO  —  "*  OS  — i  O  CO 

rt>"  ic"  to"  to"  of  CO"  UO 


T3  T3  T3  no  *10  ^  t3 


u  m  _,  ^  o  ^  ^J 
t-  X  >o  t-  t.  u  - 


c9  cs 


o^^ol^Htooltoxos 


H-o 

£.5 


(nMQ0i0l0NNO(0t»»O- 'COCO 

>  o  o  o  oj  oi  oi  ci  CO  co  co  ■<»>  lO  o  uo  io 
•xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 


-  a  w  j= 


■  tc  a 


E-a 


T3 

.  a 

-w  o 


5  $>  a  a  Z  7  I 

o  £  .H  £  .SP.3  *  £  £ 
^  ^  oq  oc  W  £  h  H  E-i 


360 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 


F. — Population  of  New  York  city  from  1845  to  1865. 


Wards. 

When 
formed. 

From  what  taken. 

1845. 

1850. 

1855. 

1860. 

1865. 

First               

1791 
1791 
1791 
179! 
1791 
1791 
1791 
1803 
1803 
1808 
1825 
1825 
1827 
1827 
1832 
183G 
1837 
1846 
1850 
1851 
1853 
1853 

12,  230 
6,962 
11,900 
21,  000 
20,  362 
19,343 
25,  556 
30,  900 
30,  907 
20,  993 
27,  259 
13,378 
22,411 
21,103 
19,402 
40,  350 
27,  147 

19,  754 
6,665 
L0.355 

23,  250 
22,  686 

24,  698 

13,  486 
3,  249 
7,  9(19 
22,  895 
21,617 
25.  562 

18,148 

2,  506 

3,  757 
21,944 
22,  337 

26,  696 
39, 983 
39,406 
44, 385 
29,  004 
59,571 
30,651 
32,917 
28,  080 

27,  587 
45,  176 
7-.'.  953 
57,  462 
32,  795 
67,519 
49,017 
61,725 

9,852 

Third    

3  367 

Fourth  .  .. 

17,  352 
18,205 

1')  754 

Fifth 

32,690         34.429 

36,  962 
30,  098 
38,504 
31,537 
58,  953 
28,259 
26,  388 
23,  382 
25,  572 
41  972 

Eighth 

34,612 
40,  657 
23,316 
43, 758 
10,  451 
28, 246 
25,  196 
22,  564 
52,  882 
43,  766 
31,  546 
18,  465 

34,  052 
39,  982 
26,  378 
52,  979 
17,656 
26,  597 
24,754 
24,046 

5!),  548 
39,415 
17,866 
47,  055 

27,914 
22,  605 

Ninth  

Tenth 

Eleventh     . 

Twelfth 

79,  563 
47,  613 
39,  945 
61,884 
38,  609 
47,  361 

16th  ward 

12th  ward 

16th  ward 

18th  ward 

Twenty -second 

371,  223 

515,  547 

629,810 

813,  669 

726, 386 

G, 


-Number  and  nativity  of  male  population  of  Keic  Tori'  city — Census  of 

1800. 


Males,  white 209,014 

Males,  colored 5, 237 

214,251 

FOREIGN. 

Males,  white 182,462 

Males,  colored 228 

182,690 

Total  males 396,941 


NATIVITY  OF   FOREIGN  WHITE  MALES. 


Germany 63,811 

Ireland 86,580 

England 14,113 

Scotland 4, 941 


France 4, 172 

All  others 8,845 

Total 182,462 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 


361 


H. — Census  oflSGo  estimated  at  four  per  centum  increase  for  three  years 
compared  with  the  actual  vote  of November ',  1868. 


Wards. 


Census. 


Census  of  1865 
increased  at 
the  rate  of  4 
per  cent,  for 
three  years. 


Actual  vote 
polled  in  No- 
vember, 1868. 


Census  of  1865 
increased  at 
the  rate  of  4£ 
per  cent,  per 
year  for  three 
years. 


First 

Second 

Third 

Fourth 

Fifth 

Sixth 

Seventh  

Eighth 

Ninth 

Tenth 

Eleventh 

Twelfth 

Thirteenth 

Fourteenth 

Fifteenth 

Sixteentli 

Seventeenth . . . 

Eighteenth 

Nineteenth 

Twentieth 

Twenty-first  .. 
Twenty-second 

Total 


1865. 
1,906 
277 
744 
3,088 
3, 295 
4,  145 
6,150 
5,499 
9,  999 
5,462 
9, 222 
4, 720 
4,799 
4,324 
5,313 
6,989 

13, 301 
8,  576 
7,286 

10,643 
7,064 
8,113 


1868. 

2,135 

310 

833 

3,458 

3,690 

4,  642 
6,868 
6, 159 
8,959 
6,117 

10,328 

5,  286 
5,375 
4,843 
5,951 
7,  827 

14,897 
9,605 
8,160 

11,920 
7,912 
9,087 


1868. 
3,206 
450 
1,072 

4,  312 
3, 583 
5,401 
8,211 
6,  803 
9,379 

5,  993 
10,343 

6,  626 
5,  759 
5, 252 
5,097 
8,193 

14,828 
10,211 

9,582 
11,851 

9,871 
10,037 


1868. 

2, 163 
314 

844 
3,505 
3,740 
4,705 
6,991 
6,  241 
9,079 
6,199 

10, 468 
5,357 
5,447 
4,908 

■  6,030 
7,933 

15,  097 
9,  734 
8, 280 

12,080 
8,018 
9, 208 


128,975 


144, 382 


156,060 


146,341 


*The  actual  vote  of  1868  at  the  November  election,  as  given  in  the  transcript  by  wards  severally,  is  156,060. 
The  recapitulation  shows  a  total  of  156.050.  a  mistake  of  10  votes,  as  shown  by  the  above  footing. 
156,060-141,382=11,678. 


K. — Excess 

of  vote  over  registry- 

-November  election. 

District. 

Ward. 

Regis- 
tered . 

Vote. 

Excess. 

Sixth 

Fifth 

520 
863 
513 

180 
179 
285 

865 

588 
864 
517 
190 
227 
305 
900 

68 

Eleventh 

Thirteenth 

Twenty-first 

...    Sixth 

...    Eighteenth 

1 

4 

10 

Twentv-third 

48 

Thirtieth 

20 

First  

16 

Total 

'"" 

167 

j 

L. — Total  male  population,  Sixth  ward,  census  1860  and  1865. 

1860. 
White , 13,319 

Colored 146 

" 13,465 

™,  1865. 

"hue 9,574 

Colored 143 

" 9,717 

Loss  in  male  population,  as  shown  by  census 3, 748 


362 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN   NEW   YORK. 


i 


•[tnoj  pnt?.io 

3 

0 

to" 
0 

•pjBAV  P5S 

—  n  ~j  n  CO  iiiiMir-r.ttOiTJO-* 
owno  >~  s-.  —  x  x  oj  oo o at  x  in  t-  en 

35  tc  c  at)  ^  lo  «  t  m  w  w  ^  t-  o  »  n  r: 

s 

0* 

•p.n;.u  |BXg 

O  -J  eft  — i  go  O  g>>  —  x  —  to  -o  n  —  m  i-  a  o  to 

to  en  t  n  <-  to  co  o  o  t  ci  en  *?  m  t-  to  H  to  o 

00 

sT 

•pjBAV  qics 

en  etj  m  x  ti  x  <-  t-  gj  -r  en  s>  —  o  ~r  — i  si  to  o  oo  s  e-  to  ■*  to  oo  en  c»  oo 
—  i.  ~.t  (-  to  c-g  <-  co  to  r  tit  xi .  cg  x  m  x  en  -v  g-j  1-7  7 

In 
00 

•p.m.vi  qjf,i 

lg  to  0  n  10  a  0  1-  t  n  r.  ?i  t^  s  •>»<  01  0  oo  c  n  0  ?5  h-  ^  n  »  0  e  0  iq  a 

00-^lOt»r:'T:--Of'Q0^^f»DHQD^i[S0Bt»0»Q0tSl»*P-OXOt» 

en  -»•  oj  ^  en  i<  n*  to  c-i  en  — 1  en  ^>  to  ci  en  c<  -3"      m  — ^ci- iCiwvnwtG 

3S 

■pjBM  q}g[ 

to  —  —  en  r 1^  s  n  (g  ig  r,  i'  h  u  ti  1^  a  v  ~  0  <o  0  n 

-  oo  1-  ig  gi  t  -  c.  r.  7.  c-  ~  -  r.  -  ig  x  r:  t  ig  s  w  00  ob 
lg  b  1-  c  b  t  »g  ^  m  n  ci  cg  0  m  it  u  n  ot  n  r:  m  0  r-  0 

5i 

0" 

•pjBAV  q»it 

tctcn-'tcG»CTtc»o?5r;ooo?;te!GBr>o-'N-<GSN-H3ii(;(X)'j'r500'»» 

C  l->  (M  X  f  1  SO  «  -  C!  -  N  -  B  t»  'J  ,"3  -  CG  3)  -  -  OO  B  00  0U  1-  ^  C.  "T  Xi  1-  ^  (»  *■  X 

ocn-o'cno^toTr^ioio-^^^tocninin'vcN^cncnc<c<ci'^<r<cncnencncncn-<r 

00 

•p.iu.u  qj9i 
•p.iBAV  qjsi 

to  -r  r 1-  b  t^  ^  gi  i>  c  a  «  s  0  0  0  b 

ao  0  -*r  c;  x  re  —  -r  cg  -r  —  n<  -r  ~  to  go  00  m 
mrG)TG)in'Tin'T«oto'j<'vt-"T'j'.'vG-^'r-icN 

en 
s> 

ao" 

*ocGtx«-j-o»r» 

CJ  Q  l"»  OS  B3  x  «  <-  SJ  rG  — 1 

B  LO  tt  B  G)  ?5  .'G  B  «  T  W 

1     oosix^MOfiBf  r- 
•iiT"  \\  TiirT          M  W  (->  (S  m  C  Tl  /.   /-  :-  o 

~> 
m 

m" 

•p.ti!AV  qjei 

o-nnoo-'fD'vocGt'OO 
bbbw-  m— ito-rio  —  rot^oo 
CGt^^mTrm'Vfl'CGi'^'rG)'^"— i^G) 

C5 

IO 

•p.iBAV  qjsi 

—  s>  to  to  -*  •*  —1  en  «h  to  « 

O  f»  Gl  rf  -  -  -r  c  -  10  B 

i>aooi.innaiGf:i.Gh 

to 
a 

to 
to" 

ci  — 1 1-  m  oo  r-  tri  ao  ei  m  <~-  eo  t-  «-  in  n>  to  si  cj  go  o  -»<  si  s>  m 

en 
en 

0" 

•pjUAi  q^oi 

(Mr — ■  —  OBttro- '—  s 

xnx-rooaBt  otox 

in  O  P5  m  B  CG  LG  LO  B  O  V  ON 

en 
S 

•p.tBAv  qj(3 

to  oo  — 'CGt-OLnooa^xn- ■  to  to  m  •*• 
cr.  g-)  to  t  —  en  to  3  x  [^naooxo^nn 
OBOBf^Bi'tGnni.GinnBBBrG 

s> 
t^ 

en 
o>" 

•paBAi  qjg 

Mnoj^ootjiuxinto  m-o>  00  en  in  m 
ir)G)Bi--oo(>o^Br;oB^of 
en  en  cn  0  n>«  T  en  rr  ^  -a<  0  t  en  c<  t  m  en 

s 

00 

to" 

•pjBAV  qu 

onntotstji^atoo^ 

—  ftO-  00  N  B  O  B  «  CG 

r-  rtffl  ^oooo^f  t-xi> 

5* 
00" 

•piBAi  qjg 

BWCG-iMBI-OlCG-iTf 
CGBTrOrGi>3TiGuGO 

ninnxomKo^x 

0 
0' 

•p.iBAV  qjc 

r-  CG  -  LO  X  X  CT  IO 

mmOB  vooonn 
1— 1  r-i  in  ^<  ■*  in  b  b 

en 
00 
in 

en 

•p.iBA4.  qif. 

OMJhOHO 

to  to  x  cg  00  m  en 
to  00  to  lo  ^r  T  to 

en 

•pjBM  PG 

■<}<  0  to  fN 
COGO  — '  35 

•pjBAi  pg 

§3 

CNCN 

0 
m 

•pjBAV  Q,SI 

CD  CG  t»  x  n  ■* 
•   to  to  en  — 1  si  <m 

Xf  fTfl-lCT 

to 
0 
s» 
en" 

Q 

i 

z 
c 

\ 

■J 

1 

•t: 

* 

a 
QC 

0   7 

'A 

1 

pi 

a 

i 

e" 

1 

1 

* 

| 

c 
pi 

6 
g 

5 

> 

J7 

1 

g 
> 

1 

f 
g 

c 

1 
g 

)  c 

c 

a 
r 

> 
1 

c 
c 

j 

■»> 

p 
a 

e 

c- 

C 

■»! 

s 

a 

E- 

■c 
I 

| 

•J 

t 

i 

E- 

t 

\ 

b 

- 
> 

= 

a 

s 

E- 

1 

> 

a 
»> 

e 

it 

E- 

c 

'I 

E- 

I 

Eh 

B 
c 
0 

>(• 
E 

H 

7 

♦J 
,> 

Eh 

L 

E-i 

a 

c 

Eh 

ELECTION  FRAUDS  IX  NEW  YORK. 


363 


•pjBAl  PCS 

L-  I"  N  C  ^  L"  ?!  -  X  o  i^  l-5  r:  C  i^  K  CI 

x  x  \z  t-  x  —  •-  71  71  —   ~  *'  t — r  a  —  lo 
x>ao«so»-v«jto«cDeo«c-*aotc  t»  co  co 

1  (N 

•pjB-U  \S\Z 

co  —  i~  rj  a  jr.  —  t~  — .  7>  •-:  i~  c~  :   -  s~m^ 
»  u  t  s  r.  f-  t  c  l:  c  :i  n  f  r  1 1»  s  s  o 

Is 

a  w  o  7*  -r  ■■-.  77  — . 71  o  !•:  m  -  i-:  i  - 

—  X  71  i-  =  71  —  —  "*■  CO  CO  W  W  3>  OU  CO  00  CO  CC 

•pju.u.  qiQC-        ""  -  ~  "  u~  l"  ~  "  L~  "  "  ~  "'  7i  "'  ^  ~  "  L~ 

• 

'■&  — '  O  — ITT-V— ILOlOX 

J7  cr:  ^r  t-  jr.  u-  x ■  J=  =  rj 

u-  c-7  lO  l-O  T  77  77  77  71  ^ 

li 

•pjBAi  qi6I 

;-r.--r.r:t>*^ao;!Tfi-.T —  l-  r:  -:?  o  c  o  c  a  t  m;  crc  :i  n  w 

:i  -  •;  c  i  t ~  =-.  =  x  i"  —  l-  -i  j.'  v=  t-  c:  T)  x  =  m  r.  -  t-:  -^  c  x  ao 

^  r.  k  ii  r:  -r  :t  r.  I!  v  r-  t  c  -c  :(  ^  ci  t      e  r^  ;i  r-,  r-,  o  n  r-  n  «  « 

o 

x  x  ■.:  c-.  -.j:  r-  7?  x  jt  -  :i  o  -  :i  r.  -  v  -j  t  —  71  co  o)  — 

cc  —  J7  o  — .  Jr  x  r:  s  c;  — .  ~  —  i-  c-  l-  —  l-  ;c  x  71  t  ao  — 

•pjBAl  U13T        l-  c^  x  i.-  •,;  in  ~  ^~  ;i  •?  :i  r:  o  l~  tt  ;)  t  K  -  r;  «  74  r-,  co 

: 

7l 

o 

X 

— 

•pjBAi  qui 

:;  i  x  ("  :i  c  -  i~  i"-  t-  r  t-  -  :t  -  a  -j  m  x  -j  -  o  t^  -j  o  n  ~  mo  ;  n  ^  r:  c  n 
•,;  -r  t  -  o.  -r  ^  —  c  t":  c  -  t  c  'c  r.  ir:  c.  c  ?)  t  ^r  ro  "  n  k  ^  n  r:  ^  n  r:  -51  tt  u; 

CO 
CO 

ao 
uo" 

■2 

•paBAV  qa9l 

r-  ?i  ?;  l-  r  ;i ~  —  i~.  -_r  oonoon    ^ 

-  x  i^  r:  -ru:  -  c  r.  i-  r:  i-  i^  ~  t x  -^     . 

—  r:  —  u-  u~.  r.i.^-iffO'j'^fiCr-:!    . 

il 

[co- 

^ 

2 
B 

•pjBAv  qigx 

riio^nnoaxoaaoo 

r.  -  -  -  x  -  t  -  r:  -  r: 
a  l~  l~  {^  u  ■*!•  tj-  f^  rr  t  ro 

go 

LO~ 

< 

"5 

CJ 

K  =  :i:r.chr.:ir:c 

i —  L~   X  £~  ~  —  CO  ".O  -T1 

•pjBM  qif-x        <*  m  co  t~  •<*■  t-  m  m  l-  «  71 

IO 

~  ~  —  ~ Bannt-aor 

—  J7.  J7,  ir  — •  —  ~~~;CX~~X   — 

oa 

o 
5 

CM 

co~ 

TUBAvqK.X 

-;i-x;i-r::i:it-o 

o? 

CO 
CM 

•pjBAi  qjIT 

l-  —  t-  jr.  o  t-  x  l-:  —  x  x  o  rr  ro  o  l- 
-r  3  jr.  t-  7)  jr.  i-  r.  jr.  x  ?*  l-  rj  -r  -r  ~ 

0 

KNCfflXI'OOl      ■ 
•~S  O  =~.  £^  71  —  -<r  OS     • 

rr  »:  c<  ^  ci  t  (7i  a    • 

%  • 

CN 

•pjVM  qioi 

^n^s-iOTii^c  jr.  io 

CO  t £^ — rrjr: ■?>  ~  s 

•^  IQ  -r  IO  COCO(D«et>83'«CQ 

CO 
CO 

co- 

S 

jr.  —  —  jr.  j:  t-  ~t  rj  —  o  r-  ~>  m  ~  -j:  3i  -.o 
■p-OJ-u.  qi5        !ot-c<s»«xn'*vo(o*>  a  -  to 

cm 

00 
CM 

o* 

rH 

•pjBM  qjg 

K3  -r  i-  i>  -r  77  72  ~  77  I-  Jr.  ~I  C-  r?  M  to  CJ 

x  r.  ii  x  c  j  -  :i  r;  j;  x  c  f  x  -  t-  o 
r:  r:  :<  a  r:  ■w  t:  t  'r  o  c  r:  :i  l-  in  tt 

CO 

»o 

2 
•^ 

l 

•p-nJAv  qu 

=  Ti  m  «oino(cn  w  os 

x  i!  :-  t  r.  j:  m  t-  x  jr.  o 

8 

1 

1 

•P-tcav  qig        "  S  S  \S  £  5  K  S  £  3  i 

co 

X) 
CO 

in 

£ 

Tm,.,  „,.         l-:  t- ~  ~  x  71  t 1     .     . 

o 

eo" 

•pjBM.  qjf. 

^  Jl  ^r  ir.  x  Jr.  t- 
DCDwano  7j 
£^  Jr.  X  in  c-.  u~  t^ 

00 
CM 

o 

•PJBAI.  pg 

ci  en  -r*  o 

KJ  0*  71  r-l 

CM 

lO 

•p«aiP5|   gg  :  : 

1" 

•piBAv  ;3x 

W  —  -)  r:  lt  r: 
~  x  x  -r  71  7i 

CO 
LO 

co" 

pUiSTQ 

—  71  ~  -r  ir 

■^ 

r» 

X 

09  d  - 

7 

P 

-r 

If 

r- 

tc 

t~ 

i 

— 

71  7 

7 

r 

s 

17 
71 

CO 

71 

71 

X 
71 

71 

J7 
J7 

r7 

71 
77 

77 
J7 

7% 

pa 

"3 

o 

td 

J: 

o 

71 
71 

H 

a 

lO 

-r  CO 

e'eo"— r 

5  5  2 
fc  &  ? 

cac-i 
—  71(7* 

ocot- 
cc  r?  71 

S3S: 
?  &  & 


aj  co-in"<n" 

Q  .   .   . 

«  :  :  : 

^  rr  -j:  ^ 
^5  =  3 

>  ?&& 

«  -BS-5 

o 

J-1  co  en  cm 

Ch  C7  —  VO 

j  co%-Tt-~ 

S  ."  . 

h  :  :  : 

O  S   «   c3 

H  ^^^ 

O  —  71 


W  30  CM 


CJ    CJ    5 

^  &  & 

i>ao  S 


cr.  t^co 


-    '-    - 
P  08  09 

*   &   & 


CO"      i 


si  S  S 


364 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

O. — Actual  and  estimated  number 


Counties. 


Albany 

Allegany 

Broome 

Cattaraugus  .. 

Cayuga  

Chautauqua .. 

Chemung 

Chenango  

Clinton 

Columbia 

Cortland 

Delaware 

Dutchess 

Erie 

Essex 

Franklin 

Fulton 

Genesee 

Greene 

Hamilton 

Herkimer 

Jefferson 

Kings 

Lewis 

Livingston  .  . . 

Madison 

Monroe 

Montgomery.. 

New  York 

Niagara  

Oneida 

Onondaga 

Ontario 

Orange. 

Orleans 

Oswego 

Otsego 

Putnam 

Queens 

Rensselaer 

Richmond 

Rockland 

St.  Lawrence. 

Saratoga 

Schenectady.. 

Schoharie 

Schuyler 

Seneca  

Steuben 

Suffolk 

Sullivan 

Tioga 

Tompkins 

Ulster 

Warren 

Washington  . . 

Wayne 

Westchester .. 

Wyoming 

Yates 


Actual  number  of  voters — official. 


1835.        1845.        1855, 


Total....  422,034 


10,941 
7,  013 
4,102 
5,030 

10,  058 
9,012 


8,681 
3,304 
8,534 
5,057 
6,875 
10,611 
9.  974 
4,157 
2,  083 


11,  808 
6,257 


7,699 

10,  498 

5,107 

3,161 

6,486 

8,757 

11,151 

9,932 

43,091 

5,000 

14, 426 

12,  409 

8,  334 

8,873 

4,696 

7,467 

10,  434 

2,  409 
4,797 

11,019 
1,476 
2,076 
7,  234 
8,011 

3,  290 
5,781 


4,690 
8,177 
6,034 
2,  903 
7,110 
7,809 
8,313 
2,  544 
8,181 
7,  496 
7,772 


3,894 


15,  878 

8,  754 
5,814 
(i,  588 

11,140 
10, 159 
5,  191 
9,393 

5,  306 

9,  444 
5,711 
8,190 

12,  149 
14,  631 
5,286 

3,  356 

4,  203 

6,  5'  9 
6,884 

428 
8,552 
13,772 

12,  896 
4,  287 
7,300 
9,615 

14,  23L 
6,592 

63,  927 
6,784 

17,  435 

15,812 
9,405 

10,  590 
5,759 

10,310 
11,745 
3,009 
6,168 

13,  437 
2,  6(8 
2,772 

11,  885 
9,  582 
3,365 
7,053 


5,459 
11,212 
7,767 
4,019 
4,  933 
8,668 
10,  546 
3,373 
9,203 
9,  348 
9,  858 
5,767 
4,  822 


18,616 
9,884 
8,282 
8,651 
11,526 
11.912 
5,859 
9,  700 
6,  374 
9,412 
5,  902 
9,065 

12,  498 
21,743 

5,  652 
4,462 
5,066 
6,477 
6,952 
599 
8,578 

14,  206 

32,  627 
5,284 
8,136 
9,974 

17,  272 
6,786 

88,  877 
8,257 

20,  946 

16,  993 
9, 147 

11,301 
5,704 

14,  609 

12, 177 
3,037 
8,187 

14,  933 
3,795 
3,580 

13,  984 
10,377 

3,793 
7,  376 
4,377 
5,395 
14,151 
7,939 
5,727 
6,181 
7,  456 

13,  097 
4,165 
9,355 

10,  205 

14,  245 
7,064 
4,474 


1865. 


539,379  1652,322  823,484 


24,  723 
10,  088 

9,562 
10,  334 
13, 590 
14,  228 

7,450 
10,336 

8,  052 
10,635 

6,  592 
10,  582 
15,119 
29,441 

6,  121 
5,  505 
5,  895 

7,  465 
7,  745 

657 

9,720 

15,526 

58,  224 

6,677 

9,  055 
11,160 
21,777 

7,  694 
128,  975 
10, 222 
24, 489 
21,409 
10,  437 
14,  977 

6,956 
17,  061 
12,  954 

3,445 
11,801 

19.  098 

5,  627 
4,319 

16,764 
11,782 
4,870 
8,083 
4,874 

6,  643 
15,766 

9,961 
7.473 
7,214 
7,999 
16,  224 
4,740 
10,767 
11,456 

20,  479 

7,  533 
5,  082 


:  x 


£*> 

B  8  u 

hi 

w 


27,  096 
10,481 
10,  509 
11.171 
13,997 
14,911 
*7,919 
10,522 

8,  922 
10.  890 

6,770 
11,058 

15,  709 
33,  239 

6,  378 

6,  149 
*6.  012 

7,264 

7,  908 
*708 

9,  953 

16,  178 
80,  931 

7,  238 

9,  354 

11,461 

23,410 

8,248 

146, 000 

11,049 

25,  884 

22,  950 

10,  738 

15,830 

7,269 

18,  698 

13,226 

3,  579 

13,  040 

20,  244 

6,268 

4,669 

18, 474 

12,241 

5,074 

8,374 


6,902 

16,  948 
10,  499 

8,  302 

7,  235 

8,  239 

17,  440 
5,110 

11,058 
11,971 
22,813 
*7,  871 
5,  234 


fag 


ill 


27,  170 
10,  693 
9,  992 
10,  954 

14,  323 
14,996 

8,  053 
10,553 

8,680 
11,049 

6,  829 
11,121 
16,  026 
32,  620 

6,268 

5,884 

6,  180 
7,801 
8,000 

674 
10,  099 

15,  945 
71,848 

7,197 

9,  354 
11,561 
23,  475 

7,  694 
146,386 

10,957 
25,  564 
23,  078 
10,  927 
16,414 
7,415 
17,931 
13,  197 

3,  579 
13,359 
20,  644 

6,  437 
4,578 

17,719 
12,241 
5,279 

8,  301 
5,  034 

7,  101 

16,  286 
10,  678 

8.145 
7,581 

8,  166 

17,  392 

4,  939 
11,251 
11,868 
23,  182 

7,691 
5,280 


S  CO 

Z  >j 


45.1 
25.  0 
42.0 

31.0 
11.0 
12.8 


08.0 
61.0 
11.0 
13.5 
19.0 
15.0 
46.0 
27.0 
61.0 


-45.0 
10.0 


11.0 
31.0 

152.  0 
36.0 
12.0 
10.0 
27.6 

-33.  7 
48.3 
35.  7 
21.0 
27.0 
13.0 
19.0 
22.5 
38.0 
12.5 
25.0 
28.5 
22.0 
77.0 
33.0 
64.  5 
19.0 
02.0 
22.0 


16.5 
37.0 
28.7 
38.0 
-42.  0 
11.0 
27.0 
a3.  0 
12.0 
25.0 
27.0 


17.2 
13.0 
42.0 
31.0 
03.0 
17.0 
12.9 
03.  0 
20.0 
00.0 
03.  0 
10.5 
03.0 
49.  0 
07.0 
33.  0 
20.5 
00.  0 
01.0 
40.0 
00.0 
03.0 
153.  0 
23.0 
11.0 
04.0 
21.4 
03.0 
39.0 
22.0 
20.1 
07.0 
-03  0 
07.0 
00.0 
41.6 
04.0 
00.0 
33.0 
11.0 
45.5 
29.0 
18.0 
08.0 
13.0 
04.5 


23.0 


-01.0 
26.2 
02.0 
42.5 
25.0 
-14.0 
24.0 
23.2 
01.6 
09.0 
44.0 
22.0 
■07.2 


10 


33.0 

02.0 

15.0 

20.  0 

18.0 

18.5 

27.  0 

07.0 

26.4 

13.0 

12.0 

16.7 

21.0 

36.0 

08.0 

23.4 

16.3 

15.  2 

11.0 

09.0 

13.0 

09.0 

78.0 

26.0 

11.0 

12.0 

26.0 

13.4 

45.2 

24.0 

16.6 

26.6 

14.6 

32.6 

22.0 

16.7 

06.0 

13.4 

44.0 

27.3 

48.0 

20.6 

19.8 

13.0 

28.0 

09.  0 

11.0 

23.0 

LI. 4 

24.0 

30.0 

16.7 

07.0 

24.0 

13.7 

14.5 

12.0 

43.7 

06.6 

13.6 


95.0 
40.0 
99.0 
82.0 
32.  0 
48.3 

*43.  0 
18.0 

107.4 
24.0 
28.5 
46.2 
39.0 

131.0 
42.0 

117.4 
10.  11 

-29.8 
22.0 

*53.  0 
24.0 
43.0 

383.0 
85.0 
34.0 
26.0 
75.0 

-  7.  3 

132!  5 
81.7 
57.7 
70.6 
24.6 
58.0 
44.5 
96.3 
22.5 


11 


a  ~> 


S>o. 


13 


3.2 

1.3 
3.3 
2.7 
l.C 
1.6 

*2.  1 
(i.  (i 
3.6 
0.8 
0.9 
1.5 
1.3 
4.3 
1.4 
3.9 

*2.  0 
0.9 
0.7 

*2.6 
0.8 
1.4 

13.0 
2.8 
1.1 
0.9 
2.5 
2.4 


171.0 
82.6 

102.0 
40.0 
43.0 
35.5 


38.5 

75.0 

54.7 

110.5 

0.3 

4.0 

75.0 

80.0 

28.0 

46.0 

115.0 

*30.  0 

29.0 


26.  5     75.  5       2.  5 


4.4 
2.7 
1.9 
2.4 
0.8 
1.9 
1.5 
3.2 
0.7 
1.3 
3.5 
2.0 
5.7 
2.7 
3.4 
1.3 
1.4 
1.2 


1.3 
2.5 
1.8 
3.7 
0.1 
1.0 
2.5 
2.6 
0.9 
1.5 
3.8 
*1.5 
1.0 


Estimate  for  twenty  years. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

365 

f  coles 

and  voters,  SfC 

-1868. 

13 

14 

! 
15 

16          17          18     i 

19 

20 

21 

22     i     23 

24 

'  Official  i 

>er  cent,  of  voters  to  total 
population. 

Estimated  number  of  voters  for  four 
presidential  terms. 

Tribune   Almanac. — Actunl  num- 
ber of  votes  polled  for  four  pres- 
idential terms. 

1835. 

1845. 

1855. 

1805.        1856. 

1860. 

1864. 

1868.         1856. 

1860. 

1864. 

1868. 

18.30 
25.  89 

20.  55 

17.95 

21.  40     19,  230 

21,687 

23,  908 

27,  170  '  18.  068 

20,980     23,140 

26,217 

27.  >7 

23.04 

25.01        9,903 

9  982 

10,  068 

10,  693 

9,041 

8,973       8,801 

9,  378 

20.  3  L 

22.  53 

22.  59 

25.  26       8,  406 

8,  903 

9,132 

9,  992 

7,194 

7,430  ,     8,  142 

9,  612 

20.  12 

21.  43 

21.85 

23.  94        8,  809 

9,  500 

9,714 

10,954 

7,917 

9.364  !     9,081 

10,  021 

20.  44 

22.  43 

21.56 

24.38      11,733 

12,  563 

13.  346 

14,  323 

10,  776 

11,876      11,942 

13,141 

20.07 

21.86 

22.  31 

24.  32      12,  120 

12,  984 

13, 972 

14,  996 

10,901 

12,  154 

12,  692 

13,  828 

21.91 

21.52 

23.33        0.017 

6.649 

7,  249 

8,  053 

5,219 

5,  427 

6,401 

7,416 

"21".'  29" 

21 54 

24.  30 

26.  94        9,  768 

10,233 

10,119 

10,553 

8,  934 

9,37l 

9,  585 

9,  968 

15.92 

16.96 

19.57 

17.61        6,539 

7,202 

7,  843 

8,680 

6,  104 

7,  231 

7,017 

7, 922 

20.94 

22.49 

21.19 

23.68        9,534 

10,013 

10,  497 

11,049 

8,819 

9,830 

10,116 

11,015 

20.92 

24.50 

20.57        5,972 

6,  256 

"     6,513 

6,  829 

5.405 

5.  605 

6,046 

6,191 

20.18 

22. 14 

22.80 

25.41       9,219 

9, 835 

10,  403 

11,121 

8,  483 

8,213  |     9,546 

9,  909 

20. 93 

22  04 

20.60 

23.19  '  12,747 

13,747 

14,817 

16,  026 

11,504 

12,  834 

13,  844 

15,  691 

17.31 

18.66 

16.42 

18.89      22.525 

25,  656 

28,  482 

32,  620 

19, 957 

23,315 

26,431 

30,  276 

20.08 

21.06 

19.79 

21.36        5,697 

5,878 

6,  073 

6,266 

5,  033 

5,  247 

5,  388 

5,756 

16. 65 

17.95 

17.  50 

19.55       4.564 

4,  975 

5,  379 

5.884 

4,214 

4.  505 

4,676 

5,667 

22.  62 

21.96 

24.04  ,     5,147 

5.471 

5,801 

6. 180 

5,001 

*6,  008 

"5,  859 

*6,  812 

"20*15" 

22.55 

20.87 

23.  91        6,  574 

6,962 

7,  354 

7,  601 

6,134 

6.  920 

6,  802 

7,101 

20.73 

21.51 

22.  32 

24.  42        7,  028 

7,334 

7,  660 

8,  000 

6,043 

6,671 

6,  984 

7,401 

"ai'sB 

22.  74 
22.  85 

23. 1 1 
22.23 

24.76  |         604 
22.  27       8,  689 

625 

9,  1.35 

652 
9,  594 

674 
10,  099 

516 
7,  954 

*8,"664' 

9,' 294 

"*9,"  455 

19.77 

21. 19 

21.71 

23.  36      1 4,  333 

14, 845 

15,  387 

15,  945 

12,803 

14,  327 

14,  434 

14,304 

15.93 

16.39 

15.07 

18.72      35,171 

45,351 

53,  683 

71,848 

30,  667 

36,  466 

46,  564 

67,  545 

19.64 

21.20 

20.94 

23.  98        5,  431 

5,970 

6,  504 

7,197 

4,  656 

5,531 

5,  989 

6,650 

20.86 

21.99 

21.44 

24.  1 1        8,  225 

8,583 

8,956 

9,  354 

7,228 

8,  439 

8,133 

8,288 

20. 96 

23.46 

22.82 

20.25      10.093 

10,572 

11,(27 

11,561 

9,  038       9,  505 

9,  930 

10,234 

19.19 

20.07 

17.92 

17,721 

19,517 

21,211 

23,  475 

15,337  i  18,099 

19,310 

21,  701 

20.53 

22.  23 

21.99 

24.46        6.874 

7, 227 

7,994 

6,274   1     6,781 

7,  427 

7,  791 

15.95 

17.  22 

14.  11 

17.  75  ,  92,  876 

108,  874 

123,  172 

146,  386 

79,6  6 

95,  583 

110,390 

156,  054 

18.87 

19.  63 

16.95 

20.  74  !     8,  455 

9,  247 

9,977 

10,  957 

7,  755 

8,  733 

9,  126 

9,813 

18.60 

20.  56 

19.  43 

23.84  ,  21,281 

22,  621 

24,  098 

25,  564 

19,159 

21,519 

22,  964 

23,  869 

20.37 

22.  53 

19.56 

23.02      17,370 

19,  134 

20,  853 

23,  078 

16,  022 

18,  465 

19,  709 

21,343 

20.39 

22.  07 

21.43 

24.  21        9,  275 

9,787 

10,341 

10,927 

8,  382 

9,  398 

9,398 

9,  945 

19.67 

20.25 

18.57 

21.10  |  11,662 

13,  109 

14,498 

16,414 

10,  394 

11,909 

13,417 

16,008 

20.51 

22.  24 

20. 10 

24.32  ,     5,829 

6,331 

6,  803 

7,415 

5,  552 

6,  105 

6,213 

6,  350 

19.53 

21.  28 

21.09 

22.38      14,857 

15,  851 

16.771 

17,  931 

13,  104 

14,  490 

15,031 

15,671 

20.69 

23.  25 

24.48 

26.64      12,250 

12.542 

12,877 

13,  197 

11,197 

11,604 

12. 198 

12,  643 

21. 72 

22.69 

21.80 

23.21        3,076 

3.  234 

3,401 

3,  579 

2,  538 

2,  ^Ci 

3,061 

3,  285 

19.  68 

19.37 

17.68 

20.  34        8.  547 

9,  968 

11,282 

13,359 

6,801 

8,141 

9,684 

11,361 

19.85 

21.55 

18.85 

21.65      15.336 

16,948 

18,  583 

20,  644 

14,  116 

16,885 

18,  536 

20,  932 

19.19 

19.06 

17.74 

19.  94        3,  977 

4,  7U5 

5,357 

6,437 

3,  232 

3,778 

4,  438 

5,  240 

21.41 

20. 17 

18.  34 

20.77  .     3,651 

3,938 

4,  233 

4,578 

3,131 

3,  779 

3,  732 

4,  628 

17.24 

19.07 

18.65 

20.69      14.249 

15,312 

16,  446 

17,719 

12,  960 

15,331 

14,912 

15,829 

21.07 

23.  34 

21.02 

23.61      10,512 

11,051 

11,629 

12,241 

9,  551 

10,  452 

10,  624 

11,702 

20.27 

21.85 

19.  36 

23.  31        3,  896 

4,320 

4,  734 

5,279 

3,714 

4,148 

4,  572 

4,806 

2.).  28 

21.71 

22.00 

24.23  !     7,442 

7,701 

8,011 

8,  301 

6,  843 

7,492 

7,680 

8,  020 



23.30 

26.43  ,     4,425 

4,617 

4,821 

5,  034 

3,  981 

4,259 

4,469 

4,871 

20.73 

21.86 

21.27 

25.34        5.519 

6,015 

6,491 

7,101 

5,  053 

6,015 

5,947 

6,094 

19.73 

21.69 

22.47 

23.66      14,306 

14,  929 

15,  593 

16,286 

12,521 

13.  273 

13.912 

15,  108 

21.34 

22.47 

18.40 

21. 23       8,  129 

8,691 

9,  722 

10,  678 

6,418 

7,275 

8,  332 

8,774 

21.14 

21.46 

19.43 

22.51        5,898 

6,586 

7.  249 

8,145 

5  310 

6,  114 

6,  508 

6,949 

20.91 

21.97 

22.  92 

25.61  1     6,286 

6,706 

7,  092 

7,581 

5,920 

6,  503 

6,798 

7,514 

20.54 

22.80 

23.  63 

26.  06       7,  508 

7,716 

7,944 

8,  166 

6,919 

7,374 

7,514 

7,746 

20.80 

H-13 

18.68 

21.44      13,411 

14,  668 

15,  835 

17,  392 

11,665 

13,  027 

14,  666 

16,  568 

21.  14 

22.  62 

21.  17 

22.  43        4,  223 

4,  456 

4,674 

4,  939 

3,943 

4,689 

4,568 

4,950 

20.  80 

22.69 

21.06 

23.  28        9,  495 

9,786 

10,  606 

11,251 

8,654 

9,  655 

9,863 

10,  725 

19.83 

!    21.98 

21.81 

24.11      10,327 

10,817 

11,319 

11,  868 

9,  223 

10,  606 

10,  514 

10,  727 

20.04 

1    20.07 

17.  65 

20.23      14,871 

17,  378 

19,578 

23,  182 

12,  691 

14,  652 

16,  962 

21,308 

21.42 

21.96 

21.75       7,113 

7.311 

7,481 

7,691 

6,548 

6,888 

6,691 

6,817 

19.61 

I    23.21 

21.57 

26.  27        4.  532 

5,  029 

5,016 

5,  280 

4,260 

4,480 

4,729 

4,886 

19/n 

1    20.71 

19.18 

21.51    

i.596,486 

1 

675,  156 

730,  732 

849,826 

J 

- 

*  With  Hamilton. 


366  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

New  York,  January  4, 18G9. 
Henry  Donovan  sworn  and  examined. 
To  the  Chairman  : 

3742.  I  was  chairman  of  the  board  of  inspectors  of  the  13th  precinct, 
22d  ward,  city  of  New  York,  at  the  last  State  election.  On  election  day 
Michael  Connolly,  one  of  the  police  justices  of  the  city  and  candidate  at 
that  election  for  register  of  the  county  of  New  York,  came  in  the  polling 
place  and  in  a  very  overbearing  and  officious  manner  said  I  was  not 
conducting  the  election  properly;  that  I  was  delaying  it,  and  lie  tried 
in  various  ways  to  intimidate  me.  I  told  him  he  was  disturbing  the 
peace  and  interfering  with  the  election,  and  was  amenable  to  arrest,  even 
if  he  was  police  justice.  He  left  then,  and  in  about  20  minutes  after- 
wards he  returned,  and  going  into  the  room  where  the  inspectors  were, 
and  reaching  his  hand  over  to  the  desk  of  Mr.  Evans,  the  democratic 
inspector,  he  took  his  polling-book  containing  the  names  of  persons  regis- 
tered and  entitled  to  vote.  1  remonstrated  with  him;  told  him  nobody 
was  allowed  to  have  that  book  but  the  inspector.  He  kept  the  book, 
however,  and  commenced  reading  off,  in  aloud  voice  and  looking  tow- 
ards the  crowd  standing  outside,  the  names  oi  the  persons  who  had  not 
voted,  and  saying  to  the  crowd,  "What  have  you  fellows  been  about; 
this  chap  (meaning  me)  has  been  scaling  away  a  good  many,"  &c. 
Among  the  names  lie  called  out  was  William  I).  Conover.  After  a  while 
Connolly  left,  and  a  little  while  afterwards  and  about  10  minutes  before 
the  closing  of  the  polls  a  man  came  up  and  presented  a  ballot  and  gave 
the  name  of  William  I).  Conover.  1  knew  he  was  not  the  man.  I  was 
about  to  swear  him,  when  the  crowd  cried  out,  "  Johnny,  don't  swear; 
don't  swear  to  spite  him."    He  then  refused  to  swear  and  went  away. 

To  Mr.  Kerr  : 
The  man  didn't  vote.     I  know  William  D.  Conover,  and  know  the  man 
who  offered  to  vote  in  his  name  was  not  Conover.    I  am  a  republican. 
Judge  Connolly  is  a  democrat ;  has  recently  been  elected  register  on  the 
democratic  ticket ;  he  lives  in  the  same  district  that  I  do. 

New  York,  January  4,  1869. 
Nathaniel  E.  Mills  sworn  and  examined. 
To  the  Chairman: 

3743.  I  held  the  office  of  captain  of  the  8th  precinct  metropolitan  police, 
in  this  city,  during  the  year  1868.  In  the  latter  part  of  October,  1868, 
Assistant  District  Attorney  Hutchins  sent  for  me  and  said  he  had  a 
bench  warrant  for  the  arrest  of  the  notorious  thief  Wesley  Allen  which 
he  wanted  me  to  enforce,  but  that  he  wanted  it  kept  strictly  private,  and 
he  enjoined  me  to  tell  nobody  that  I  had  it.  I  had  arrested  Allen  some- 
time before  on  a  charge  of  larceny,  for  stealing  some  $300  from  a  woman 
in  Canal  street,  Jmt  the  jury  not  agreeing,  he  was  released  on  his  own 
recognizance.  So  soon  as  I  received  the  warrant  I  kept  a  strict  look-out 
for  Allen ;  saying  to  nobody  that  I  had  the  warrant ;  not  even  reporting 
it  to  the  superintendent,  as  perhaps  I  should  have  done.  I  made  a  vig- 
orous search  for  Allen  everywhere,  going  over  to  Brooklyn,  where  his 
mother  lived,  and  to  other  places  where  he  frequented.  It  was  not  till 
the  16th  of  November  that  I  saw  him.  He  was  standing  on  the  corner  of 
Prince  and  Mercer  streets  with  a  number  of  other  notorious  thieves.  I 
went  over  and  arrested  him ;  he  seemed  somewhat  surprised,  and  told 
me  that  the  matter  had  been  fixed  up  in  the  district  attorney's  office.  I 
told  him  I  had  heard  nothing  about  it,  and  took  him  to  the  station-house, 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  367 

and  the  next  clay  to  the  district  attorney's  office.  He  had  bail  waiting 
for  him  there,  but  no  bail  was  received,  and  he  was  sent  to  the  Tombs. 
He  was  there,  I  understand,  nearly  a  month,  when  he  was  set  at  liberty, 
and  is  now  at  large.  He  has  been  to  State's  prison  twice;  the  second 
time  for  stealing  a  watch  from  a  gentleman  by  the  name  of  Williams. 
He  was  pardoned  out  for  this  offence.  He  was  pardoned  by  Governor 
Fenton ;  the  alleged  reason  for  issuing  the  pardon  was  some  informality 
in  the  trial. 

To  Mr.  Dickey  : 

3744.  I  did  not  communicate  the  fact  of  my  having  the  warrant  for 
Allen's  arrest  to  a  single  human  being.     I  exercised  the  greatest  care  to 

!let  no  one  know  of  it.     About  a  week  before  I  arrested  Allen,  my  ser- 
geant called  my  attention  to  a  paragraph  in  the  Police  Gazette,  stating 
that  I  had  a  warrant  for  Allen's  arrest.     I  was  astonished,  for  I  had  not 
:  told  a  living  soul  of  it. 

To  Mr.  Kerr  : 
A  little  while  after  Allen  had  been  pardoned  out  I  met  him  on  the 
street  and  asked  him  how  it  was  he  was  there ;  how  he  got  out  of  prison. 
;He  said  he  had  been  pardoned  out  and  intended  to  act  on  the  "square" 
hereafter.  Some  time  afterwards  I  met  Mr.  Hall  and  I  asked  him  how  it 
was  Wesley  Allen  had  been  pardoned.  He  said  he  was  satisfied  that 
Allen  was  not  the  man  who  robbed  Williams ;  that  he  had  united  with 
others  in  asking  his  pardon.  This  occurred  about  two  and  a  half  or 
three  years  ago.  I  vote  generally  with  the  republican  party,  but  I  exer- 
cise my  judgment  and  vote  for  any  ticket  I  like. 

New  York,  January  4,  1869. 
Johx  B.  McKean  sworn  and  examined. 
By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

3745.  Question.  What  has  been  your  business  for  the  half  dozen  years 
last  past  ? 

Answer.  I  have  been  a  clerk  in  the  supreme  court,  circuit  part  first. 

3746.  Q.  Who  has  been  the  chief  clerk  \ 
A.  Charles  E.  Loew. 

3747.  Q.  What  were  your  special  duties,  if  you  had  any  assigned  you, 
during  the  month  of  October  last  in  connection  with  the  business  of 
naturalization  ? 

A.  The  only  thing  connected  with  naturalization  that  I  had  was  to 
sign  Mr.  Loew's  name  to  the  certificates  of  naturalization  issued  by  the 
supreme  court. 

3748.  Q.  Did  you  do  that  duty? 
A.  I  did. 

3749.  Q.  So  far  as  you  know  did  any  other  deputy  perform  any 
material  part  in  that  duty  during  that  month  ? 

A.  ^o  person  but  me  signed  the  name  of  Mr.  Loew^to  these  papers. 

3750.  Q.  Who  had  charge  during  this  time  and  was  employed  in 
making  the  impression  upon  the  certificates  of  naturalization  of  the 
official  seal  of  the  court  ? 

A.  I  did  that. 

3751.  Q.  Then  you  both  executed  the  name  of  the  clerk  and  impressed 
the  official  seal  on  the  certificates  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

.'5752.  Q.  Tell  the  committee  whether  that  official  seal  was  out  of  your 
custody  at  any  time ;  and  if  so,  for  how  long  during  the  month  of  October. 


368  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

A.  There  are  two  seals  of  the  court;  one  of  them  is  in  the  county 
clerk's  office,  and  the  other  was  in  my  possession  during  the  time  the 
naturalization  certificates  were  issued  ;  I  had  it  for  the  purpose  of 
placing  the  seal  upon  the  certificates,  and  every  evening  when  I  left  I 
locked  it  up  in  the  safe. 

3753.  Q.  Dming  the  time  that  this  business  was  transacting  were  you 
much  in  the  court  in  the  presence  of  the  judge  by  whom  these  certifi- 
cates were  issued  :; 

A.  Yes,  sir,  most  of  the  time. 

3754.  Q.  Where  was  it  that  you  attached  the  impression  of  this  seal 
and  signed  the  name  of  G.  E.  Loew  to  these  papers! 

A.  At  my  desk  in  the  court-room. 

3755.  Q.  How  many  clerks,  or  deputy  clerks,  were  there  in  the  court- 
room during  the  time  the  court  Avas  sitting  in  the  discharge  of  this  duty 
of  naturalization? 

A.  I  could  not  say  exactly;  Mr.  Heyman  was  always  with  me,  and  Mr. 
Koch  was  there  frequently. 

3756.  Q.  What  did  these  other  clerks  do  when  the  court  ordered  a 
certificate  of  naturalization  to  be  issued  I 

A.  Mr.  Heyman  would  fill  in  the  nana4  of  the  applicant  in  the  certifi- 
cate and  then  hand  the  certificate  and  the  order  of  the  court  to  me,  and 
I  signed  Mr.  Loew's  name  to  it;  in  the  morning  when  Ave  commenced 
business  we  impressed  the  seal  upon  the  certificates. 

3757.  Q.  You  then  sometimes  attached  the  impression  of  the  seal  on 
these  certificates  in  advance  of  their  being  filled  in  with  the  names? 

A.  Yes,  sir  ;  they  Avere  impressed  in  blank. 

3758.  Q.  Did  you  ever  attach  the  signature  of  C.  E.  Locay  to  any  of 
them  before  the  name  aa\is  filled  inl 

A.  Kever  ;  I  never  signed  Mr.  Loew's  name  to  those  certificates  until 
the  name  Avas  filled  in  and  the  order  of  the  court  aajvs  issued. 

3759.  Q.  What  were  the  duties  of  the  other  deputy  clerks  in  this 
room  % 

A.  The  officers  of  the  court  would  collect  the  applications  from  all  the  ; 
applicants  in  the  court-room  and  hand  them  to  the  judges,  or  rather  to 
the  clerk,  Mr.  LoeAv  or  one  of  his  deputies,  sometimes  Mr.   Koch  and 
sometimes  Mr.  Kent,  and  they  would  call  off  the  names  of  the  applicants 
and  the  judge  would  examine  them  and  SAvear  them  in  and  then  issue  ; 
his  order ;  no  person  had  anything  to  do  with  the  certificates  outside  the  I 
court-room  except  filling  in  the  dates,  Avhich  was  done  in  the  county  | 
clerk's  office. 

3700.  Q.  How  often  would  an  officer  collect  the  applications  ? 

A.  Generally  as  soon  as  the  court-room  was  filled. 

37G1.  Q.  What  number  of  persons  would  this  court-room  hold  ? 

A.  I  presume  there  has  been  in  the  room  about  one  hundred,  I  do  not 
knoAV  exactly  how  many,  but  I  should  judge  about  this  number. 

3762.  Q.  State  how  many  were  permitted  at  any  one  time  to  come ; 
before  the  judge  to  be  passed  upon. 

A.  The  usual  number,  I  presume,  was  six  or  eight,  sometimes  three 
or  four;  it  would  depend  very  much  upon  the  applications  whether  they 
were  correct  or  not ;  after  the  officer  would  collect  the  applications  they  , 
would  be  handed  to  the  clerk,  who  Avould  examine  them,  and  probably 
out  of  a  batch  of  tAventy  or  thirty  no  more  than  four  or  five  would  be 
correct  and  in  legal  form  ;  I  do  not  suppose  more  than  four  or  five  would 
be  sworn  in  at  any  one  time. 

3703.  Q.  State  whether  the  applicants  were  always,  or  only  some- ; 
times,  accompanied  by  their  witnesses. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  369 

A.  Very  frequently  the  witnesses  would  be  absent  and  the  application 
.voidd  be  thrown  aside  until  the  witnesses  came. 

3704.  Q.  Did  the  court  ever  pass  upon  and  order  a  naturalization  in 
he  absence  of  the  witness  as  well  as  the  applicant! 

A.  No,  sir. 

'.'{7(35.  Q.  State  whether  you  know  of  any  persons  having1  been  called 
ip  and  naturalized  without  the  witness  being  present  in  open  court. 

A.  No,  sir,  no  one  that  I  know  of. 

37G6.  Q.  State  if  you  know,  or  have  had  reason  to  believe,  that 
>ersons  were  naturalized,  or  were  declared  to  be  naturalized,  who  were 
\ever  themselves  before  the  court. 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  never  had  reason  to  suppose  that  such  was  the  case. 

3707.  Q.  Was  it  not  so  charged  at  the  time  this  naturalization  was 
going  on  that  such  improper  conduct  was  being  practiced? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  a  good  deal  was  said  in  the  papers  about  it. 

3705.  Q.  Did  you  ever  have  your  attention  called  to  it  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

3709.  Q.  Weresuch  practices  ever  done  in  theeourt  to  your  knowledge? 
A.  No  such  tiling  was  ever  done  with  my  knowledge;  I  was  in  the 
'onrt.al!  the  time,  and  all  this  business  was  done  under  my  eyes. 

3770.  Q.  How  long  have  you  been  clerk  of  that  court  ? 
A.  About  seven  years. 

3771.  Q.  How  many  times,  if  at  all,  within  your  knowledge  did  Judge 
Barnard  order  the  court-room  to  be  cleared  oi*  the  public  generally,  and 
>f  the  attorneys  practicing  in  the  court  during  the  time  this  business 
v as  being  done1? 

A.  That  1  could  not  say  :  I  know  lie  has  ordered  the  room  to  be  cleared 
several  times. 

MT2.  Q.  Did  you  ever  know  of  his  ordering  any  person  to  be  put 
mder  arrest  '.' 

A.  No,  sir. 

3773.  (}.  Have  you  ever  seen  anybody  taken  by  violence  or  physical 
brce  out  oi*  the  court-room  ! 

A.  No,  sir. 

•'>774.  (>.  Did  you  know  an  attorney  in  this  city  by  the  name  of  Lever- 
on! 

A.  I  believe  there  is  such  an  attorney  ;  I  do  not  know  him  personally. 

3775.  Q.  Did  you  as  clerk  or  as  deputy,  having  special  charge  of  the 
usiness  to  which  you  have  referred,  have  knowledge  or  have  reason  to 
elieve  that  frauds  were  being  practiced  upon  the  court,  or  upon  the 
fticers  of  the  court,  by  outside  parties  procuring  papers  to  be  made  up 
y  persons  to  be  naturalized  who  were  not  entitled  to  be  naturalized  at 
11? 

A.  I  did  not  have  such  knowledge. 

3770.  Q.  Did  you  not  hear  of  this  pretended  naturalization  office  at 

o.  0  Centre  street  t 

A.  I  did  not  know  of  it  until  I  saAV  of  the  arrest  of  Mr.  Kosenberg. 

3777.  Q.  Did  you,  during  the  time  all  this  naturalization  business  was 
Bing  transacted,  and  with  the  observation  you  had  in  the  discharge  of 
ie  duties  of  your  desk,  not  know  that  applications  to  the  number  of 
ve  or  six  at  one  time  would  be  passed  upon  the  testimony  of  one  man 
3  witness  ? 

A.  No,  sir  ;  1  have  seen  one  man  testify  to  the  identity  of  two  or  more, 
erhaps. 

3778.  Q.  Have  you  not  seen  that  done  to  a  considerable  extent  where 
24  t 


370  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

applications  to  the  number  of  five,  or  six,  or  eight  have  been  identified 
by  one  witness  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  cannot  state  positively,  because  I  paid  very  little  atten 
tion  to  the  calling  off  of  the  names  as  to  who  were  the  principals  or 
witnesses,  but  with  the  cursory  look  I  had  of  the  papers  1  do  not  think 
such  a  thing  occurred. 

3779.  Q.  In  passing  upon  those  papers,  so  far  as  you  had  that  duty  to 
do,  did  you  or  did  you  not  discover,  or  have  reason  to  believe,  that  large 
numbers  of  these  applications  were  filled  both  with  reference  tot  lie  dates 
and  the  names  of  witnesses  to  the  applicants  in  one  hand,  so  that  neither 
the  witness  signed  his  own  name  nor  the  applicant  his  name,  but  some 
one  person  filled  up  the  whole  blank  I 

A.  No,  sir. 

3780.  Q,  What  did  the  court  in  the  naturalization  of  each  person  do! 
A.  When  they  were  called  up  and  had  answered  to  all  their  names.1 

and  their  papers  were  all  correct,  the  court  would  generally  state  to! 
them  what  they  were  about  to  swear  to;  sometimes  he  would  swear 
them  himself;  at  other  times  he  would  direct  the  county  clerk,  or  one 
of  his  deputies,  to  administer  the  oath ;  he  would  often  explain  to  them 
the  nature  of  the  oath,  and  cross-examine  them  on  various  points. 

3781.  Q.  To  what  extent  did  he  usually  make  any  verbal  examination 
of  the  applicant  or  witness  *? 

A.  I  have  heard  him  very  often  examine  them  as  to  where  they  for 
merly  lived,  and  other  questions  of  like  character,  but  I  was  engaged, 
myself  all  day  long,  and  paid  but  little  attention  to  the  cases  until  they 
came  to  my  desk. 

3782.  Q.  What  is  your  impression  as  to  the  number  who  were  natural -j 
ized  during  the  month  of  October  in  that  court ! 

A.  I  could  not  say  with  any  degree  of  accuracy ;  the  number,  1  think, 
has  been  very  greatly  exaggerated,  however. 

3783.  Q.  I  hand  you  the  applications  of  Henry  Smith,  Michael  Dunn. 
James  McCarty,  Frederick  Henney,  Joseph  Herbert,  and 'James  Grann. 
and  ask  you  to  look  at  the  signatures  of  C.  E.  Loewr  to  each  of  then; 
and  state,  if  you  can,  by  whom  it  was  executed  ? 

A.  I  cannot  say  positively  ;  I  think  it  is  Mr.  Heyman's  handwriting 
I  saw  Heyman's  handwriting  so  seldom  that  I  would  not  like  to  swea] 
positively  that  it  is  his  handwriting. 

3784.  Q.  Are  you  familiar  with  the  signature  in  full,  or  by  initials,  o: 
Judge  Barnard  ? 

A.  I  am. 

3785.  Q.  I  ask  you  to  look  at  the  signature  to  the  order  of  each  of  the] 
same  applications,  and  state  by  whom  it  was  executed  ! 

A.  By  Judge  Barnard. 

3786.  Q.  By  the  initials  G.  C.  B.  ! 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

3787.  Q.  So  far  as  you  know,  is  that  the  manner  in  which  the  judge 
of  that  court  indicate  their  orders  % 

A.  I  think,  with  few  expeptions,  he  signs  his  initials — always  to  natr 
ralization  orders,  and  generally  to  other  orders. 

3788.  Q.  I  hand  you  now  the  applications  of  James  E.  Smith,  Samiu 
Reynolds,  John  Winkens,  Henry  Sterne,  Charles  Fehling,  August  Lair- 
ner,  Patrick  Duffy,  and  Patrick  Rafferty,  and  ask  you  to  state  by  whor 
the  signature  "0.  E.  Loew"  to  each  of  them,  and  by  whom  the  initials  "  ( 
C.  B."  to  each  of  the  orders  upon  them,  is  executed  1 

A.  I  recognize  the  signature  of  C.  E.  Loew  to  Mr.  Duffy's  applicatio 
ta  be  in  Mr.  Kent's  handwriting,  the  other  I  should  not  be  positive  abou 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  371 

I  think  they  are  made  by  Heyniari.  The  initials  on  each  of  the  orders 
on  the  applications  are  executed  by  Judge  Barnard. 

3789.  Q.  I  hand  you  now  the  final  certificates  of  naturalization  issued 
by  the  supreme  court  to  Patrick  O'Brien,  John  J.  Mercer,  Antonio 
Gomez,* Alexander  Meckin,  Adolph  Slechelseine,  referred  to  in  the  testi- 
mony of  W.  T.  Simms,  and  ask  you  to  examine  and  state  by  whom  the 

1  signature  of  the  clerk,  C.  E.  Loew,  to  each  of  said  certificates  is  executed  ? 
A.  They  are  all  written  by  me. 

3790.  Q.  So  far  as  you  know,  did  you  attach  the  impressions  of  the 
seal  to  these  certificates  ? 

A.  I  am  pretty  sure  I  did  so,  but  whether  I  attached  the  seal  at  the 
time  I  attached  the  signature,  I  could  not  say. 

3791.  Q.  Was  it  the  practice  in  your  office  for  you  or  Mr.  Loew  or  any 
other  of  the  clerks  to  deliver  these  final  certificates  to  any  other  person 
than  the  applicants  themselves  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  in  all  cases  I  delivered  them  to  the  applicants  personally 
or  to  the  officers  of  the  court. 

3792.  Q.  You  cannot  say  whether  the  officer  delivered  it  to  the  appli- 
cant or  to  some  friend  of  his  ? 

A.  No,  sir,  I  could  not.     I  presume  he  did  his  duty. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

3793.  Q.  Did  you  deliver  any  papers  to  Mr.  Walton  f 
A.  No,  sir. 

3794.  Q.  Did  you  know  him  ? 
A.  I  did. 

3795.  Q.  When  did  you  commence  using  naturalization  certificates  ? 
A.  The  Gth  of  October,  I  believe. 

3796.  Q.  At  what  hour  did  your  court  begin  ? 
A.  At  10  o'clock  in  the  morning. 

3797.  Q.  At  what  time  did  you  meet  for  the  purpose  of  naturalization  ? 
A.  The  judge  commenced  naturalizing  at  6  o'clock  in  the  evening, 

and  would  sit  for  that  business  exclusively  until  10  or  11  o'clock  at 
night;  he  would  also  naturalize  during  the  day  in  the  interim  of  other 
business. 

3798.  Q.  You  say  he  ordered  the  courtroom  to  be  cleared  frequently? 
A.  Yes,  sir ;  after  they  commenced  naturalizing  in  the  evening,  the 

room  was  crowded  to  such  an  extent  that  they  broke  the  door  and  the 
entire  railing  in  the  courtroom  which  separated  the  audience  from  the 
members  of  the  bar  and  the  officers,  and  the  officers  were  instructed  to 
allow  no  person  in  the  court  but  applicants  for  naturalization  and  their 
witnesses. 

3799.  Q.  How  often  was  the  room  cleared  in  the  course  of  the  evening  ? 
A.  Sometimes  once  or  twice. 

3800.  Q.  How  many  persons  were  naturalized  in  that  court  in  one 
day? 

A.  I  could  not  state  positively ;  1  do  not  think  it  varied  over  four  or 
five  hundred,  probably  not  that. ' 

3801.  Q.  Do  you  know  any  of  the  witnesses  that  appeared  there  to 
identify  applicants  for  naturalization  ? 

A.  I  believe  I  do,  one  or  two. 

3802.  Q.  Who  are  they? 

A.  I  do  not  know  that  I  can  recall  their  names  just  now. 

3803.  Do  you  know  a  man  by  the  name  of  McCaffrey  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

3804.  Q.  How  many  times  did  vou  see  him  witnessing  applications 
for  naturalization  ? 


372  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

A.  I  could  riot  say. 

3805.  Q.  Some  two  or  three  hundred  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

3806.  Q.  You  saw  him  there  frequently  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

3807.  Q.  What  is  his  business  ! 

A.  I  do  not  know;  I  think  he  was  attached  to  the  sheriff's  office  in 
some  capacity. 

3808.  Q.  Do  you  know  a  man  by  the  name  of  Patrick  Goft'? 

A.  I  have  known  him  since  this  naturalization  business  began;  I  did 
not  know  him  before. 
3800.  Q.  Was  he  a  frequent  witness  there  .' 
A.  He  was  there  very  frequently. 

3810.  Q.  Was  he  a  frequent  witness  .' 

A.  That  1  cannot  say;  I  believe  there  arc  two  brothers.' 

3811.  Q.  Were  they  both  there  in  connection  with  naturalization! 
A.  I  could  not  say. 

3812.  Q.  You  say  that  after  the  applications  were  examined  the  clerk 
administered  the  oath ;  was  it  administered  to  them  separately  or  was 
it  administered  to  them  in  groups! 

A.  Usually  in  groups  of  three,  four,  or  five. 

3813.  Q.  How  many  Bibles  were  there  in  use  to  swear  witnesses? 
A.  There  were  three  in  the  court-room. 

3814.  Q.  Did  the  usher  go  out  in  the  room  ami  hand  the  Bible  to  the 
witnesses .' 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

3815.  Q.  What  means  had  the  judge  of  distinguishing  the  principal ; 
from  the  witness  when  they  were  all  together! 

A.  The  principals  were  always  sworn  in  first  and  the  witnesses  after- 
wards; but  it  is  proper  for  me  to  state  that  sitting  on  my  desk  I  did  not 
usually  pay  much  attention  to  what  was  going  on  in  the  courtroom  in 
regard  to  the  swearing  in.  I  presume  I  knew  less  about  administering 
the  oath  than  any  other  attache  of  the  court  present  at  the  time,  simply 
from  the  fact  that  my  duties  engrossed  my  entire  attention. 

3810.  Q.  Did  not  the  principals  and  witnesses  be  called  up  together 
and  sworn  in  in  a  group? 

A.  the  names  of  the  jnincipals  would  be  called  first  and  the  wit- 
nesses afterwards;  they  would  put  their  hands  on  the  Bible  and  be 
sworn  in,  the  principals  first  and  the  witnesses  afterwards. 

3817.  Q.  What  way  had  the  judge,  when  both  had  hold  of  the  book,  of 
distinguishing  the  principal  from  the  witness  and  the  witness  from  the 
principal? 

A.  From  the  simple  fact  that  the  principals  retired  after  they  had 
sworn  and  before  the  witnesses  were  sworn. 

By  Mr.  Lawrence: 

3818.  Q.  When  a  witness  and  applicant  were  called  up  together  did 
not  Judge  Barnard  administer  the  oath  to  them  substantially  in  this 
form :  ki  You,  the  principal  and  witness,  solemnly  swear  that  the  affidavit 
to  which  yon  have  subscribed  your  name  is  true?" 

A.  No,  sir. 

:>SV,K  Q.   How,  then,  was  the  form? 

A.  The  form  of  the  oath  is  printed  on  the  application,  and  the  judge 
read  it  from  that. 

3820.  And  the  principal  and  witness  were  sworn  at  the  same  time? 
A.   Yes,  sir. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  373 

3821.  Q.  And  that  was  all  the  examination  made  of  the  witness  and 
of  the  applicant— just  administering  the  oath  in  that  form  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  in  many  cases  they  were  examined  as  to  their  residence, 
and  almost  invariably  the  nature  of  the  oath  was  explained  to  them. 

3822.  Q.  Yon  signed  all  the  certificates  of  naturalization  of  the 
supreme  court  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

3823.  Q.  In  the  courtroom  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

3824.  Q.  Judge  Barnard  was  the  only  .judge  that  granted  certificates 
of  naturalization  in  that  court? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

3825.  Q.  Did  you  receive  red  tickets  in  payment  of  naturalization  fees? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

382G.  Q.  In  one  case  300  red  tickets  were  presented  and  an  equal 
number  of  certificates  of  naturalization  issued ;  will  you  state  if  the  per- 
sons to  Avhom  they  Avere  delivered  were  the  persons  to  be  naturalized, 
ot  were  they  delivered  to  some  other  person  to  be  distributed  to  them? 

A.  I  do  not  recollect  of  ever  receiving  300  tickets  at  that  time ;  there 
was  never  such  a  thing  occurred. 

3827.  Q.  Could  you  or  the  judge  know  personally  any  considerable 
number  of  the  applicants  or  of  the  witnesses  ? 

A.  I  did  not  know  a  single  applicant  personally,  and  I  do  not  suppose 
the  judge  did. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

3828.  Q.  You  say  you  received  red  tickets  for  cost  of  naturalization 
papers;  did  you  receive  nothing  else? 

A.  Yes  sir ;  I  received  white  tickets. 

3829.  Q.  Then  you  were  paid  by  red  or  white  tickets,  and  in  a  great 
many  cases  received  no  tickets  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

3830.  Q.  Do  you  know  how  many  white  tickets  were  received  and 
how  many  red  tickets? 

A.  I  don't.  I  think  the  number  of  white  tickets  was  smaller  than  the 
rest  of  them ;  about  one  in  three  were  white. 

3831.  Q.  Did  you  sign  any  certificates  of  naturalization  outside  the 
court-rooin  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  never. 
By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

3832.  Q.  You  say  you  impressed  the  seal  upon  the  certificates  of 
naturalization  papers  before  they  were  filled  out ;  who  had  custody  of 
these  papers  'I 

A.  Every  morning  a  batch  of  blanks  would  be  received  from  the 
county  clerk's  office  with  the  dates  filled  in;  I  would  then  take  a  suf- 
ficient number  which  I  thought  would  last  us  that  day,  attach  the  seals 
to  them,  and  use  them  as  I  wanted. 

3833.  Q.  What  security  had  you  that  the  seal  was  not  used  by  any 
one  except  yourself? 

A.  No  one  could  get  at  it. 

3834.  Q.  Where  did  you  keep  it  ? 

A.  In  the  safe  at  night,  and  in  my  desk  during  the  day. 

3835.  Q.  Did  you  not  leave  the  desk  occasionally,  so  that  the  seal 
might  be  used  by  other  parties? 

A.  I  very  seldom  left  the  desk  so  that  anybody  could  get  to  the  seal 
except  one  of  the  other  clerks. 

3836.  Q.  Then  it  might  be  used  by  other  clerks  in  the  courtroom? 


374  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YOKE. 

A.  I  suppose  when  i  went  out  to  dinner  it  might  be  used,  J  was  but  I 
very  seldom  out  doling  the  day. 
By  Mr.  Ross : 

3837.  Q.  How  did  you  manage  when  a  large  number  of  persons  were 
naturalized  at  one  time  to  furnish  them  with  their  final  certificates — was 
that  always  done  at  the  time  or  did  they  come  back  for  them  the  follow- 
ing day? 

A.  It  was  done  as  far  as  possible  at  the  time,  but  there  were  some 
cases  where  the  certificates  were  not  given  them  until  the  following 
morning. 

3S38.  Q.  Did  you  not  sometimes  give  them  to  persons  other  than  the 
applicants  themselves  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  not  to  my  knowledge. 
By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

3839.  Q.  Could  you  tell  whether  the  person  you  gave  them  to  was  the 
same  person  that  was  naturalized  or  not ': 

A.  I  had  no  way  of  telling  them  except  that  they  answered  to  their 
names  and  gave  their  proper  residence. 
By  Mr.  Ross : 

3840.  Q.  Was  this  filling  of  the  dates  all  done  by  one  clerk? 
A.  No,  sir ;  I  think  noti 

By  Mr.  L AWRENOE  : 

3841.  Q.  I  hand  you  now  five  certificates  about  which  you  have 
already  testified,  namely,  the  certificates  of  Patrick  O'Brien,  John  J. 
Mercer,  Antonio  Gomez,  Alexander  McCann,  and  Adolph  Slechelseine; 
in  whose  handwriting  is  the  name  of  the  applicant  ? 

A.  Mr.  Heyman's,  I  think;  I  am  almost  positive  it  is. 

3842.  Q.  In  whose  handwriting  are  the  dates? 
A.  I  have  no  knowledge. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

3843.  Q.  Have  those  red  and  Avhite  tickets  been  redeemed? 
A.  I  do  not  knoAv;  I  sent  them  to  the  county  clerk's  office. 

James  Irving  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Lawrence  : 

3844.  I  am  one  of  the  detective  police  attached  to  the  metropolitan 
police  headquarters,  No.  300  Mulberry  street.  I  am  acquainted  with  the 
facts  attendant  the  arrest  by  Inspector  Walling  of  Daniel  Hanna,  James  0. 
Hara,  Samuel  Fitzgerald,  Thomas  Wenhold,  James  Watson,  and  Thomas 
Seymour.  They  were  arrested  about  2  or  3  o'clock  in  the  afternoon 
of  the  31st  of  October  on  the  charge  of  attempting  to  illegally  reg- 
ister. They  were  confined  at  the  police  headquarters.  I  was  in  charge 
of  these  headquarters  about  7  or  8  o'clock  that  night  when  Mr.  Howe, 
attorney  at  law  in  this  city,  came  in  and  asked  for  the  superinten- 
dent. I  told  him  he  was  not  in,  but  that  I  was  on  duty  and  was  in 
charge  of  the  building.  He  then  served  on  me  a  writ  of  habeas  corpus 
to  produce  the  bodies  of  these  men  before  Judge  Barnard  of  the  supreme 
court,  at  his  house,  No.  23  West  Thirty-third  street.  I  took  the  prisoners 
up  to  the  judge's  house  between  8  and  9  o'clock  that  evening.  Detec- 
tive Ooyle  accompanied  me.  He  remained  outside  on  the  sidewalk 
with  the  prisoners,  eight  in  number,  and  I  went  in  the  house.  There  I 
found  Counsellor  Howe ;  he  took  the  writ  from  me  and  endorsed  thereon : 
"  These  persons  being  charged  with  no  offence  on  the  annexed  return,  I 
order  their  discharge.  Dated  October  31st."  He  handed  this  to  the  ser- 
vant girl,  who  took  it  up  stairs  to  Judge  Barnard's  room,  and  she  soon 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  375 

came  down  again  with  the  judge's  signature  attached  to  it.  He  then 
handed  it  to  me  and  asked  me  if  I  was  satisfied  that  that  was  the  judge's 
signature.  1  said, "  Yes."  He  then  went  out  on  the  sidewalk  and  handed 
it  to  Detective  Coyle,  who  released  the  prisoners. 

To  Mr.  Dickey  : 
3845.  I  made  no  return  to  the  writ,  as  I  had  not  time;  I  was  required 
to  bring  the  prisoners  to  Judge  Barnard  forthwith.  They  were  discharged 
between  8  and  9  o'clock  on  the  evening  of  the  31st  of  October.  Neither 
1  nor  Officer  Coyle  saw  Judge  Barnard  or  had  any  communication 
with  him.  No  notice  was  given  the  district  attorney,  as  there  was 
not  time;  we  had  to  bring  the  bodies  before  Judge  Barnard  immediately. 
No  steps  were  afterwards  taken  to  my  knowledge  for  the  rearrest  of 
these  men.  All  judges  of  courts  and  police  justices  have  power  to  issue 
warrants  for  the  arrest  of  persons  charged  with  crime  and  to  hear  accu- 
sations against  persons  charged  with  crime.  If  a  policeman  sees  a  crime 
committed  he  can  arrest  the  offender  without  a  warrant,  otherwise  he 
can  do  nothing  unless  he  has  a  warrant. 

To  the  Chairman  : 
3840.  All  the  police  justices  in  the  city  except  Justice  Kelly  are  demo- 
crats.   The  shield  of  deputy  sheriff  was  taken  from  James  O.  Hara  at  the 
police  headquarters,  also  some  orders  of  arrest  that  were  on  his  person. 

To  Mr.  Boss : 

3847.  The  writ  of  habeas  corpus  was  issued  by  Judge  Barnard.  I  did 
not  go  into  his  room  nor  did  Detective  Coyle.  I  handed  the  writ  to  Coun- 
sellor Howe,  who  made  the  endorsement  on  it  and  handed  it  to  the  ser- 
vant girl.  She  took  it  up  stairs,  and  soon  came  down  with  it  signed  by 
Judge  Barnard. 

To  the  Chairman  : 

3848.  Mr.  Howe  is  a  democrat. 
To  Mr.  Boss: 

3849.  I  do  not  know  whether  there  were  any  other  officers  or  counsel 
in  Judge  Barnard's  room  at  the  time  he  signed  the  endorsement. 

Annexed  is  a  copy  of  the  affidavit  referred  to  : 

Tlie  people  of  the  State  of  New  York  to  John  A.  Kennedy,  superin- 
tendent of  the  metropolitan  police  of  the  city  of  New  York,  and  to 
Inspector  Walling  of  said  police  force,  and  to  any  person  having  the 
custody  of  below  named  relators — Greeting :  L.  S.  We  command  you  that 
you  have  the  bodies  of  Alexander  Morrison,  Daniel  Hanna,  James  O'Hara, 
Lawrence  Fitzgerald,  Thomas  Weinhold,  James  Watson,  William 
Edwards,  and  Thomas  Seymour,  by  you  imprisoned  and  detained,  as  it  is 
said,  together  with  the  time  and  cause  of  such  imprisonment  and  detention, 
by  whatsoever  name  they  shall  be  called  or  charged,  before  the  honorable 
George  G.  Barnard,  justice  of  our  supreme  court,  at  the  office  of  said 
Justice  Barnard,  No.  23  WTest  Twenty-first  street,  in  the  city  of  New 
York,  this  31st  day  of  October,  1868,  at  7  o'clock  in  the  evening,  to  do 
and  receive  what  shall  then  and  there  be  considered  concerning  them,  and 
have  you  then  there  this  writ. 

Witness  Honorable  George  G.  Barnard,  justice  of  our  supreme  court, 
the  31st  day  of  October,  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  sixty-eight. 

WILLIAM  J.  HOWE, 

Attorney,  138  Leonard  street. 

CHARLES.  E.  LOEW,  Clerk. 


376  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

On  the  back  of  this  writ  is  the  following  in  writing: 

I  hereby  allow  the  within  writ.    October  31,  L868. 

GEORGE  G.  BARNARD, 

Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court. 

The  prisoners  being  charged  with  no  offence  on  the  annexed  return,  I 
order  tlieni  discharged.     October  31,  L868. 

GEORGE  (i.  BARNARD, 

Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court. 

John  Coyle  sworn  and  examined. 

3850.  I  am  acquainted  with  the  haudwriting  of  Judge  George  C.  Bar- 
nard, of  the  supreme  court  of  this  city.  I  identity  his  signature  to  the 
allowance  of  the  writ  of  habeas  corpus  and  the  order  for  the  discharge  of 
Daniel  llanna,  .lames  O'Hara,  Samuel  Fitzgerald,  Thomas  Wenhold, 
James  Watson,  and  Thomas  Seymour.  I  am  a  detective  of  the  metro- 
politan police  department.  I  remained  on  the  sidewalk  with  the  pris- 
oners while  Detective  Irving  went  in  with  the  writ  of  habeas  corpus. 
After  he  had  been  in  a  little  while  Counsellor  Howe  came  out  and  pro- 
duced the  writ  and  asked  me  if  I  was  satisfied  that  that  was  Judge  Bar- 
nard's signature.     I  said,  u  Yes,"  and  discharged  the  prisoners. 

To  Mr.  Ross: 

<)$~)1.  The  men  were  arrested  alter  registering  themselves  at  different 
polling  places,  probably  forty  or  fifty  times. 

ISAAC  Heyman  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Kerr: 

3852.  I  am  recording  clerk  and  copyist  in  the  county  clerk's  office.  I 
have  been  so  since  the  1st  of  January,  1808.  Mr.  Loew,  the  county  clerk, 
seut  me  to  the  supreme  court  to  assist  Mr.  McKean  in  tilling  in  the 
names  of  applicants  for  naturalization  in  the  certificates  as  we  received 
the  orders  from  the  judge.  I  was  present  in  the  courtroom  every  day 
while  this  naturalization  was  going  on.  1  was  there  from  10  in  the 
morning  until  the  court  closed  in  the  evening.  The  court  would  gener- 
ally sit  until  11  or  12  o'clock  at  night.  The  court  would  generally 
transact  its  regular  business  until  V2  or  1  o'clock;  after  that,  until 
4  or  5  o'clock,  it  would  take  up  cases  of  naturalization,  and  then  com- 
mencing again  at  (>,  it  would  do  nothing  but  attend  to  naturali- 
zation business  until  12  o'clock.  There  was  no  adjournment  during 
the  day  except  for  a  few  minutes.  I  could  not  state  the  number  of 
persons  naturalized  definitely.  My  business  was  to  till  in  the  name 
in  the  body  of  the  certificate  as  I  received  the  order  from  the  judge.  I 
sat  to  the  right  of  the  judge,  a  little  below  him,  and  to  the  right  of  mo 
sat  Mr.  McKean,  The  applications  would  be  handed  first  to  the  officers 
of  the  court.  As  soon  as  they  had  gathered  a  sufficient  number  they 
would  call  off  the  names,  and  the  applicants  would  come  in  and  the  ap- 
plications would  be  handed  up  to  the  bench.  Mr.  Koch  or  Mr.  Kent. 
who  sat  on  the  bench  next  to  Judge  Barnard,  would  call  oft'  the  names 
of  the  applicants  and  witnesses,  when  the  judge  would  swear  them  in. 
He  swore  them  in  by  reading  to  each  of  them  the  oath  that  is  appended 
to  the  application.  After  the  principal  and  witness  were  both  sworn  he 
would  sign  orders  for  the  application  so  granted.  The  orders  would 
come  down  to  me  and  1  would  fill  in  the  names  of  the  applicant  in  the 
certificate  of  naturalization.  Mr.  Scudder  would  generally  hand  the 
orders  of  the  judge  to  me.     The  judge  would  frequently  cross-question 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  ,->77 

the  principal  and  witness,  asking  them  if  they  understood  the  nature  of 
an  oath,  and  such  questions  as  that.  He  would  often  ask  them  how 
long  they  had  resided  in  the  country,  how  long  the  witness  had  known 
the  principal,  and  similar  questions.  The  court  generally  took  its  time 
in  passing  upon  the  applications.  I  could  not  state  precisely  how  much 
time  he  devoted  to  each  application,  but  I  think  he  gave  as  much  atten 
tion  as  to  enable  him  to  obtain  an  intelligent  idea  of  the  character  of 
the  principal  and  witness,  and  to  ascertain  whether  they  were  entitled 
to  certificates  of  naturalization.  He  would  reject  quite  a  number. 
Whenever  an  applicant  did  not  come  up  to  the  requirements  he  would 
tear  up  the  certificates  and  not  issue  the  order.  I  could  not  form 
an  idea  of  how  many  he  would  reject  in  a  day,  but  it  was  very  often 
done.  I  think  he  would  reject  one  out  of  every  batch  of  applications. 
I  could  not  state  how  many  applications  were  in  a  batch ;  it  varied  con- 
siderably, probably  eight  or  ten;  the  highest  I  think  was  twelve  appli- 
cations. The  judge  sometimes  administered  the  oath  himself,  and  some- 
times he  directed  Mr.  Loew  to  administer  it.  Mr.  Loew  was  present  in 
the  court  nearly  every  evening  all  the  evening,  and  sometimes  during 
the  day,  but  not  so  much.  I  am  under  the  impression  the  judge  would 
swear  in  the  applications  for  naturalization  singly  and  not  in  groups. 
He  did  so  generally  whenever  I  paid  attention  to  it.  I  was  engaged 
nearly  all  the  time  in  filling  out  the  certificates,  and  of  coarse  could  not 
pay  much  attention  to  other  proceedings  in  the  court.  As  a  general 
rule  as  fast  as  I  filled  out  one  batch  of  certificates  and  passed  them  over 
to  Mr.  McKean  another  batch  would  be  ready  for  me  to  fill  out,  so  that 
my  time  was  completely  occupied  all  the  day.  My  opportunities  for 
scrutinizing  the  papers  were  not  very  good.  1  do  not  recollect  that  the 
court  was  cleared  of  persons  more  than  once.  I  have  no  recollection  of 
any  person  being  excluded  by  force.  1  am  not  acquainted  with  Mr. 
Levison.  1  never  heard  that  the  court  made  any  order  for  the  exclusion 
of  persons  not  applicants  for  naturalization  or  their  witnesses.  I  could 
nor  approximate  to  the  number  of  the  applications  that  they  passed  in 
one  day. 

To  Mr.  Dickey  :     . 

3853.  1  did  not  mark  these  applications  filed.  I  presume  that  each 
day's  applications  are  kept  separated,  so  that  the  number  passed  each 
day  could  be  ascertained  definitely  by  actual  count. 

To  Mr.  Kerr  : 

3854.  The  applications  were  not  filled  up  except  in  the  signatures  of 
the  clerk  by  one  of  the  clerks  of  the  court.  I  do  not  know  where  they 
were  gotten  up  ;  I  had  not  time  to  scrutinize  these  applications  or  to 
examine  them  with  any  care  to  ascertain  whether  any  fraud  was  being- 
committed  or  anything  of  that  kind. 

To  Mr.  Dickey  : 

3855.  I  know  one  Patrick  McCaffrey  ;  was  an  attache  of  the  sheriff's 
office.  I  think  he  is  a  special  deputy  sheriff.  I  have  seen  him  wearing 
a  deputy  sheriff's  seal,  and  have  also  seen  him  about  the  sheriff's  office. 
I  know  him  by  sight.  I  recognize  the  signature  of  C.  E.  Loew  to  the 
applications  for  naturalization  of  Hugh  Smith,  J.  McDunn,  James  Mc- 
Carty,  Fred.  Hennessey,  and  Joseph  Herbert,  and  James  Brown,  as  my 
handwriting.  I  never  signed  any  certificates  of  naturalization  in  blank 
unless  it  was  by  direct  order  of  the  court.  I  attached  the  name  of  0.  E. 
Loew  to  these  papers  after  the  order  for  the  naturalization  of  the  appli- 


378  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

cants  was  made.    After  the  order  was  made  I  would  often  sign  a  batch 
of  them  at  a  time,  but  none  were  touched  before  the  judge's  order  was 
made.     I  recognize  the  signature  of  C.  E.  Loew  to  the  applications  for 
naturalization  of  Thomas   Schmidt,  Henry  Baum,  Thomas   Surridge,   ( 
John  Doolan,  John  Donnelly,  and  August  Midler,  as  my  handwriting. 
I  recognize  the  signature  of  C.  E.  Loew  to  the  applications  of  Sebas- 
tian Schneider,  William  Schmidt,  Gotleib  Kaffenberger,  Jacob  Schaffer,  i 
August  Betzler,  John  Noelsch,  and  William  Malia,  as  my  handwriting. 
I  recognize  the  handwriting  of  the  signature  of  C.  E.  Loew  to  the  appli- 
cation of  William  Lukas  as  that  of  Joseph  Koch.     I  recognize  the  hand-  1 
writing  of  the  signature  of  0.  E.  Loew  to  the  application  of  Charles  I 
Warneck  as  that  of  C.  H.  Kent,  and  the  signatures  of  C.  E.  Loew  to  the 
applications  of  John  Winkens,  Henry  Sterne,  and  Charles  Fehling,  as  my 
handwriting.     The  signature  of  C.  E.  Loew  to  the  applications  of  August 
A.  Lenninger  is  in  Mr.  Koch's  handwriting.     The  signature  of  C.  E.  , 
Loew  to  the  application  of  Duffy  is  in  Mr.  Kent's  handwriting.    The 
signature  of  C.  E.  Loew  to  the  application  of  Patrick  Raft'erty,  James 
R.  Smith,  and  Samuel  Reynolds,  is  in  the  handwriting  of  Mr.  Daniel 
Scudder,  clerk  of  the  supreme  court,  part  third.     Mr.  McKean,  Mr.  Koch,  ' 
Mr.  Scudder,  and  myself,  used  to  sign  the  name  of  Mr.  Loew  to  the  appli- 
cations. 

To  Mr.  Kerr : 
3850.  I  was  not  aware  during  the  time  this  naturalization  was  going  • 
oh  that  great  frauds  were  being  perpetrated  upon  the  courts  or  upon 
the  law  by  parties  coming  there  under  one  device  or  another  and  obtain-  ; 
ing  these  papers.    My  time  was  taken  up  so  much  that  I  had  not  even 
time  to  read  the  newspapers.     I  have  paid  very  little  attention  to  mat- 
ters outside  of  my  business.     I  had  no  personal  knowledge  directly  or 
indirectly  that  frauds  wrere  being  practiced  either  by  Judge  Barnard 
corruptly  or  by  persons  coming  before  him  who  were  not  entitled  to  natu-  < 
ralization,  or  by  witnesses  coming  to  testify  to  persons  who  were  not 
entitled,  in  any  other  way.     Considering  the  great  haste  and  speed  with  I 
this  naturalization  business  was  conducted,  and  the  great  pressure  upon  i 
the  court  and  the  employes  of  the  court,  frauds  might  have  been  com- 
mitted by  outside  parties  without  the  knowledge  of  the  attaches  of  the 
court  or  without  their  being  aware  of  it. 

To  Mr.  Dickey  : 

3857.  The  orders  for  naturalization  came  down  to  me  from  the  judge 
in  batches  of  eight,  ten,  or  twelve — sometimes  even  less. 

To  Mr.  Kerr  : 

3858.  I  could  not  from  my  desk  see  the  judge  attaching  his  signature  ! 
to  the  orders.     I  could,  however,  hear  the  motion  of  his  pen. 

To  Mr.  Dickey  : 

3859.  The  file-marks  upon  the  applications  were  put  upon  them  as  j 
soon  as  we  could  get  leisure  time ;  but  it  was  not  generally  done  before  j 
the  certificate  of  naturalization  was  issued,  but  done  after  the  party 
had  gone  away.    The  applications  were  put  into  a  safe,  and  the  endorse- 
ment was  put  on  Avhenever  the  clerical  force  had  leisure.     It  was  not  i 
generally  done  on  the  same  day  the  certificates  were  issued.    I  could 
not  tell  how  long  after,  but  just  as  soon  after  as  we  could  get  leisure  to 
do  it.     The  handwriting  of  the  endorsement  of  the  application  handed  to 
me  I  think  is  that  of  Mr.  Morse,  in  the  county  clerk's  office.     Sometimes  J 
the  endorsements  were  put  on  by  the  clerks  of  the  court,  and  at  othei 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  739 

times  by  clerks  in  the  county  clerk's  office.  I  may  have  known  some  of 
the  witnesses  that  appeared  to  identify  applicants  for  naturalization,  but 
I  cannot  recall  any  of  their  names  now.  I  have  seen  McCaffrey  there 
as  a  witness.  I  do  not  think  I  have  seen  him  there  more  than  twice.  I 
am  not  acquainted  with  Patrick  Goff.  I  never  examined  the  applica- 
tions to  see  whether  the  signatures  of  the  principal  and  witness  were  all 
in  the  same  handwriting ;  I  had  no  time  to  do  it.  All  the  clerks  in  court 
were  so  much  engrossed  with  their  particular  duties  that  they  had  no 
time  to  make  any  such  examination.  In  the  evening  the  doors  would 
be  thrown  open  to  admit  applicants  and  witnesses  for  naturalization, 
and  when  the  room  was  filled  the  door  would  be  closed  until  those  in  the 
room  had  gone  through ;  the  doors  would  then  be  opened  and  the  room 
again  filled.  I  suppose  the  room  would  be  filled  10  or  12  times  in  the 
course  of  the  evening.  The  court-room  I  suppose  held  from  150  to  200 
persons. 

To  the  Chairman  : 
3860.  I  was  present  in  the  court  during  all  the  time  naturalization  was 
going  on. 

To  Mr.  Hopkins  : 
3801.  I  know  Supervisor  Hermann,  who,  I  believe,  had  something  to 
do  with  the  so-called  German  democratic  association,  No.  G  Centre  street; 
and  I  also  know  Counsellor  Joachimsen.  I  do  not  know  Eosenberg  nor 
Goldstein.  I  think  I  saw  Eosenberg  in  the  court-room  once  or  twice 
before  he  was  arrested;  and  on  one  occasion  he  asked  me  for  some 
blanks,  and  I  referred  him  to  the  county  clerk's  office. 

New  York,  January  4,  1869. 

James  O'Brien  sworn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instance  of  Mr. 
Kerr.) 

To  Mr.  Kerr  : 

3862.  I  am  sheriff  of  the  city  and  county  of  New  York,  and  have  been 
so  since  the  1st  of  January,  J868.  I  know  Patrick  McCaffrey  and  I  know 
John  McCaffrey.  The  latter  was  appointed  by  Sheriff  Kelly.  Patrick 
McCaffrey  was  never  deputy  sheriff;  he  was  a  special  deputy,  serving 
summonses.  John  McCaffrey  ceased  to  be  sheriff  on  the  1st  of  July, 
1868,  and  has  not  since  been  acting  in  that  capacity,  or  in  any  other 
capacity  under  the  sheriff— not  a  day.  Patrick  McCaffrey  was  a  special 
deputy  to  serve  summons.  I  dismissed  him  about  six  months  ago  on 
the  representations  of  some  country  lawyers,  to  whom  he  applied  for  $5 
for  serving  subpoenas.  I  have  seen  him  hanging  about  the  courts  during 
the  time  that  naturalization  business  was  going  on.  I  do  not  know 
what  his  business  was. 

To  Mr.  Dickey  : 

3863.  I  appointed  from  1,500  to  2,000  deputies  on  the  election  day  last 
November.  They  were  sworn  in  the  day  before.  I  feared  there  would 
be  some  trouble,  and  I  thought  it  would  be  no  harm  to  have  these  men 
as  assistant  police. 

3864.  Q.  Were  you  requested  to  appoint  them  by  any  of  the  metro- 
politan police  % 

A.  No,  sir. 

3865.  Q.  They  did  not  ('all  on  you  for  any  aid  % 
A.  No,  sir. 

386(5.  Q.  Where  were  they  located! 


380  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

A.  All  over  the  city.  They  came  in  voluntarily  and  asked  to  be 
appointed  special  deputy  sheriffs.  They  said  that  policemen  were  going 
to  prevent  voters  from  voting,  and  they  wanted  to  see  that  ('very  citizen 
got  his  vote  in.  They  were  recommended  by  other  parties — by  such 
men  as  Congressman  Fox. 

3867.  Q.  Did  you  have  personal  knowledge  of  the  men  yon  swore  in!    ! 
A.  I  know  a  good  many  of  them,  some  eight  or  nine  hundred. 

3868.  Q.  How  many  of  them  came  and  asked  to  be  sworn  in  as  deputy 
sheriffs? 

A.  All  of  them. 

3869.  Q.  What  did  they  say  was  the  object  f 

A.  They  thought  there  was  going  to  be  some  disturbance,  and  that 
there  was  not  sufficient  force  in  the  metropolitan  police  department  to 
keep  the  peace1.  They  volunteered  their  services  to  aid  the  police.  I 
had  the  power  to  deputize  men  to  keep  the  peace. 

3870.  Q.  Was  that  done  the  year  before  I 
A.  No,  sir. 

3871.  Q.  Is  it  usual  to  do  it  t 
A.  It  has  been  done  heretofore. 

3872.  Q.  Since  the  organization  of  the  metropolitan  police! 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

3873.  Q.  When  ? 

A.  I  cannot  recollect.  I  think  that  under  Sheriff"  Kelly,  the  term 
before  last,  there  were  men  organized. 

3874.  What  do  you  mean  by  organized  ? 

A.  Men  who  volunteer  their  services  to  act  as  deputy  sheriffs  to  keep 
the  peace  at  the  polls. 

3875.  Q.  Was  there  any  requisition  from  the  mayor  of  the  city  for  the 
appointment  of  these  deputy  sheriffs  ? 

A.  The  mayor  issued  a  proclamation  something  similar. 

3876.  Q.  Did  he  call  on  the  sheriff  to  appoint  deputies  i 

A.  It  was  talked  of,  but  they  did  not  think  it  was  prudent  for  me  to 
do  it. 

3877.  Q.  Then  these  appointments  were  made  against  the  opinion  of 
Mayor  Hoffman  f 

A.  Not  against  his  opinion,  he  did  not  say  anything  about  it. 

3878.  Q.  You  had  no  requisition  from  the  mayor  f 
A.  No,  sir. 

3879.  Q.  Nor  from  the  governor  "I 
A.  No,  sir. 

3880.  Q.  Nor  from  the  police  authorities ! 
A.  No,  sir. 

3881.  Q.  Did  you  have  any  requisition  from  any  political  organization! 
A.  No,  sir. 

3882.  Q.  What  political  position  did  Congressman  Fox  occupy ! 

A.  None  at  all ;  only  he  thought  that  the  United  States  marshal  was 
going  round  to  try  to  prevent  legal  voters  from  voting,  and  he  wanted  to 
prevent  him  from  interfering  with  the  votes.  It  was  threatened  that 
they  were  going  to  appoint  a  good  many  deputy  marshals,  and  we  thought 
that  we  would  do  the  same  thing. 

3883.  Q.  Did  the  marshal  appoint  any  deputy  marshals  \ 
A.  I  believe  he  did ;  I  am  not  certain. 

3884.  Q.  Did  those  officers  of  yours  make  any  arrests  ? 

A.  Not  that  I  know  of.  I  did  not  order  them  to  make  any  arrests, 
only  that  if  they  saw  a  quarrel  they  would  try  and  prevent  it. 

3885.  Q.  Had  they  authority  to  make  arrests  for  the  disturbance  of 
the  peace? 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  381 

A.  Yes  sir.     I  heard  of  one  arrest  that  they  made,  but  I  do  not  know- 
how  it  occurred. 
3880.  Q.  There  were  no  arrests  reported  to  you  ? 
A.  No  sir. 

3887.  Q.  How  were  these  men  distributed  over  the  city.  Did  you 
make  any  arrangements  for  distribution  at  any  particular  points  I 

A.  No  sir.  There  was  one  ward,  the  seventh,  wiiere  it  was  thought 
that  there  would  be  great  difficulty,  and  some  300  or  400  men  were  sent 
there.    There  were  also  some  in  the  1st  ward. 

3888.  Q.  What  is  the  proportion  of  voters  politically,  in  the  7th  ward0? 
A.  There  about  4,000  or  5,000  democratic  majority  in  that  ward.    I 

do  not  know  that  the  republicans  have  got  more  than  800  or  1,000  voters 
there. 

3881).  Q.  And  you  appointed  300  deputy  sheriffs  in  that  ward  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

3890.  Q.  Did  you  apprehend  that  those  800  or  1,000  republicans  were 
going  to  disturb  the  peace  of  the  ward? 

A.  I  did  not  expect  they  would;  but  I  thought  there  might  be  some 
trouble  from  the  United  States  marshal  trying  to  prevent  the  large  dem- 
ocratic vote  being  cast., 

3891.  Q.  Then  those  deputy  sheriffs  were  appointed  to  meet  any  pos- 
sible deputies  the  United  States  marshal  might  appoint! 

A.  I  ordered  them  to  arrest  any  one  who  interfered  with  the  voting. 

3892.  Q.  What  was  the  political  complexion  of  these  deputy  sheriffs; 
were  they  all  democrats  ? 

A.  Not  that  I  know  of;  everybody  that  came  along  and  asked  to  be 
appointed,  I  appointed. 

3893.  Q.  Can  you  name  any  republican  whom  you  appointed? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  can  name  Charles  S.  Spencer.  He  asked  to  be  one,  and 
1  told  him  yes ;  that  1  would  appoint  any  respectable  citizen. 

3894.  Q.  Do  you  know7  that  Charles  S.  Spencer  was  sworn  in  as  a 
deputy  sheriff? 

A.  I  do  not  know  it.  He  was  in  there  that  day  and  1  told  my  under 
sheriff,  who  is  a  notary  public,  to  swear  them  all  in. 

3895.  Q.  Were  the  men  all  paid  by  the  city  and  county  of  New  York? 
A.  None  of  them  were. 

389G.  Q.  They  did  this  service  for  nothing? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

By  the  CHAIRMAN  : 

3897.  Q.  You  determined  to  appoint  the  deputies  on  the  advice  or 
after  consultation  with  some  of  the  leading  democrats  of  the  city  ? 

A.  I  had  ]io  consultation  at  all  with  them. 

3898.  Q.  And  no  advice  from  them? 
A.  No,  sir. 

3899.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  republican  being  appointed  deputy 
sheriff,  except  Mr.  Spencer? 

A.  1  do  not  know.  Half  of  them  may  have  been  republicans  for  all  I 
know. 

3900.  Q.  Can  yon  name  any  republican  who  was  appointed  except  Mr. 
Spencer ? 

A.  1  cannot. 

3901.  Q.  Was  not  the  only  object  in  appointing  these  men  to  see  that 
men  claiming  the  right  to  vote  should  be  permitted  to  vote? 

;  A.  No,  sir;  but  ii*  there  was  any  disturbance  around  the  polls  they 
were  to  quell  it. 


382  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

3902.  Q.  Did  some  of  these  deputies  arrest  Mr.  Urmy,  an  election 
officer? 

A.  Yes,  sir,  that  is  the  person  who  I  understood  was  arrested. 

3903.  Q.  Do  you  know  anything  of  a  Jackson  club  in  this  city? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  it  is  a  democratic  club  at  the  corner  of  Thirty-second 
street  and  Second  avenue.  I  have  been  a  member  of  it  since  its  organi- 
zation last  July. 

3904.  Q.  How  many  deputy  sheriffs  did  you  appoint  in  the  0th  and  8th 
wards  ? 

A.  I  cannot  recollect;  I  appointed  some  in  both  those  wards.  1 
appointed  some  on  the  recommendation  of  Senator  Norton,  who  said  he 
expected  some  disturbance  around  there.  He  is  a  senator  in  the  State 
senate.    I  appointed  all  that  he  sent  to  me. 

3905.  Q.  You  say  that  some  deputy  sheriffs  were  appointed  some  years 
ago  for  election  day.  Was  not  that  in  1864,  during  the  war,  when  a  riot 
was  anticipated  *? 

A.  I  cannot  recollect. 

390G.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  deputies  having  been  appointed  at  any 
other  time? 

A.  I  am  not  a  very  old  politician ;  I  do  not  recollect  back.  I  have 
heard  of  them  being  appointed  at  other  times.  I  do  not  know  of  it 
myself. 

3907.  Q.  How  long  have  you  resided  in  this  city! 
A.  About  20  years. 

3908.  Q.  Did  you  reside  in  the  city  the  year  before  you  were  elected 
sheriff  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

3909.  Q.  And  the  year  before  that  1 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

3910.  Q.  And  for  how  many  years  before  that ! 

A.  I  have  been  residing  in  the  one  ward  about  20  years. 

3911.  Q.  Have  you  resided  out  of  it  at  any  time  I 
A.  No,  sir,  never. 

3912.  Q.  Have  vou  been  out  of  it  any  considerable  period  during  that 
time? 

A.  No,  sir,  excepting  a  month  or  so  in  the  country  during  the  summer. 
I  have  been  alderman  from  that  ward  for  two  terms,  from  1804  up  to  the 
present  date.  I  was  alderman  when  I  was  elected  sheriff.  My  vacancy 
runs  out  now. 

3913.  Q.  Has  there  been  any  period  when  you  have  been  out  of  the 
ward  for  more  than  a  month  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

3914.  Q.  What  ward  is  that  \ 
A.  The  21st  ward. 

3915.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  person  who  has  been  convicted,  except 
in  a  single  instance,  for  any  violation  of  the  election  laws  in  this  city,  or 
for  any  illegal  voting,  within  the  last  five  years  ? 

A.  1  have  heard  of  some  being  convicted. 

391G.  Q.  Were  any  of  the  deputies  whom  you  appointed  men  who  had 
been  imprisoned  in  the  penitentiary? 
A.  I  do  not  know. 

3917.  Q.  Are  you  acquainted  with  any  of  the  officers  of  the  penitentiary  ? 
A.  I  may  know  them  if  I  saw  them. 

3918.  Q.  Where  did  you  get  acquainted  with  them  ! 
A.  I  do  not  know. 

3919.  Q.  Did  you  have  at  any  time  any  personal  acquaintance  with 
them? 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  MOW  YORK.  383 

A.  Not  that  I  remember. 

3920.  Q.  You have had  no  opportunity  of  getting  acquainted  withthein! 
A.  I  may  know  them. 

3921.  Q.  Where? 

A.  By  meeting  them  back  and  forward  in  the  city. 

3922.  Q.  You  had  no  other  opportunity  ? 
A.  None  that  I  know  of. 

3923.  Q.  Have  you  ever  been  sentenced  for  any  offence  yourself '? 

A.  I  decline  to  answer.     The  books  of  record  are  over  there  and  can 
be  found. 

3924.  Q.  You  say  that  you  have  never  been  out  of  the  ward  in  which 
you  reside  longer  than  one  month  any  time  within  20  years  I 

A.  Yes,  sir;  not  over  one  month  any  time  in  20  years. 

^tew  YORK,  Monday,  January  4,  1869. 
Edwin  11.  Kent  sworn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instance  of  Mr. 
Kerr.) 

To  Mr.  Kerr  : 
3)925.  I  am  an  attorney  and  counsellor  at  law  and  am  clerk  in  equity 
in  the  supreme  court  of  the  State  and  comity.     I  have  been  acting  in 
that  capacity  over  three  years ;  lirst  under  William  C.  Conner,  and  after 
Mr.  Loew  came  into  office  he  continued  me. 

3920.  Q.  During  the  days  when  the  business  of  naturalization  was  car- 
ried on  in  the  supreme  court  before  Judge  Barnard,  in  October  last,  what 
were  your  special  duties  in  connection  with  that  business  ? 

A.  To  attend  as  clerk  in  the  court.  One  part  of  the  time  1  was  exam- 
ining applications  as  they  came  up ;  at  other  times  I  would  call  out  the 
names  of  the  applicant  and  the  witness ;  and  at  other  times  I  assisted  in 
blotting  the  papers  when  my  throat  was  worn  out  by  calling  the  names. 

3927.  Q.  What  proportion  of  the  time  were  you  in  court  while,  this 
business  was  being  transacted? 

A.  From  beginning  to  end.  As  a  general  thing  my  position  was  at 
the  left  of  the  judge.  1  called  off  the  name  of  the  applicant,  and  then 
the  name  of  the  witness  on  the  same  paper,  to  see  if  they  were  present. 
If  they  answered  the  witness  was  placed  on  one  side  of  the  room  and  the 
applicant  on  another,  preparatory  to  being  sworn.  Then  the  oath  was 
administered,  either  by  the  judge  or  by  the  county  clerk. 

3928.  Q.  After  the  oath  was  administered  to  them,  respectively,  what 
was  done  \ 

A.  Sometimes  they  were  examined,  and  then  the  applicant  was 
required  to  step  aside.  The  paper  was  then  passed  from  the  judge  to 
one  of  the  officers  of  the  court,  who  handed  it  to  Mr.  Heyman,  who  filled 
in  the  name  of  the  applicant  in  the  certificate  and  then  handed  it  to  Mr. 
McKean,  the  only  person  authorized  to  sign  the  county  clerk's  name  to 
such  papers. 

By  Mr.  Ross : 

3929.  Q.  State  whether  the  witness  and  the  applicants  were  sworn  sep- 
arately or  together. 

A.  Separately. 

3930.  Q.  And  were  examined  separately? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

3931.  Q.  How  many  were  sworn  at  a  time? 

A.  I  should  judge  from  8  to  10  applicants  and  the  same  number  of 
witnesses.  It  may  have  been  less  or  it  may  have  been  more.  Not  many 
of  them  could  get  at  the  Bible  at  one  time*. 


384  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

3932.  Q.  State  the  degree  of  caution,  if  any,  that  was  exercised  by 
the  court  and  its  officers  to  prevent  fraud. 

A.  At  the  beginning  Mr.  Loew  told  us  that  we  would  be  held  respon- 
sible for  everything  that  was  done.  He  said  that  most  likely  there 
would  be  attempts  at  fraud  made,  and  he  did  not  wish  his  name  to  be 
coupled  with  them  in  any  respect.  He  said  that  if  anything  was  done 
wrong  he  would  discharge  the  clerk  or  persons  in  his  employ  who  did  it. 
It  was  by  reason  of  that  that  Mr.  McKean  was  the  only  person  allowed 
to  sign  his  name,  Mr.  Heyman  the  only  person  allowed  to  iill  in  the  name 
of  the  applicant,  and  Edward  Koch  and  myself  called  out  the  names  of 
the  parties.  The  papers  as  a  general  thing  were  cither  examined  by  one 
of  the  officers  of  the  court  or  by  one  of  the  clerks,  and  if  they  were 
found  not  to  be  filled  up  as  they  should  be  they  were  torn  up  and  de- 
stroyed. 

3932^.  Q.  What  proportion  of  applicants  were  refused  and  their  papers 
destroyed? 

A.  I  should  think  that  over  one-half  of  them  were  rejected. 

3933.  Q.  What  was  done  with  the  cases  of  rejected  applications? 

A.  The  papers  were  torn  up  and  thrown  away,  and  the  parties  were 
ordered  to  leave  the  courtroom.  I  know  that  several  times  the  clerks 
told  men  that  it  was  understood  that  parties  were  trying  to  get  papers 
through  improperly,  and  that  if  they  caught  any  of  them  at  if  they  would 
"send  them  up,"  which  means  to  Sing  Sing. 

3934.  Q.  State  generally  whether  the  court  apparently  tried  to  prevent 
fraud  in  procuring  naturalization  papers. 

A.  To  the  best  of  my  knowledge  there  was  all  due  diligence  used. 

3935.  Q.  And  still,  for  all  the  diligence  that  was  used,  some  persons 
might  have  got  through  papers  who  were  not  entitled  to  them  ? 

A.  Not  to  my  knowledge  ;  anything  that  could  have  been  done  in  that 
respect  would  have  been  by  persons  coming  there  under  false  represen- 
tations and  committing  perjury.  It  was  not  done  to  our  knowledge,  for 
if  wTe  had  discovered  it  Ave  would  have  used  every  endeavor  to  appre- 
hend the  parties.  It  certainly  could  have  been  done  in  that  way.  If  a 
party  came  there  and  the  witness  swore  that  he  knew  him  to  be  so-and- 
so,  and  the  applicant  swore  that  he  was  so-and-so,  and  had  resided  here 
so  long,  and  had  declared  his  intentions  to  become  a  citizen,  there  was 
no  wTay  to  prevent  fraud. 

3936.  Q.  Were  these  questions  asked  : 

A.  These  questions  were  asked  every  time. 

3937.  Q.  Do  you  know  any  case  in  which  the  witnesses  or  tin1  parties 
were  not  present  and  where  naturalization  wns  granted  by  the  court? 

A.  No,  sir,  I  know  of  no  such  case. 

W3S.  Q.  If  there  had  been  any  number  of  this  class  of  cases,  were 
you  so  situated  that  you  would  have  known  it  ? 

A.  1  should  most  decidedly  have  noticed  it.  I  did  my  best  to  prevent 
anything  wrong,  expecting  that  the  press  would  create  a  great  hubbub 
about  it. 

3939.  Q.  Could  persons  be  naturalized  there  without  going  into  the 
court-room  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  the  law  requires  it  to  be  done  in  open  court. 

3940.  Q.  And  there  was  no  person  naturalized  otherwise  to  your 
knowledge? 

A.  Not  to  my  knowledge. 

3941.  Q,  If  any  fraudulent  naturalization  papers  have  got  into  circu- 
lation, whet  is  your  hypothesis  in  regard  to  how  it  could  have  been  done? 

A.  Theonly  way  1  can  think  that  the  thing  could  be  done  was,  as  I  liave 


ELECTION   FKAUDS    IN   NEW   YORK.  385 

stated,  by  persons  coming  and  committing  deliberate  perjury,  pretend- 
ing to  be  persons  who  they  were  not. 

3942.  Q.  Do  you  think  that  that  could  have  been  carried  on  a  long- 
time without  being  noticed  by  yourself  or  by  the  judge? 

A.  I  do  not  think  so. 

3943.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  instance  in  which  the  judge  ordered  the 
room  cleared  of  bystanders  or  of  attorneys  % 

A.  There  were  some  instances  like  this:  where  the  applicants  and  wit- 
nesses were  called,  and  went  inside  the  railing,  and  where  the  clerk 
informed  the  judge  that  there  were  no  more  applications  in  correct  form, 
the  judge  would  inform  the  parties  outside  the  railing  that  they  should 
leave  the  room  as  there  were  no  more  applications  before  the  court. 
The  object  of  that  was  because  the  crowd  was  so  large,  and  in  order  that 
room  might  be  made  for  other  persons  who  were  entitled  to  be  naturalized. 

3944.  Q.  Do  you  know  anything  of  an  attorney  named  Levison  being 
in  your  court  during  the  time  of  naturalization? 

A.  I  do  not  know  such  a  person  by  name. 

3945.  Q.  Do  you  know  any  instance  of  any  attorney  or  reporter  for 
the  press  being  turned  out  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  there  were  reporters  there,  and  they  were  given  seats  at 
the  table  in  front  of  the  desk,  and  given  paper,  pens,  and  ink. 

3946.  Q.  State  if  ever  fifty  or  a  hundred  persons  were  sworn  in  at  the 
same  time. 

A.  No,  sir ;  not  to  my  knowledge,  and  I  was  there  from  beginning  to 
end.  It  would  be  impossible  to  get  that  number  of  men  inside  the  rail- 
ing. When  I  stated  that  eight  or  ten  were  sworn  at  a  time,  1  think  that 
that  was  the  largest  number. 

By  the  Chairman: 

3947.  Q.  The  applicants  and  the  witnesses  did  not  sign  the  applica 
tions  in  court  % 

A.  The  applications  were  signed  before  they  were  brought  into  court. 
There  was  a  table  inside  the  railing  where  quite  a  number  of  them  were 
also  signed  ;  but  when  the  papers  were  handed  to  us  they  were  all  signed. 

3948.  Q.  Did  Judge  Barnard  swear  the  applicants  and  the  witnesses 
substantially  in  this  form:  "  You  swear  that  the  affidavits  to  which  you 
have  subscribed  your  names  are  true  F 

A.  Never. 

3949.  Q.  In  what  form  did  he  swear  them  % 

A.  There  is  a  form  attached  to  the  application,  where  the  applicant 
swears  that  he  is  over  21  years  of  age;  that  he  has  been  a  resident  of 
the  State  so  long ;  that  it  has  been  his  bona  fide  intention  to  become  a 
citizen ;  and  that  oath  was  read  from  the  instrument,  or  wrords  to  the 
same  effect. 

3950.  Q.  I  have  before  me  the  application  of  Hugh  Smith,  containing 
an  affidavit  in  this  form :  "  Hugh  Smith,  the  above-named  applicant, 
being  duly  SWorn,  says  he  resides  at  318  East  Thirty-first  street,  in  this 
city;  that  he  has  arrived  at  the  age  of  21  years;  that 'he  has  resided  in 
the  United  States  for  three  years  next  preceding  his  arrival  at  that  age, 
and  has  continued  to  reside  therein  until  the  present  time ;  that  he  has 
resided  five  years  within  the  United  States,  including  the  three  years  of 
his  minority,  and  one  year  immediately  preceding  his  application  within 
the  State  of  New  York;  and  that  for  three  years  next  preceding  this 
application  it  has  been  his  bona  fide  intention  to  become  a  citizen  of  the 
United  States."    Did  the  judge  administer  that  oath  ! 

25  t 


386  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

A.  Either  the  judge,  or  the  clerk  at  his  direction,  administered  it  in 
those  exact  words — the  entire  thing. 

3951.  Q.  Before  the  judge  administered  this  oath  to  the  applicant  did 
he  put  any  questions  to  him  ? 

A.  In  some  instances  he  would  ask  him  what  his  name  was,  and  if  it 
corresponded  he  asked  him  how  he  spelled  it;  and  he  generally  put 
other  questions  to  him.  In  a  number  of  instances  the  applicant  as  well 
as  the  witness  was  examined  before  being  sworn  to  attest  the  actual 
truth  of  their  statement. 

3952.  Q.  But  as  a  general  rule  were  they  so  examined ! 
A.  It  was  as  general  one  way  as  the  other. 

3953.  Q.  State  what  proportion  of  the  applicants  and  witnesses  were 
examined  before  they  were  sworn. 

A.  That  I  cannot  state. 

3954.  Q.  Were  one-fourth  of  the  applicants  examined  before  they  were 
sworn  ? 

A.  They  may  have  or  may  not  have  been. 

3955.  Q.  Were  one-fourth  of  the  witnesses  examined  before  they  were 
sworn  ? 

A.  I  cannot  state. 

3956.  Q.  Were  one-tenth  of  the  applicants  examined  before  they  were 
sworn  ? 

A.  I  cannot  state. 

3957.  Q.  Were  one-tenth  of  the  witnesses  examined  before  they  were 
sworn? 

A.  O,  yes,  sir.  There  may  have  been  one-half  of  them  examined,  or 
there  may  have  been  more,  or  there  may  have  been  less. 

3958.  Q.  After  the  examination  without  being  sworn,  the  oath  was 
administered  to  them  in  the  form  in  the  printed  blanks? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

3959.  Q.  Can  you  form  any  estimate  of  the  number  of  persons  that 
were  naturalized  each  day  in  October  last? 

A.  I  cannot. 

3960.  Q.  You  say  that  Mr.  Loew  cautioned  you  about  fraudulent  natu- 
ralizations ? 

A.  He  cautioned  us  about  any  illegal  or  ungentlemanly  acts,  or  any- 
thing that  would  bring  his  name  into  disrepute. 

3961.  Q.  It  was  generally  understood  in  court  and  by  the  officers  that 
there  was  danger  of  illegal  proceedings? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  do  not  suppose  that  it  ever  entered  into  his  mind  that 
there  was  any  danger  of  it. 

3962.  Q.  You  say  that  certain  reporters  were  furnished  seats  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir ;  that  I  know. 

3963.  Q.  Who  were  they  ? 

A.  I  cannot  state ;  I  was  told  they  wrere  reporters,  and  I  saw  them  sit 
ting  there  taking  minutes.  I  cannot  give  any  of  their  names,  and  cannot 
tell  where  they  can  be  found.  One  was  a  man  about  27  or  28  years  of 
age,  and  sat  there  an  entire  evening.  On  the  following  evening  there 
were  two  of  them  there.    These  were  two  instances  that  I  am  positive  of. 

3964.  Q.  Do  you  recollect  any  others  ? 

A.  I  do  not.  I  heard  that  there  were  others,  but  I  did  not  see  any 
others*    My  attention  was  called  to  the  fact  that  they  were  reporters. 

3965.  Q.  Did  you  know  that  they  were  reporters  for  democratic  news- 
papers ? 

A.  I  did  not. 

3966.  Q.  Were  there  many  persons  naturalized  that  evening  ? 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  387 

A.  The  usual  number. 

3907.  Q.  What  was  the  usual  number? 

A.  That  I  do  not  know. 
By  Mr.  Ross : 

3968.  Q.  When  an  applicant  came  to  be  naturalized  what  was  the  first 
thing  he  did  ? 

A.  He  handed  his  paper  to  an  officer  of  the  court,  who  took  it  to  one 
of  the  clerks  sitting-  near  the  judge. 

3909.  Q.  Probably  to  you ! 

A.  Probably  to  me.  The  clerk  would  examine  the  paper  to  see  if  it 
was  tilled  out  correctly.  If  it  was  not  correct  the  paper  was  torn  in  two 
and  thrown  on  the  floor. 

3970.  Q.  Did  the  clerks  do  that  as  well  as  the  judge! 
A.  Yes.  sir. 

3971.  Q.  While  the  clerk  was  making  this  examination,  where  was  the 
applicant  and  witness  ? 

A.  Outside  the  railing. 

3972.  Q.  At  what  period  did  they  come  inside  the  railing? 

A.  When  their  names  were  called  and  the  application  was  handed  to 
the  judge.  Then  the  judge  examined  them  and  marked  his  approval  on 
the  back  of  the  application. 

3973.  Q.  Were  they  sworn  as  soon  as  they  came  inside  the  railing? 
A.  Xo.  sir;   as  a  general  thing  the  judge  asked  them  some  questions 

before  the  oath  was  administered.  The  applicants  were  on  one  side  and 
the  witnesses  on  the  other.  The  applicants  were  sworn  first  and  then 
the  witnesses.  It  was  uniform  that  all  the  applicants  should  be  on  one 
side  and  all  the  witnesses  on  the  other. 

3974.  Q.  After  the  oath  was  administered  did  the  judge  ask  any  ques- 
tions? 

A.  Sometimes  he  did  and  sometimes  he  did  not. 
By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

3975.  Q.  What  proportion  of  time  was  Mr.  Loew  in  court  during 
naturalization  .' 

A.  All  the  time.  He  may  have  been  absent  once  or  twice,  but  not 
to  my  knowledge.  To  the  best  of  my  knowledge  and  belief  he  was  pre- 
sent every  evening  while  naturalization  was  goiug  on. 

3970.  Q.  He  was  present  attending  to  his  duties  ! 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Boss : 

3977.  Q.  Did  he  have  his  desk  and  seal  in  that  room  or  in  some  other 
one? 

A.  In  that  room. 

By  Mr.  HOPKINS: 

3978.  Q.  Did  you  notice  that  in  many  instances  the  same  man  was  a 
witness  lor  a  great  number  of  applicants  \ 

A.  Uo,  sir ;  I  would  have  notified  the  court  if  I  had  noticed,  and  I 
think  I  should  have  noticed  it,  if  it  had  occurred. 

3979.  Q.  Then  you  are  prepared  to  swear  that  was  not  the  custom  in 
your  court  ? 

A.  Not  to  my  knowledge.  Had  I  noticed  it  I  would  certainly  have 
reported  it  to  the  court. 

3980.  Q.  Whom  have  you  counselled  with  in  reference  to  your  testimony 
before  this  committee?1 

A.  With  no  one. 


388  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

3981.  Q.  Have  you  had  any  consultation  with  Mr.  Loew  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

3982.  Q.  With  any  of  the  other  clerks  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  we  may  have  spoken  about  the  examination  going  on ;  but 
there  has  been  nothing  stated  about  the  testimony  either  one  way  or 
another. 

New  York,  January  4, 1869. 
Henry  Yandervoort  sworn  and  examined. 
To  the  Chairman  : 

3983.  I  am  clerk  of  the  court  of  general  sessions  and  oyer  and  ter- 
miner. I  have  been  acting  as  deputy  and  clerk  for  nearly  thirty-nine 
years.  I  am  acquainted  with  James  O'Brien,  sheriff  of  this  city  and 
county. 

3984.  Q.  State  if  he  was  ever  sentenced  for  any  offence  in  your  court? 

A.  I  cannot  say  of  my  own  personal  knowledge  that  he  was  the  per- 
son, but  there  was  a  James  O'Brien  convicted  of  misdemeanor  some  years 
ago. 

3985.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  Sheriff  O'Brien  is  reputed  to  be  thi 
same  person! 

A.  I  cannot  speak  of  my  own  personal  knowledge. 

Witness  produced  a  copy  of  the  record  in  the  case  of  the  people  of  th 
State  of  New  York  against  James  O'Brien,  which  is  annexed  to  his  testi 
mony  as  follows : 

At  a  court  of  general  sessions  of  the  peace,  h olden  in  and  for  the 
city  and  county  of  New  York,  at  the  City  Hall  of  the  said  city,  on  Mon- 
day, the  18th  day  of  January,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  1858. 

Present,  the  honorable  George  G.  Barnard,  recorder  of  the  city 
of  New  York,  justice  of  the  sessions. 

The  People  of  the  State  of  ~)     ^  .  ,.     -.  ,.  .    *  .  x„«J 

att7w  vm?Tf  I      °n  conviction  by  verdict  of  not  and 


New  York 

vs 


> assault  and  battery  on  some  person! 
James  O'Brien.  \  unknown,  November  7, 1857. 

Whereupon  it  is  ordered  and  adjudged  by  the  court,  that  the  said 
James  O'  Brien,  for  the  misdemeanor  aforesaid,  whereof  he  is  convicted,! 
be  imprisoned  in  the  penitentiary  of  the  city  of  New  York  for  the  term  I 
of  six  months. 

(A  true  extract  from  the  minutes.) 

HENEY  YANDEBYOOBT,  Clerk    ! 

New  York  general  sessions  of  the  peace.  The  people  of  the  State  of 
New  York  vs.  James  O'Brien.  Copy  of  sentence.  January  18,  1858. 
Penitentiary,  six  months. 

New  York,  Monday,  January  4,  1869. 
DENNIS  Shea  sworn  and  examined 

To  the  Chairman  : 
398G.  I  was  an  inspector  of  registry  at  the  presidential  election  in  the 
4th  district,  4th  ward.  We  refused  registration  to  some  40  persons, 
probably  one-half  of  them  being  on  the  ground  of  illegal  naturaliza- 
tion papers.  About  20  of  them  stated  that  they  had  never  gone  to 
the  court,  had  never  declared  their  intention  to  become  citizens,  and 
had  got  their  papers  through  outside  parties.    I  knew  a  great  number 


ELECTION    FEAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  389 

of  the  persons  who  registered  and  voted  in  that  district.  I  have  lived 
in  the  district  four  years.  It  is  a  district  composed  in  great  part  of 
sailor  boarding-houses.  And  this  year  from  these  boarding-houses  there 
were  registered  over  double  the  number  of  any  previous  year.  I  judge 
that  the  greater  proportion  of  the  increase  were  men  not  entitled  to 
vote,  or  that  votes  were  given  on  the  names  of  men  who  were  registered 
and  had  gone  to  sea  before  election  day. 

Q.  What  proportion  of  men  who  voted  were  sworn  ? 

A.  We  probably  swore  50.  1  had  checked  them  on  my  registry-book 
and  swore  them  all  on  election  day,  but  they  would  swear  pretty  much 
anything. 

Q.  Do  you  know  the  political  status  of  the  men  controlling  these 
sailor  boarding-houses  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir,  I  do  pretty  well.  Jeremiah  O'Brien  is  one  of  them.  His 
mother  keeps  a  sailors'  boarding-house  at  No.  79  Oliver  street.  He  was 
a  councilman  at  that  time.  I  think  that  about  15  votes  were  polled 
from  that  house,  almost  all  sailors.  Thomas  Wilds  keeps  a  sailors' 
boarding-house  at  No.  100J  Cherry  street.  The  principal  increase  in 
this  district  came  from  sailor  boarding-houses.  Their  politics  are  demo- 
cratic. There  were  28  republican  votes  polled  in  the  district  all  told. 
There  were  registered  540  or  550,  and  the  whole  vote  polled  was  480. 

Q.  State  whether  any  clerks  in  the  courts  of  this  city  were  interested 
in  these  boarding-houses. 

A.  I  do  not  know  whether  they  are  clerks ;  but  they  are  either  court 
officers  or  clerks.  Mr.  Wilds  is  a  court  officer  or  clerk  in  one  of  the 
courts;  Jeremiah  O'Brien  Avas  a  councilman ;  in  fact,  all  the  workers  in 
the  district  were  composed  of  the  members  of  the  Tammany  general 
committee.  Mr.  Churchill  keeps  another  sailors'  boarding-house  at  No. 
68  Oliver  street.  He  is  a  democrat,  but  I  do  not  know  that  he  holds 
any  position. 

By  Mr.  Boss : 

3987.  Q.  Is  there  any  law  here  against  democrats  keeping  boarding- 
houses  ! 

A.  I  do  not  suppose  there  is.  There  are  republicans  keeping  boarding- 
houses  in  the  district  too ;  but  I  do  not  know  any  of  them  to  colonize. 

By  Mr.  HOPKINS : 

3988.  Q.  What  was  the  vote  in  that  precinct  a  year  ago  ? 
A.  I  am  not  positive ;  but  it  never  ran  up  as  high  as  400. 

By  Mr.  Boss : 

3989.  Q.  How  many  republican  votes  Avere  giA^en  in  the  precinct  f 
A.  Twenty-eight,  I  think. 

3990.  Q.  Were  you  one  of  the  28  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

3991.  Q.  You  are  a  republican  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

3992.  Q.  Were  there  any  persons  who  Aroted  there  who  were  not  legal 
voters  ? 

A.  Not  to  my  positiA^e  knowledge.  If  I  were  aware  of  it  they  could 
not  vote. 

3993.  Q.  I  think  you  said  you  challenged  everybody  whom  you 
suspected  % 

A.  Everybody ;  and  I  made  three  or  four  arrests. 

3994.  Q.  Did  the  rest  of  the  board  co-operate  with  you  to  prevent 
fraud  ? 


390  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

3995.  Q.  Sailors  have  a  right  to  vote  here  under  the  laws  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

3996.  Q.  And  there  is  no  law  against  their  voting  the  democratic 
ticket  ? 

A.  I  think  not. 

3997.  Q.  And  they  do  generally  vote  the  democratic  ticket? 
A.  I  have  no  personal  knowledge  what  they  vote. 

3998.  Q.  You  do  not  know  of  any  illegal  votes  being  given  in  that 
precinct  % 

A.  I  cannot  swear  to  any. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

3999.  Q.  Did  any  democrat  make  any  challenge  either  at  the  time  of' 
registration  or  on  the  day  of  election  % 

A.  No,  sir;  no  democrat  made  any  challenge.  v  The  republicans  had  a 
challenger  there  expressly  for  the  purpose  of  challenging  illegal  voters; 
but  some  democrats  in  the  morning  made  a  fight  with  him,  compelled 
him  to  go  into  the  street,  and  beat  him  there.  He  did  not  receive  thej 
proper  protection  from  the  police,  and  we  were  compelled  to  do  the  chal- 
lenging ourselves.     His  name  is  Francis  Burns. 

Q.  Who  were  your  democratic  colleagues  % 

A.  Julius  Maloy  and  Bartholomew  Croniu. 

New  York,  Monday,  January  4,  1869. 
Edward  B.  Heath  sworn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instance  of 
Mr.  Boss.) 

To  Mr.  Ross : 

4000.  I  am  docket  clerk  in  the  office  of  the  superior  court.    I  was  not 
in  court  during  the  naturalization  business  of  last  fall.    I  was  in  an  office- 
which  is  in  a  separate  building  from  the  court-room.     I  was  assigned  to 
assist  the  clerks  in  naturalization.    We  had  a  separate  room  in  the  City; 
Hall — the  old  sheriffs  office.     As  the  parties  who  had  passed  the  court i 
came  over  there  from  the  court-room,  at  the  corner  of  Chambers  and 
Centre  street,  we  made  out  their  certificates  as  each  applicant  came  for- 
ward.   My  duty  was  to  fill  up  the  certificates.    There  were  some  four  or 
five  clerks  employed  in  filling  up  certificates.    As  the  applicant  handed 
in  his  papers  we  examined  them,  and  saw  that  they  were  correct,  then 
tilled  up  the  certificate  and  had  it  signed  and  sealed  and  handed  to  him. 
Mr.  Meeks  signed  the  clerk's  name  to  the  certificate,  and  had  charge  of 
the  seals.    There  was  no  opportunity  for  any  one  else  to  have  access  to , 
the  seal. 

4001.  Q.  To  whom  were  the  certificates  delivered  after  they  were  made, 
out? 

A.  Each  certificate  was  delivered  to  the  party  in  person. 

4002.  Q.  Did  you  see  in  the  court  or  among  the  officers  any  disposition 
to  get  through  fraudulent  naturalization  papers  % 

A.  I  never  did ;  not  in  a  single  instance. 

4003.  Q.  You  do  not  know  anything  of  the  kind  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

4004.  Q.  Were  you  ever  in  court  during  its  sessions  ? 

A.  I  was  there  once  or  twice  for  about  half  an  hour  when  naturaliza- 
tion business  was  being  transacted  before  Judge  Garvin. 

4005.  Q.  State  the  process  which  the  judge  had  for  naturalization. 
A.  Each  applicant  brought  his  paper  in  his  hand  and  the  witness  with 

him.     As  he  came  into  the  court-room  the  clerk  took  the  papers  and 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  391 

then  called  the  name  of  the  applicant  and  swore  him  that  he  would  give 
a  correct  statement  to  the  judge.  The  applicant  then  passed  before  the 
judge  and  the  witness  was  questioned  by  the  judge  as  to  how  long  he 
had  known  the  applicant,  as  to  his  character,  &c.  If  the  judge  was 
satisfied  the  applicant  passed  along  to  the  clerk  and  took  the  oath  of 
allegiance. 

4000.  Q.  So  far  as  you  were  able  to  observe  were  the  applicant  and 
witnesses  always  present  in  court  and  sworn  ¥ 

A.  Yes,  sir;  they  were  both  there,  and  were  sworn  every  time  so  far 
as  I  was  able  to  observe. 

4007.  Q.  Were  you  ever  in  Judge  McCunn's  court  ! 
A.  No,  sir. 

4008.  Q.  Have  you  any  knowledge  of  any  fraudulent  naturalization 
papers  having  got  out  in  any  way  ? 

A.  None  whatever. 

4009.  Q.  Is  there  anything  further  that  you  know  in  reference  to  the 
business  of  naturalization  that  would  throw  any  light  upon  the  subject 
before  the  committee  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

4010.  Q.  You  examined  the  applications  pretty  closely  to  see  if  they 
were  correct  ? 

A.  To  see  that  the  signatures  of  the  parties  were  attached  to  them 
and  the  initials  of  the  judge.  I  know  that  Ave  were  always  satisfied  that 
the  papers  were  correct. 

4011.  Q.  In  form  or  in  substance  f 
A.  Correct  in  substance. 

4012.  Q.  Look  at  the  application  of  Maximilian  Beck  and  see  whether 
you  think  it  is  correct  ! 

A.  I  believe  that  paper  to  be  correct. 

4013.  Q.  Is  it  not  all  written  by  the  same  person  ¥ 
A.  I  cannot  say. 

4014.  Q.  Look  at  the  application  of  William  Malia  and  state  whether 
it  is  not  all  in  the  same  handwriting  ? 

A.  I  cannot  tell. 

4015.  Q.  Did  you  criticise  the  applications  to  see  whether  they  were 
or  were  not  signed  by  different  parties  ? 

A.  In  almost  every  instance  I  questioned  the  parties  closely  as  to  how 
they  got  their  papers. 

4016.  Q.  How  do  you  know  that  the  parties  who  presented  the  papers 
to  you  were  the  same  parties  who  appeared  before  the  judge  f 

A.  I  had  no  means  of  knowing  that  any  more  than  asking  the  ques- 
tion of  the  party  presenting  it,  whether  it  was  his  paper  and  whether  he 
had  been  before  the  judge,  and  he  would  always  answer  the  questions 
correctly. 

4017.  Q.  The  only  evidence  you  had  was  the  declaration  of  the  party? 
A.  I  did  not  see  him  in  court. 

4018.  Q.  How  did  you  know  that  he  was  the  same  party  who  had 
been  in  court  ? 

A.  I  was  very  well  satisfied  in  my  own  mind  he  was,  from  the  fact 
that  the  papers  came  directly  from  the  court.  The  applicant  brought 
them  himself  and  in  a  great  many  instances  the  witness  came  with  him. 

4019.  Q.  Do  you  say  that  all  the  papers  given  out  were  given  to  the 
parties  themselves  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 


392  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

4020.  Q.  And  not  to  other  parties  to  deliver  them  ? 
A.  No,  sir;  not  in  any  instance  that  I  know. 

4021.  Q.  Do  yon  know  Henry  AValtman,  a  member  of  the  legislature?, 
A.  I  know  him  by  sight. 

4022.  Q.  Do  yon  know  of  his  getting  any  papers  for  other  parties? 
A.  No,  sir;  I  do  not;  lie  never  got  any  from  me.     I  never  delivered 

any  paper  except  to  the  party. 

4023.  Q.  Was  there  any  case  where  a  paper  was  left  by  a  party  who 
could  not  wait  for  his  certificate  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

New  York,  January  4,  1809. 
John  M.  Lawrence  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

4024.  Question.  State  what  you  know  of  persons  voting  more  than 
once  at  polling  places  in  this  city  at  the  last  presidential  election. 

Witness.  Am  I  bound  to  criminate  myself  1 

The  Chairman.  Anything  you  may  state  here  will  not  be  used 
against  you. 

Witness.  At  the  time  the  board  of  registers  met,  I  registered  from 
my  own  residence,  No.  132  Wooster  street,  and  on  my  own  name.  I  was' 
called  on  by  a  friend  of  mine  who  is  a  friend  of  Senator  Norton's,  and 
was  asked  to  register  my  own  name  at  two  or  three  different  places,  No.j 
531  Broome  street  and  No.  54  Sullivan  street,  which  1  did.  I  did  not 
vote  at  those  two  places,  but  I  gave  the  address  to  those  persons. 

4025.  Q.  State  if  you  received  any  slips. 

A.  I  received  a  slip  in  Hudson  street,  between  Domihick  and  Spring,, 
at  a  place  called  "Moran's,"  which  was  the  Tammany  Hall  headquarters, 
of  the  8th  ward.     A  man  gave  me  a  card  there  with  the  name  on  and 
the  address,  on  which  I  voted.     I  do  not  recollect  the  name.    It  was  in 
the  12th  district  of  the  8th  ward,  in  Spring  street,  around  the  corner' 
from  Hudson.     I  tore  up  the  card  before  I  went  in  to  vote  it.     That  is 
all  the  slip  I  had. 

4026.  Q.  State  if  any  others  were  offered  you. 

A.  I  was  wanted  to  take  some  more,  but  on  account  of  my  looks- 
being  so  conspicuous,  I  refused. 

4027.  Q.  What  persons  congregated  at  that  place  of  Moran's  just 
prior  to  the  presidential  election? 

A.  There  were  quite  a  number  there,  but  I  cannot  mention  their 
names. 

4028.  Q.  Did  you  see  any  person  residing  in  Moran's  rooms,  over  the 
room  where  he  sold  whiskey  ! 

A.  I  was  never  in  the  house  more  than  once  or  twice  to  my  knowledge. 
The  front  room  was  used  for  election  purposes,  as  a  room  for  folding 
ballots,  &c.,  and  in  the  back  room  there  was  a  bed,  but  I  do  not  know 
who  used  it. 

4029.  Q.  State  whether  you  voted  the  democratic  or  the  republican 
ticket  at  the  last  presidential  election. 

A.  I  voted  a  split  ticket.  I  voted  for  John  A.  Griswold  for  governor, 
and  for  Horatio  Seymour  for  president.  I  chucked  the  Hoffman  ballot 
out  both  times.  The  straight  democratic  ticket  was  given  me,  but  1 
would  not  vote  it. 

To  Mr.  Ross: 

4030.  I  have  lived  in  this  city  ever  since  I  was  born.  This  was  the 
first  time  1  ever  engaged  in  repeating.     I  voted  twice  at  the  last  presi- 


ELECTION  FEAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  393 

dential  election,  ouce  on  my  oath  name  and  once  on  a  fictitious  name. 
1  voted  both  times  in  the  same  ward,  but  at  different  election  precincts. 
I  was  not  sworn. 

Q.  Who  was  this  man  that  spoke  to  you  first  on  the  subject? 

A.  His  name  is  Wm.  H.  Dwyer. 

Q.  Where  does  he  live? 

A.  I  cannot  tell ;  he  lives  all  over.     He  stops  principally  at  Taylor's 

•  Hotel  at  the  foot  of  Desbrosses  street.     It  was  through  his  instigation 

that  1  registered  twice  illegally.     It  was  not  through  his  instigation 

that  I  voted  illegally.     He  had  nothing  to  do  with  that  at  all,  he  merely 

got  me  to  register. 

Q.  What  business  are  you  engaged  in! 

A.  I  am  not  doing  anything  at  present.  I  have  been  in  a  wholesale 
drug-house  as  shipping  and  receiving  clerk.  I  got  out  of  business  last 
spring  and  went  to  California,  and  returned  about  September.  I  am 
not  married. 

Q.  Have  you  been  convicted  of  any  criminal  offence  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  was  never  arrested  in  my  life. 

Q.  To  whom  did  you  first  communicate  this  illegal  registering  and 
voting! 

A.  Dwyer  first  knew  about  it.  He  was  with  me  at  the  time  I  regis- 
tered. When  I  voted  illegally  Senator  Norton  was  at  the  polls.  He 
may  have  seen  me  vote.     He  kneAV  me  by  sight. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

4031.  Q.  Do  you  know  any  others  who  voted  illegal  votes  in  that  way  ! 
A.  Yes,  sir;  there  are  two  whom  I  know  voted  illegally. 

4032.  Q.  Eepeaters  with  you  ! 
A.  They  went  along  after  I  did. 

By  Mr.  Eoss : 

Q.  You  have  not  answered  that  question  as  to  whom  you  first  commu- 
nicated the  fact  of  your  illegal  registry  or  illegal  voting. 

A.  I  told  it  to  a  man  named  Michael  Brady.  He  asked  me  what  I 
was  doing  around  there.  I  said  I  had  registered  at  531.  He  said,  "You 
had  better  look  out,  you  will  get  yourself  into  trouble.'7  Then  I  told 
him  I  had  registered  in  another  place,  but  I  said  I  was  not  going  to  vote ; 
that  I  had  simply  put  down  my  name  and  furnished  slips  giving  the 
name  and  the  address. 

4033.  Q.  Whom  did  you  next  talk  to  in  reference  to  it? 
A.  I  cannot  answer  that  question. 

4034.  Q.  How  was  information  of  it  brought  to  this  committee? 
A.  By  Brady,  through  the  Union  League. 

4035.  Q.  Brady  is  a  republican,  is  he  ? 

I  A.  Yes,  sir  ;  he  is  the  man  who  furnished  me  with  the  Griswold  tickets. 
I  saw  him  before  I  had  voted  and  he  gave  me  a  full  republican  ticket  and 
wanted  me  to  vote  it,  and  I  would  not  do  that. 

403G.  Q.  You  told  him  then  that  you  were  not  a  legal  voter? 

A.  He  knew  before  that  I  had  registered  three  times,  once  legally  and 
twice  illegally. 

4037.  Q.  And  it  was  after  you  told  him  that  that  he  gave  you  the 
ticket? 

A.  It  was  on  election  day  that  he  gave  me  the  ticket  early  in  the 
morning,  and  I  had  told  him  before  that  about  my  illegal  registering. 
He  gave  me  a  full  set  of  republican  tickets  and  wanted  me  to  vote  for 
Grant  and  Colfax;  I  told  him  that  I  would  not  do  that  but  that  I  would 
vote  for  Seymour  and  Blair.    I  had  a  democratic  ticket  and  a  republican 


394  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

ticket.  I  took  Hoffman's  name  out  of  the  democratic  ticket  and  put  in 
Griswold's.  I  voted  the  republican  State  ticket  with  the  exception  of 
assemblyman  and  congressman.  I  voted  for  a  democratic  assemblyman 
and  for  a  democratic  congressman,  John  Fox. 

4038.  Q.  And  the  balance  was  the  republican  ticket ! 
A.  With  the  exception  of  the  presidential  ticket. 

4039.  Q.  Did  you  talk  with  anybody  in  this  room  with  reference  to 
your  testimony  % 

A.  No,  sir.  Mr.  Davenport,  the  clerk,  asked  my  name,  and  I  gave  it  to 
him. 

4040.  Q.  Do  you  know  who  subpoenaed  you  to  come  here? 
A.  Michael  Brady  requested  me  to  come  here. 

4041.  Q.  Did  you  ever  have  any  talk  with  Mr.  Norton  on  the  subject! 
A.  No,  sir. 

4042.  Q.  He  did  not  know  about  your  illegal  registering  and  voting ! 
A.  I  cannot  say  that  he  did. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

4043.  Q.  When  you  were  first  requested  to  register  illegally  state  the 
reason  assigned  for  the  request. 

A.  He  said  that  he  would  do  something  for  me  afterwards ;  that  he 
expected  to  obtain  something  by  it  and  that  after  election  he  would  do 
something  for  me.  1  told  him  if  I  registered  I  would  not  vote.  He  said, 
"you  need  not  vote;  go  and  register,  and  if  they  accept  your  name  it  is 
all  that  is  necessary." 

4044.  Q.  Did  he  state  what  he  was  to  get  ? 

A.  He  expected  some  position  in  some  court  I  believe.  I  cannot  say 
positively  who  he  was  to  get  it  from. 

4045.  Q.  Do  you  know  Dwyer's  relations  to  Senator  Norton? 

A.  They  were  very  friendly.  I  saw  them  talking  very  familiarly.  His 
j)olitics  are  republican.  Brady  lives  in  Dominick  street  between  Varick 
and  Clark. 

By  Mr.  Dickey: 

4046.  Q.  You  stated  that  you  knew  two  others  to  have  voted  illegally; 
where  did  they  get  their  tickets  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know. 

4047.  Q.  Did  you  see  any  cards  given  to  any  other  person  to  vote  on  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir.     I  saw  four  or  five  cards  given  out,  and  I  saw  the  same 

person  with  twenty  or  thirty  in  his  hand  still.     I  did  not  know  the  name 
of  that  party.    Each  card  simply  contained  a  name  and  an  address. 
By  Mr.  Ross : 

4048.  Q.  How  large  is  Moran's  house  ? 
A.  It  is  a  two- story  and  attic  house. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

4049.  Q.  State  the  names  of  the  two  other  persons  who  you  think  voted 
illegally. 

A.  Their  names  are  Thomas  Boyle  and  John  Hadden.  I  had  seen  them 
at  the  club-room.  Michael  Norton  the  State  senator,  is  the  democratic 
leader  in  the  eight  ward.  -  He  was  elected  senator  on  the  democratic 
ticket  a  year  ago  last  fall. 

4050.  Q.  Did  you  ever  see  Norton  in  the  club-room  % 

A.  Yes,  sir,  I  have  seen  Michael  Norton  in  the  club-room  and  seen 
him  in  the  reading-room;  I  also  saw  Peter  Mitchel  in  the  club-room. 

4051.  Q.  Were  they  there  at  anytime  when  these  slips  were  being 
handed  out  ? 


ELECTION'  FRAUDS  EN  NEW  YORK.  395 

A.  They  were  there  at  the  time  tin-  tickets  were  folded,  hut  I  did  not 
.  see  them  there  when  the  slips  were  handed  out. 
By  Mr.  Hopkins: 
4052.  Q.  Was  this  place  of  Moran's  considered  a  sort  of  headquarters 
for  repeat    - 

A.  I  do  not  believe  it  was  ;  it  was  considered  the  Tammany  Hall  head- 
quarter- of  the  eighth  ward. 
1053.  Q.  And  repeaters  went  there  pretty  freely  I 
A.  They  go  all  over:  they  are  principally  found  around  liquor  stores. 

NEW  York.  Monday.  January  4, 1S69. 

Arthur  McKenna  sworn  and  examined. 
To  the  Chairman  : 

40o4.  I  was  an  inspector  in  the  5th  district  of  the  1st  ward  at  the 
last  presidential  election.  This  bundle  of  eards  now  presented  to  me. 
contains  the  names  of  non-residents  of  the  district  who  came  and  pre- 
sented  themselves  for  registration  in  the  9th  election  district  of  the  Oth 
ward.  The  cards  that  are  marked  with  an  X  indicate  that  the  person 
lived  there:  those  marked  with  an  O  indicate  that  the  person  did  not 
live  there :  those  that  are  not  marked  at  all  indicate  that  1  could  not 
is     rtain  correctly  whether  they  lived  there  or  not. 

ii 155.  Question.  Can  you  furnish  to  the  committee  a  list  of  persons 
who  voted  in  that  district  and  who  did  not  reside  there  ! 

Answer.  I  present  a  list  of  names  that  were  placed  on  the  registry  of 
persons  who  did  not  live  in  the  district.  It  can  be  ascertained  by  refer- 
ring to  the  poll-books,  how  many  of  them  voted. 

4H.V..  Q.  How  did  you  ascertain  whether  those  persons  lived  at  the 
places  designated  or  not  I 

A.  I  took  these  cards  to  the  several  houses  indicated,  and  inquired  in 
each  house  as  to  the  persons  who  lived  there. 

4057.  Q.  State   if  you   made    any  effort  to  ascertain    the   names  of 
sons  so  registered  in  the  Bowery. 

A.  I  did:  but  I  was  threatened  by  James  Barclay,  who  told  me  that 
if  I  carried  this  thing  out  he  would  send  me  home  on  the  morning-  of 
election  on  a  shutter. 

4058.  Q.  State  what  you  know  of  illegal  registering  in  the  election 
districts. 

A.  I  know  of  illegal  voting  in  the  6th  district  of  the  6th  ward.  I 
know  several  persons  who  were  deprived  of  their  vote  by  the  fact  that 
others  had  voted  on  their  names.  I  can  mention  the  names  of  William 
Sheehan  and  William  Conroy,  of  Mulberry  street. 

4059.  Q.  Do  you  know  any  instance  in  which  any  democratic  inspector 
challenged  a  vote  ! 

A.  No,  sir:  none.  In  the  2d  district  of  the  7th  ward  there  was  no 
check  book  kept. 

By  Mr.  Boss: 

►60.  Q.  Who  were  your  colleagues  in  the  district  where  you  were 

\    'tor  \ 

A.  I  do  not  know  their  names  at  present :  they  were  strangers  to  me. 
I  was  not  there  <>n  registration  day.  I  was  appointed  in  the  place  of 
Mr.  Colters. 

4061.  Q.  How  many  voters  were  registered  at  that  precinct  I 
A.  Xine  hundred. 

4062.  Q.  How  did  they  stand  politically  I 


396  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

A.  They  were  pretty  Avell  divided,  the  democratic  vote  was  in  the 
majority. 
40G3.  Q.  Did  you  swear  any  voters  on  election  day  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir  ;  about  20. 

4064.  Q.  How  many  were  rejected  when  they  were  sworn? 
A.  ISone ;  they  were  all  taken.     Their  oath  was  sufficient. 

4065.  Q.  Did  you  agree  to  take  their  votes'? 
A.  Oertai.ily. 

4066.  Q.  Then  all  the  persons  who  voted,  the  board  unanimously  agreed 
to  accept  as  voters  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

4067.  Q.  Were  there  any  illegal  votes  given  at  your  precinct  I 

A.  There  were  two.  One  was  given  from  68  South  street.  I  do  not 
know  the  name  of  the  person ;  he  was  a  non-resident.  He  did  not  live 
in  the  place  he  registered  from.  I  was  not  present  at  the  registration  in 
the  9th  district  of  the  5th  ward. 

4068.  Q.  This  list,  which  you  presented  to  the  committee,  did  you 
make  out  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

4069.  Q.  Who  made  it? 

A.  The  clerk  of  the  Union  League  club;  I  do  not  know  his  name. 
The  list  is  a  copy  from  these  caids  ;  I  was  present  when  he  made  it  out. 
I  got  these  cards  from  the  registry ;  I  got  a  copy  and  compared  it  with 
the  registry  afterwards.  I  did  not  do  the  writing  on  the  cards;  that 
was  done  by  the  clerks  in  the  Union  League  rooms.  They  took  the 
names  from  the  registry ;  the  registry  was  hung  up  in  the  9th  election 
district,  6th  ward.  I  made  out  no  list  myself,  but  I  compared  it  and 
found  it  correct. 

4070.  Q.  You  found  all  these  names  on  the  registry  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

4071.  Q.  And  then  you  went  round  to  hunt  up  the  men? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

4072.  Q.  And  you  could  not  find  any  of  them? 

A.  O,  yes ;  I  found  a  good  many  of  them.  I  found  those  with  the  X 
on  the  card  ;  those  with  the  O  were  non-residents  who  did  not  live  in 
the  building  at  all. 

4073.  Q.  When  did  you  do  this? 

A.  The  day  previous  to  the  election,  I  went  into  each  room  in  each 
building  and  asked  who  lived  there.     I  found  a  good  many  men  there. 

4074.  Q.  Was  there  any  refusal  to  give  you  the  names  ? 

A.  There  was  at  one  house.     It  took  me  about  10  hours  to  do  this. 

4075.  Q.  By  whom  were  you  employed  to  do  it  ? 
A.  By  myself. 

4076.  Q.  How  much  pay  did  you  get  for  it  ? 

A.  What  was  honest  and  just — stopping  a  gang  of  thieves. 

4077.  Q.  When  did  you  obtain  these  cards  ? 
A.  Three  days  before  the  election. 

4078.  Q.  Where  have  they  been  since? 

A.  I  had  a  copy  of  them  made  to  give  to  the  inspectors  of  election. 
I  turned  them  over  to  Colonel  Beeny,  inspector  of  the  district.  I  have 
not  had  possession  of  them  since. 

4079.  Q.  How  long  have  these  cards  been  out  of  your  possession? 
A.  Since  the  night  before  election.     But  I  have  a  duplicate  of  the  Os 

on  the  paper  which  I  handed  to  the  committee.     The  list  is  as  follows: 


ELECTION   FRAUDS   IN   NEW   YORK. 


397 


Mott  street. 


Terance  Mulligan. 
Peter  Murray. 
Patrick  Farrell. 
William  Lord. 
George  Ames. 
Oweu  Hart. 
James  Hart. 
Michael  Cusick. 
William  Clay. 


Canal  street. 


154  William  Banty. 
156  James  Stewart. 
156  William  Bishop. 
162  Phiiip  Emrick. 


Elizabeth  street. 


11  Thomas  Ellis. 
11  Morris  Devy. 

Bayard  street. 

50  George  Burns. 

50  Edward  Have. 

50  Charles  Mclveon. 

50  David  Jones. 

48  Lewis  Light. 

60  William  Gray. 

60  George  McGennis. 

60  Johu  Simpson. 

60  Johu'Nugent. 

64  Andrew  Dempsey. 

64  William  Farrington. 

64  William  Howe. 

64  Martin  McGowen. 

66  Ahen  Haley. 

66  Harris  Kafi'man. 

66  David  Murphy. 

66  Michael  McCaffrey. 

66  John  Harris. 

66  William  S   Kelley. 

70  Walter  Brice. 

70  Henry  Rice. 

70  John  Rooney. 

70  James  Romaine. 

70  Johu  Smith. 

70  Henry  Weheredtz. 

M'itt  street. 

70  George  Lydan. 
70  Lewis  Tiebout. 
70  Lazarius  Cohn. 
72  George  Buckley. 
72  Thomas  Connolly. 
7*2  James  Mahon. 
74  Cc, irre  Hill. 
74  Henry  Sammis. 
76  George  ^ehrobes. 
76  Philip  Moebler. 
76  Jncnl,  Schneider. 
78  Luke,  Gilnatin. 
78  Mike  Lynch. 


Central  City  Committee, 
Room  15,  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel,  New  York,  1868. 


56  Michael  Spencer. 
56  Bernard  Silverblatt. 
58  Peter  Brennan. 
58  Henry  Chad  wick. 
58  William  Devoy. 
58  Johu  Hines. 
58  John  Warren. 
66  Bryan  Foley. 
66  James  Feely. 
6i5  George  Heany. 
68  Jos.  Gray. 
68  John  James. 
68  Patrick  McGolduck. 
68  James  Bams. 
68  John  McHugh. 
68  Andrew  Rooney. 
68  Philip  Spellman. 
70  John  Gold. 

•  ■ 
Bowery. 

44  George  Cuddy. 
44  Peter  Banevan. 
44  Edward  Cuddy. 
44  Andiew  Me  In  tyre. 
44  John  McCarty. 

Bayard  street. 

62  George  Bennett. 
62  John  Gauson. 
62  Michael  Kaine. 
62  Wil  iam  Stevenson. 
40  William  H.  Cook. 

Canal  street. 

168  George  B.Davis. 
168  Robert  Callahan. 
178  John  Fevorer. 
178  Luky  Casey. 

178  George  Fleming. 
178  Thomas  Walsh. 
Thomas  Wallace. 

Elizabeth  street. 

9  Peter  Develin. 
9  George  Meade. 

Mutt  street. 

52  Patrick  Loftus. 
56  F.  Cuiley. 
60  John  Maas. 
60  James  I  'arling. 
60  Mor  is  Harris. 
60  F.  Rooney. 
60  James  Goodwin. 
66  Johu  Galliger. 


Bayard  street. 


64  Patrick  Flvnn. 
64  Dau-el  Wall. 
66  J"hu  Murphy. 
66  Charles  O'Dine. 
68  Peter  Denin. 
68  John  Groomley. 


398 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 


Bayard  street. 

68  Adolph  Hop.«tock. 
6«  James  McMahon. 
68  Edvra  d  Payne. 
68  Mike  West. 
68  Hn^h  Downey. 
68  Thomas  Daiigan. 
68  John  Franklin. 
68  James  Lavvler. 
68  Jauie*  Smith. 
70  William  Collins. 
70  William  Smith. 

Canal  street. 

178  John  Stevens. 


John  Lee  sworn  and  examined. 


Elizabeth  street. 

J8  Mike  Flynn. 
18  Thomas  Green. 
18  William  Harvey. 
J 8  William  Hennessy. 
18  .lames  Harris. 
24  Patiick  Duffy. 
24  James  Duncan. 
24  James  Fitzgerald. 
24  Jos   Granner 
24  Max   J.  Sencke. 
24  William  Mitchell. 
24  William  Simpson. 
21  Thomas  J.  Sweeny. 
24  Samuel  Thompson. 
27  Gotleib  Dors. 

New  York,  January  5,  1 869J 


To  tlie  Uh airman: 

4080.  I  reside  in  Hastings  on  the  Hudson,  Westchester  county,  New 
York ;  on  the  20th  of  August  last  I  went,  in  company  with  six  or  seven 
others,  to  White  Plains,  the  county  scat  of  Westchester,  to  obtain  our 
citizen  papers;  we  went  into  the  court-house  and  saw  the  clerk  of  the 
court ;  he  took  down  our  names  and  said  we  might  sign  for  one  another; 
he  pointed  out  where  we  should  sign  on  the  book  and  we  put  our  names 
down  ;  after  this  was  done  he  told  us  we  would  have  the  papers  in  a  few 
minutes;  in  about  half  an  hour  we  got  the  papers;  I  took  the  oath  of 
allegiance  to  the  United  States  ;  that  is  all  the  oath  that  was  adminis- 
tered that  I  remember  of;  I  saw  nobody  there  but  the  clerk  of  the 
court;  there  was  no  examination  of  any  witnesses;  the  certificates  of 
naturalization  were  delivered  to  us;  I  have  not  my  certificate, now;  I 
burned  mine  up ;  the  name  of  the  clerk  of  the  court  is  Malcolm  Smith. 

To  Mr.  Dickey: 

4081.  The  reason  I  burned  my  certificate  up  was  because  I  understood 
that  it  was  illegal ;  I  have  been  in  the  United  States  for  seventeen 
years  ;  I  think  the  others  have  been  in  this  country  for  different  periods — 
I  could  not  state  how  long;  I  had  known  some  two  or  three  ot  them  for 
over  five  years ;  others  I  had  not  known  for  more  than  three  months;  I 
do  not  know  what  political  party  Malcolm  Smith  belongs  to ;  I  act  with 
the  democratic  party ;  the  other  parties  who  were  with  me  voted,  I 
believe,  the  democratic  ticket. 

To  Mr.  Ross: 

4082.  I  do  not  know  whether  the  court  was  in  session  at  that  time  or 
not;  I  had  been  in  the  country  long  enough  to  entitle  me  to  naturaliza- 
tion;  I  had  not  my  first  papers  out;  I  could  not  say  whether  I  came 
here  before  I  was  eighteen  or  not ;  I  could  not  say  of  my  own  knowl- 
edge whether  any  of  the  other  parties  voted  or  not;  Hastings  on  the 
Hudson  is  about  20  miles  from  here ;  the  names  of  the  other  parties 
that  were  with  me  were  Hugh  Ward,  Barney  Ward,  John  Carberry, 
William  King,  David  Welsh  and  Patrick  Hurley;  that  is  all  that  I 
remember  now  ;  they  all  lived  in  Hastings ;  I  do  not  know  whether  any 
of  them  had  declared  their  intentions  previously  or  not. 

To  Mr.  Hopkins: 

4083.  I  do  not  know  that  anybody  advised  me  to  go  to  White  Plains; 
Mr.  Thomas  Smith  told  me  that  I  might  go  there  to  get  papers  ;  he  is  a 
democrat  and  squire  of  the  town ;  he  did  not  press  me  particularly  to 
go  and  get  my  papers. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  399 

To  Mr.  Ross : 

4084.  He  said  nothing'  to  me  about  getting  papers  illegally,  nor  held 
out  any  such  idea. 

To  the  Chairman  : 

4085.  Some  of  the  other  men  were  working  for  me ;  my  horse  was 
hired  to  go  over  to  White  Plains ;  Mr.  Thomas  Smith  hired  it ;  I  did  not 
pay  anything  for  my  papers;  some  of  the  others,  I  believe,  paid  for 
them ;  I  promised  Mr.  Smith  to  pay  for  them,  but  have  not. 

To  Mr.  Dickey  : 
4080.  Mr.  Smith  met  us  at  White  Plains  in  the  court-house. 

New  York,  January  5,  1869. 
John  Rodgers  sworn  and  examined. 

To  the  Chairman  : 

4087.  I  live  in  Hastings  on  the  Hudson  ;  I  have  been  in  the  United 
States  two  years  the  15th  of  next  May ;  I  went  to  White  Plains  and  got 
a  certificate  of  naturalization;  I  don't  recollect  taking  any  oath  there; 
he  told  me  to  hold  up  my  hand  and  said  something;  there  was  no  judge 
present  at  the  time — only  the  clerk ;  I  cannot  tell  the  day  of  the  month  or 
even  the  month  ;  John  Lee  was  with  me  at  the  time  I  got  the  certificate; 
it  was  in  the  year  1808  some  time. 

To  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

4088.  I  cannot  tell  my  age ;  I  cannot  say  whether  I  am  over  21  or  not ; 
I  do  not  know  who  went  witness  for  me. 

To  Mr.  Kerr': 

4089.  I  cannot  say  what  year  I  came  to  this  country  ;  I  believe  it  was 
in  May,  1807  ;  I  came  from  the  county  of  Cork  ;  1  do  not  know  how  old 
I  was  when  I  came  to  this  country ;  I  have  lived  in  Hastings  on  the 
Hudson  for  nine  months;  previously  I  lived  at  Dobbs's  Ferry ;  I  lived 
there  six  months ;  before  that  I  lived  in  Dutchess  county ;  that  was  the 
first  place  I  came  to  after  I  lelt  Ireland ;  I  could  not  say  what  I  did 
when  I  went  into  the  court-room  ;  I  had  never  seen  the  clerk  before ;  I 
do  not  know  his  name ;  there  were  several  persons  in  the  room  at  the 
time;  I  could  not  say  positively  whether  he  was  clerk  or  judge;  I  do 
not  know  whether  John  Lee  was  a  witness  for  me  or  not;  John  Lee  did 
not  come  to  this  country  with  me ;  I  do  not  know  how  long  he  has  been 
here;  I  do  not  know  what  he  swore  to  on  the  occasion;  1  do  not  know 
what  I  swore  to ;  I  didn't  know  what  I  swore  to  until  after  I  came  out ; 
I  have  been  told  since  that  I  swore  allegiance  to  the  LTnited  States  and 
abjured  all  allegiance  to  all  foreign  powers,  especially  that  of  Great 
Britain ;  I  do  not  know  how  for  White  Plains  is  from  Hastings ;  I  do 
not  know  how  long  it  took  me  to  go  there ;  I  voted  at  the  last  presiden- 
tial election. 

To  the  Chairman  : 

4090.  I  voted,  I  believe,  for  Seymour;  I  paid  for  my  certificate  of  nat- 
uralization ;  I  paid  it  to  Thomas  Smith ;  my  certificate  is  at  home  now. 

To  Mr.  Dawes: 
4001.  I  do  not  know  for  what  office  Seymour  was  running ;  I  could  not 
say  whether  I  voted  for  anvbody  else  or  not ;  Thomas  Smith  gave  me 
the  ticket,  I  think. 


400  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

David  Welsh  sworn  and  examined. 

4092.  I  live  in  Hastings-on-the-Hudson.  I  have  been  six  years  in 
the  United  States ;  I  do  not  know  how  old  I  am  ;  I  believe  1  was  over 

21  years  of  age  when  I  came  to  this  country ;  I  think  I  am  over  27  now. 
I  got  my  citizen  papers  at  White  Plains;  1  think  it  was  some  time  in 
the  month  of  June  last;  I  never  got  my  first  papers,  and  never  declared 
my  intention  to  become  a  citizen;  there  were  six  or  seven  altogether 
with  me  when  I  got  my  certificate  of  naturalization  ;  John  Lee  was  one, 
John  Bodgers  another,  Barney  Ward  another,  and  John  Carberry 
another;  I  paid  $1  for  my  papers;  I  paid  it  to  Thomas  Smith;  I  voted 
at  the  last  presidential  election;  I  voted  for  Seymour  and  Blair. 

To  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

4093.  I  got  my  papers  at  the  same  time  that  John  Lee  did. 
To  Mr.  Eoss : 

4094.  I  do  not  knoAv  what  I  paid  $1  to  Thomas  Smith  for;  I  do  not 
know  whether  it  was  for  Smith  or  for  the  clerk  ;  I  thought  I  gave  it  to 
him;  I  supposed  it  was  to  pay  the  expenses  of  my  naturalization. 

New  York,  January  5,  1869. 
Matthew  Fitzgerald  sworn  and  examined. 
To  the  Chairman: 

4096.  I  live  in  Hastings-on-the-Hudson;  I  have  been  in  the  United 
States  going  on  four  years  ;  I  am  about  36  years  of  age ;  I  have  never 
declared  my  intention  to  become  a  citizen ;  I  have  got  my  full  citizen 
papers ;  I  got  them  in  the  City  Hall  in  New  York  city  last  April ;  I  paid 
60  or  80  cents,  I  think,  for  them;  I  voted  at  the  last  presidential  elec- 
tion, at  Dobbs's  Ferry ;  I  voted  the  democratic  ticket ;  I  have  not  my 
naturalization  papers  with  me;  there  was  a  witness  with  me  when  I  got 
my  papers;  Thomas  Smith,  I  believe,  was  the  witness;  he  went  up  with 
me  to  swear  allegiance  to  the  United  States ;  I  took  no  other  oath  but 
that ;  I  cannot  say  whether  the  witness  was  sworn  or  not. 

To  Mr.  Kerr  : 

4097.  I  did  not  live  in  this  city  at  the  time  I  got  my  papers;  I  lived  in 
Hastings;  I  came  down  to  the  city  on  purpose  to  get  them;  it  is  about 

22  miles  from  New  York  to  Hastings. 

To  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

4098.  Thomas  Smith  came  with  me  to  get  the  papers;  I  would  not  be 
positive  whether  he  was  the  witness  or  not. 

New  York,  January  5,  1869. 
William  Lawler  sworn  and  examined. 
To  the  Chairman  : 

4099.  I  live  in  Hastings-on-the-Hudson;  have  been  10  years  in  the 
United  States ;  I  have  not  declared  my  intention  to  become  a  citizen ;  1 
got  my  certificate  of  naturalization  some  time  last  August,  I  think  the 
26th  ;  I  got  it  at  White  Plains ;  I  appeared  before  the  clerk  and  took  an 
oath  of  allegiance  and  obedience  to  the  laws  of  the  United  States;  that 
was  the  only  oath  I  took  ;  I  voted  for  Seymour  and  Blair  at  the  last  pres- 
idential election ;  I  paid  $1  to  Mr.  Thomas  Smith  for  the  papers;  before 
I  got  my  papers  out  Mr.  Smith  wanted  to  know  if  I  was  going  to  ^ 
my  papers;  I  told  him  yes;  John  Lee  was  with  me;  we  went  to  White 
Plains  ;  we  went  witness  for  one  another;  there  were  others  with  us;  I 
do  not  remember  now  for  whom  I  was  witness. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  401 

To  Mr.  Kerr  : 
4100.  I  could  not  tell  whether  the  court  was  in  session  when  1  got  my 
papers  or  not ;  I  went  into  the  clerk's  office  in  the  court-house ;  I  could 
not  tell  what  I  paid  $1  to  Mr.  Smith  for ;  I  believe  it  was  for  my  appli- 
cation ;  the  man  who  swore  me  was  clerk  of  the  court. 

Thomas  Smith  sworn  and  examined. 
To  the  Chairman  : 

4001.  I  live  in  Hastings-on-the-Hudson.  1  am  one  of  the  coroners  of 
Westchester  county,  and  also  justice  of  the  peace.  1  know  nothing  in 
particular  of  the  issue  of  certificates  of  naturalization  by  the  clerk  of 
Westchester  county.  J.  Malcolm  Smith  is  clerk  of  the  county,  lie  is 
also  clerk  of  the  court.  I  brought  some  parties  to  White  Plains  to  be 
naturalized.  I  did  nothing  more  than  to  take  them  into  the  clerk's  room 
and  introduce  them.  I  think  Mr.  John  Lee  was  one  of  them,  although 
there  were  several ;  I  cannot  recollect  their  names.  I  think  Welsh  was 
there.  I  do  not  know  John  Eodgers  or  Patrick  Hurley.  I  think  William 
Lawler  was  there.  This  was  some  time  in  October  last ;  I  am  not  certain, 
however.  There  were  several  certificates  of  naturalization  issued  to 
parties ;  I  could  not  state  their  names ;  I  took  no  notice  of  it.  I  went  to 
White  Plains  in  my  own  wagon.  I  may  have,  perhaps,  introduced  as 
many  as  thirty  people.  I  do  not  know  whether  all  got  papers  or  not.  1 
believe  they  all  went  into  the  same  room.  I  saw  an  oath  administered 
to  them.  The  deputy  clerk  administered  the  oath.  It  was  in  the  county 
clerk's  office.  The  judge  was  sitting  up  stairs  on  the  bench.  The  oath 
was  not  administered  in  the  court-room.  It  was  once,  I  believe,  admin- 
istered in  the  court-room  while  the  court  was  not  in  session. 

To  Mr.  Dickey  : 

4102.  The  parties  paid  one  dollar  to  me  for  expenses  of  wagon-hire,  <&c, 
and  bringing  them  to  White  Plains.  I  do  not  know  whether  anything 
was  paid  for  the  papers  themselves.  I  never  paid  anything  for  the 
papers  to  the  clerk.  At  the  time  the  oath  was  administered  by  the 
deputy  clerk  I  never  saw  any  other  official  in  the  office.  I  never  used 
any  tickets  on  which  to  procure  certificates  of  naturalization. 

To  Mr.  Kerr  : 
410o.  I  think  the  expenses  of  naturalization  were  paid  by  each  of  the 
different  clubs.  Both  democrats  and  republicans  would  come  to  me  to 
get  their  papers.  I  never  asked  them  their  political  opinions.  I  never 
saw  any  of  the  parties  that  went  with  me  have  any  white  or  red  tickets 
with  them.  J  have  never  aided  any  person  in  procuring  naturalization 
papers  whom  I  knew  was  not  entitled  to  be  naturalized.  I  would  not  do 
such  a  thing.  I  was  informed  that  there  was  one  person  who  got  his 
papers  out  fraudulently;  that  he  had  not  been  in  the  country  long 
enough  to  entitle  him  to  it.  I  went  to  him  and  told  him  that  it  was 
wrong;  that  he  had  better  give  up  the  papers.  He  refused  to  give  me 
up  the  papers  however.  His  name  is  Carberry.  The  distance  from 
White  Plains  to  Hastings  is  about  eight  miles.  I  did  not  lend  any 
wagons  to  go  to  White  Plains ;  ]  drove  my  own  wagon.  I  frequently 
have  occasion  to  go  to  White  Plains  on  official  business.  When  I  was 
there  at  White  Plains  the  persons  to  be  naturalized  would  go  into  the 
clerk's  room.  The  clerk  would  take  down  their  names,  administer  the 
oath  to  them,  and  ask  them  questions.  The  name  of  the  judge  of  the 
court  is  Robert  Cochran. 
l»G  T 


402  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

To  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

4104.  I  have  come  with  parties  to  New  York  city.  I  do  not  know 
whether  I  came  with  Mr.  Fitzgerald  or  not.  I  have  not  been  a  witness 
in  many  cases  of  naturalization.  1  have  been  to  parties  applying  for 
naturalization  in  the  courts  of  New  York.  I  cannot  say  how  many,  but 
very  few.  I  know  Fitzgerald.  He  is  a  neighbor  of  mine.  I  am  not 
certain  whether  I  came  to  this  city  with  him  or  not. 

To  the  Chairman  : 

4105.  Both  Malcolm  Smith  and  Judge  Cochran  act  with  the  demo 
cratic  party. 

iv  York,  January  •"»,  1869. 
John  Carberry  sworn  and  examined. 

To  the  Chairman: 
410G.  I  live  in  Hastings-on-tbe-Hudson.     1  have  been  in  the  Unite* 

States  twoyearsnext  May.    I  guess  I  am  about  21  years  of  age.    I  have 
procured  a  certificate  of  naturalization.     1  cannot  exactly  state  the  time 
It  was  just  about  the  beginning  of  the  fall  of  18G8.     Thomas  Smith  \vx 
with  me  at  the  time  I  obtained  it,  and  ethers  whom  I  did  not  know, 
got  the  papers  from  Thomas   Smith.     1   got  them  at  White   Plains, 
went  before  the  clerk.     I  did  not  go  before  any  judge.     I  did  not  v< 
the  last  presidential  election.     I  paid  one  dollar  to  Thomas  Smith. 

To  Mr.  Hopkins: 

4107.  I  had  no  right  to  vote  at    the  las',    election,     i   do   i 
whether  I  got  my  first  papers  or  my  citizen  papers.     I  did  not  attemp 
to  vote. 

New  YoBK,  January  5,  18G9.  ! 
Edward  J.  Shandley  sworn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instanc 
of  Mr.  Kerr.) 

To  Mr.  Kerb  : 

4108.  I  reside  at  No.  107  Henry  street.  I  have  been  a  police  in; 
during  the  last  seven  years,  and  was  clerk  of  the  court  for  some  tin: 
previously.  1  voted  at  the  last  presidential  election  in  the  sixth  distri< 
of  the  seventh  ward.  The  polling  place  was  at  No.  19  New  Canal  strcc 
I  was  about  the  polling  place  pretty  much  all  election  day.  I  do  n 
know  of  any  parties  voting  there  not  entitled  to  vote.  I  uudeisto' 
that  some  parties  had  registered  from  my  residence.  I  went  to  the  ca 
tain  of  police  of  my  precinct  and  so  informed  him.  and  told  the  regi 
trars  if  anybody  came  there  and  tried  to  vote  as  from  my  place  of  re,4 
deuce,  other  than  the  parties  whose  names  I  gave  them,  to  arrest  tliei 
During  the  day  there  was  a  party  came  in  and  tried  to  vote  from  u 
house.  I  was  outside  the  polling  place  at  the  time.  As  soon  as 
heard  of  it  I  went  in  and  had  him  arrested  and  taken  to  the  statio 
house.  I  don't  know  the  name  of  this  man.  The  board  of  inspecto 
seemed  to  do  all  they  possibly  could  to  prevent  illegal  voting,  so  far  as 
could  see.  I  do  not  know  whether  the  man  who  registered  as  living 
my  house  voted  or  not.  As  soon  as  I  heard  that  he  attempted  to  vot 
I  directed  the  inspectors  to  have  the  man  arrested  and  taken  to  tj 
station-house.  I  had  no  hand  in  having  this  man  register  as  from  r, 
house.  I  do  not  know  of  any  other  parties  voting  at  that  precinct  wi 
were  not  entitled  to  vote. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  403 

To  Mr.  Kerr  : 

4109.  My  office  of  justice  is  not  at  my  residence.  I  do  not  know  how 
many  persons  attempted  to  vote  as  living  at  my  house.  There  were  only 
three  voters  at  my  residence,  and  they  were  John  Spies,  Samuel  Spies, 
and  myself. 

To  Mr.  Dickey  : 

4110.  I  do  not  know  a  man  by  the  name  of  John  Bennett,  or  Thomas 
Fitzgerald,  or  a  man  by  the  name  of  George  Morrow,  nor  one  by  the 
name  of  James  Weaver,  nor  one  by  the  name  of  Charles  Edwards. 
There  is  no  other  No.  1G7  Henry  street,  I  saw  the  notice  in  the  Tribune 
about  a  number  of  parties  who  had  registered  from  my  house.  I  took 
it  at  first  as  a  joke,  but  after  I  had  inquired  about  it  and  found  out  that 
they  had  actually  registered,  I  informed  the  board  of  registrars  and  the 
captain  of  the  police  of  it,  and  told  them  to  arrest  any  person  who 
attempted  to  vote  as  from  my  residence  except  those  whose  names  I  gave 
them. 

To  Mr.  Kerb  : 

4111.  I  never  gave  permission  to  anybody  to  register  from  my  house. 
I  do  not  think  there  has  been  a  registrar  or  inspector  in  my  district  who 
did  not  know  who  lived  in  my  house.  I  cannot  account  for  the  fact  that 
these  were  registered. 

To  Mr.  Hopkins: 

4112.  I  would  not  have  known  anything  about  it  if  I  had  not  seen 
the  notice  of  it  in  the  papers. 

To  the  Chairman  : 

4113.  The  name  of  the  poll-clerk  ot  the  6th  ward  was  Ryan.  I  have 
I  forgotten  his  other  name.  My  district  in  the  7th  ward  is  a  very  large 
:  one  and  has  a  great  many  names  on  the  registry  list.     When  I  went  into 

the  polling  place  on  election  day  one  of  the  inspectors  was  about  to  send 
out  for  a  bottle  of  whiskey.  At  the  time  there  was  a  line  of  about  200 
voters  waiting  to  deposit  their  ballots.  I  advised  them  not  to  send  out 
for  any  whiskey,  and  told  them  that  they  had  plenty  of  work  to  do 
that  day  and  it  would  take  all  their  time  to  receive  the  ballots,  but 
that  as  soon  as  the  polls  closed  I  would  give  them  a  first-rate  supper,  a 

I  bottle  of  wine  and  S<">  apiece.  After  the  polls  closed  they  reminded  me 
of  the  promise,  and  I  gave  them  a  dinner  and  85  apiece.  The  dem- 
ocratic inspectors  refused  to  receive  it.  I  gave  about  $30  in  all  to  the 
four  poll  clerks.     There  were  about  75  republicans  in  that  line  waiting 

jto  vote,  and  it  was  as  much  of  an  accommodation  to  them  as  it  was  to 
anybody  else.     I  was  present  most  of  the  time  when  the  canvass  was 

!  going  on.     I  remember  noticing  one  of  the  canvasser's  manner  of  doing 

;  business.  I  saw  that  it  was  pretty  slow.  I  asked  him  if  he  had  had 
much  experience  in  that  line.  He  explained  to  me  how  he  was  making 
out  the  canvass.  He  said  he  was  going  to  canvass  in  that  way  if  it  took 
him  all  night.  1  told  him  that  he  was  going  the  wrong  way  and  that 
he  had  better  do  as  the  others  were  doing,  but  he  said  he  had  his  instruc- 
tions and  would  obey  them.  He  had  opened  his  ballots  and  put  them 
in  piles  and  was  commencing  to  call  them  off  by  names  when  this  con- 
troversy took  place.  I  do  not  know  what  was  the  method  of  canvassing 
electoral  tickets  prior  to  1868. 
To  Mr.  Hopkins: 
4114.  The:-e  were  about  868  votes  cast  in  my  district.  I  think  the 
democrats  had  about  some  600  majority. 


404  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

To  Mr.  Kerr  : 

4115.  The  number  of  election  destricts  in  my  ward  had  not  been 
increased  the  same  as  they  had  been  in  other  wards,  so  that  they  were 
considerably  larger. 

To  Mr.  Hopkins: 

4116.  It  is  the  duty  of  the  board  of  supervisors  or  common  council  to 
regulate  the  number  of  election  districts  in  a  ward. 

Nj:w  York,  January"),  1869. 
T.  Easton  BENNETT  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Kerr  : 

4117.  I  am  clerk  of  the  superior  court,  special  term;  have  been  so  for 
four  years  j  have  been  connected  with  the  superior  court  in  one  capacity] 
or  another  for  the  last  10  or  17  years;  James  M.  Sweeney  is  the  chief 
clerk.     During  the  time  of  naturalization  my  especial  duty  in  connection 
with  it  was  to  swear  the  witnesses  and  the  applicants.     My  position  in 
the  court  was  at  a  desk  at  the  right-hand  side  of  the  judge,  facing  the 
witness  and  applicants,  about  six  or  seven  feet  from  the  judge,  on  a  plat- 
form a  little  below  that  on  which  he  sat.     I  attended  upon  all  the  judges 
during  their  term,  but  chiefly  upon  Judges  Garvin  and  McCunn;  they 
did  most  of  the  business  of  naturalization;  the  others  acted  occasion-, 
ally  in  the  early  part  of  October.     We  generally  commenced  business 
about  10  o'clock  in  the  morning  and  sat  until  half  past  4  or  ,j  o'clock;  as 
the  business  increased  in  the  latter  part  of  the  month,  we  commenced 
the  session  at  0  o'clock  and  sat  until  half  past   10  in  the  evening;  I 
would  not  be  there  during  the  entire  sitting,  but  would  go  out  occa- 
sionally; I  have  been  there  often  till  near  12  o'clock  at  night.     When 
the  judge  would  arrive  in  the  morning  the  room  would  be  generally 
pretty  well   filled   up  with  applicants  and  witnesses.     An  officer  re- 
ceived from  the  applicant  his  papers.     When  the  court  was  opened 
and  the  judge  was  ready  the  clerk  would  call  off  the  names  of  applicants; 
and  witnesses;  one  of  the  deputy  clerks  usually  called  off  the  names; 
they  were  then  brought  up  and  sworn,  and  the  judge  examined  them:! 
he  first  examined  the  witness  and  then  examined  the  applicant,  and,  if 
satisfactory,  they  were  passed  along  to  my  desk;  the  judge  would  then 
sign  the  order  and  hand  it  down  to  me ;  I  would  then  administer  the 
oath,  hand  the  applicant  his  paper,  and  direct  him  to  go  to  No.  18  City 
Hall  and  get  his  certificate.     The  first  oath  administered  to  the  applicant 
was  one  requiring  him  to  make  true  answers  to  all  questions  put  to  him 
in  regard  to  naturalization.    The  second  oath  was  one  to  support  the 
Constitution  of  the  United  States,  and  abjure  all  allegiance  to  foreign! 
princes,  potentates,  or  sovereignty,  especially  that  of  the  country  from 
which  he  came.    The  first  question  put  to  the  witness  by  the  judge  would 
be,  "Do  you  know  the  applicant?"  (calling  him  by  name;)  "How  long 
have  you  known  him?"  "Where  does  he  reside?"  "Where  has  he  lived 
for  the  last  year?"    These  questions  being  answered,  the  judge  would 
then  turn  to  the  applicant  and  ask  him  if  he  had  lived  so  many  years  in 
the  United  States,  where  he  had  resided  for  the  past  year,  how  long  he 
had  known  the  witness,  and  similar  questions.    I  could  not  approximate! 
as  to  how  many  applications  were  granted  in  a  day.     One  (lay  Judge 
Garvin  was  down  at  9  o'clock,  and  Judge  McCunn  came  down  a  little 
after  ten;  the  general  term  adjourned  immediately,  and  Judges  Jones 
and  Robertson  held  court  until  near  6  o'clock ;  we  then  adjourned  to  the 
aldermen's  room  in  the  City  Hall,  and  held  court  there  until  a  quarter 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IX  NEW  YORK.  405 

of  12.  About  100  applications  were  rejected  every  day ;  there  were  parties 
whom  we  recognized  as  being  witnesses  for  two  or  three  different  appli- 
cants ;  I  do  not  know  that  I  could  name  any  of  them  at  present ;  I  have 
<een  them  there  several  times,  and  tlieir  faces  have  become  familiar  to  me ; 
[  think  the  name  of  one  of  the  witnesses  was  John  Moran ;  he  was  born  in 
this  country.  I  think,  of  Irish  parentage.  There  was  also  another  man  who 
was  connected  with  some  one  in  the  mayor's  office:  I  think  he  came  there 
witli  white  tickets  two  or  three  times.  And  there  was  another  man  by  the 
lame  of  McCaffrey  :  T  do  not  know  his  first  name  ;  I  cannot  recollect  any 
>f  the  other  names.  Tli  ese  men  did  not  come  in  consecutive  days,  but  would 
•ome  at  intervals  often  enough  for  us  to  become  familiar  with  their  faces; 
:ny  best  recollection  is  that  seven  or  eight  times  would  be  the  outside 
vvhich  these  persons  would  witness  for  different  parties,  possibly  as  many 
is  ten.  The  j udges  used  all  diligence  in  detecting  and  preventing  frauds, 
ty  asking  the  witnesses  different  questions  as  to  their  residence  and  inti- 
macy with  the  applicant,  and  would  cross-examine  the  applicant  him- 
self, to  see  whether  the  witness  and  principal  contradicted  each  other, 
bulge  McCunn  detected,  on  two  or  three  different  times,  parties  who 
vvere  witnesses  for  repeated  applicants ;  one  man  he  had  put  under  arrest, 
vnd  threatened  to  commit  him,  but.  as  there  was  no  proof,  he  was  dis- 
charged. Judge  McCunn  severely  reprimanded  him,  and  told  him  if  he 
saw  him  in  court  again  he  would  have  him  arrested ;  I  think  Judge  McCmm 
)rdered  the  commitment  of  two  or  three  persons,  but  I  do  not  think  the 
>rder  was  carried  out.  The  business  of  the  court  while  I  was  there  was 
lone  in  a  regular  manner.  Xo  person  to  my  knowledge  was  naturalized 
iimess  he  was  present  with  his  witness,  and  I  do  not  think  it  could  pos- 
sibly have  been  done  without  my  knowledge.  Mr.  Sweeny  gave  me  strict 
>rders  at  the  commencement  of  the  naturalization  business  to  keep  a 
strict  look  out  for  frauds,  and  to  give  the  papers  to  the  applicants  them- 
selves and  not  to  anybody  else.  The  judges  also  gave  me  similar  orders. 
bulge  McCunn  told  me  if  1  saw  anything  wrong  to  let  him  know  about  it. 
To  Mr.  Dickey: 

4118.  1  could  not  tell  which  judge  granted  the  applications  most  rapidly. 
There  was  very  little  difference  between  Judge  Garvin  and  Judge 
McCmm.     Judge  Jones  had  rather  a  roundabout  way  of  examining  wit- 

sses,  which  took  him  a  longer  time.  I  think  120  applications  could  be 
ranted  in  an  hour;  that  is  my  opinion.  There  are  about  six  questions, 
11  told,  put  to  the  witness  and  principal.  I  think  the  court  could  dispose 
f  two  a  minute,  besides  those  that  were  destroyed.  I  should  judge 
here  were  about  300  applications  every  day  rejected.  These  would  be 
3rn  up.  The  judges  would  examine  the  witnesses  and  principals  while 
was  preparing  the  papers. 
To  Mr.  Dawes: 

-1110.  1  think  the  questions  could  be  put  to  the  parties  in  about  30 
eeonds. 

To  Mr.  Dickey: 
4120.  There  were  two  parts  of  the  court  in  session  at  the  same  time, 
ne  up  stairs  and  one  down  stairs,  while  the  pressure  of  naturalization 
as  going  on.  When  one  judge  could  not  transact  the  business  so  as  to 
Bep  the  room  comparatively  clear,  another  judge  would  go  into  another 
•om  and  take  off  a  part  of  the  crowd  and  naturalize  them.  When  the 
reat  rush  came  there  was  very  little  regular  court  business  transacted. 

To  the  Chairman: 
£121.  I  had  a  fair  opportunity  to  judge  what  was  going  on  in  the  court- 
>om.     I  had  to  administer  to  them  the  oath  and  to  keep  a  lookout.     I 


406  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

think  I  could  administer  my  oath  quicker  than  the  others  could  admin- 
ister their  oath,  as  it  was  a  shorter  one  than  the  one  administered  by  the 
judge.     I  think  I  could  deliver  mine  in  about  five  seconds. 

4122.  Q.  If  the  judge  should  testily  that  any  such  oath  was  never 
administered,  which  would  have  the  best  means  of  knowing,  you  or  the 
judge? 

A.  I  can  only  answer  for  what  1  did  as  clerk. 

4123.  Q.  I  understand  you  to  say  that  the  judge  administered  an  oath 
to  the  witness  to  the  effect  that  the  witness  will  well  and  truly  answer  all 
questions  put  to  him  touching  the  question  of  naturalization:  now,  if 
the  judge  should  say  that  no  such  oath  was  administered  at  all,  which; 
would  have  the  best  opportunities  of  knowing,  you  or  thejudg 

A.  As  I  administered  the  oath  myself,  I  should  consider  that  1  had. 

4124.  Q.  Do  you  say  that  such  an  oath  was  administered  in  Judge 
McCunn's  court  \ 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  do.  I  should  say  here,  however,  that  I  more  properly 
belong  to  Judge  Garvin's  court  than  to  Judge  McCunn's,  because  Judge 
Garvin  was  the  judge  who  was  generally  down  first,  and  1  was  the  first 
clerk  on  duty.  Judge  Garvin  remained  until  1  o'clock,  and  I  used  to 
take  a  little  recess  then. 

4125.  Q.  Has  any  man  been  indicted  in  any  such  court  for  perjury,  oi 
fraud  in  procuring  naturalization  papers,  to  your  knowledge? 

A.  I  do  not  know  whether  there  has  or  not.  A  man  was  arrested,  1 
believe,  but  I  do  not  know  whether  he  was  indicted. 

By  Mr.  Dawes  : 
412G.  Q.  In  a  single  case  how  many  oaths  did  you  administei 
A.  One,  in  the  majority  of  cases,  of  the  applicant.     After  he  passes 
the  judge  I  swear  him  in  as  a  citizen  of  the  United  States.     The  clerk  on 
the  other  side  swears  him  to  make  true  answer  to  all  questions  put  ta 
him;  which  makes  two  oaths  altogether. 

By  Mr.  KERR : 

4127.  I  think  there  were  as  many  certificates  of  naturalization  granted 
during  the  Buchanan  and  Fremont  campaign  as  there  were  at  the  last 
election.  I  think  the  process  of  naturalization  was  the  same  then  as  it 
was  at  the  last  election. 

4128.  Q.  According  to  your  observation,  it  was  conducted  in  previous 
years  the  same  as  last  fall. 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  it  was  the  same  under  Judge  Duer,  Judge  Bosworth,  and 
Judge  Campbell.     There  was  probably  a  greater  rush  this  year. 

To  Mr.  Dickey: 

4129.  I  made  no  examination  of  the  applications  to  see  whether  tin 
signatures  of  both  principal  and  witness  were  in  the  same  handwriting 

To  Mr.  Kerr: 
In  regard  to  the  alleged  large  increase  of  applicants  for  naturalization: 
I  desire  to  say  that  I  do  not  think  this  increase  is  any  more  than  canht 
accounted  for  by  natural  causes.  The  war  broke  out  in  1861,  and  froir 
the  time  it  commenced  until  its  close  there  was  constant  fear  and  dread 
throughout  the  country  of  conscription.  Hence  those  emigrants  that 
arrived  here  in  185G  and  since  that  date,  who  would  be  entitled  to  then 
papers  in  1801  and  afterwards,  postponed  procuring  them  in  order  t< 
avoid  the  draft.  Those  emigrants  that  arrived  while  the  war  was  going 
on  refrained  from  becoming  citizens  for  the  same  reason.  Many  of  then 
enlisted  without  becoming  citizens.     There  has  been  no  election  since  tin 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  407 

war  closed  of  sufficient  interest  to  bring  out  every  vote  until  the  last 
presidential  election.  I  was  much  struck  with  the  large  number  who 
applied  for  papers  during  last  summer  and  fall  who  had  come  to  this 
country  in  1857,  1858,  and  since  then,  who  were  entitled  to  their  papers 
three  or  four  years  ago,  hut  did  rot  apply  for  them  in  consequence  of  the 
war.  Then  the  large  number  of  aliens  who  had  served  in  the  army  and 
were  consequently  entitled  to-  become  citizens  without  having  been  in 
the  country  the  usual  period,  increased  the  number  of  applicants  last 
year  very  much. 

To  Mr.  Dickey  : 

4130.  I  do  not  think  there  was  a  larger  proportion  of  minors  natural- 
ized this  year  than  in  previous  years.  In  speaking  of  naturalization  I, 
of  course,  have  knowledge  only  of  what  transpired  in  my  court. 

To  the  Chairman  : 

4131.  I  believe  the  number  of  emigrants  diminished  during  the  years 
of  the  war;  many  of  those  that  did  come  over  no  doubt  enlisted,  and 
quite  probably  the  foreign  population  in  this  city  was  reduced  thereby 
to  some  extent.  I  do  not  know  how  many  were  naturalized  by  the  court 
of  common  pleas.  The  reason  why  they  did  not  naturalize  so  many  this 
year  arose,  no  doubt,  from  the  fact  that  they  had  only  one  judge.  We 
had  some  three  or  four. 

New  York,  Tuesday,  January  5,  I860. 

Michael  Oostello  sworn  and  examined. 
To  the  Chairman: 

4132.  I  held  the  office  of  register  and  inspector  in  the  3d  district  of 
the  4th  ward  in  the  last  presidential  election.  I  was  appointed  to 
this  office  by  the  police  commissioners,  upon  the  recommendation  of  a 
Mr.  Leask.  I  went  to  the  polling  place  of  my  precinct  on  the  day  of 
registry,  and  was  instrumental  in  stopping  a  great  many  men  from  put- 
ting their  names  down  who  held  fraudulent  naturalization  papers.  I 
knew  them  to  be  professional  repeaters.  In  consequence  of  my  action  I 
was  repeatedly  threatened  by  the  crowd  around  the  registry  office.  When 
the  election  came  I  went  down  and  attended  to  my  duties.  I  stopped  a 
good  many  votes  in  the  morning.  Every  person  who  offered  to  vote,  of 
whom  I  had  any  doubt,  I  would  challenge,  and  in  most  cases  they  would 
not  swear  they  were  qualified  voters.  Alderman  Coman  came  into  the 
polling  place  in  the  course  of  the  afternoon  and  says  to  me,  "  When  you 
are  done  there  are  200  voters  waiting  outside,  and  I  am  one  of  them." 
I  told  him  that  I  was  doing  my  duty  "and  intended  to  do  it.  When  I  left 
the  polling  place  in  the  evening  after  the  polls  closed  I  had  to  be  escorted 
by  a  squad  of  five  policemen,  to  protect  my  life.  The  crowd  outside  were 
very  threatening  and  used  all  sorts  of  vile  language  towards  me.  There 
was  a  republican  challenger  at  the  polls  at  the  time  they  opened,  but  he 
was  soon  run  out  of  it.  The  police  put  him  out.  Some  one  in  the  crowd 
remarked  that  he  had  no  right  there,  and  he  was  taken  out.  I  remon- 
strated against  it,  and  told  the  challenger  that  he  had  a  perfect  right  to 
stay  there.  1  acted  as  challenger  myself  during  the  day.  I  was  chair- 
man of  the  board  of  inspectors.  I  have  been  working  in  the  Herald  office 
tor  the  last  seven  months.  During  the  day  a  policeman  handed  me  a 
letter  which  was  given  to  me  by  one  of  the  crowd  outside.  I  opened 
the  letter  and  found  that  it  was  signed  "  James  Gr.  Bennett,  jr.,"  and  was 
to  the  effect  that  if  I  did  not  use  every  exertion  to  help  elect  Gunning  S. 
Bedford  I  would  be  dismissed  from  my  place.    I  cannot  recollect  the  exact 


408  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

words  of  the  note,  but  it  was  something  to  that  effect.  I  took  the  letter 
and  put  it  in  my  pocket,  and  after  a  while  my  father  came  down  and  said 
he  heard  1  was  going  to  he  killed,  and  lie  asked  me  for  God's  sake  to  be 
a  little  more  light.  Mr.  Leask  came  into  the  polling  place  in  the  after- 
noon, and  I  handed  him  the  letter  signed  by  Mr.  Bennett,  lie  took  it 
to  the  Herald  office  and  showed  it  to  Mr.  Bennett,  and  found  it  to  be  ;i 
forgery.  The  letter  was  handed  to  Detective  Young  to  work  np.  I  have 
not  seen  it  since.  Two  or  three  days  afterwards  I  called  at  the  Herald 
office,  and  understood  from  some  man  there  that  1  was  to  he  discharged. 
I  went  up  and  asked  Mr.  Bennett  about  the  letter.  He  said  it  was  a  for- 
gery. I  then  walked  away,  and  have  not  been  back  to  the  place  since. 
During  election  day  I  left  my  polling  place  and  went  up  to  the  Gtli 
Avard,  where  I  live,  to  vote.  1  was  challenged  there,  and  swore  in  my 
vote.  When  1  came  out  1  found  a  crowd  of  200  persons,  who  threatened 
me  in  every  manner  possible.  Among  them  was  ex-Congressman  Jones. 
He  came  to  me  and  said,  "You  won't  be  done  with  the  police  for  three 
months  to  come," shaking  his  hand  at  me  in  a  very  threatening  manner. 
I  did  not  keep  any  account  of  the  number  I  challenged  on  election  day; 
I  could  not  even  approximate  the  number. 

To  Mr.  Kerr  : 
1  was  not  struck  by  anybody  at  the  (ith  ward  voting  place.  None 
of  the  crowd  followed  me  after  I  left.  I  have  been  engaged  in  press 
printing  for  the  last  five  years.  For  seven  months  previous  to  the  elec- 
tion I  worked  in  the  Herald  office.  1  was  formerly  a  policeman  in  the 
old  force,  and  was  for  a  little  while  on  the  present  force.  I  resigned  my 
place.  1  am  now  one  of  the  bell  ringers  of  the  city,  appointed  by  the 
fire  commissioners.  1  was  not  discharged  from  the  Herald  office;  1 
merely  went  away.  I  do  not  know  who  sent  me  the  letter  signed  J.  G. 
Bennett,  jr.  I  thought  at  the  time  that  it  was  genuine.  The  other  officers 
of  the  board  of  inspectors  of  my  precinct  were  Dennis  McLaughlin,  i\ 
man  by  the  name  of  Thurston,  and  another  one  whose  name  I  forget  now. 
My  life  was  not  threatened  by  any  of  my  colleagues  on  the  board,  nor 
was  I  threatened  in  any  way  by  them;  nor  did  they  deter  me  from  chal- 
lenging any  voter.  No  obstacles  were  thrown  in  my  way  by  them,  and 
the  board  acted  in  perfect  harmony.  I  do  not  know,  of  my  own  knowl- 
edge, of  any  illegal  votes  being  cast  by  any  person  in  my  district.  There 
was  one  man  arrested  for  voting  twice.  I  could  not  say  how  many  1 
challenged  during  the  day.  I  should  think  a  good  many  ;  1  could  not 
state  how  many.  There  were.  817  votes  registered  in  that  district.  1  should 
think  there  were  600  or  700  ballots  cast  that  day.  The  democratic  party 
was  in  the  majority;  I  could  not  say  how  much.  I  do  not  think  there 
are  more  than  50  republican  voters  in  the  district.  1  do  not  know  whether ! 
there  were  many  legal  democratic  votes  that  were  not  polled.  I  chal- 
lenged without  reference  to  party.  Whenever  a  man  came  up,  and  1 
thought  he  was  not  a  legal  voter,  I  would  challenge  him.  I  had  no  list 
with  me ;  did  not  receive  any  list  from  the  Loyal  League,  or  from  any 
committee.  I  did  not  live  in  the  precinct  of  which  I  was  inspector;  1 
am  pretty  well  acquainted  with  the  people  in  the  district,  however.  The 
district  was  probably  one  of  the  largest  in  the  city,  and  requires  the 
inspectors  to  be  very  active  and  prompt  to  enable  them  to  receive  all 
the  votes  during  the  day.  There  was  a  crowd  around  the  polls  all  day. 
Whether  they  were  all  trying  to  vote  or  not  I  cannot  say.  I  could  not 
see  the  line  of  voters  from  where  1  stood.  1  could  see  quite  a  crowd  out- 
side the  door  in  front  of  me,  and  also  one  or  two  policemen.  The  crowd 
extended  around  the  corner  of  the  street,  and  1  could  not  see  them  from 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  409 


where  1  stood.    The  crowd  outside  did  not  threaten  my  republican  col- 

, league,  McLaughlin ;  they  seemed  to  vent  all  their  spite  against  me. 

i  McLaughlin  was  known  very  well  in  the  ward.     In  challenging  votes  I 

(did  not  do  so  for  the  purpose  of  delaying  elections  and  excluding  voters. 

I  challenged  republicans  as  well  as  democrats,  and  made  no  distinction. 

I  was  challenged  when  I  went  to  vote  in  my  precinct,  by  a  man  named 

George  Bowdell.    I  believe1  he  is  a  democrat.     He  afterwards  followed 

me  out  of  the  polling  place  and  threatened  to  mash  my  nose.     I  cannot 

say  whether  at  the  time  the  polls  closed  there  were  many  outside  who 

did  not  vote  during  the  day.     There  was  a  great  crowd  out  there,  but  1 

cannot  say  whether  they  had  been  waiting  to  vote  or  not.     I  have  not 

been  troubled  with  the  police  since  I  was  threatened  by  ex-Congressman 

Jones.    They  have  not  in  any  way  disturbed  me. 

To  the  Chairman  : 
4131.  I  do  not  think  I  challenged  more  than  50  men  that  day.    There 
was  a  democratic  challenger  at  the  polls.     I  do  not  think  he  challenged 
more  than  two  or  three  persons  during  the  day. 

New  York,  January  5,  1809. 

Henry  Beenev  recalled. 
To  the  Chairman  : 

4135.  I  was  one  of  the  registers  and  inspectors  of  the  9th  district  of  the 
Oth  ward  at  the  last  presidential  election.  I  would  like  to  make  an  expla- 
nation in  relation  to  the  testimony  I  gave  the  other  day.  You  asked  me 
in  relation  to  illegal  voting,  and  in  the  course  of  the  examination  I  said 
that  of  my  own  knowledge  1  had  known  of  no  person  Avho  had  voted  ille- 
gally, and  you  then  handed  me  a  little  communication  which  I  addressed 
to  the  committee  having  in  charge  the  examination  of  illegal  registration. 
It  would  be  proper  for  me  to  say  just  now  that  1  had  no  personal  knowl- 
edge of  what  I  stated  in  that  note,  but  received  the  information  from  a 
person  who  said  that  he  did  know  it.  1  took  a  very  active  part  in  the 
prevention  of  illegal  registering,  and  a  great  many  persons  came  to  me 
with  information  on  different  points,  which  1  sent  to  that  committee. 
You  also  asked  me  in  reference  to  the  number  of  persons  registered  in 
that  district  and  the  number  of  votes  cast.  I  stated  that  there  were  381 
votes  polled.  My  opinion  is  that  you  cannot  find  to-day  200  legal  voters 
in  that  district.  My  belief  is  that  there  are  not  even  200,  as  the  district 
is  a  very  small  one,  occupying  but  two  blocks,  and  in  the  district  is  the 
Bowery  theatre,  occupying  three  or  four  lots,  the  repair  shop  of  the 
metropolitan  tire  department,  and  a  large  public  school  building.  In 
all  these  three  buildings  there  were  but  twro  voters  registered.  In  regard 
to  the  transactions  on  the  day  of  election,  I  would  say  that  the  whole 
board  of  four  inspectors  were  present  before  the  first  vote  was  cast,  and 
tliey  stayed  there  until  the  poll  closed.  I  had  been  advised  prior  to  the 
day  of  election  that  great  frauds  had  been  committed  in  the  registration 
of  voters  in  that  district,  A  Mr.  Woodward,  who  resided  in  the  New 
England  Hotel,  in  that  district,  had  registered  his  name  on  the  first  day. 
On  the  second  day  of  registry  he  had  his  name  taken  off,  and  he  told  me 
that  the  day  he  went  up  there  to  get  his  name  taken  off  that  there  were 
at  least  six  men  who  registered  themselves  three  different  times.  I  was 
absent  from  the  registry  twice  that  day,  and  the  registrar  I  left  behind 
was  blind  in  one  eye,  and  wasn't  able  to  identify  the  men  as  they  came 
up.  On  the  day  of  election  parties  came  in  and  offered  to  vote,  who 
appeared  to  me  were  not  the  parties  that  had  registered  on  that  name. 

I 


410  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

Some  of  them  I  objected  to  and  challenged,  but  the  democratic  inspector.  ' 
Mr.  Haggerty,  who  acted  as  chairman  of  the  board,  held  up  the  Bible  to 
several  of  them  and  said,  " You  swear  you  are  a  legal  voter?"  "Yes,1' 
says  the  man,  and  then,  without  doing  anything  further,  Mr.  Haggerty  | 
received  the  ballot  against  my  protest.  1  ordered  the  policeman  to  make. 
arrests;  he  said  he  would  if  1  could  give  him  a  written  order  from  the 
board.  Before  that  could  be  done  the  man  had  gone  oil'.  Mr.  Haggerty 
then  directed  the  policeman  to  arrest  no  one  without  a  written  order  of 
the  board,  which  requires  a  majority. 

One  person  came  up  and  offered  to  vote  under  the  name  of  Chadwick. 
When  Mr.  Chadwick  came  and  registered  bis  name  1  looked  at  him 
and  asked  him  if  he  had  a  brother  in  the  Union  army,  whom  [  bad 
known  some  time  ago;  he  said  he  had  not  ;  this  fixed  !)is  face  in  my 
memory,  and  when  this  person  came  up  to  vote  on  his  name,  1  knew  he 
was  not  the  person  that  registered  ;  I  wanted  to  challenge1  the  man,  but 
the  chairman  of  the  board,  Mr.  Haggerty,  looked  around  to  me  and  said 
"  You  be  damned!"  and  took  the  vote  and  put  it  in  the  box.  I  bad  not 
the  power  to  stop  it,  but  I  was  confident  that  the  man  who  voted  under 
the  name  of  Chadwick  was  not  the  man  who  registered  by  that  name. 
Again  other  parties  came  up  and  offered  their  votes  whom  I  had  reason 
to  beiieve  from  the  evidence  obtained  were  not  legal  voters.  I  chal- 
lenged them,  but  no  notice  was  taken  of  the  challenge.  Mr.  Haggerty 
turned  to  me  and  said  "  Do  you  know  what  I  should  do  with  you  if  I 
was  a  voter  and  wanted  to  vote  and  you  challenged  me  ?  I  would  drag 
you  over  that  table  quicker  than  lightning."  But  the  votes  were  taken 
and  in  no  instance  during  the  whole  day  could  1  get  an  oath  adminis- 
tered. Again  a  man  presents  himself  and  wants  to  vote  on  a  certain 
name,  and  on  looking  at  the  list  1  find  that  the  man  has  voted  on  thatj 
name,  and  I  protested  against  any  other  vote  being  received  for  that 
person.  The  votes,  however,  were  received  and  the  same  answer  was^ 
given  to  me  as  before.  In  one  instance  three  different  votes  were  taken- 
on  one  name,  and  although  both  myself  and  the  other  republican  in- 
spector, Mr.  DeVoursney,  protested  against  it. 

During  the  afternoon,  when  the  voting  fell  off,  Mr.  Field,  one  of  the; 
democratic  inspectors,  went  over  in  a  corner  with  his  poll-book,  and 
commenced  examining  it  and  copying  from  it,  and  two  or  three  times  l| 
noticed  that  he  left  the  room,  and  very  soon  afterwards  in  would  come, 
three  or  four  of  those  young  men  who  were  termed  "repeaters"  and! 
voted.  I  believe  from  what  I  saw  that  he  carried  out  names  who  hadj 
not  voted  and  gave  it  to  men  outside.  There  were  quite  a  number  of 
men  who  came  to  vote  in  the  afternoon,  who  were  unable  to  cast  their; 
votes  because  other  parties  had  voted  on  their  names  before.  I  cannot 
state  positively  the  politics  of  the  men  whose  names  were  registered; 
who  had  been  voted  upon  by  other  persons,  but  I  judge  from  the  remarks; 
they  made  that  they  were  republicans.  I  desire  to  say  a  few  words  inj 
reference  to  what  I  mean  by  "  repeaters."  There  are  in  the  city  of  New 
York  thousands  of  young  men  between  the  ages  of  20  and  24  who  haveJ 
no  legitimate  business  or  any  real  abiding  place,  but  live  by  their  wits 
in  one  way  or  another.  These  men  on  election  day  form  themselves  into 
gangs  of  ten  or  a  dozen,  with  a  captain  at  their  head,  and  these  gangs 
are  held  responsible  for  a  certain  number  of  votes  in  the  district,  and 
they  arc  required  to  make  registry  of  a  certain  number  of  names  in  each 
district.  The  matter  is  all  arranged  as  regularly  as  clockwork.  These 
men  are  the  most  dangerous  class  in  the  community;  they  are  what  are 
termed  "repeaters."  One  of  them,  to  my  certain  knowledge, registered' 
twice  and  would  have  registered  three  times,  but  I  was  so  confident  that  1 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  411 

had  registered  him  before,  that  I  would  not  take  his  name.  Another 
man  came  back  to  register;  I  felt  convinced  in  my  own  mind  that  he 
had  registered  before,  but  I  could  not  say  positively  under  what  name 
he  had  registered ;  1  knew  his  face  and  would  not  register  his  name  the 
second  time,  because  I  knew  I  had  registered  him  before.  There  were 
but  few  men  sworn  on  the  day  of  registration. 
To  Mr.  Dawes  : 

413G.  I  think  the  registry  book  will  show  perhaps  ten  or  fifteen  names 
of  persons  who  came  to  vote,  but  found  that  their  names  had  been  voted 
upon  before.  I  do  not  know  who  these  men  were,  because  I  was  not  a 
resident  of  that  district  and  not  familiar  with  the  people  that  voted. 

The  board  of  inspectors  consisted  of  four,  two  democrats  and  two 
republicans.  The  two  republicans  opposed  illegal  voting  as  much  as 
they  could,  but  we  were  overpowered  by  the  force  of  Mr.  Haggerty's 
will.  I  protested  every  time,  but  he  would  say,  "  You  be  damned,"  and 
take  the  ballot  and  put  it  in  the  box.  Mr.  DeVoursney  and  myself  pro- 
tested repeatedly  against  many  of  the  votes,  but  without  effect;  the 
ballots  were  received  and  put  in  the  box.  I  should  think  there  were  cer- 
tainly 100  or  150  received  in  this  way.  I  have  been  an  inspector  in 
some  of  the  most  difficult  districts  in  the  city  of  New  York  ;  but  I  never 
saw  anything  like  what  I  saw  in  my  district  in  the  last  presidential 
election.  Men  came  up  and  voted  whom  I  knew  to  be  different  men 
from  the  persons  who  registered  on  the  name  upon  which  the  vote  was 
offered,  and  their  votes  were  received  against  the  protest  of  Mr.  DeYours- 
ney  and  myself.  The  form  of  the  oath  prescribed  by  statute  to  be  admin- 
istered to  voters  who  are  challenged  is  "  You  do  swear  that  you  will  fully 
and  truly  answer  all  such  questions  as  shall  be  put  to  you  touching  your 
place  of  residence  and  qualifications  as  a  voter  P 
To  Mr.  Ross : 

4137.  I  cannot  give  the  names  of  any  person  who  voted  illegally  at 
my  precinct. 

New  York,  January  5,  1860. 
C.  E.  Wilbour  recalled  and  examined. 
To  the  Chairman  : 

4138.  I  wish  to  state  that  in  addition  to  the  number  of  certificates  of 
naturalization  and  applications  printed  by  the  New  York  Printing  Com- 
pany, of  Avhich  I  gave  evidence  before,  I  have  found  that  on  the  lGth  of 
September  we  furnished  to  the  supreme  court  10,000  applications  and 
9,000  certificates,  and  on  the  19th  of  September,  10,000  applications. 

To  Mr.  Dickey  : 

4139.  We  did  not  furnish  blank  applications  to  any  other  parties  than 
the  clerks  of  the  court ;  we  did  not  furnish  any  to  the  Tammany  com- 
mittee. 

By  Mr.  Dawes  : 

4140.  Q.  Is  the  printing  company  of  which  you  are  president  a  cor- 
poration f 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

4141.  Q.  Who  are  the  owners  of  the  printing  company  ? 
[Question  objected  to  by  Mr.  Boss,  objection  overruled.] 

A.  I  prefer  not  to  answer  that  question.  I  had  rather  not  answer  it 
without  the  assent  of  the  stockholders. 

4142.  Q.  Who  were  at  the  time  these  blanks  were  furnished  ? 
A.  I  have  the  same  objection  to  that  question. 


412  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

By  Mr.  Dawes  : 

4143.  Q.  Who  are  the  stockholders  of  that  company  I 
A.  I  would  rather  not  answer  that  question. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

4144.  Q.   Is  there  a  regular  stock  book  ? 
A.  I  am  not  certain. 

4145.  Q.  Docs  the  company  issue  stock? 
A.   I  believe  it  does. 

4146.  Q.  What  is  t  lie  amount  of  the  capital  stock  of  that  corporation! 
A.  1  think  $25,000. 

By  Mr.  DAWES: 
H  17.  Q.   Are  there  articles  of  association  \ 
A.   I  think  there  is  a  certificate  on  file  in  the  secretary  of  state's  office, 

4148.  (}.  What  does  that  show  l 
A.  That  I  cannot  remember. 

4149.  Q.  Does  it  show  who  constitutes  the  association  I 
A.  1  do  not  remember  what  it  does  contain. 

4150.  Q.  How  long  has  the  company  been  in  existence  \ 
A.  About  three  or  four  years. 

4151.  Q.  How  long  have  von  been  connected  with  it  I 
A.  From  the  beginning. 

4152.  Q.  In  what  capacity  .' 
A.  As  president. 

415.'i.  Q.  What  other  officers  have  you  .' 

A.  There  is  a  secretary,  his  name  is  Cornelius  Corson. 

4154.  Q.  Where  is  the  place  of  business  of  this  company ! 
A.  Eos.  81,  8:3,  and  S:>  Centre  street. 

4155.  Q.  Is  there  any  treasurer  of  the  company  .' 
A.  There  is  not. 

4150.  Q.  What  objection  have  you  to  testifying  as  to  who  constitute 
the  members  of  this  corporation  I 

A.  I  think  it  is  a  private  matter.  I  woidd  not  like  to  give  the  details 
of  the  business  before  any  public  body. 

4157.  Q.  Is  there  anything  about  the  transactions  of  this  company 
that  would  be  improper  to  be  published? 

A.  I  do  not  know  that  there  is. 

4158.  Q.  Would  any  of  the  stockholders  object  to  your  giving  this 
information  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  that  they  wTould. 

By  the  Chairman: 

4159.  Q.  About  what  number  of  stockholders  are  there  in  this  com- 
pany? 

A.  I  have  the  same  objection  to  answering  this  question  as  the  former 
one. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

4160.  Q.  Are  there  directors  of  this  company  I 

A.  As  to  that  I  do  not  know.  Mr.  Corson  and  myself  manage  the 
business  of  the  company. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 
4101.  Q.  Was  this  company  organized  under  the  general  law  of  the 
State,  or  was  it  by  a  special  act  of  incorporation  ? 
A.  Under  the  general  law. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  41  o 

By  the  Chairman: 

4162.  Q.  I  repeat  tlie  question  as  to  who  are  the  stockholders  of  the 
company,  and  must  insist  upon  an  answer. 

Witness  stated  that  he  would  consult  with  the  stockholders  and  give 
an  answer  the  next  day. 

Xew  YORK,  January  5,  1869. 
PATRICK  Mack  sworn  and  examined. 

To  the  Chairman: 

4163.  I  was  chairman  of  the  board  of  registrars  and  inspectors  of  the 
5th  election  district  of  the  4th  ward  in  the  last  presidential  election.  I 
was  told  that  great  frauds  would  be  perpetrated  by  fraudulent  natur- 
alization papers,  and  on  the  day  of  election  I  swore  every  man  who  came 
before  me  of  whom  I  had  any  doubts  as  to  his  being  a  legal  voter.  I 
had  been  a  resident  of  the  district  for  nearly  20  years,  and  know  almost 
every  legal  voter  in  the  district.  It  is  a  small  one,  consisting  only  of 
two  blocks,  and  every  person  presenting  a  naturalization  paper  about 
which  I  had  doubts  I  would  swear  if  they  went  to  a  court  and  got  their 
papers  there,  and  in  nineteen  cases  out  of  twenty  the  parties  said  they 
got  their  papers  from  other  individuals  and  not  from  the  court  at  all. 
I  took  the  papers  and  made  a  private  mark  on  them.  The  president  of 
the  board  of  aldermen  came  to  me  during  election  day  and  said  that  I 
was  doing  wrong.  I  told  him  that  the  police  commissioners  put  me 
there  as  a  republican,  and  I  intended  to  do  my  duty.  About  4  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon  there  came  to  me  a  writ  of  mandamus,  issued  by  Judge 
Cardoza,  requiring  me  to  appear  forthwith.  I  told  my  republican  col- 
league that  I  would  adjourn  the  board.  The  democrats  said  "  no,"  they 
wanted  the  board  in  session  to  receive  names  for  registry.  One  of  them 
went  up  to  Judge  Cardoza,  and  came  back  and  told  me  I  need  not 
appear  before  morning.  They  wanted  to  get  me  away,  so  they  could 
put  as  many  names  as  they  wished  on  the  registry  book ;  but  when  they 
found  that  I  intended  to  adjourn  the  board  and  close  up  the  registry, 
they  didn't  like  it,  and  so  they  got  it  arranged  that  I  need  not  appear 
until  the  next  morning.  1  adjourned  the  board  at  6  o'clock,  but  the 
democratic  inspector  staid  there  taking  names  until  i)  o'clock.  They 
did  this  without  any  legal  warrant  or  authority  whatever.  I  went  up  to 
Judge  Cardoza  in  the  morning.  On  my  way  I  met  several  parties  who 
threatened  me  with  Ludlow  street  jail,  and  I  was  told  to  save  myself  by 
pleading  ignorance  of  the  law,  which  I  did.  Judge  Cardoza  compelled 
me  to  give  the  papers  back  and  register  the  men.  Many  of  them  I  knew 
were  not  legal  voters.  One  of  them,  a  relative  of  mine,  told  me  on  the 
day  of  election  that  he  had  voted  that  day  in  the  10th  ward,  and  then 
came  down  to  vote  in  my  district.  Strong  efforts  were  made  to  have  me 
removed  from  the  chairmanship  of  the  board  of  inspectors.  Mr.  Mat- 
thew T.  Brennan,  one  of  the  police  commissioners,  said  to  me,  "  Paddy, 
you  know  these  men  are  voters."  Says  I,  "  That  don't  make  a  bit  of 
difference ;  I  want  them  to  prove  their  right  to  vote."  He  told  me  that 
all  that  Avas  necessary  was  the  seal  of  the  court  to  their  papers.  I  told 
him  that  I  woidd  make  them  prove  their  identity.  He  got  very  mad  at 
that,  and  said,  "  1  will  send  after  you."  Alderman  Coman  came  to  me 
the  next  day,  and  wanted  to  know  why  I  was  so  hard  on  the  boys.  I 
told  him  I  was  not  hard,  but  I  was  trying  to  prevent  frauds,  if  I  could, 
and  would  do  everything  in  my  power  to  prevent  them.  When  the  poll 
opened  on  election  day  and  the  crowd  pressed  in,  there  was  a  republican 
challenger  there,  and  they  wanted  to  put  him  out.     1  told  them  that 


414  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

they  could  not  do  it ;  that  he  had  a  perfect  right  to  be  there.  There 
were  a  large  number  of  deputy  sheriffs  around  who  insisted  that  he  should 
go  out.  They  made  a  great  splurge  and  fight  over  it,  but  they  did  not 
put  him  out.  I  had  nine  or  ten  men  arrested  that  day  for  attempting  to 
vote  illegally,  but  I  could  not  leave  the  polls  to  prefer  charges  against 
them.  It  would  not  have  done  any  good  any  way,  because  they  would 
have  been  let  out  immediately.  Alderman  Ooman  came  up  to  me,  after 
my  interview  with  Brennan,  and  remonstrated,  and  told  me  that  I 
ought  not  to  have  spoken  to  Brennan  in  that  way ;  that  Brennan  was  a 
very  bad  man  to  have  as  an  enemy,  and  that  it  would  not  be  well  forme. 
Says  I,  "  I  don't  care;  I  will  take  my  chances."  Coman  is  president  of 
the  board  of  aldermen,  and  has  been  acting  mayor  for  the  last  month. 
He  is  a  democrat. 

To  the  Chairman  : 

4164.  I  contended  that  the  republican  challenger  had  a  right  to  be  there. 
The  deputy  sheriff  said  he  had  no  right,  and  they  made  a  rush  for  him. 
I  grabbed  him  and  put  him  behind  the  counter  for  safety.  Some  of  the 
deputy  sheriffs  drew  pistols;  I  drew  one  and  so  did  the  challenger,  and 
there  was  quite  a  row  there  for  a  little  while,  but  no  shots  were  fired. 
The  republican  challenger  staid  there,  however,  all  day.  Fraudulent 
naturalization  papers  were  offered  to  me  many  times.  One  man  offered 
me  fifty  papers  for  825.  I  refused  to  take  them,  and  he  sent  them  over 
to  Brooklyn. 

To  Mr.  Dickey  : 

4165.  This  man  who  offered  me  the  papers  I  think  lives  in  Roosevelt 
street.    I  have  forgotten  his  name. 

To  Mr.  Boss: 

4166.  George  W.  Morris  is  the  name  of  my  republican  colleague  on 
the  board.  The  democratic  ones  were  Richard  Wall  and  Joseph  Elliott. 
It  requires  three  of  the  board  to  exclude  a  man  from  voting.  The  ille- 
gal votes  that  were  received  were  received  against  the  protest  of  both 
my  republican  colleague  and  myself,  while  the  democratic  inspector 
said  he  would  be  damned  if  he  would  not  receive  them  anyhow;  and  he 
received  them  and  put  them  in  the  boxes  of  which  he  had  charge.  I 
told  him  I  would  be  damned  if  they  should  put  them  into  the  President 
and  State  boxes,  which  were  in  my  care,  and  none  were  received  in 
those  boxes  to  my  knowledge.  The  name  of  the  relative  of  mine  who 
voted  in  the  10th  ward  is  Patrick  Harrington.  He  is  a  seaman,  and  I 
cannot  tell  where  he  now  lives.  I  only  know  from  what  he  told  me  that 
he  had  voted  in  the  10th  ward.  I  met  him  when  I  went  out  to  lunch  in 
the  line  of  voters.  I  believed  then  that  he  had  voted  before,  and  I 
warned  him  against  trying  to  vote  again  in  that  precinct.  He  acknowl-  i 
edged  that  he  had  voted  in  the  10th  ward,  but  said  that  his  residence 
was  at  56  Roosevelt  street;  that  he  would  vote  there  anyhow.  I  think 
I  know  of  100  or  200  illegal  votes  being  cast  in  my  precinct.  lean 
think  of  the  names  of  but  a  few:  one  is  James  Weavers,  who  voted  from 
54  Roosevelt  street;  he  had  never  gone  before  the  court  to  get  his 
naturalization  papers,  but  presented  me  with  a  certificate  which  he  had 
bought  from  some  individual ;  I  was,  however,  compelled  to  let  him  , 
vote.  Another  was  Joseph  McCorboy,  No.  14  Roosevelt  street.  These  ( 
two  men  got  out  the  writ  of  mandamus  against  me.  Another  was  Peter 
Miller,  living  in  James  street.  He  had  repeated  in  every  district  in  the 
ward  before  he  came  to  ours,  and  in  trying  to  vote  in  my  district  he  was 
arrested,  but  was  released  the  next  morning.  I  do  not  know  of  my  own 
knowledge  that  he  voted  in  any  other  district,  but  was  told  so.    I  would 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  415 

not  like  to  swear  that  the  republican  challenger  drew  a  pistol  in  the 
melee;  upon  reflection  I  think  that  he  did  not.  The  police  officers  sta- 
tioned there  were  all  democrats,  and  I  could  not  get  them  to  do  any- 
thing. I  sent  for  a  captain  of  police  and  told  him  that.  I  never  had 
any  of  my  poll  books  in  the  Union  League  room  or  at  any  republican 
committee,  nor  any  of  the  election  books.  I  never  took  them  up  to  the 
Fifth  Avenue  Hotel.  I  left  a  copy  of  the  poll-list  at  the  Union  League 
rooms,     i  believe  my  colleague  took  it  there. 

To  the  Chairman: 
41G7.  I  do  not  know  thai   anybody  has  been  convicted  of  fraudulent 
voting  in  this  city  within  the  last  three  years. 

New  York,  January  5,  1<8(>S. 
Louis  Jonassoiin  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Air.  Dawes: 
41G8.  I  was  employed  three  or  four  weeks  by  the  German  democratic 
Union  committee  as  one  of  the  clerks  of  naturalization,  in  the  office  at  No. 
0  Centre  street.    They  appointed  Pienjamin  B.  Rosenberg  as  superintend- 
ent, and  Mr.  Gershom  M.  Hermann  as  chairman  of  this  committee. 
This   committee   held  a  meeting,  and  passed  a   resolution  that  Mr. 
Julius  Hennett  should  be  first  clerk,  and  when  the  pressure  would 
come   I  should    be   appointed   second    clerk.      I  took   that    position 
about  three  days  alter  the  office  was  reopened.     I  remained  there  up  to 
the  UHh  of  October,  when  I  left.     Mr.  Rosenberg  and  myself  were  never 
on   good   terms;    we   were    continually   quarrelling.     I  am  very  well 
acquainted  with  the  process  of  naturalization,  and  the  routine  of  the 
work;  he,  on  the  contrary,  knew  nothing  about  it,  and  is  an  illiterate 
man,  but  wanted  to  take  charge  of  the  business.    Mr.  Rosenberg  dis- 
charged me,  but  I  protested  against  it,  and  gave  notice  to  the  committee 
of  it.    After  I  left  I  offered  my  services  to  Judge  McCunn,  to  assist  him 
as  an  interpreter  of  the  court  while  the  business  of  naturalization  was 
going  on.    The  office  of  the  naturalization  committee  of  the  German  demo- 
cratic union  was  in  the  basement  of  No.  G  Centre  street.     Before  the 
door  was  a  large  table  which  Mr.  Rosenberg  occupied.     My  desk  was 
somewhat  on  the  left  of  Mr.  Rosenberg.    When  a  man  came  in  he  went 
right  directly  to  Mr.  Rosenberg,  who  sat  opposite  the  door.    Rosenberg 
would  question  him  and  examine  his  papers.    After  he  would  examine 
them  he  would  turn  them  over  to  me.    I  would  make  out  the  papers. 
We  first  made  all  the  applications  out  on  the  blanks  furnished  by  the 
court  of  common  pleas,  but  they  were  more  complicated  than  those  fur- 
nished by  the  superior  court,  and  more  troublesome  to  fill  out,  and  I  got 
Mr.  Rosenberg  to  get  blanks  from  the  superior  court  and  use  them  in 
cases  of  soldiers.     The  great  obstacle  to  be  overcome  in  making  out  the 
papers  was  to  obtain  the  witnesses.     When  a#man  came  in  Rosenberg 
would  question  him,  ask  him  how  long  he  had  been  in  the  country,  and  the 
like,  and  then  ask  him  if  he  had  any  witnesses  with  him.     In  some  cases 
the  man  would  say  "no,"  and  Rosenberg  would  say  to  him  that  he  must 
have  one.     Rosenberg  would  often  say  to  a  man  who  had  no  witness, 
"Before  I  bite  your  linger  there  must  be  some  sugar  on  it."    He  meant 
by  this,  I  suppose,  before  he  would  do  anything  for  the  man  in  relation 
to  furnishing    him   with   a  witness,  he   must   pay   him.      Rosenberg 
would  then  call  a  man  by  the  name  of  Bernard  Lockmann.     He  would 
then  take  the  man  into  a  back  room,  and  after  staying  there  a  few  min- 
utes would  come  out,  and  then  come  to  my  desk  and  tell  me  to  make  out 


416  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  XKW  YORK. 

the  application  for  this  man  ;  that  he  would  be  the  witness  in  the  case. 
and  I  would  make  out  the  application  accordingly.  lie  would  then  take, 
the  application  and  go  away  with  the  applicant.  When  Lockmann  came] 
out  with  the  applicant  the  clerks  would  fill  up  the  application  with  hi* 
name  in  as  witness.  I  could  not  .-  .,  etln  ■  tl  t  was  all  Lockm 
business  or  not.  I  could  not  state  how  many  papers  Lockmann  wit  - 
nessed  in  this  manner.  1  should  think  I  prepared  at  least  25  of  them. 
Rosenberg  said  to  the  persons  coming  in  about  his  biting  their  hngeij 
with  sugar  on  it  to  us  ninny  as  about  50.  Sometimes  Lockmann  would  be! 
absent,  and  he  would  choose  some  one  else.  He  would  not  always  use 
the  metaphor  in  relation  to  the  finger  to  all  the  men:  he  would  somel 
times  send  them  directly  to  Lockmann  for  him  to  talk  with  them. 

•  To  Mr.  Die  Kin  : 
41(){).  1  could  not  hearall  that  passed  between  Rosenberg  and  the  men 
that  came  in.  lie  would  talk  to  them  privately,  and  in  a  low  tone.  D 
could  not  state  of  my  own  knowledge  whether  anybody  received  com- 
pensation for  acting  as  witness,  but  I  had  no  doubt  in  my  mind  that! 
compensation  was  given  for  such  services,  as  these  men  would  often  take! 
us  around  and  treat  us,  and  appeared  to  be  flush  of  money.  All  the  work] 
1  did  in  the  office  was  honest  work.  I  simply  tilled  up  the  applications,] 
showed  the  persons  where  to  sign  the  names,  and  then  handed  them  to' 
the  applicants.  This  Lockmann  has  lived  in  New  York  25  years;  has  been; 
in  almost  every  business,  and  is  very  generally  acquainted.  Ilehadoncej 
a  cigar  store  in  Sixth  avenue,  but  never  had  any  settled  business. 

To  the  Chairman  : 

4170.  Lockmann  would  come  to  the  office  precisely  at  8  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  and  would  stay  there  until  the  close  of  the  night  session.  I  da 
not  know  of  any  of  the  clerks  acting  as  witnesses  while  1  was  there.  I 
was  paid  for  my  services  by  the  naturalization  committee.  I  was  paid 
by  Supervisor  Hermann. 

To  Mr.  Dickey: 

4171.  Rosenberg  had  charge  of  the  blanks.  He  kept  them  in  a  small 
closet,  and  we  had  not  access  to  them  at  all.  Rosenberg  would  often 
take  blanks  up  town  with  him  in  the  afternoon.  I  do  not  know  where) 
he  carried  them  to.     He  would  probably  take  some  50  at  a  time. 

To  the  Chairman  : 

4172.  From  the  opening  of  the  office  there  was  always  a  swarm  of 
persons  hanging  around — not  only  down  in  the  basement,  but  on  the 
sidewalk,  who  accosted  applicants  offering  their  services  as  witnesses; 
I  do  not  know  their  names.     Rosenberg  would  not  permit  persons  with, 
whom  he  had  not  made  a  previous  arrangement  down  into  the  basement,, 
and  several  times,  by  force,  he  put  them  out.     He  would  only  allow  such 
men  as  were  in  with  him  in  the  basement,  and  the  others  he  would 
exclude.     Rosenberg  attended  closely  to  the  business  down  stairs,  and 
did  not  interfere  with  people  on  the  sidewalk.    My  time  was  completely 
occupied  all  day  in  making  out  blanks.     I  heard  very  little  that  passed, 
between  Rosenberg  and  the  applicants.     Judge  McCunn  and  Judge 
Garvin  presided  at  the  superior  court  during  the  time  I  acted  as  inter- 
preter there.    1  acted  as  interpreter  in  comparatively  fewT  cases  in  the 
course  of  the  day.     Judge  McCunn  was  very  strong  in  examining  appli- 
cants.   The  manner  of  conducting  the  naturalization  would  be  this: 
when  the  parties  entered  into  the  room  the  officer  of  the  court  would 
take  the  application  and  hand  it  to  the  clerk :  the  clerk  would  call  the 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IX  NEW  YORK.  417 

witnesses  in  rotation  ;  as  soon  as  they  appeared  before  the  court  the  first 
question  would  be,  "  For  whom  are  you  a  witness?"  In  some  cases  the 
witness  did  not  know  the  name  of  the  applicant,  and  such  a  man  of 
course  would  be  rejected.  If  the  witness  knew  the  applicant,  he  would 
be  told  to  point  him  out,  and  then  he  would  be  asked  how  long  he  had 
known  the  applicant,  where  he  resided,  and  similar  questions.  The  clerk 
would  then  call  the  name  of  the  principal,  who  would  step  forward  to  the 
judge,  and  the  judge  would  question  him  as  to  how  long  lie  had  been  in 
the  country,  where  he  had  resided,  how  long  he  had  known  the  witness, 
and  similar  questions;  and  then,  if  it  Avas  all  correct,  he  would  make 
his  order  on  the  paper  and  pass  it  down  to  the  clerk.  The  most  difficult 
cases  are  those  of  minors,  because  the  other  papers,  such  as  soldiers1 
applications  and  cases  where  declaration  of  intention  had  been  tiled, 
would  speak  for  themselves.  The  applications  of  minors,  1  think,  con- 
stituted the  majority  of  cases.  I  have  not  the  least  knowledge  of  any 
case  where  a  party  was  naturalized  who  was  not  entitled  to  it.  I  have 
seen  parties  there  who  acted  as  witness  for  different  persons ;  I  have 
seen  parties  act  as  witness  in  six  or  seven  different  cases.  I  acted  as 
interpreter  of  the  court  from  about  the  13th  of  October  until  the  natu- 
ralization business  closed. 

To  Mr.  Boss: 

1173.  I  mean  by  Judge McCunn being  very  strong  in  examining  appli- 
cants, that  he  would  scrutinize  every  case  very  carefully  and  cross-ex- 
amine and  re-examine  the  applicant.  I  have  seen  Judge  McCunn  send 
away  at  least  20  Irishmen  in  a  day  who  could  not  give  proper  answers 
to  the  questions  he  put  to  them.  When  an  applicant  was  rejected 
he  would  tear  up  the  application.  Xo  case  was  passed  upon  with- 
out the  principal  and  witness  being  in  court  at  the  same  time, 
to  my  knowledge.  If  there  had  been  such  a  case  1  would  most 
assuredly  have  known  of  it.  I  have  not  seen  the  remotest  disposi- 
tion on  the  part  of  the  judges  of  the  court  to  permit  persons  to  be 
naturalized  who  were  not  entitled  to  it.  They  did  manifest  a  dispo- 
sition to  expedite  business  and  do  it  as  rapidly  as  possible.  Lockmann 
always  signed  his  own  name  as  witness  to  these  applications ;  he  was 
known  in  the  court,  and  could  not  do  it  otherwise.  I  had  Lockman 
arrested  for  swindling  some  eighteen  years  ago,  and  locked  up  in  Eld- 
ridge  street  jail ;  I  have  seen  him  from  time  to  time  since  that,  but  have 
had  no  conversation  with  him  ;  he  is  very  generally  acquainted  with  the 
people  in  the  city ;  I  have  acted  myself  as  a  witness  for  two  different 
parties,  but  these  men  I  knew  of  my  personal  knowledge  were  entitled 
to  citizen  papers;  I  know  of  no  money  being  paid  to  any  parties  to  act 
as  witnesses;  I  have  no  knowledge  that  Rosenberg  took  any  money 
except  what  he  was  paid  by  the  naturalization  committee  as  salary ; 
Kosenberg  never  gave  me  any  directions  about  making  out  papers  for 
persons  who  were  not  entitled  to  naturalization,  nor  did  he  ever  hold 
<mt  any  such  impression  to  any  of  the  clerks ;  I  know  of  no  person  being 
furnished  with  naturalization  who  was  not  present  in  court  and  applied 
for  them  himself ;  the  secretary  of  the  German  democratic  naturaliza- 
tion committee  employed  me;  this  committee  is  a  branch  of  the  execu- 
tive committee  who  are  elected  in  ward  meetings;  I  never  informed 
this  committee  that  there  was  anything  wrong  in  Rosenberg's  trans- 
actions; members  of  the  committee  would  frequently  visit  the  office 
and  superintend  generally  the  transaction  of  business ;  I  do  not  know 
that  there  was  anything  to  indicate  to  any  member  of  the  committee 
who  visited  the  place  thai  anything  wrong  was  going  on  ;  they  did  not 
27  T 


418  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

pay  much  attention  to  the  business  ;  if  they  had  examined  it  closely  they 
might  have  discovered  something ;  they  never,  to  my  knowledge,  gave 
any  direction  in  regard  to  fraudulent  naturalization  papers,  and  1  have 
no  knowledge  that  they  knew  that  anything  of  the  kind  was  going  on: 
there  is  a  general  committee  of  the  German  democratic  Union  party; 
they  are  in  close  connection  with  Tammany  Hall;  the  members  of  this 
general  committee  are  elected  by  delegates  from  the  twenty-two  wards 
of  the  city ;  this  general  committee  is  divided  up  into  sub-committees,  as, 
for  instance,  finance  committee,  naturalization  committee,  committee  on 
printing;  the  Tammany  Hall  naturalization  committee  had  their  head- 
quarters at  No.  1  Centre  street;  this  committee  paid  me  three  dollars  a 
day  for  my  services,  and  when  the  night  sessions  commenced,  one  dollar 
for  each  night;  my  services  as  interpreter  in  the  superior  court  I  ottered 
gratuitously  to  Judge  McCunn. 
To  Mr.  1)icki;v  : 

4174.  We  used  the  Tammany  tickets;  Mr.  Hermann,  chairman  of  the 
general  naturalization  committee,  is  also  a  member  of  the  Tammany  gen- 
eral committee. 

To  Mr.  Dawes: 

4175.  I  made  the  arrangement  with  Judge  McCunn  to  act  as  inter- 
preter in  his  court  directly  upon  leaving  No.  <>  Centre  street,  probably  a 
day  or  two  afterwards;  1  have  been  for  the  past  ten  or  twelve  years  an 
interpreter  in  that  court,  and  I  considered  it  my  duty  to  offer  my  services  - 
and  help  them  as  much  as  I  could  during  the  pressure  of  this  naturali- 
zation business. 

To  Mr.  Hopkins  : 
417(5.  I  act  with  no  political  party  at  all. 
To  the  Chairman  : 

4177.  The  clerk  of  the  court  administered  the  oaths  to  the  principals 
and  witnesses;  when  necessary  1  acted  as  interpreter  in  explaining  the 
nature  of  the  oath  to  persons  who  did  not  understand  English  ;  I  cannot 
state  with  any  degree  of  accuracy  how  much  time  the  judge  devoted  to 
each  applicant ;  it  would  depend  a  great  deal  upon  the  nature  of  the 
application,  whether  that  of  a  minor  or  of  a  soldier,  or  of  a  person  who 
had  previously  declared  his  intention ;  I  suppose  it  would  take  about 
three  minutes  to  examine  a  minor,  and  perhaps  a  minute  or  two  in  thei 
case  of  a  soldier,  and  probably  half  a  minute  in  the  case  of  a  person  who 
had  his  first  papers;  the  majority  of  the  applications,  I  think,  were  fori 
minors ;  I  could  not  state  definitely  how  many  would  be  naturalized  in 
an  hour,  but  I  should  judge  about  one  hundred. 

To  Mr.  Dickey  : 

4178.  The  parties  in  interest  would  take  the  papers  themselves  from 
the  court-room;  after  they  had  passed  the  name  of  the  applicant  would 
be  called,  the  paper  was  handed  to  him  and  he  went  to  another  building 
to  get  his  certificate. 

New  York,  Wednesday,  January  (J,  1869. 
THOMAS  Potteb  sworn  and  examined,  (called  by  Mr.  Boss.) 

to  Mr.  Ross : 

•1171).  At  the  last  presidential  election  I  was  inspector  of  election  in  the 

3d  district  of  the  4th  ward.     The  board  of  inspectors  in  that  district 

took  all  the  precaution  they  possibly  could  to  prevent   frauds ;  they 

would  examine  the  papers  of  a  voter  and  administer  the  oath  to  him  ;  1 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  419 

did  not  see  any  disposition  evinced  by  any  of  the  board  to  get  in  illegal 
votes ;  I  Avas  one  of  the  democratic  inspectors,  and  I  allowed  the  repub- 
lican inspector  to  challenge  as  much  as  he  pleased.  .  Before  the  polls 
opened  it  was  voted  by  the  board  that  no  person  should  be  allowed  to 
challenge  except  the  inspectors  themselves ;  it  was  the  proposition  of 
the  chairman  of  the  board,  and  he,  cf  course,  voted  for  it. 

4180.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  anybody  being  run  out  of  the  place  of  reg- 
istry because  he  was  a  challenger? 

A.  We  had  one  removed  on  the  second  day  of  registry.  He  came  in 
there  about  0  o'clock  at  night,  just  as  we  were  about  closing;  he  was 
pretty  drunk  and  noisy,  and  we  had  to  call  the  police  to  put  him  out ; 
he  said  when  they  came  that  he  was  a  republican  challenger ;  the  board 
agreed  to  put  him  out.  I  know  Michael  Costello ;  he  kept  challenging 
every  person  that  came  in  to  vote  ;  he  created  quite  an  excitement  among 
the  crowd  outside  who  were  waiting  to  deposit  their  ballots  ;  I  did  not 
hear  any  particular  threats  used  against  him. 

4181.  Q.  Did  Costello  challenge  men  known  by  the  board  to  be  legal 
voters  ? 

A.  I  believe  that  he  did,  and  he  obstructed  the  voting  in  a  great  meas- 
ure in  this  way. 

4182.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  repeaters  voting  at  your  precinct? 

A.  I  do  not;  I  was  on  the  lookout  for  them  myself;  if  anybody  had 
attempted  to  vote  twice  at  my  polls  I  would  immediately  have  had  him 
arrested ;  I  have  lived  in  that  district  for  the  last  12  years,  and  I  think  I 
know  almost  every  legal  voter  in  that  district.  The  other  inspectors 
were  from  other  wards,  and  of  course  knew  but  very  little  about  the 
voters. 

4183.  Q.  Do  you  know  Alderman  Coman? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

4184.  Q.  Did  you  hear  him  make  any  threats? 

A.  No,  sir ;  he  came  in  the  polling  place  near  the  close  of  the  day, 
and  told  Costello  not  to  delay  the  votes,  as  there  were  some  fifty  or 
sixty  outside  waiting  to  deposit  their  ballots.  At  the  time  the  polls 
closed  I  should  think  there  were  some  forty  or  fifty  who  had  not  voted. 

4185.  Q.  Why  did  they  not  get  in  their  votes  ? 

A.  I  think  it  was  because  of  Costello's  challenging;  as  chairman  of 
the  board  of  inspectors  he  had  the  handling  of  the  ballots;  he  would 
delay  depositing  the  ballots,  keeping  them  on  his  desk,  &c. ;  of  course 
the  crowd  outside  was  much  excited,  but  they  were  as  much  excited 
against  the  rest  of  the  inspectors  as  they  were  against  Costello. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

4186.  Q.  Did  you  challenge  anybody  yourself  that  day  ? 

A.  I  did  not;  my  colleague,  Mr.  Thurston,  did.  Costello  and  Thurston 
did  all  the  challenging. 

New  York,  Wednesday,  January  6,  1809. 

George  Harris  sworn  and  examined. 
To  the  Chairman  : 

4187.  I  reside  at  116  Thompson  street,  in  this  city;  I  have  been  in 
the  city  tor  12  months;  I  am  a  native  of  England;  I  have  been  in  the 
country  about  four  years;  I  am  35  years  of  age,  and  have  not  been  in 
the  army.  At  the  last  presidential  election  I  went  round  to  four  or  five 
different  districts  and  voted  two  or  three  times  at  each  place;  this  mostly 
in  the  21st  ward. 


420  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

4188.  Q.  For  whom  did  you  vote  ! 
A.  J  voted  the  democratic  ticket. 

4189.  Q.  Under  different  names  I 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

4190.  Q.  Assumed  names.' 
A.  That  I  could  not  tell  you. 

4191.  Q.  They  were  not  your  real  name  .; 
A.  No,  .sir. 

4192.  Q.  What  do  you  know  of  a  meeting  at  the  house  of  William 
Doran,  103  Crosby  street? 

A.  There  were  some  20  or  30  of  us  met  there  the  night  before  election; 
we  went  from  there  to  a  house  in  Thirty-second  street  and  Second  ave- 
nue; we  Stopped  there  all  night.  In  the  morning  we  commenced  voting 
about  6  o'clock. 

4193.  Q.  How  many  times  did  you  vote  '. 

A.  Two  or  three  times  in  each  polling  place. 

4194.  Q.    What  districts  did  you  and  the  others  vote  in  '.' 
A.  In  the  4th,  5th,  6th,  8th,  and  9th. 

4195.  Q.  Who  gave  you  these  names  on  which  you  voted  t 

A.  1  could  not  tell  you;  they  were  furnished  us  on  slips  of  paper. 
4190.  Q.  Where  did  you  get  them  I 

A.  We  got  some  at  the  house  in  Thirty-second  street,  others  were 
given  to  us  in  the  street. 

4197.  Q.   State  who  engaged  you  to  do  this  work. 
A.  Doran. 

4198.  Q.  State  what  arrangements  were  made  about  compensation. 
A.  We  received  no  compensation  at  all. 

4199.  Q.  Was  Doran  one  of  the  repeaters  \ 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

4200.  Q.  What  was  said  among  the  repeaters  when  they  were  together? 
A.  Nothing  more  was  said  than  that  they  were  going  to  vote  for  so- 
and-so,  and  some  general  remarks. 

4201.  Q.  State  if  you  received  any  instructions  about  voting. 

A.  I  had  a  paper  with  the  names  and  numbers  of  the  street  from 
Avhich  I  was  to  vote;  there  were  about  14  of  us  who  voted  as  living  at 
the  Compton  House. 

4202.  Q.  None  of  you  lived  at  that  place  '! 
A.  No,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins: 

4203.  Q.  How  many  were  in  the  party  that  went  with  you. 
A.  From  20  to  30. 

4204.  Q.  Did  you  go  together  to  the  different  polling  places  ? 
A.  Sometimes  we  divided;  sometimes  we  went  together. 

4205.  Q.  Did  these  men  vote  as  many  times  as  you  did  ? 
A.  Some  of  them  more,  I  think. 

4206.  Q.  Do  you  know  who  kept  this  house  on  Thirty-second  street,    \ 
where  you  staid  the  night  previous  to  the  election  f 

A.  I  do  not;  it  was  a  liquor  store. 

4207.  Q.  Did  you  have  any  accommodation  for  sleeping  there  ? 
A.  No,  sir;  Ave  did  not  sleep  much. 

4208.  Q.  Wras  Doran  with  you  up  there  ! 
A.   Yes,  sir. 


By  Mr.  Ross: 

1209.  Q.   What  is  your  business  f 

A.  I  am  a  pedlar. 

4210.  Q.   Are  you  engaged  in  peddling  now? 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  421 

A.  I  am  not  doing  anything  now;  I  have  not  been  peddling  for  six 
weeks ;  I  peddled  brushes,  combs,  &c. ;  I  have  been  sick  for  the  last  six 
weeks;  I  am  married  but  have  no  family — have  been  married  14  years. 

4211.  Q.  Who  were  these  men  that  went  Avith  you? 

A.  I  knew  Doran  and  William  Davis,  that  was  about  all,  I  think ;  I  do 
not  know  where  Davis  lives ;  I  knew  all  the  men  by  sight,  but  do  not 
know  where  they  live ;  I  sometimes  voted  twice  and  three  times  at  each 
precinct;  I  voted  twice  in  the  4th  precinct,  and  twice  in  the  9th;  I  for- 
1  got  how  many  times  we  voted  in  the  other  precincts;  1  can't  recollect 
the  names  under  which  I  voted. 

4212.  Q.  How  many  times  did  you  swear  in  your  vote? 
A.  I  was  not  sworn  at  all. 

4213.  Q.  Were  you  not  challenged  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

4214.  Q.  What  other  men  did  you  see  vote  that  belonged  to  your  com- 
pany ! 

A.  Sometimes  1  would  be  before  them,  sometimes  after  them;  I  saw 
Doran  vote  and  others;  Doran  lives  in  this  city;  he  is  an  Englishman 
and  has  been  here  I  believe  about  tour  vears;  he  keeps  a  liquor  store  at 
No.  103  Crosby  street. 

4215.  Q.  How  many  men  did  you  see  vote  that  day  more  than  once? 
A.  1  could  not  tell  you. 

4216.  Q.  Did  you  see  a  half  a  dozen  f 
A.  Yes,  sir;  I  think  I  did. 

4217.  Q.  How  many  times  did  they  vote  '. 
A.  Two  or  three  times  at  each  place. 

4218.  Q.  Were  any  of  the  others  sworn  '! 
A.  Not  that  I  know  of;  I  saw  them  vote. 

4210.  Q.   Did  you  know  what  ticket  the  other  men  voted  "I 
A.  Seymour  and  Hoffman  tickets  I  think;  I   did  not  see  the  tickets 
and  I  could  not  say  of  my  own  knowledge  what  they  voted. 

4220.  Q.  Who  gave  you  these  tickets  ? 
A.  I  could  not  say. 

4221.  Q.  What  made  you  go  into  this  business  \ 

A.  Doran  told  me  that  it  was  for  a  friend  of  his,  and  he  joined  me; 
lie  paid  me  nothing. 

4222.  Q.  What  are  your  politics  t 
A.  I  have  none. 

4223.  Q.  Did  yon  know  that  you  were  violating  a  law  in  voting  more 
than  once  I 

A.  Yes,  sir;  1  did. 

4224.  Q.  Did  you  not  know  that  it  is  a  criminal  offence  for  which  you 
could  be  indicted  and  punished? 

A.  I  have  heard  so  since. 

1225.  Q.  Did  you  imagine  that  you  did  right  to  vote  so  many  times? 

A.  I  think  I  had  as  much  right  to  vote  as  the  others  had. 

4220.  Q.  Who  kept  the  house  in  Thirty-second  street,  where  you  slept? 

A.  I  do  not  know;  the  time  we  stayed,  there  were  probably  about  25 
of  us;  Ave  slept  in  the  club-room  up  stairs;  the  bar  was  all  closed  up  at 
the  time;  we  did  not  all  sleep  in  one  room;  we  went  up  two  flights  of 
stairs  to  the  club-room ;  1  think  about  20  slept  in  one  room;  we  slept  on 
the  floor  or  on  chairs ;  I  got  some  slips  containing  the  names  at  this 
place,  and  some  outside  on  the  street;  I  do  not  know  who  gave  them  to 
me;  Doran  gave  me  no  tickets;  it  was  none  of  the  crowd  that  went 
around  with  inc. 

4227.  Q.  Have  you  ever  been  prosecuted  for  this  illegal  voting? 

A.  Never. 


422 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IX  NEW  YORK. 


4228.  Q.  To  whom  did  you  first  intimate  the  fact  that  you  had  been 
voting  illegally  ? 

A.  I  tokl  it  first  to  Colonel  Wood. 

4229.  Q.  Who  is  he  ! 

A.  He  is  a  detective  of  counterfeit  money,  attached  to  the  government. 

4230.  Q.  When  did  you  tell  it  to  him  ! 
A.  Yesterday. 

4231.  Q.  Is  that  the  first  time  you  told  anybody  of  it  \ 

A.  Yes,  sir,  and  I  should  not  have  told  him  of  it  then  if  it  had  not 
been  for  Doran  j  he  sent  for  Doran  and  asked  him. 

Xew  York,  January  6,  \*i\\). 
HENRY  E.  Sweetzer  sworn  and  examined,  (called  by  Mr.  Kerr.) 
By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

4232.  Question.  Tell  the  committee  whether  during  the  last  lew  years 
your  business  has  made  you  familiar  with  political  statistics. 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  it  has. 

4233.  Q.  State  whether  at  my  request  you  have  made  any  statistical 
tables  relating  to  the  election. 

A.  I  have. 

4234.  Q.  Submit  them  to  the  committee  if  you  please  as  apart  of  your 
testimony,  and  state  further  in  making  these  tables  what  sources  of  in- 
formation you  used. 

A.  The  election  returns  up  to  LS68  I  took  from  the  Tribune  Almanac j 
those  of  1868  I  took  from  the  official  canvass.  The  population  I  got  from 
the  census  of  the  United  States  and  from  the  New  York  State  census. 

4235.  Q.  State  Avhether  these  tables  are  correct. 
A.  Yes,  sir;  I  believe  so. 

4236.  Q.  What  is  your  business  ? 

A.  1  am  engaged  in  the  newspaper  business. 

Witness  produced  the  following  statistics  which  were  made1  part  of  his 
testimony : 

TABLE  No.  1. 

The  following  table  shows  the  total  vote  of  ]STew  York  city,  and  of  the 
State  outside  of  the  city,  from  1850  to  1868,  together  with  the  percentage 
of  increase  or  decrease  of  the  vote  of  each  year,  as  compared  with  that 
of  the  preceding  years : 


Total  vote  of  New  York  city 

and  State  from  1850  to  1868. 

New  York  city. 

New  York  State  except  New  York  city. 

Year. 

Total  vote. 

Increase. 

Decrease. 

Year.            Total  vote. 

Increase. 

Decrease. 

1850 

36,  552 

42.  790 

57,  341 

45,  386 

60,  367 

56,  047 

79, 606 

59,  770 

69,  699 

56,  734 

95,  583 

55,  976 

76,  848 

66,  896 

110,390 

81,868 

114,169 

111,862 

156,  078 

Per  cent. 

Per  cent. 

1850 

392,414 
nso  Q77 

Per  cent. 

Per  cent. 

1851 

17 
34 

1851... 

7 

1852 

1852                          4-i°  fi94 

22.9 

1853 

20 

1853 

311,139 
Aftl)  Odd 

29.4 

1854 

33 

1854 

31.4 

1855 

7 

1855                          5?Q  SQ7 

7 

1856 

42 

1856 

517,  883 

•AM)  OIQ 

36.3 

1857 

25 

1857 

26.5 

]858 

16.5 

1858                          47.=;'  117 

25 

1859 

18.5 

1859 

446,  994 
?i7Q   5.TA 

5.9 

18«0 

68.5 

1860 

29 

1861 

41 

1861 428,994 

1862                        sas.  fi98 

26 

1862 

37.5 

25.  5 
1.3 

16.5 

1863 

13 

1863 

532,  893 
620,331 
492, 385 
605,  026 
586,  266 
693,  688 

1864 

65 

1864 

1865 

1865 

29.75 

20.6 

1866 

39.5 

1866 

23 

1867 

o 

1867 

3 

1868 

49.75 

1868 

18.3 

_ 

ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 


423 


TABLE  No.  '2. 

In  nearly  every  instance  of  an  increase  of  vote,  (as  shown  by  table 
No.  1,)  the  increase  in  the  vote  of  New  York  city  exceeds  that  of  the 
vote  of  the  State  outside  of  the  city  in  percentage.  The  average  excess 
from  1851  to  1807  inclusive  (counting  only  those  years  in  which  the  vote 
of  the  city  exceeds  that  of  the  year  immediately  preceding)  is  10.55  pei 
cent.  The  last  two  years  that  show  an  increase  in  the  vote  over  the  vote 
of  the  year  preceding  are  1800  and  1808.  and  by  comparing  these  two, 
(L  e.,  tlie  votes  of  these  years.)  as  is  done  in  the  subjoined  table,  it  will 
be  seen  that  the  increase  in  the  vote  of  New  York  city  exceeds  that  oi 
tlte  vote  of  the  State  outside  of  the  city  by  nearly  the  same  percentage 
as  the  average  excess  in  percentage  from  1851  to  1807.  to  wit: 


New  York  city. 


•  J666— Total  vote 1 14, 169 

1868— Total  vote 156,  078 

Percentage  of  increase  in  vote 
of  1868  over  vote  of  1866. . .       36.  7 


New  York  State,  except  New  York  city. 


1 866— Total  vote 605,  026 

1 868— Total  vote 693,  688 

Percentage  of  increase  in  vote 

of  1863 over  vote  of  1866..  14.65 
Add  average  excess  of  increase 

in  vote  of  city  over  State. .  16. 55 

Tota 31.2 


TABLE  No.  3. 

By  the  following  table  it  may  be  seen  that  a  comparison  of  the 
ratio  of  votes  to  the  population  of  New  York  city  at  each  presiden- 
tial election  from  1852  to  1808,  (taking  the  population  as  returned  by 
the  census  immediately  preceding  such  elections,)  with  the  ratio  of  votes 
to  the  population  of  the  State,  exclusive  of  New  York  city,  shows  that 
the  city  has  polled  at  each  such  election  less  votes  in  proportion  to  its 
population  than  has  the  State  exclusive  of  the  city,  to  wit : 


Year. 

> 

ew  York  city 

Year. 

New  York  State,  except  I 
city. 

Vote.           Population. 

sew  York 

Vote. 

Population. 

Ratio. 

Ratio. 

1852 

:>7,34l 
79,  606 
95,  583 
1 1 0,  390 
156,078 

515,  547 
629,  904 
813,669 
813,  669 
726,  386 

1  to  8.  99 
1  to  7.  82 
1  to  8.  5L 
1  to  7.  37 
1  to  4.  65 

1852 

439,  624 
517,  883 
579,  573 
620,  331 
693,  688 

2,  581,  847 
2,838,591 

3,  067,  076 
3,  067,  076 
3,  105,  391 

1  to  5.  89 

1856 

1860 

1856 ... 

1860 

1  to  5.  48 
1  to  5.  29 

1864.... 

1864 

1  to  4.  94 

1868 

1868 

1  to  4.  47 

TABLE  No.  4. 

In  the  subjoined  table  are  presented  two  estimates  of  the  popula- 
tion of  New  York  city  and  New  York  State,  exclusive  of  the  city  in 
1808,  the  second  estimate  being  based  on  the  United  States  census  of 
1850,  the  State  census  of  1855,  and  the  United  States  census  of  1800, 
and  the  first  on  the  foregoing  census  reports  together  with  the  State 
census  of  1805,  which  latter  is  alleged  to  be  incorrrect  as  respects 
the  returns  given  of  New  York  city.  With  these  estimates  are  given 
the  votes  at  the  presidential  election  of  1808,  and  the  ratio  of  votes  to 


424 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 


the  population,  showing,  as  in  table  No.  3,  the  ratio  in  New  York  city  is 
smaller  than  that  in  the  State  exclusive  of  the  city,  viz: 


(A.) 


New  York  city. 

New  York  .State,  except  New  York  city. 

Vote,  1868. 

Population,  1868. 

:-:..790 

Ratio. 

Yote,  1868. 

"Population.  1868.             Ratio. 

156.  078 

1  to  5 

;.  m 

:i,  284,  265                 1  to  4.  tlo 

Estimated  from  cennna  returns  of  1850.  1855,  I860,  and  1865. 
(B.) 


Sew   York  city. 

New  York  State,  except  New  York  city. 

Vote,  1868. 

*Population,  181)8. 

Ratio. 

Vote,  1668. 

*Population,  1868. 

Ratio. 

156,078 

1,191,211 

1  to  7.  63 

693,  688 

3,  533,  272 

1  to  5. 09 

Estimated  from  census  reports  of  1850,  1855,  and  1860. 

TABLE  No.  5. 

In  the  subjoined  table  are  given  the  total  vote  of  each  New  England 
State  for  President  in  L868,  the  population  of  each  in  1860,  and  the  ratio 
of  voters  in  1868  to  the  population  in  1860.  The  ratios  thus  obtained, 
together  with  the  average  ratio  of  the  six  New  England  States,  are  com- 
pared with  the  ratio  of  voters  in  New  York  city  at  the  presidential  election 
of  1868  to  the  population  of  the  city  in  I860,  to  wit: 


New  England. 

New  York  city. 

States. 

v„+0  iBfii           Population 
\  ote  186d.              *lg6a 

Ratio. 

Vote  1868. 

Population 
1860. 

Ratio. 

113,983               628,279 
68,  789               326,  073 
56,212               315,098 

195,482     .       1,231,066 
19,541               174,620 
98,  624               460, 147 

1  to  5.  51 

1  to  4.  77 
1  to  5.  60 
1  to  6.  29 
1  to  8.  94 
1  to  4.  65 

New  Hampshire 

:::::::::. 

Rhode  Island 

156,  078 

813,  669 

1  to  5. 21 

Average  ratio  of  New  England  compared  with  that  of  Xew  York  city. 

Average  ratio  of  voters  in  New  England  in  1868  to  population 
in  1860 f>.  96 

Average  ratio  of  voters  in  New  York  city  in  1868  to  population 
in  1860 5.  21 

TABLE  No.  6. 

In  the  subjoined  table  are  given  the  total  votes  of  New  Jersey  and 
Pennsylvania  for  President  in  1868,  their  population  in  I860,  and  the 
ratio  of  voters  in  180S  to  the  population  in  1860.  These  figures  are  com- 
pared with  the  vote  of  New  York  city  for  President  in  1868,  its  popula- 
tion in  1860,  and  the  ratio  of  its  voters  in  1868  to  its  population  in  I860, 
to  wit: 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 


425 


States 


,'ew  Jersey  . . 
ennsylvania. 


162,645 
655,  662 


672,  035 
2,  906, 115 


New  York  city. 


Vote  1868.         PoVe6a0.iOU  Ratio- 


1  10  4. 13 
1  to  4.  58 


Vote  1868. 

Population 
I860. 

Ratio. 

_ 



156,  078 

813,  669 

1  to  5.  21 

Subjoined  is  a  similar  comparison  between  the  vote  in  1868  and  the 
)opulation  in  1860  of  New  York  city  and  Philadelphia  : 


Vote  1868.    ~» 


,'ew  York  city 156,  078       813, 


Ratio. 


1  to  5.  21 


Vote  1868. 


Philadelphia 116,158 


Populat'n      T>„tv, 
loan  Ratio. 


562,  529  i    1  to  4.  64 


New  York,  Wednesday,  January  6,  1869. 

James  Melville  sworn  and  examined. 

To  the  Chairman  : 

4237.  I  am  a  native  of  England.  1  have  never  been  naturalized.  I 
im  thirty-seven  years  of  age.  I  live  at  Xo.  103  Crosby  street,  at  the  house 
>f  William  Doran.  On  the  evening  before  the  presidential  election  I 
tarted  from  Doran's  place  with  perhaps  30  other  men.  We  went  up  to 
Thirty-second  street,  corner  of  Second  avenue ;  stayed  there  all  night  and 
)egan  voting  early  in  the  morning.  I  stayed  that  night  in  a  large  room 
>verthe  liquor  store.  I  suppose  there  were  about  thirty  of  our  party. 
There  were  probably  150  in  the  room  altogether. 

4238.  Q.  What  was  done  during  election  day? 

A.  The  next  morning  we  began  to  A'ote  early  between  six  and  seven 
Mock.  We  voted  at  the  4th,  5th,  8th,  and  9th  precincts  in  that  ward. 
Ve  voted  twice  and  sometimes  three  times  at  each  precinct.  We  got 
»ur  tickets  from  parties  in  this  house  in  Thirty-second  street.  1  could  not 
ay  what  names  1  voted  on.  They  were  different  names  given  us  on  a  slip 
f  paper.  I  could  not  say  who  the  parties  were  that  gave  these  slips  to 
ie.    These  slips  were  furnished  the  whole  party. 

4239.  Q.  When  you  had  been  to  these  different  precincts  what  did  von 
o  then ! 

A.  We  then  went  to  the  Compton  House  in  Thirty-fourth  street ;  went 
lto  the  basement  and  got  some  tickets,  then  went  up  to  Thirty-fourth 
treet  to  different  polling  places  in  that  street  and  voted  there;  then  we 
ent  home. 

4240.  Q.  Can  you  recollect  any  names  upon  which  you  voted  ? 
A.  Xo,  sir;  they  were  all  Irish  names. 

To  Mr.  Boss: 
I  have  been  sick  for  the  past  eight  months  and  have  not  followed  any 
usiness.     I  have  had  rheumatics  and  a  sore  leg.     My  leg  has  been  bad 
>r  four  months  and  have  not  been  able  to  walk  about  much. 

4241.  Q.  Was  it  pretty  bad  along  about  the  fore  part  of  November  ! 
A.  It  has  been  Averse  than  it  was,  so  that  I  hare  not  been  able  to  walk 

cry  much. 

4242.  Q.  When  was  it  worse  S 

A.  It  was  verv  bad  on  election  day. 


426  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

4243.  Did  you  limp  much  on  election  day.' 
A.  Yes,  sir;  a  good  deal. 

4244.  Q.  Was  it  very  painful  for  you  to  walk  that  day  ' 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

4245.  Q.  Did  you  walk  much  that  dayl 

A.  Yes,  sir;  to  all  these  different  places;  I  should  think  a  few  miles 
backwards  and  forwards. 

424(5.  Q.  What  business  were  you  engaged  in  at  this  house  Xo.  103 
Crosby  street  I 

A.  I  am  only  boarding  there;  at  least  I  have  a  room  there  and  take 
my  meals  in  restaurants. 

4247.  Q.   Who  were  these  men  that  were  with  yon  \ 

A.    1  know  them  all  by  sight;    I  could  not  recollect  all  their  names. 

4248.  Q.  Do  they  live'  in  the  city  \ 
A.  They  do;  yes,  sir. 

4249.  Q.  State  their  names  as  tar  as  yon  can. 

A.  Doran  was  one  of  them,  Harris  another;  there  was  also  a  man  by 
the  name  of  Joseph  Benson. 

4250.  Q.   Do  you  recollect  any  other/ 
A.  Xo,  sir. 

4251.  (c).   Where  do  these  men  live  '! 
A.  Benson  and  Harris  live  at  Doran's. 

4252.  Q.  What  is  his  first  name  .' 
A.  Samuel. 

425.S.  Q,   Do  yon  know  the  other  men  very  well  \ 

A.  I  know  them  all,  seeing  them  in  public  houses  and  the  like. 

4?54.  Q.  What  kind  of  business  do  they  follow  1 

A.  All  sorts  of  business. 

4255.  Q.  State  some  business  they  are  in. 

A.  That  is  their  business;  I  never  interfere  with  other  people's  affairs. 

4250.  Q.   What  is  Doran's  business  ? 

A.  He  keeps  a  boarding-house,  I  believe. 

4257.  Q.  Do  you  kuow  any  of  these  men  to  be  thieves  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  anything  about  them ;  I  never  interfere  with  their 
business. 

4258.  Q.  What  has  been  your  business? 
A.  I  have  been  in  no  business. 

4259.  Q.  How  long  have  you  been  here  I 
A.  About  three  years. 

4260.  Q.  Have  you  got  a  family  ? 

A.  Xot  in  this  country ;  I  have  one  child  in  England.  I  have  had  no 
business  since  I  have  been  in  this  country.  I  brought  plenty  of  money 
over  with  me;  a  pretty  fair  share,  about  £000. 

4261.  Q.  Did  you  ever  invest  it  in  anything  ? 
A.  I  have  gambled  a  good  deal. 

4262.  Q.  Gambled  it  pretty  much  all  away  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

4263.  Q.  Did  you  ever  make  anything  by  gambling  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

4264.  Q.  How  much  have  you  on  hand  now  ? 
A.  I  cannot  say ;  1  have  very  little. 

4265.  Q.  Have  you  ever  been  arrested  for  any  criminal  offence  ? 
A.  Xo,  sir. 

4266.  Q.  Where  have  you  done. your  gambling? 
A.  All  over  Xew  York. 

4267.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  these  other  men  that  were  with  yoi 
Avere  gamblers  ? 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  427 

A.  I  have  nothing-  to  do  Avith  their  business. 

4268.  Q.  Are  they  gamblers  ! 

A.  They  do  not  gamble  the  same  as  I  do. 

New  York,  Wednesday,  January  G,  1860. 

Joseph  Benson  sworn  and  examined. 
To  the  Chairman  : 

4209.  I  am  70  years  of  age.  I  am  a  native  of  England.  I  am  barkeeper 
at  William  Doran's  liquor  store,  103  Crosby  street.  Upon  the  evening  pre- 
vious to  the  presidential  election  I  was  attending  bar  at  his  store.  There 
were  some  thirty  or  forty  persons  in  there  that  evening  drinking  and  smok- 
ing. They  stayed  there  until  about  10  o'clock.  They  then  went  up  to 
Thirty-second  street.  They  wanted  me  to  go  with  them,  and  I  told  them  I 
could  not.  1  went  up  there  on  the  day  of  election,  and  went  out  with  them 
to  vote  four  or  five  times.  I  did  not  go  all  around  with  them,  as  I  was  not 
able  to  go  around  much.  I  voted  at  the  1th,  5th,  8th,  and  9th  precincts. 
They  gave  me  some  names  upon  papers  upon  which  1  voted. 

1270.  Q.  Were  you  sworn  that  day  ! 
A.  No,  sir. 

1271.  Q.  Were  these  other  persons  you  have  spoken  of  engaged  in  that 
same  business  '] 

A.  They  were  doing  the  same  thing.  I  did  not  know  any  of  them 
except  by  sight.     I  voted  only  once  at  each  precinct. 

1272.  Q.  What  business  is  Doran  engaged  in? 
A.  He  keeps  a  liquor  store. 

1273.  Q.  Was  lie  a  deputy  sheriff,  or  a  special  deputy  sheriff? 
A.  ^Tot  that  I  know  of. 

1271.  Q.  Do  you  know  any  other  business  he  was  engaged  in  except 
keeping  a  liquor  store  'I 

A.  No,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Boss : 

127.1.  Q.  Have  you  been  naturalized? 

A.  No,  sir,  I  never  have.     I  never  voted  in  my  life  before. 

1270.  Q.  Who  asked  you  to  vote  I 

A.  They  were  all  in  the  store  that  evening,  and  said  they  were  going 
up  town,  and  wanted  me  to  go  with  them.  I  would  not  go,  however,  as 
they  were  all  drinking  and  I  could  not  stand  it.  I  went  up  the  next  day 
and  voted  four  or  five  times. 

1277.  Q.  How  many  stories  has  Doran's  house  ? 
A.  Only  two  stories  above  the  basement. 

1278.  Q.  What  does  lie  use  the  upper  stories  for? 

A.  Lodgings.     The  first  story  from  the  floor  is  a  club-room. 

1279.  Q.  How  long  have  you  been  engaged  in  selling  liquor  for  Doran? 
A.  Over  a  year. 

1280.  Q.  Did  you  know  you  had  no  right  to  vote ! 

A.  I  did,  but  they  said  no  questions  would  be  asked,  and  that  I  would 
not  be  put  under  oath. 

1281.  Q.  Do  you  know  any  of  the  others  that  voted  ? 

A.  I  did  not  see  them  vote  more  than  once,  because  I  went  away. 

1282.  Q.  Are  these  men  in  the  habit  of  frequenting  your  house? 
A.  Some  of  them  are;  others  I  had  not  seen  before. 

4283.  Q.  Who  gave  you  the  tickets  ? 

A.  I  got  them  in  Thirty-second  street.  I  do  not  know  who  gave  them 
to  me,  as  I  was  rather  boozy  at  the  time.  I  do  not  know  who  keeps  this 
house  on  Thirty-second  street. 


428  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

4284.  Q.  What  ticket  did  you  vote? 

A.  Seymour  and  Hoffman,  I  think;  I  did  not  look  at  the  ticket. 

New  York,  Wednesday,  January  6,  1869 
Charles  GRANT  sworn  and  examined. 
To  the  Ch airman: 

4285.  I  live  at  2.")  Allen  street,  in  this  city;  I  am  23  years  of  age,  anda 
native  of  this  country. 

4286.  Q.  State  if  you  voted  at  the  last  election;  if  so,  how  often  and 
where  \ 

A.  I  voted  in  the  10th  ward,  in  Crosby  street  somewhere.  I  voted 
at  this  place  six  or  seven  times,  to  the  best  of  my  knowledge.  I  voted1 
also  in  Canal  street,  near  Forsyth  street,  about  the  same  number  of' 
times.  I  also  voted  in  Forsyth  street,  near  Hester,  five  or  six  times;' 
in  Eldridge  street,  near  Canal,  five  or  six  times.  I  also  voted  in  the 
nth  ward,  in  Bayard  street,  four  or  live  times,  to  the  best  of  my  knowl- 
edge; in  the  7th  ward,  in  East  Broadway,  about  the  same  number  of 
times.     1  voted  at  about  six  different  places. 

42S7.  Q.  What  ticket  did  you  vote? 

A.  I  could  not  say. 

4288.  Q.  Who  furnished  you  with  the  tickets! 
A.  I  would  not  like  to  answer  that  question. 

4289.  Q.  Were  any  slips  of  paper  handed  to  you  with  names  and 
numbers  of  streets  upon  them  f 

A.  There  were  handed  me  slips  of  paper  containing  names  upon  which' 
1  was  to  vote,  and  the  tickets  I  was  to  vote  were  also  given  me. 

4290.  Q.  With  which  political  party  did  the  men  act  who  furnished' 
you  with  the  slips  ! 

A.  That  I  cannot  say.  A  bundle  of  tickets  was  handed  to  me,  and 
among  the  bundle  there  avus  a  Conkling  ticket,  to  enable  us  to  vote  with- 
out being  delayed.     I  think  it  was  a  Conkling  ticket. 

4291.  Q.  Do  you  know  how  many  persons  were  engaged  in  that  busi- 
ness? 

A.  Some  t  went  v. 

4292.  Q.  Where  did  they  vote  f 

A.  In  the  same  wards  and  in  the  same  manner  that  I  did. 

4293.  Q.  Were  they  what  is  known  as  repeaters? 
A.  To  the  best  of  my  belief  they  were  all  repeaters. 

4294.  Q.  How  many  went  with  you  around  the  different  precincts  ? 
A.  Some  five  or  six. 

4295.  Q.  Can  you  remember  any  names  on  which  you  voted '? 

A.  One  was  Michael  Corboy,  25  Allen  street;  another,  Michael  How 
ard,  25  Allen  street.    These  are  all  I  can  recollect  just  now. 

4296.  Q.  Did  you  not  vote  on  the  name  of  Edward  Welch? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Boss : 

4297.  Q.  In  relation  to  the  Conkling  ticket,  what  do  vou  mean  by 
that? 

A.  This  ticket  was  put  into  every  bundle  to  enable  us  to  vote  without 
being  delayed.     Conkling  was  running  at  the  time  for  mayor. 

4298.  Q.  Which  election  are  you  talking  about  f 
A.  The  general  election — the" presidential  election. 

4299.  Q.  The  time  that  Conkling  ran  for  mayor  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK  429 

4300.  Q.  You  recollect  having  a  Conkling  ticket  at  the  time  you  voted  f 
A.  I  never  looked  at  the  tickets,  no  more  than  that  the  other  parties 

who  were  with  me  had  a  Conkling  ticket  in  their  bundle,  and  as  my 
•mndle  was  like  theirs,  I  supposed  1  had  a  Conkling  ticket. 

4301.  Q.  Did  you  vote  for  Conkling? 
A.  That  J  cannot  say. 

4302.  Q.  Was  it  the  understanding  that  you  were  to  vote  the  Conk- 
ling ticket? 

A.  1  believe  that  it  was.  I  understood  that  avc  voted  the  Conkling 
ticket  that  we  had  in  our  bundle  so  as  to  prevent  delay. 

4303.  Q.  Did  you  "repeat"  at  the  mayor's  election  also  l 
A.  Yes,  sir.  I  did. 

4304.  Q.  Were  the  same  repeaters  with  you  at  the  mayor's  election  \ 
A.  Yes,  sir;  some  were  and  some  were  not? 

430.").  Q.  How  many  times  did  you  repeat  at  the  mayor's  election  i 
A.  I  cannot  say  exactly;  I  should  think  1  repeated  about  30  times. 
430G.  Q.  How  many  went  with  you  at  that  time  I 
A.  At  the  last  election  there  were  some  20  with  me.     We  went  through 

three  wards — the  0th  ward,  7th  ward,  and  10th  ward. 

4307.  Q.  Where  did  you  get  your  tickets  at  the  mayors  election  ! 
A.  There  was  a  man  who  furnished  them  to  me. 

4308.  Q.  Where  did  he  live ! 
A.  That  is  more  than  I  know. 

4309.  Q.  Do  you  know  any  of  the  other  men  that  were  with  you  1 
A.  No,  sir. 

4310.  (L).  Were  you  at  William  Doran's? 
A.  No,  sir. 

4311.  Q.  Where  were  the  headquarters  of  these  repeaters  $ 

A.  AYe  met  in  the  Bowery  two  or  three  doors  from  the  BoAvery  theatre. 

4312.  Q.  Do  you  recollect  anything  about  the  presidential  election! 
A.  1  am  speaking  of  the  last  election. 

4313.  Q.  The  frauds  you  speak  of  took  place  at  the  last  election  when 
the  mayor  was  running  'I 

A.  If  I  am  not  mistaken,  I  repeated  at  the  mayor's  election. 

4314.  Q.  That  is  the  election  you  have  been  talking  about,  is  it  not  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

4315.  Q.  Then  all  that  you  have  said  in  your  testimony  about  repeat- 
ing and  illegal  voting  at  the  presidential  election  was  at  the  mayor's 
election? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

4310   Q.  It  was  at  the  time  you  had  the  Conkling  ticket? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

4317.  Q.  Did  you  vote  the  Conkling  ticket  ? 

A.  The  tickets  were  given  to  us  in  a  bundle.  I  never  looked  at  my 
bundle  of  tickets  at  all.  We  had  slips  of  paper  wuth  the  names  of  the 
residences  of  voters  that  were  handed  to  us  with  the  tickets,  and  we 
were  told  that  by  putting  a  Conkling  ticket  in  our  bundle  we  could  get 
through  quicker,  as  there  w^ould  be  no  obstruction. 

1318.  Q.  Did  you  show  to  the  republican  inspectors  when  you  went 
up  to  the  polls  the  Conkling  ticket  ? 

A.  No,  sir,  I  did  not. 

1319.  Q.  To  whom  did  you  show  the  Conkling  ticket  to  enable  you 
o  get  through  quicker? 

A.  I  did  not  show  it  to  anybody.  I  suppose  it  was  given  to  us  by 
parties  interested  in  that  ticket.  It  was  arranged  between  the  inspect- 
>rs  and  the  other  outside  parties,  I  suppose. 


430  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

4320.  Q;  And  it  was  the  object  of  having  a  Conkling  ticket  in  that 
bundle  to  get  your  tickets  in  quicker  without  delay  I 

A.  That  was  the  understanding.  It  was  pretty  certain  that  Ball 
would  be  elected,  and  it  would  not  make  any  difference  whether  we 
voted  the  Conkling  ticket  or  not. 

4321.  Q.  What  business  have  you  been  following  .' 

A.  I  have  been  in  the  jewelry  business ;  I  have  been  in  the  cheap  dol 
lar  bazar;  I  have  also  followed  frame-making. 

4322.  Q.  State  to  the  committee  who  gave  yon  these  tickets. 
A.    I  would  not  like  to  tell  his  name. 

4323.  Q.  Is  he  a  republican? 

A.  That  I  would  not  like  to  say. 

4324.  Did  he  give  you  a  Conkling  ticket  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir;  and  the  others. 

4325.  Q.  Then,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  you  do  not  know  anything  about 
the  presidential  election.  This  repeating  you  speak  of  took  place  at  the 
mayor's  election  I 

A.  I  believe  so. 

4326.  Q.  You  know  nothing  of  repeating  at  the  presidential  election? 
A.  !Nb,  sir;  not  of  much  account. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins: 

4327.  Q.  When  you  were  engaged  in  repeating  at  the  last  presidential 
election,  you  got  your  tickets  at  a  place  near  the  Bowery  theatre.  What 
was  the  number  of  the  house  ? 

A.  That  1  do  not  know.  It  was  named  after  William  Cuddy,  and  was 
his  rendezvous. 

4328.  Q.  What  is  William  Cuddy  >. 

A.  That  is  more  than  I  can  tell  you.  He  was  elected  on  the  demo 
cratic  ticket. 

4329.  Q.  Did  you  see  William  Cuddy  there  I 

A.  No,  sir;  I  saw  him  counting  the  different  election  districts. 

New  York,  Wednesday,  January  6,  1869.    j 
John  P.  THURSTON  sworn  and  examined,  (called  by  Mr.  Eoss.) 
To  Mr.  EOSS: 

4330.  I  was  an  election  officer  at  the  last  presidential  election  in  tin 
3d  district  of  the  4th  ward. 

4331.  Q.  Did  you  see  any  obstructions  thrown  in  the  way  of  men's 
voting  so  that  they  all  did  not  get  their  votes  in  f 

A.  Yes,  sir.  A  man  by  the  name  of  Michael  Costello,  chairman  o1 
the  board  of  inspectors,  challenged  almost  every  legal  voter  who  pre 
sented  himself,  and  would  delay  them  by  swearing  them  and  examining 
them. 

4332.  Q.  He  challenged  men  he  knew  to  be  voters  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

4333.  Q.  And  in  that  way  retarded  the  voting? 
A.  He  delayed  it  a  great  deal. 

4331.  Q.  Was  it  carried  to  such  extent  as  to  leave  many  persons  a 
the  polls  at  the  time  they  closed  in  the  evening,  waiting  to  deposit  thei 
votes ! 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  there  were  at  least  a  hundred  on  the  sidewalk  who  conk 
not  vote  when  the  polls  closed.  There  was  one  man  in  particular  b; 
the  name  of  McLaughlin,  whom  1  have  known  for  many  years  to  be  i 
legal  voter.     Costello  also  knew  him. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  431 

4335.  Q.  What  was  Costelhrs  object  in  doing  this? 
A.  I  do  not  know  any  more  than  that  it  was  to  delay  voting  ! 
433(>.  Q.  Did  yon  and  your  democratic  colleague  attempt  to  get  any 
illegal  votes  in ! 
A.  ]So,  sir. 

4337.  Q.  Did  yon  try  to  protect  the  registry  and  polls  from  frauds 
being  perpetrated  upon  them  ? 

A.  I  did.  If  I  knew  any  man  who  attempted  to  vote  illegally  I  would 
challenge  him. 

4338.  Q.  Do  yon  know  anything  about  repeaters  voting-  at  yonr  poll  f 
A.  Xo,  sir. 

4330.  Q.  Could  any  man  have  voted  there  three  or  four  times  without 
your  knowing"  it  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

4340.  Q.  Are  you  prepared  to  say  that  it  was  not  done  at  your  poll 
at  that  time  ? 

A.  I  am ;  I  do  not  think  it  was  practiced. 

4341.  Q.  Did  von  hear  anybody  threaten  the  life  of  Mr.  Costello  that 
day  ? 

A.  I  did  not.  There  was  quite  a  crowd  outside  the  polls  all  day,  and 
there  was  loud  noise  and  talk. 

4342.  Q.  Would  you  have  been  very  apt  to  have  heard  it  if  his  life 
'  had  been  threatened  l 

A.  I  think  I  would. 

4343.  Q.  Was  there  any  thing-  more  than  a  murmur  of  discontent  on 
account  of  the  voters  being  delayed  in  voting"  ? 

A.  That  was  all.     They  were  very  indignant  at  being  kept  there  from 
depositing  their  votes.     Especially  at  dinner  time  there  was  a  great 
crowd  of  men  came  there  who  wanted  to  poll  their  votes  without  losing 
any  time.     They  were  quite  angry  at  being  delayed. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

4344.  Q.  How  many  men  were  sworn  on  the  day  of  election  I 

A.  I  cannot  tell  you ;  I  think  there  were  more  than  a  hundred  sworn  in. 

434.").  Q.  How  many  more  ' 

A.  I  could  not  tell  you  the  exact  number. 

4340.  Q.  When  you  say  there  were  some  men  at  the  polls  who  were 
not  able  to  vote,  do  you  know  that  they  were  men  who  came  there  for 
the  purpose  of  voting  or  not  ! 

A.  There  were  many  men  there  who  I  know  wanted  to  vote. 

4347.  Was  there  a  crowd  there  all  day,  or  was  it  only  between  the 
hours  of  twelve  and  one  o'clock. 

A.  There  was  a  great  crowd  there  between  those  hours.  There  were 
over  a  hundred  left  when  the  polls  closed;  a  long  line  that  extended 
around  the  block. 

4348.  Q.  Could  not  those  men  who  were  there  have  been  able  to  vote 
if  they  had  come  there  earlier  in  the  day  \ 

A.  No,  sir:  there  was  a  great  crowd  all  day. 

4349-50.  Q.  Suppose  you  could  examine  a  hundred  and  twenty  men  an 
hour,  or  two  a  minute,  could  you  not  have  been  able  to  challenge  the 
whole  crowd  and  still  have  got  in  all  the  votes  1 

A.  I  could  not  say.  Costello  would  swear  them  in,  and  question 
them,  and  delay  them  as  long  as  he  could. 

4351.  Q.  Was  he  chairman  of  the  board  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

4352.  Q.  You  are  a  democrat  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir;  and  always  shall  be. 


432  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

New  York,  .January  (I,  1869. 
James  O'Brien  recalled,  (at  the  instance  of  Mr.  Kerr.) 
By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

4353.  Q.  When  you  were  before  the  committee  the  other  day  you 
were  asked  a  question  by  the  chairman  which  you  declined  to  answer  in 
reference  to  your  conviction  of  an  offence  :  do  you  now  desire  to  make 
any  statement  in  regard  to  it  \ 

4354.  A.  I  do.  I  did  not  understand  at  first  the  nature  of  the  ques- 
tion that  was  asked  me.  It  was  in  regard  to  whether  I  had  been  out©!' 
the  city  for  any  length  of  time.  I  think  it  was  in  the  year  1857,  at  the 
time  King  was  governor  of  New  York  State,!  was  working  in  a  stone-yard, 
in  Twenty-ninth  street.  There  were  six  or  seven  hundred  men  at  work  in 
this  yard.  Our  boss  was  at  the  time  a  candidate  for  some  office,  and  a 
squad  of  us  went  down  one  evening  to  attend  a  primary  election  in  his 
interest.  On  our  way  back  there  was  some  little  disturbance,  and  sonic 
potatoes  thrown,  or  something  of  that  kind;  and  some  1(5  or  17  of  us 
were  arrested  and  locked  up  that  night.  The  next  morning  we  were  let 
out  on  bail,  and  about  three  or  four  months  afterwards  we  were  brought 
down  to  the  court.  None  of  us  had  any  money  or  had  any  friends.  We 
were  all  young  and  knew  very  little  about  courts.  We  were  told  to 
plead  guilty,  and  we  would  be  let  oft'  if  we  did.  I  insisted  that  I  was 
not  guilty  of  any  crime  at  all.  I  had  nobody  to  defend  me.  and  I  was 
sent  up  to  BlackwelPs  island.  1  was  there  about  a  week  or  two  when  a 
pardon  came  forme,  [never  could  find  out  what  offence  I  was  indicted 
for  until  six  or  seven  years  afterwards.  At  the  time  I  was  not  quite  18 
years  of  age.  Among  the  number  that  was  arrested  there  were  many 
of  very  respectable  character :  men  known  in  the  community,  but  they 
were  all  sent  up. 

4355.  Q.  Look  at  this  document  and  see  if  the  names  in  it  and  the 
judge  correspond  with  the  particulars  to  which  you  have  referred  ? 

A.  I  think  it  does.  I  desire  to  present  to  the  committee  a  copy  ef 
the  indictment  upon  which  J  was  convicted.  I  think  I  was  sentenced] 
to  thirty  days  imprisonment.  I  was  pardoned  after  being  there  about)  • 
two  weeks.  There  was  nobody  hurt  in  this  row,  and  no  particular  dis- 
turbance. There  was  a  good  deal  of  excitement,  as  there  is  at  every 
primary  election.     It  was  the  first  one  I  ever  attended. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

4356.  Q.  How  long  have  you  lived  in  New  York  city  ? 
A ..  About  twenty  years. 

4357.  Q.  To  what  extent  have  yon  been  acquainted  with  the  foreign 
(dement  of  .New  York  city  ? 

A.  I  was  brought  up  among  them ;  I  have  very  general  acquaintance 
with  them. 

4358.  Q.  State  to  what  extent  the  foreign  population  of  New  York 
city  during  the  rebellion  sympathized  with  the  government  and  in  the 
prosecution  of  the  war  \ 

A.  I  was  among  them  all  the  time.  I  think  to  a  great  extent  they 
all  sympathized  with  the  government.  A  very  large  number  of  them 
enlisted  in  the  army,  especially  in  my  immediate  neighborhood. 

4359.  Q.  Can  you  state  whether  the  enlistments  among  the  foreign 
population  were  to  so  great  an  extent  as  to  visibly  reduce  the  number? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  1  hardly  saw  anybody  enlist  but  Germans  and  Irish. 
4300.  Q.  Of  the  others  who  went  to  the  Avar,  what  proportion  were, 
native-born  ? 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  433 

A.  I  could  not  state  particularly;  I  should  think  that  there  was  a 
large  proportion  who  went  away.  1  was  a  member  of  the  committee  of 
the  board  of  aldermen  for  relieving  the  wives  and  children  of  men  who 
enlisted  in  the  army.     My  opportunities  for  observation  were  very  good. 

4361.  Q.  In  what  courts  are  there  grand  juries  einpannelled  in  this 
city ! 

A.  The  general  sessions  only,  I  believe.  I  know  very  little  about  the 
grand  juries.  The  commissioners  of  jurors  send  the  names  to  us  and  we 
serve  the  notices,  that  is  all  we  have  to  do  with  it. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 
43G2.  Q.  In  reference  to  this  proportion  of  foreign  enlistments  in  this 
city,  of  which  you  have  spoken,  do  you  judge  from  statistics  or  from 

I  actual  knowledge? 
A.  Onl}'  from  the  result  of  general  observation. 

The  following  is  the  document  alluded  to  in  Mr.  O'Brien's  testimony : 

City  and  County  of  New  York,  ss  : 

The  jurors  of  the  people  of  the  State  of  New  York,  in  and  for  the  body 
of  the  city  and  county  of  New  York,  upon  their  oath  present,  that 
Michael  Cannony,  late  of  the  twentieth  ward  of  the  city  of  New  York,  in 


together  with  twenty  other  evil-disposed  persons,  to  the  jurors  aforesaid 
unknown,  being  rioters,  routers,  and  disturbers  of  the  peace  of  the  peo- 
ple of  the  State  of  New  York,  on  the  17th  day  of  November,  in  the  year 
of  our  Lord  1857,  at  the  ward,  city,  and  county  aforesaid,  with  force 
and  arms,  unlawfully,  riotously,  routously,  and  injuriously,  did  assem- 
ble and  gather  together  to  disturb  the  peace  of  the  said  people,  to  the 
great  terror  of  the  said  people,  and  so  being  there  and  then  assembled 
and  gathered  together,  a  very  great  riot,  rout,  tumult,  and  disturbance 
then  and  there  did  make,  and  cause  to  be  made,  and  in  and  upon  a  cer- 
tain person  whose  name  is  to  the  jurors  aforesaid  unknown,  in  the  peace 
of  the  said  people,  then  and  there  being  unlawfully,  riotously,  and  rout- 
ously, did  make  an  assault,  to  the  evil  example  of  all  others  in  like  case 
offending,  and  against  the  peace  of  the  people  of  the  State  of  New  York 
and  their  dignity. 

A.  OAKEY  HALL, 

District  Attorney. 

New  York,  January  6,  1868. 

James  A.  Colvin  sworn  and  examined. 
To  the  Chairman  : 

4363.  During  the  last  presidential  election  I  held  the  office  of  can- 
vasser in  the  6th  district  of  the  7th  ward.  I  was  hist  appointed 
inspector  and  afterwards  changed  to  canvasser.  When  I  came  to  the 
polls  just  before  their  close  on  the  evening  of  election  the  poll  clerks  and 
inspectors  were  engaged  in  looking  over  the  votes.  I  commenced  talk- 
ing with  them,  and  in  the  course  of  the  conversation  they  told  me  they 
were  promised  $5  apiece  and  a  supper  if  they  would  hurry  up  the  vote, 
as  there  were  a  great  many  voters  outside  waiting  to  deposit  their  bal- 
lots. While  I  was  canvassing  the  votes  in  that  precinct,  in  the  course 
of  the  evening,  Justice  Shandley  was  in  the  room.  I  proposed  to  can- 
vass the  votes  in  the  regular  way.  The  other  canvasser,  however,  refused 
28  t 


434  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

to  do  it.  He  said  he  intended  to  read  off  each  name  on  each  electoral 
ticket.  I  remonstrated  with  him  and  told  him  that  would  be  too  long; 
that  the  ordinary  way  would  be  to  look  over  each  ticket,  and  those  that 
were  not  scratched  to  place  in  piles  of  ten  or  a  dozen  each.  Fie  said, 
however,  lie  would  carry  it  out  in  his  own  way,  and  then  called  on  Jus- 
tice Shandley  and  asked  his  opinion  as  to  the  proper  mode  of  canvassing 
votes.  Justice  Shandley  agreed  with  me  and,  after  talking  a  little  while 
with  the  other  canvasser,  said  he  probably  had  his  instructions  us  to  how  | 
he  would  canvass,  and  that  he  had  better  go  on.  The  usual  mode  of 
canvassing  votes,  heretofore,  has  been  to  sort  them  out  into  piles  of  ten 
or  twelve  and  then  count  the  votes  from  them.  It  has  not  been  usual  to 
canvass  each  name  on  the  ticket.  After  we  hud  gone  a  little  way  in  the 
canvass  the  other  man  said  that  it  was  slow  work,  and  he  agreed  to  sort 
them  out  in  piles  of  live  each,  and  after  a  little  while  this  way  he  con-  i 
eluded  to  do  it  in  the  regular  manner. 

4364.  Q.  Do  you  know,  before  he  concluded  to  change  the  mode  of 
counting  the  votes,  whether  he  hud  any  communication  with  persons 
from  the  outside  ? 

A.  I  could  not  suy.  The  poll  clerk,  who  was  in  the  room,  hud  whis- 
pered communications  with  the  canvasser  and  with  the  parties  outside. 
He  would  go  outside  and  then  come  back  again. 

4365.  Q.  What  are  your  politics  ? 

A.  I  am  a  republican.  Thomas  Jordan  is  the  name  of  the  other  can- 
vasser.    He  is  a  democrat,  I  believe. 

4366.  Q.  State  what  you  know  of  a  vote  being  cast  on  the  name  of 
Owen  O'Reilly  I 

A.  The  vote  was  not  cast.  I  acted  temporarily  during  the  day  as 
inspector.  A  man  came  up  and  offered  to  vote  on  the  name  of  Owen 
O'Reilly.  I  told  the  inspector  not  to  receive  the  vote.  I  challenged 
the  vote  and  the  man  refused  to  be  sworn  in,  but  the  democratic 
inspector  took  his  vote  and  deposited  it  in  the  box.  The  other  boxes 
were  in  charge  of  the  democratic  inspector. 

4367.  Q.  How  many  persons  were  challenged  at  your  precinct  ? 

A.  I  could  not  say.  There  were  very  few.  While  I  was  there  I  made 
but  very  few  challenges  myself. 

4368.  Q.  Can  you  state  from  your  observation  how  far  it  was  practica- 
ble or  safe  for  persons  to  challenge  votes  I 

A.  I  considered  myself  perfectly  safe  in  challenging  in  the  district 
where  I  was,  although  several  threats  were  thrown  out  to  me  when  I  did 
challenge.  A  person  outside  at  one  time  threatened  to  give  me  my 
"belly  full"  if  I  did  that  kind  of  business.  There  were  no  challenges 
at  that  precinct,  1  believe,  on  the  republican  side,  that  I  know  of,  except 
those  made  by  the  two  inspectors.  There  were  democratic  challenges 
I  know. 

To  Mr.  Kerr  : 

4369.  I  do  not  know  of  my  own  knowledge  whether  this  man  who  rep- 
resented himself  as  Owen  O'Reilly  was  a  legal  voter  or  not.  I  would 
not  receive  his  vote  into  my  boxes.  The  democratic  inspectors,  however, 
received  it  in  their  boxes.  They  said  Ave  had  no  right  to  reject  the  vote, 
because  the  name  was  on  the  register.  I  cannot  state  whether  there  was 
any  difference  between  the  place  of  residence  on  the  poll-list  of  Owen 
O'Reilly  and  that  given  by  the  man  who  wanted  to  vote  on  that  name. 
I  am  inclined  to  think  that  the  residence  corresponded.  I  was  not 
threatened  by  anybody  except  as  I  have  stated.  At  the  time  O'Reilly's 
vote  was  rejected  there  was  considerable  noise  outside  and  loud  talking. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  435 

4370.  Q.  You  said  there  was  some  whispered  interview  between  the 
democratic  canvasser  and  others ;  did  you  hear  what  was  said  between 
them  ? 

A.  I  did  not. 

4371.  Q.  Did  you  hear  what  was  said  between  this  poll  clerk  and  the 
parties  outside  I 

A.  I  did  not. 

4372.  Q.  You  do  not  know  but  that  it  was  perfectly  proper  conver- 
sation ? 

A.  I  do  not. 

4373.  Q.  How  many  minutes  had  this  other  canvasser  continued  to 
count  the  votes  in  the  tedious  way  which  you  mention? 

A.  It  lasted  some  time;  we  had  quite  an  argument  with  them  to  have 
them  canvassed  in  the  right  way.  I  could  not  say  how  long  he  was 
canvassing  the  votes.  I  do  not  think  he  counted  more  than  a  few  bal- 
lots, however.  We  occupied  a  good  deal  of  the  time  in  arguing  with 
him  and  trying  to  persuade  him  to  change  his  mode  of  counting.  My 
recollection  is  that  there  were  but  very  few  ballots  counted  in  that  way. 
I  could  not  say  what  his  motive  was  in  counting  in  this  manner. 

4374.  Q.  Did  Justice  Shandley  defend  that  mode  of  canvassing? 
A.  He  did  not  at  the  time,  but  he  did  subsequently,  I  believe. 

New  Y^ork,  January  6,  1860. 
Sylvester  E.  Nolan  sworn  and  examined,  (called  by  Mr.  Kerr.) 
To  Mr.  Kerr: 

4375.  I  am  the  clerk  of  the  chambers  of  the  superior  court;  have 
been  so  for  the  past  year.  Have  been  a  clerk  for  the  last  eight  years. 
My  duties  during  the  past  year,  in  regard  to  naturalization  that  took 
place  in  that  court,  have  been  to  administer  the  oath  to  the  witness 
previous  to  his  going  before  the  judge  to  be  examined.  When  the  wit- 
ness was  examined  and  the  applicant  passed,  I  administered  the  oath 
of  allegiance  to  the  applicant.  1  sat  to  the  right-hand  side  of  the  judge. 
I  was  in  the  court-room  generally  every  day  from  half-past  10  until 
they  got  through  at  night.  I  was  sometimes  relieved  by  other  clerks 
to  enable  me  to  go  out  and  lunch,  but  I  was  never  away  for  any  length 
of  time.  I  think  Judge  McCunn  did  most  of  the  superior  court  natur- 
alization business;  Judge  Garvin  probably  commenced,  and  Judge 
Jones,  Judge  Robertson,  and  Judge  Barbour  assisted. 

4370.  Q.  State  what  degree  of  care  was  exercised  by  the  judge  whom 
you  attended  in  this  business  of  naturalization  to  prevent  frauds  and 
detecting  persons  in  attempting  to  practice  frauds  upon  the  judges  of 
the  court,  or  upon  the  naturalization  laws. 

A.  The  judges  always  examined  the  witness  as  to  the  affidavit  sworn 
to  by  him,  and  examined  him  as  to  how  long  he  had  known  the  applicant,., 
as  to  where  he  had  lived,  and  similar  questions.  If  prompt  answers  were 
not  given,  the  judge  would  examine  him  further,  and  if  he  equivocated 
in  any  way,  the  judge  would  reject  the  application. 

4377.  Q.  To  what  extent  were  applications  rejected? 
j    A.  To  a  very  great  extent;  probably  some  days  200  were  rejected. 
Rejected  applications  were  torn  up  by  the  judge,  and  the  parties  sent 
about  their  business. 

■1378.  Q.  Did  persons  frequentlv  appear  as  witness  for  different  appli- 
cants I 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  have  known  it  to  occur  very  frequently.  The  same  par- 
ties would  act  as  witness  four  or  live  times  a  day.     I  cannot  give  any 


436  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

names  of  parties  who  so  acted,  although  their  faces  are  very  familiar 
to  me. 

4379.  Q.  State  whether,  in  view  of  the  manner  in  which  this  business 
was  transacted,  it  could  have  been  practicable  for  any  person  to  obtain 
naturalization  papers  without  being  personally  present  in  court  and  tak- 
ing the  oath  of  allegiance. 

A.  It  was  impossible  to  do  so  unless  they  were  falsely  personated.  I 
never  knew  it  to  be  done. 

4380.  Q.  Did  you  ever  hear  of  the  judges  with  whom  you  co-operated 
in  this  business  attempting  to  put  any  persons  who  were  suspected  of  ' 
being  guilty  of  improper  conduct  or  improper  intentions  upon  the  court 
under  arrest,  or  order  them  to  be  put  under  arrest  I 

A.  I  know  that  Judge  McCunn  did  on  several  occasions,  and  has  often 
reprimanded  persons  and  told  them  not  to  come  before  him  at  all.  He  ; 
has  often  cross-examined  parties  very  closely,  and  not  getting  straight 
answers  to  his  questions,  he  would  reject  the  applications  and  warn  the 
witness  not  to  appear  before  him  again;  that  if  he  did  he  would  commit 
him.  I  believe  he  did  commit  one  or  two,  but  what  was  done  with  them 
afterwards  I  cannot  say. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

4381.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  person  being  indicted  or  punished  for 
fraudulent  voting,  or  for  any  fraud  or  illegality  in  relation  to  elections 
in  New  York  city  within  the  last  three  years,  except  in  one  single  in- 
stance ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  of  one  instance  to  my  own  knowledge  ;  I  have  seen 
statements  in  the  papers. 

By  Mr.  Dickey: 

4382.  Q.  How  many  people  did  you  naturalize  in  an  hour? 

A.  I  presume  120;  sometimes  more  and  sometimes  less.     It  would  de- 
pend a  great  deal  upon  whether  the  witness  was  an  intelligent  man  and  i 
.gave  prompt  answers  to  questions  put  to  him. 

New  York,  January  0,  18G0. 
William  W.  Woodward  sworn  and  examined. 
To  the  Chairman: 

4383.  In  regard  to  frauds  perpetrated  in  the  presidential  election  last 
November,  I  will  state  that  when  I  went  to  register  my  name  at  the 
polling  place  in  the  9th  district  of  the  6th  ward,  where  I  reside,  I  no-  ! 
ticed  parties  whom  I  knew  very  well  registering  under  assumed  names. 
There  was  a  Mr.  Gutterman  who  registered  himself  as  Mr.  Barnum ;  a 
Mr.  Burdell  registered  as  Mr.  Crounce.  I  also  noticed  a  Mr.  Prime, 
who  is  a  notorious  character,  and  has  been  in  the  hands  of  the  police 
frequently,  registered  twice  or  three  times.  I  saw  another  man,  whose 
name  I  cannot  recall,  register  twice.  In  the  case  of  this  man  who  regis- 
tered himself  as  Barnum,  what  attracted  my  attention  was  that  he  regis- 
tered as  living  at  the  New  England  Hotel,  where  I  reside.  I  knew  he 
had  not  lived  there  for  the  last  30  days  previously,  but  had  been  expelled 
from  the  place. 

4384.  Q.  State  if  the  whole  four  inspectors  were  present  that  day. 
A.  No,  sir;  Colonel  Beeney  was  absent  at  dinner  at  the  time  I  was 

there;  at  least  I  was  told  so  by  parties  present. 

4385.  Q.  State  what  mode  prevailed  previous  to  the  last  election  of  j 
canvassing  electoral  votes  of  President  and  Vice-President  ? 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK  437 

A.  I  have  been  a  canvasser  for  the  last  three  or  four  years,  and  the 
plan  always  has  been  to  take  each  separate  box  and  count  the  number 
of  tickets,  placing  them  in  piles  of  lives  or  tens,  and  not  count  each 
name  on  the  ticket  separately. 

New  York,  January  6,  18G9. 

John  Cummings  sworn  and  examined. 
To  the  Chairman  : 

4380.  I  am  29  years  of  age;  I  am  acquainted  Avith  the  sheriff  of  this 
county ;  I  have  known  him  for  fifteen  or  sixteen  years,  or  more ;  I 
worked  with  him  in  a  stone-yard  sometime  ago ;  I  was  indicted  with  him 
a  good  many  years  ago  for  a  disturbance  in  a  primary  election ;  I  can 
hardly  remember  the  particulars  of  the  row ;  I  was  very  young  at  the 
time;  I  know^  that  I  went  to  a  primary  meeting  at  night  with  some  six- 
teen or  seventeen  others,  and  in  coming  away  there  was  some  disturb- 
ance; a  good  lot  of  us  were  arrested;  I  was  sent  up  for  thirty  days. 

New  York,  January  6,  1869. 

Morgan  Jones  sworn  and  examined,  (called  by  Mr.  Kerr.) 
To  Mr.  Kerr  : 

4387.  I  was  at  the  polling  place  at  the  last  presidential  election  of  the 
5th  district  of  the  7th  ward ;  I  live  in  the  3d  district  of  that  ward  and 
cast  my  vote  there ;  during  the  day  I  wTent  over  to  the  6th  district ;  there 
were  about  5,300  votes  cast  in  my  ward ;  there  were  probably  about  325 
republican ;  the  balance  were  democratic ;  the  population  of  the  ward  is 
about  44,000 ;  I  know  a  man  by  the  name  of  Michael  Costello ;  he  was 
inspector  in  some  district  in  the  4th  ward ;  I  do  not  know  of  any  threats 
being  used  against  him  on  election  day  any  further  than  that  his  vote 
was  challenged ;  I  did  not  see  Alderman  Coman  during  election  day ;  I 
made  no  threats  whatever  against  Costello :  I  did  not  call  him  "a  dirty 
loafer;"  I  believe  he  was  called  so  by  a  man  by  the  name  of  Dowdell, 
who  Was  in  the  crowd  around  the  polls  where  Costello  voted ;  I  did  not 
say  to  him  that  the  police  would  not  be  done  with  him  for  three  months 
to  come ;  I  have  not  spoken  to  Costello  for  five  years ;  the  last  time  I 
spoke  to  him  was  when  he  came  to  me  to  ask  my  influence  to  get  him 
reappointed  in  the  office  of  receiver  of  taxes,  from  which  office  he  had 
been  discharged ;  I  went  there  and  tried  to  get  him  back,  but  I  learned 
at  the  office  that  he  was  not  a  proper  man  to  hold  the  position,  and  so  I 
dropped  him;  there  was  a  good  deal  of  challenging  in  the  district  in 
which  I  voted,  but  there  were  a  great  number  of  votes  that  were  not  got 
in  for  the  reason  that  there  were  parties  there  who  challenged  pretty 
nearly  everybody  wmo  came  up — challenged  them  indiscriminately, 
whether  they  were  legal  voters  or  not ;  every  time  a  man  wras  challenged 
it  would  give  rise  to  quite  a  controversy  between  the  inspectors,  and 
consequently  there  was  a  good  deal  of  delay ;  I  was  at  the  polls  in  the 
5th  district  from  10  o'clock  until  about  12,  and  in  the  afternoon  from  3 
to  4;  I  know  of  my  own  knowledge  that  there  were  parties  that  came  to 
the  polls  to  vote  and  the  crowd  being  so  great  they  were  obliged  to  go 
away ;  I  know  that  there  were  in  a  house  that  I  own  three  persons  who 
were  entitled  to  vote,  and  who  had  tried  to  do  so  repeatedly,  but  the 
crowd  was  so  great  that  they  could  not  do  so ;  in  the  precinct  there  were 
about  530  democratic  votes' and  30  or  40  republicans;  I  should  think 
that  in  the  crowd  who  could  not  get  their  ballots  in,  a  very  large  pro- 
portion were  democrats;  one  of  the  inspectors  acted  as  republican 
challenger  at  the  polls. 


438  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK 

To  Mr.  Dickey  : 
4388.  I  think  the  remark  about  the  police  made  to  Costello  arose  from 
the  fact  that  he  came  to  the  polls  escorted  by  four  or  five  policemen.  I 
think  some  one  in  the  crowd  halloed  out,  "  You  will  travel  with  the  police 
all  day ;  you  are  trying  to  keep  voters  out  of  persons  whom  you  have 
known  for  years." 

By  the  Chairman  : 

4381).  Q.  How  many  republican  wards  are  there  in  New  York  cityf 

A.  There  is  but  one,  the  15th,  and  that  goes  democratic  sometimes. 

431)0.  Q.  Can  you  state  any  instance,  except  one,  where  any  person 
has  been  indicted  for  illegal  voting,  or  for  any  fraud  or  illegal  conduct 
in  relation  to  elections  in  New  York  city,  and  punished! 

A.  I  have  paid  no  particular  attention  to  this  matter.  I  know  of  one 
person  who  was  tried,  convicted,  and  sent  to  the  penitentiary.  1  was 
present  in  the  court-room  at  the  time  he  was  sentenced.  It  was  in  the 
court  of  general  sessions. 

4301.  Q.  Don't  you  know  that  the  sentence  was  suspended  in  that 
case? 

A.  I  do  not  know. 


By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

4392.  Q.  Do  you  know  what  is  the  general  reputation  of  Costello 
among  his  neighbors  for  truth  and  veracity? 

A.  I  think  he  is  a  bad  fellow  ;  his  reputation  is  bad  for  truth  and 
veracity. 

4393.  Q.  On  that  reputation  would  you  believe  him  under  oath. 
A.  No,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

4394.  Q.  Whom  did  you  hear  say  that  his  reputation  for  truth  and 
veracity  was  bad  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  that  I  heard  anybody  say  so  in  particular. 

4395.  Q.  Whom  did  you  hear  in  general  I 

A.  I  cannot  say  that  anybody  stated  so  particularly  in  regard  to  truth 
and  veracity ;  I  cannot  name  any  one  at  present. 

439G.  Q.  When  did  you  hear  any  one  speaking  in  regard  to  his  truth 
and  veracity  ? 

A.  During  the  war  he  was  engaged  in  the  bounty  business,  and  cheated 
some  one  out  of  some  money.  Mr.  McLaughlin,  the  tax  receiver  of  this 
city,  said  he  would  not  believe  him  $  whether  under  oath  or  not  I  do  not 
know. 

New  York,  January  G,  1869. 

Thomas  By  an  sworn  and  examined,  (called  by  Mr.  Kerr.) 
To  Mr.  Kerr: 

4397.  I  am  chief  officer  of  the  superior  court.  James  M.  Sweeny  is 
chief  clerk  of  the  court.  My  duties  are  to  keep  order  in  the  court  and 
go  on  errands  for  the  judges,  and  see  that  the  other  officers  are  attend- 
ing to  their  duties.  I  was  in  the  superior  court  room  during  the  month 
of  October.  I  remember  when  the  business  of  naturalization  was  being- 
done  by  that  court.  I  was  there  every  day.  My  duty  was  to  keep  the  appli- 
cants in  line,  and  to  maintain  order  and  pass  up  their  names  to  the  clerk, 
and  there  was  a  clerk  at  each  end  of  the  bench  who  called  off  the  names 
of  the  witnesses.    As  soon  as  the  name  was  called  they  would  go  up 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  439 

before  the  court  with  the  applicant.  The  court  would  sometimes  swear 
them  and  sometimes  the  clerk  would.  They  would  first  swear  the  wit- 
ness to  make  true  answers  to  such  questions  as  were  put  to  him  in  regard 
to  naturalization.  After  they  were  passed  the  applicant  would  go  to 
the  clerk  who  would  swear  him  to  allegiance  to  the  United  States. 

4398.  Q.  What  care  was  practiced  by  the  judges  to  prevent  the  per- 
petration of  frauds  upon  the  naturalization  laws? 

A.  I  should  think  some  five  or  ten  per  cent,  of  the  applications  were 
rejected.  The  judges  would  ask  the  witness  how  long  he  knew  the 
applicant,  where  he  had  resided  for  the  last  year,  and  where  the  witness 
had  lived,  and  all  such  questions.  He  would  then  examine  the  appli- 
cant  critically.  Judge  Garvin  would  sit  in  one  room  and  Judge  McCunn 
in  another.  Judge  Jones  often  sat  on  one  of  the  benches,  and  would 
often  act  as  clerk  and  judge  both.  Judge  Barbour  held  court  upstairs. 
The  judges,  when  applications  were  rejected,  would  often  reprimand  the 

i  witnesses,  telling  them  not  to  come  again;  threatening  to  send  them  to 
Blackwell's  island  if  they  did.     I  do  not  think  it  was  possible  for  any 

:  person  to  have  been  naturalized  in  that  court  without  being  himself  per- 
sonally present  and  being  sworn.  I  never  knew  of  any  person  being 
naturalized  without  personally  coming  into  the  presence  of  the  court 
and  undergoing  an  examination. 

By  Mr.  Dickey: 

4399.  Q.  About  how  many  an  hour  would  Judge  McCunn  naturalize 
i   in  the  pressure  of  business? 

A.  I  suppose  he  would  naturalize  a  couple  of  hundred  in  an  hour. 

By  the  Chairman: 

4400.  Q.  If  the  court  was  crowded  could  they  naturalize  more  than 
that  ? 

A.  I  should  judge  they  could  naturalize  about  two  a  minute. 

4401.  Could  any  person  personate  the  applicant  and  get  his  natural- 
ization papers  in  that  way? 

A.  It  was  impossible  for  us  to  tell  whether  the  person  who  presented 
himself  was  the  identical  man  or  not.  We  had  to  take  his  statements 
and  that  of  the  witness. 

4402.  Q.  Tell  when  a  person  presented  himself  for  naturalization  upon 
the  ground  that  he  came  to  the  United  States  under  18  years  of  age, 
what  form  of  oath  or  oaths  were  administered  to  him  and  what  questions 
asked  ? 

A.  The  applicant  would  present  himself  with  his  witness.  The  judge 
would  ask  the  witness,  " How  long  have  you  known  this  man?  How 
old  was  he  when  he  came  to  this  country  ?  How  long  has  he  been  in 
this  country?  Where  does  he  live?"  Then  the  witness  would  pass 
along  to  the  clerk  and  the  clerk  would  administer  the  oath  to  him. 

4403.  Q.  Was  the  oath  administered  by  the  clerk  after  the  judge  had 
examined  them  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

4404.  Q.  Is  the  oath  then  administered  by  the  clerk  in  the  form  used 
on  the  printed  blanks  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

4405.  Q.  What  form  is  gone  through  with  in  the  case  of  a  person  who 
has  been  in  this  country  five  years,  and  who  has  previously  declared  his 
intention  to  become  a  citizen? 

A.  The  applicant  first  makes  out  two  affidavits  and  swears  to  them 
and  then  attaches  his  papers  to  them.  He  then  comes  into  the  court 
with  his  witness  and  presents  the  paper*  to  the  clerk.    The  clerk  swears 


440  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

in  the  witness,  who  goes  before  the  court,  and  the  judge  then  examines 
him,  asking  him  how  long  he  had  known  the  applicant,  where  he  had 
lived,  and  similar  questions,  and  if  the  answers  were  satisfactory,  the 
oath  would  be  administered  to  the  applicant.  The  clerk  administered  I 
one  oath  to  the  witness  to  make  true  answers  to  such  questions  as  may 
be  put  to  him  by  the  court  touching  the  naturalization.  In  the  case  of 
a  soldier  presenting  his  application  he  has  to  attach  his  discharge  to  his 
application,  or  if  not,  affidavit  that  he  has  lost  it  or  that  it  1ms  been  sent  to 
Washington.  The  applicant  is  asked  if  that  is  his  discharge,  how  long 
lie  had  served  in  the  army,  and  the1  like.  The  witness  would  then  be 
questioned  by  the  judge  and  then  the  oath  would  be  administered  by 
the  clerk. 

New  York,  Wednesday,  January  G,  1809. 
George  Hopcroft  sworn  and  examined. 

To  the  Chairman  : 
440G.  I  am  the  clerk  of  the  superintendent  of  the  metropolitan  police 
department  in  this  city.  The  election  returns  on  the  night  of  the  presi- 
dential election  were  received  by  telegram  from  the  different  precincts 
at  the  headquarters  of  the  police  department,  No.  300  Mulberry  street. 
As  soon  as  they  were  received  by  the  telegraph  operator  down  stairs, 
they  would  be  sent  up  on  a  dumb  waiter  to  the  superintendent's  room; 
I  would  then  take  them  and  sort  them  out  by  districts  and  wards.  I 
do  not  think  the  total  presidential  canvass  was  ascertained  until  nearly 
1  or  2  o'clock  of  the  night  after  the  election.  I  cannot  say  how  many 
districts  were  complete  before  8  o'clock  in  the  evening. 
By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

4407.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  law  of  the  State  of  New  York  that 
requires  canvassers  of  election  to  make  returns  by  telegram  of  the  result 
of  the  election  in  their  district. 

A.  I  do  not. 

4408.  Q.  Do  you  not  know  that  this  regulation  was  made  for  partisan 
purposes  by  the  superintendent  of  police,  and  was  not  sanctioned  by 
law  i 

A.  I  could  not  say ;  I  understood  that  this  requirement  was  established 
by  regulation,  and  not  by  statute. 
By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

4409.  Q.  Has  it  been  the  custom  heretofore  to  send  returns  of  the 
election  through  the  police  telegraph  to  headquarters  t 

A.  It  has  been  since  I  have  been  connected  with  the  police  department, 
which  is  over  seven  years.  , 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

4410.  Q.  What  are  your  politics  ? 
A.  I  am  a  republican. 

4411.  Q.  Were  you  at  the  office  of  Mr.  Kennedy  on  the  evening  of 
election  day  ? 

A.  I  was. 

4412.  Q.  Was  the  republican  executive  committee  or  any  members  of  j 
it  present  that  evening  ? 

A.  Not  that  I  know  of;  I  am  not  acquainted  with  any  of  them. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

4413.  Q.  State  what  was  done  with  the  despatches  when  received  from 
the  canvassers.  ' 


ELECTION  FKAUDS  IN  NEW  YOKK.  441 

A.  They  are  sorted  out  according  to  wards  and  districts,  and  then 
handed  to  the  superintendent;  he  reads  them  over  aloud  and  the  result 
is  taken  down  by  the  reporters  of  the  j>ress  present. 

4414.  Q.  State  if  there  is  any  other  mode  of  getting  the  entire  returns 
from  the  city  for  the  use  of  the  press  as  soon  as  from  police  headquarters. 

A.  There  is  not. 

Neav  York,  Wednesday,  January  6,  1869. 
William  J.  Loutrell  sworn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instance 
of  Mr.  floss.) 

By  Mr.  Boss : 

4415.  Question.  What  office  did  you  hold  during  the  presidential 
election  ! 

Answer.  I  was  inspector  of  election  for  the  12th  district,  8th  ward,  in 
this  city. 

4416.  Q.  How  many  votes  were  given  in  your  precinct? 

A.  Somewhere  between  400  and  500 ;  I  could  not  state  the  exact  num- 
ber ;  there  were  about  500  registered ;  there  ay  ere  about  70  votes  less 
cast  than  were  registered. 

4417.  Q.  You  may  state  to  the  committee  what  means  you  took,  if 
any,  to  prevent  illegal  registering  and  illegal  voting. 

A.  There  were  a  great  many  challenged  by  all  parties  ;  I  challenged  a 
good  many,  and  the  other  inspectors  did  the  same. 

4418.  Q.  State  whether  there  was  an  apparent  effort  by  the  board,  so 
far  as  you  observed,  to  prevent  illegal  registering  and  illegal  voting. 

A.  There  was ;  in  fact  1  think  it  was  carried  to  excess ;  I  think  Mr. 
Bell,  the  republican  inspector,  carried  it  to  excess ;  he  would  challenge 
almost  every  man  that  came  up,  whether  he  knew  him  to  be  a  legal 
voter  or  not. 

4419.  Q.  For  what  reason  did  he  make  these  challenges ;  was  it  for  the 
purpose  of  obstructing  the  election  t 

A.  I  could  not  say  of  my  own  knoAvledge  ;  I  don't  think  the  man  was 
fit  for  the  position  ;  he  was  a  very  nervous,  excitable  man  ;  he  challenged 
almost  everybody  who  came  there,*  went  through  the  formality  of 
swearing  them  in  and  propounding  questions  to  them;  many  of  them 
were  old  residents  of  the  ward  and  well  known  to  be  legal  voters. 

4420.  Q.  State  whether  his  continual  challenging  tended  to  prevent 
the  legal  voters  from  casting  their  votes. 

A.  It  did  •  so  much  that  many  of  the  voters  complained  to  the  police 
and  tried  to  have  the  matter  stopped ;  he  had  his  own  way,  however, 
and  continued  challenging  all  day;  he  impeded  the  election  very  much. 

4421.  Q.  Was  it  apparently  done  for  that  % 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  and  I  think  he  had  been  instructed  to  do  so ;  there  were 
quite  a  number  of  the  people  at  the  poll  when  it  closed  waiting  to 
deposit  their  votes,  and  could  not  do  so. 

4422.  Q.  State  whether  anybody,  to  your  knowledge,  voted  more  than 
once  at  that  election  in  your  district. 

A.  I  did  not  see  anybody  vote  there  more  than  once ;  I  gave  particu- 
lar attention  to  that  thing,  as  there  was  so  much  said  of  repeaters  and 
frauds  on  election. 

4423.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  anybody  voting  four  times  that  day  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

4424.  Q.  Do  you  know  a  man  by  the  name  of  McFarland  ? 
A.  1  do  not. 

4425.  Q.  Do  you  know  a  man  by  the  name  of  George  McPherson  f 


442  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

A.  I  do;  he  acted  as  one  of  the  board  of  inspectors ;  he  was  there  all 
day  as  far  as  I  know,  except  when  he  went  out  of  the  office  to  get  a 
lunch. 

4426.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  the  poll-books  went  to  the  republican  i 
headquarters  at  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel  ? 

A.  Not  to  my  knowledge. 

4427.  Q.  State  whether  McPherson  was  capable  of  attending  to  busi- 
ness wbile  he  was  at  the  polls. 

A.  I  think  he  was. 

4428.  Q.  Was  he  drunk  ! 

A.  He  wTas  not;  I  think  he  was  in  perfect  condition  to  attend  to 
business. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

4429.  Q.  How  long  was  Mr.  McPherson  absent  at  lunch  ? 
A.  About  an  hour,  I  should  think ;  probably  more. 

New  York,  Wednesday,  January  G,  1800. 
Mathew  T.  Brennan  sworn  and  examined,  (called  by  Mr.  Kerr.) 
By  Mr.  Kerr: 

4430.  Question.  Are  you  acquainted  with  a  man  by  the  name  of  Cos- 
tello,  at  present  a  bell-ringer  in  this  city  If 

Answer.  I  am. 

4431.  Q.  What  is  his  reputation  for  truth  and  veracity  in  this  com- 
munity ? 

A.  I  would  not  believe  him  under  oath  if  he  was  an  interested  party. 

4432.  Q.  Please  state  whether  your  board  kept  a  tabular  record  of  the 
number  of  registered  voters  in  the  city  of  New  York  by  wards  and  elec- 
tion districts. 

A.  Not  that  I  am  aware  of.  We  have  a  bureau  of  elections  in  the 
police  headquarters,  of  which  Mr.  Hasbrouck  is  the  chief  clerk.  He 
may  have  such  a  record. 

4433.  Q.  State  if  you  know  whether  there  is  any  law  of  the  State  of 
New  York  that  requires  the  election  canvasser  on  the  night  of  the  day 
of  election  to  make  a  return  by  telegraph  or  otherwise  to  the  police  head- 
quarters  of  the  number  of  votes  in  their  respective  districts. 

A.  I  know  of  no  such  law.     I  believe  it  is  a  regulation  made  by  the  I 
department.     The  returns  generally  come  to  the  station-house  of  the  pre- 
cinct, and  formerly  the  reporters  would  go  there  to  get  the  returns.  ■ 
This  impeded  the  business  there  very  much,  and  it  was  arranged  that 
the  returns  should  be  sent  by  telegraph  to  police  headquarters,  and  from 
there  given  to  the  reporters. 
By  the  Chairman: 

4434.  Q.  Where  did  you  vote  at  the  presidential  election? 
A.  I  voted  in  the  8th  district  of  the  Gth  ward. 

4435.  Q.  Where  do  you  live? 

A.  At  No.  84  White  street.  I  have  a  summer  residence  on  the  Bloom- 
ingdale  road.  My  family  have  been  sick  this  winter,  and  I  have  staid 
out  there  a  good  part  of  the  time.  My  mother  lives  at  84  White  street. 
I  sleep  there  occasionally,  and  generally  take  my  dinners  there.  Prob- 
ably during  the  last  year  I  have  slept  there  three  or  four  nights. 

4436.  Q.  Did  you  consent  to  the  appointment  of  Costello  as  an 
inspector? 

A.  I  suppose  I  must  have  done  so,  as  it  requires  the  sanction  of  the  ; 
board  to  appoint  an  inspector.     The  board  is  equally  divided.     Two 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  443 

i commissioners  are  republicans  and  two  are  democrats.  It  was  arranged 
that  the  republicans  should  suggest  the  names  of  one-half  of  the  inspect- 
ors and  the  democrats  the  other  half.  Mr.  Manniere  selected  Mr.  Cos- 
tello  I  presume.  The  names  wrere  read  over,  but  I  did  not  pay  much 
attention  to  them,  and  I  presume  I  voted  for  him  among  the  rest. 

By  Mr.  Ross : 
4437.  Q.  Have  you  ever  made  any  report  to  the  board  that  he  was  not 

r  proper  officer? 
A.  I  have  told  Mr.  Manniere,  I  think,  but  I  do  not  believe  I  have 
made  any  formal  report  to  the  board. 


:New  York,  Wednesday,  January  6,  1869. 

George  H.  Hoffman  sworn  and  examined,  (called  by  Mr.  Kerr.) 
To  Mr.  Kerr  : 

4438.  I  reside  at  216  East  Sixth  street.  I  have  resided  in  this  city  all 
my  life.  I  am  a  hack-driver  by  occupation.  I  was  engaged  in  that  busi- 
ness last  October  and  November.  I  was  so  engaged  on  the  30th  day  of 
October.  On  the  evening  of  that  clay,  about  half  past  nine  o'clock  at 
night,  I  was  standing  in  front  of  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel,  when  an  order 
came  from  the  hotel  office  for  me  to  drive  my  coach  to  the  Twenty-third 
street  door.  I  drove  there,  and  presently  two  men  came  down  and 
directed  me  to  drive  to  300  Mulberry  street,  and  they  got  into  the  coach. 
I  drove  down  there ;  the  men  got  out  and  waited  on  the  sidewalk  some 
10  or  15  minutes.  Some  person  came  up  and  inquired  of  them  what 
they  were  waiting  for.  They  said  Mr.  Kennedy  and  Mr.  Acton.  In  a 
few  minutes  Mr.  Kennedy  and  Mr.  Actfon  drove  up,  and  they  all  went 
into  police  headquarters  together.  After  a  while  they  came  out  and 
told  me  to  drive  around  in  Mott  street,  in  the  rear  of  police  headquar- 
ters. I  did  so,  and  presently  the  men  came  out  of  the  rear  door  with  a 
bundle  of  books  in  their  arms.  They  looked  around  up  and  down  the 
street  suspiciously,  to  see  if  anybody  was  looking,  and  then  put  the 
hooks  in  the  coach.  I  suspected  there  was  something  wrong  going  on, 
and  I  was  determined  to  ascertain  what  it  was.  I  took  up  one  of  the 
books  and  looked  at  it  and  found  it  was  a  registry  book,  such  as  is 
used  by  the  registrars  of  election.  I  noticed  that  a  good  many  names 
were  checked — mostly  Irish  names.  One  of  the  men  came  up  and 
snatched  the  book  out  of  my  hand,  and  told  me  to  get  up  on  my  box, 
and  not  to  meddle  with  these  things ;  and  he  gave  strict  injunctions 
not  to  let  anybody  come  near  the  coach  or  touch  the  books.  They  put 
in  50  to  75  books  in  the  coach,  and  then  ordered  me  to  drive  back  to  the 
Fifth  Avenue  Hotel.  I  thought  there  was  something  wrong  in  this, 
and  I  made  up  my  mind  to  get  at  it.  When  we  arrived  at  the  Fifth 
Avenue  Hotel  the  books  were  taken  out  of  the  coach,  taken  up-stairs, 
and  deposited  in  the  rooms  of  the  republican  general  committee.  I  took 
a  couple  of  the  books,  unbeknown  to  anybody,  and  secreted  them  in  my 
coat.  I  took  them  for  the  purpose  of  showing  them  to  the  district 
attorney.  These  books  were  registry  lists.  I  think  they  were  origi- 
nals ;  am  not  positive.  They  may  have  been  copies.  I  handed  the  books 
to  George  H.  Purser,  and  he  said  he  would  hand  them  to  the  district 
attorney. 

3439.  Q.  What  were  they  taken  up  to  that  hotel  for? 

A.  I  think  they  were  taken  there  to  be  used  for  party  purposes.  I 
should  think  that  40  per  cent,  of  the  names  were  checked.  It  looked 
a  very  suspicious  circumstance.  I  thought  it  proper  that  it  should  be 
laid  before  the  district  attorney. 


444  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

4440.  Q.  Do  you  know  who  these  men  were? 
A.  I  do  not. 

4441.  Q.  You  do  not  know  whether  these  men  belong  to  the  republi- 
can party  or  not ? 

A.  I  do  not.  When  they  went  up-stairs  I  saw  they  were  recognized 
by  the  people  in  the  room,  and  they  seemed  to  be  much  at  home. 

444.}.  Q.  How  large  were  the  books? 

A.  About  seven  inches  wide  and  18  inches  long,  and  contained  about 
40  pages. 

444-j.  Q.  Who  is  George  IT.  Purser? 

A.  1  believe  he  is  assistant  corporation  counsel.     I  gave  the  books  to  j 
him  to  be  delivered  to  the  district  attorney. 

4444.  Q.  Did  Purser  request  you  to  secrete  these  books? 

A.  He  did  not.     This  occurred  bet  ween   10  and  half-past  10  in  the 
evening;  and  the  fact  that  it  was  so  late  in  the  evening  made  the  cir-  I 
cumstances  more  suspicious. 

4445.  Q.  Do  you  not  know  tint  party  committees  are  in  the  habit  of 
sitting  late  in  the  evening,  especially  on  the  eve  of  an  important  elec- 
tion? 

A.  Not  to  my  knowledge. 

4440.  Q.  How  do  you  know  that  the  room  to  which  you  carried  the 
books  in  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel  was  occupied  by  the  republican  general 
committee  ! 

A.  There  was  a  label  over  the  door,  and  it  was  generally  known  that 
these  were  the  rooms  of  the  republican  committee.  I  asked  a  servant 
as  I  was  going  up  where  the  roowis  of  the  republican  committee  were. 
He  told  me  room  15,  which  was  the  room  in  which  I  placed  the  books. 
I  believed  that  those  books  were  public  property,  and  that  they  were 
not  taken  from  police  headquarters  for  any  lawful  purpose,  and  I  felt  it 
my  duty  to  do  as  I  did. 

4447.  Q.  How  do  you  know  that  those  books  were  public  property? 
A.  I  suppose  so  because  they  were  taken  from  police  headquarters, 

and  anything  in  police  headquarters  is  public  property. 

4448.  Q.  Are  all  the  books  there  public  property? 

A.  I  suppose  the  books  pertaining  to  the  election  are  public  property. 
The  law  creating  the  metropolitan  police  department  created  a  bureau 
of  elections,  which  has  its  office  in  the  police  headquarters,  and  every- 
thing there  is  public  property. 

4449.  Q.  What  are  your  politics  ? 

A.  I  have  been  a  republican  all  my  life.  I  voted  for  General  Grant 
for  President  and  John  T.  Hoffman  for  governor.  I  voted  for  assembly- 
men and  senators  about  equal. 

4450.  Q.  In  what  district  and  ward  did  you  vote? 
A.  1  voted  in  the  9th  district  of  the  7th  ward. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

4451.  Q.  Do  you  think  it  was  exactly  fair  to  purloin  those  books  ? 
A.  I  do  undoubtedly.     I  think  it  is  the  right  of  any  citizen,  when  he 

sees  any  unlawful  action  going  on,  to  do  all  in  his  power  to  prevent  it. 

4452.  Q.  Had  you  any  knowledge  of  any  fraud? 

A.  I  knew  these  books  Avere  public  property.  I  knew  it  to  be  unlaw- 
ful to  take  public  property  away  in  that  manner. 

4453.  Q.  Are  you  a  police  officer  in  this  city  ? 
A.  I  am  not. 

4454.  Q.  Suppose  these  registry  books,  as  you  say  they  were,  were  copies 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  445 

f  the  registry  list  made  by  outside  parties,  and  taken  to  the  police  head- 
uarters  to  be  compared  with  the  original  list;  would  they  be  public 
roperty  because  they  were  in  the  police  headquarters? 
A.  I  know  these  books  were  taken  out  of  headquarters  for  party  pur- 
0Ses — I  could  not  swear  positively  they  were,  but  I  believe  so. 

4455.  Q.  Is  it  not  common  for  both  parties  to  have  a  list  of  voters  so 
hat  they  can  ascertain  and  challenge  improper  voters  ? 

A.  Not  to  my  own  knowledge. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

4456.  Q.  For  whom  did  you  vote  in  1856? 
A.  For  Abraham  Lincoln. 

4457.  Q.  Whom  did  you  vote  for  in  1860  ? 
A.  I  was  not  entitled  to  a  vote. 

4458.  Q.  Whom  did  you  vote  for  in  1864? 
A.  I  voted  for  Abraham  Lincoln.     I  misunderstood  your  first  question. 

[  was  not  entitled  to  vote  in  1854  or  1856  either.     The  first  vote  1  cast 
was  for  Abraham  Lincoln. 

4459.  Q.  Whom  did  you  vote  for  in  1862? 
A.  I  did  not  vote  in  1862. 

4460.  Q.  How  do  you  know  that  the  purpose  for  which  these  books 
were  taken  from  police  headquarters  was  a  party  purpose? 

A.  I  believed  that  they  would  be  used  for  that. 

4461.  Q.  Did  you  know  that? 
A.  I  did. 

4462.  Q.  What  party  purposes  ? 

A.  To  benefit  the  republican  party. 

4463.  Q.  Do  you  mean  to  say  that  a  party  purpose  is  always  a  wrong 
purpose  ? 

A.  I  do  in  that  connection. 

4464.  Q.  If  these  books  Avere  copies  of  the  registry  list  made  for  the 
purpose  of  ascertaining  whether  persons  had  been  illegally  registered, 
and  for  challenging  them  if  they  attempted  to  vote,  would  it  be  a  wrong 
purpose  ? 

A.  It  would  be  if  it  was  given  to  one  party  and  not  to  another. 

4465.  Q.  You  think  then  it  is  not  right  for  the  republican  party  to 
challenge  an  illegal  voter  ? 

A.  If  they  are  known  to  be  illegal  voters,  I  think  it  is  perfectly  right 
for  them  to  do  so. 

4466.  Q.  Do  you  not  think  it  is  proper  for  the  republican  party  to 
ascertain  who  are  legal  voters  and  who  are  not? 

A.  I  think  there  is  no  law  for  it. 

4467.  Q.  State  whether  you  regard  it  as  improper  or  illegal  to  make 
a  copy  of  the  registry  of  voters  to  ascertain  whether  those  who  are 
Legistered  are  legal  voters  or  not  ? 

A.  If  it  is  used  for  party  purposes  I  think  it  is  unlawful. 

4468.  Q.  What  law  makes  it  unlawful? 
A.  It  is  a  violation  of  common  sense,  and  any  violation  of  common 

sense  is  unlawful. 

4469.  Q.  Are  you  learned  in  the  law? 
A.  I  am  not.     Common  sense  will  teach  a  man  law. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

4470.  Q.  You  say  you  stole  two  of  these  books  ? 
A.  I  did  not;  I  secreted  them. 

4471.  They  were  not  your  property  ? 

A.  They  were  my  property ;  I  am  a  citizen  and  a  tax-payer ;  these 
books  belong  to  the  people,  and  I  am  one  of  them. 


446  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

4472.  How  do  you  know  they  were  the  people's  property! 

A.  Because  they  were  taken  from  the  police  headquarters;  everything 
in  the  police  headquarters  belongs  to  the  people. 

4473.  Q.  Do  persons  generally  come  to  police  headquarters  when  they 
wish  to  commit  crime? 

A.  There  is  a  good  deal  of  crime  committed  there  undoubtedly. 

4474.  Q.  Have  you  ever  heard  of  these  books  since  you  handed  them 
to  the  district  attorney?  » 

A.  I  have  not. 

4475.  Q.  Has  anybody  been  prosecuted  because  of  the  information 
you  have  furnished  '! 

A.  I  have  heard  nothing  more  than  that  the  district  attorney  has 
charge  of  them. 

4470.  Q.  Is  it  the  custom  of  hack-drivers  in  this  city  to  steal  any  thing 
put  in  a  coach? 

A.  I  think  not. 

4477.  Q.  What  is  your  occupation? 

A.  I  am  doing  nothing. 

4578.  Q.  How  long  have  you  been  out  of  occupation  ? 

A.  About  four  weeks. 

4479.  Q.  Were  you  discharged  from  your  service  as  a  coach-driver? 
A.  I  was.     I  met  with  an  accident  with  my  coach,  and  was  discharged 

for  that  reason. 

Xew  York,  Wednesday,  January  6,  1869. 
Samuel  B.  Garyin  sworn  and  examined,  (called  by  Mr.  Kerr.) 
To  Mr.  Kerr: 

4480.  During  the  last  year  I  have  been  judge  of  the  superior  court  of 
this  city.  In  regard  to  naturalizing  applicants  for  citizenship,  I  would 
say  that  I  have  always  exercised  great  care.  My  uniform  practice  has 
been  always  to  call  the  applicant  and  witness  before  me,  and  then  ques- 
tion both  the  witness  and  the  applicant.  I  would  swear  the  witness  and 
the  applicant  both  together.  Sometimes  the  clerk  would  swear  them. 
I  would  then  examine  the  witness  in  regard  to  all  the  statutory  require- 
ments. If  there  was  any  question  in  my  mind  as  to  the  age  or  identity 
of  the  applicant  I  would  reject  the  case.  After  I  had  examined  the 
witness  and  the  applicant  thoroughly,  and  was  perfectly  satisfied  that 
all  was  right,  I  would  pass  the  papers  to  the  clerk  who  sat  at  my  right 
hand,  and  he  would,  in  my  presence,  administer  the  oath  of  allegiance. 

4481.  Q.  Can  you  approximate  to  the  number  you  have  personally 
passed  upon  in  one  day? 

A.  It  would  be  exceedingly  difficult  for  me  to  do  so.  I  wTould  only  sit 
in  the  morning  from  10  o'clock,  or  half  past  10,  till  12,  when  I  would  he 
relieved  by  Judge  McCunn.  All  my  naturalization  was  done  in  the 
morning,  and  it  is  very  difficult  to  approximate  the  number  I  natural- 
ized.    The  crowd  was  very  great  after  the  10th  of  October. 

4482.  Q.  Did  you  give  any  directions  to  your  subordinate  officers  in 
regard  to  the  prevention  of  frauds  or  irregularities  in  the  procurement 
of  certificates  of  naturalization  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  gave  strict  directions  to  the  clerks  not  to  naturalize  any 
persons  who  did  not  come  right  directly  from  my  presence,  so  that  there 
could  be  no  false  personation.  I  always  gave  strict  directions  not  to 
deliver  the  preliminary  papers  to  any  one  but  the  applicant  himself,  and 
to  administer  to  him  the  oath  of  allegiance  immediately;  if  the  applicant 
did  not  appear  right  away,  the  clerk  should  lay  the  papers  aside. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  447 

4483.  Q.  What  proportion  of  applications  did  you  pass  upon  favorably ! 
A.  I  rejected  a  great  many  every  day ;  I  suppose  from  20  to  50  a  day. 

4484.  Q.  How  did  the  number  of  minors  who  applied  for  naturalization 
this  year  compare  with  the  number  who  applied  the  previous  year? 

A.  I  do  not  know  that  there  was  any  larger  proportion  of  minors  this 
year  than  other  years.  A  large  number  of  persons  who  were  entitled  to 
naturalization  papers  during  the  war  delayed  getting  them  for  fear  of 
the  draft,  and  they  did  not  procure  them  until  this  year. 

4485.  Q.  Was  it  possible,  at  the  time  the  great  rush  of  naturalization 
was  going  on,  for  any  person  to  have  secured  naturalization  in  your  court, 
without  having  been  himself  present  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  he  could  not,  unless  a  false  personation  or  perjury  was 
committed.    Of  course  against  this  I  could  not  protect  myself. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

4486.  Q.  Suppose  an  applicant  appeared  in  your  court  during  the  last 
year,  and  claimed  his  certificate  on  the  ground  of  his  having  arrived  in 
the  United  States  under  the  age  of  18,  Avhat  oaths  and  questions  would 
you  put  to  him  ? 

A.  I  would  first  swear  the  witness  and  applicant  to  make  true  answers 
to  all  questions.  I  should  put  them  in  regard  to  the  application  then 
pending ;  then  I  would  ask  witness  how  long  he  had  known  the  appli- 
cant, how  old  he  was,  where  he  had  lived  for  the  past  year,  and  where 
the  applicant  had  resided.  Of  the  applicant  I  would  ask,  how  old  are 
you;  how  old  were  you  when  you  came  to  this  country;  how  long  have 
you  been  in  this  country.  Putting  the  two  things  together,  I  cotdd  tell 
whether  he  came  here  before  he  was  18  years  of  age.  I  would  then  ask 
him  the  formal  question  as  to  whether  he  was  a  man  of  good  moral 
character.  This  complied  with  all  the  requirements  of  the  act  of  Con- 
gress. I  would  follow  the  lawr  strictly.  I  would  sometimes  vary  the 
questions — sometimes  asking  them  through  an  interpreter. 

4487.  Q.  You  administered  the  oath  to  the  applicant  and  witness  at 
the  same  time  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

4488.  Q.  Was  any  other  oath  administered  in  the  process  of  naturali- 
zation, except  the  oath  you  have  mentioned? 

A.  Not  in  the  preliminary  examination;  there  was  a  final  oath  of 
allegiance.  1  would  also  make  them  swear  that  the  affidavits  to  which 
they  had  subscribed  were  true.  I  would  also  ask  the  applicant  if  he  had 
read  the  affidavits  or  knew  their  contents. 

4489.  Q.  State  whether  there  was  a  large  number  of  persons  applying 
for  naturalization  who  could  not  read  or  speak  the  English  language. 

A.  I  do  not  think  there  were.  I  think,  as  a  general  thing,  they  could 
speak  the  English  language ;  whether  they  could  read  or  not  I  could 
not  say. 

4400.  Q.  Was  the  affidavit  read  to  them  ! 

A.  I  asked  them  if  they  knew  the  contents  of  the  affidavit;  they  said 
yes ;  and  then  1  would  swear  them  if  it  was  true. 

4491.  Q.  You  first  administered  the  general  oath  that  he  would  true 
answers  make,  &c,  and  if  the  application  wTas  satisfactory,  the  oath  of 
allegiance  would  be  administered. 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

4492.  Q.  Is  not  the  oath  prescribed  by  act  of  Congress  and  the  common 
law  oath  in  these  words :  u  You  solemnly  swear  that  you  will  speak  the 
truth,  the  whole  truth,  and  nothing  but  the  truth,  in  this  examination, 
so  help  you  God?" 


448  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

4493.  Q.  Describe  the  process  of  naturalizing  a  person  who  had  pre- 
viously declared  his  intention  to  become  a  citizen. 

A.  I  would  swear  the  witness  and  applicant  in  ;  then  examine  his 
papers  to  see  if  the  declaration  was  correct,  or  whether  the  proper  time 
had  elapsed;  ask  him  it  he  was  the  man  described  in  that  paper;  ask 
the  witness  how  long  he  had  known  the  applicant;  where  he  resided, 
&c.  It'  there  was  the  slightest  equivocation  or  dodging,  I  would  examine 
them  more  at  length.  1  would  then  ask  them  the  usual  question  as  to 
whether  they  were  men  of  good  moral  character.  In  cases  of  soldiers  i 
applying  for  certificates,  I  would  require  them  to  show  their  discharge. 
I  think  in  every  case  of  naturalization  the  discharge  was  always  attached 
to  the  application.  I  have  an  indistinct  recollection  that  there  was  one 
case — that  of  a  one-armed  soldier,  who  appealed  there  before  Judge 
McCunn  and  myself.  lie  did  not  have  his  discharge  with  him,  but  pre- 
sented pretty  clear  proof  that  he  had  served  in  the  army,  and  he  was 


4494.  Q.  State  what  proportion  of  naturalization  certificates  were 
granted  to  persons  claiming  to  have  arrived  in  the  United  States  after 
the  age  of  18  years. 

A.  I  should  think  the  majority  of  the  applicants  were  such ;  that  is 
my  impression. 

New  York,  Wednesday,  January  G,  18G9. 
Charles  E.  Wilbour  recalled  and  examined. 
To  the  Chairman  : 

4495.  Since  my  examination  yesterday,  I  have  seen  all  the  stockholders 
of  the  New  York  Printing  Company,  and  none  of  them  have  any  objection 
to  my  stating  their  names.  They  agreed  with  me  in  not  perceiving  the 
relevancy  of  the  question.  The  stockholders  are  five  in  number,  each 
owning  $5,000  worth  of  stock.  There  are  three  democrats  and  two 
republicans.  The  democrats  are  Wm.  M.  Tweed,  a  Tammany  man,  I 
believe;  James  M.  Sweeny,  clerk  of  the  superior  court,  also  a  Tammany 
man;  Cornelius  Corson,  a  Mozart  democrat.  The  republicans  are  myself, 
whom  I  count  as  a  radical,  and  James  B.  Taylor,  also  a  radical.  I  have 
been  a  radical  since  I  was  old  enough  to  know  anything.  Mr.  Taylor  is  ( 
a  republican  who  has  given  as  much  money  to  the  republican  party  as 
any  man  in  this  city  who  has  never  been  a  candidate  for  office.  Mr. 
Corson  and  myself  manage  the  business  almost  entire.  Mr.  Taylor  is 
largely  interested  in  the  stock  of  the  New  York  Times.  I  have  an  interest 
in  the  Tribune  Association.  I  was  employed  on  the  New  York  Tribune 
for  10  years. 

Xew  York,  January  7,  1869. 
William  Dorans  sworn  and  examined,  (called  by  Mr.  Eoss.) 

By  Mr.  Ross : 
4490.  Question.  Where  do  you  live  1 
Answer.  At  103  Crosby  street,  New  York. 

4497.  Q.  What  is  your  business? 

A.  I  keep  a  public  house  at  that  place.     I  am  a  glass-blower  by  trade. 

4498.  Q.  Did  you  vote  at  the  last  presidential  election  f 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

4499.  Q.  What  are  your  politics  ? 
A.  I  am  a  democrat. 

4500.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  illegal  voting  in  the  last  presidential 
election  ? 

A.  I  do. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IX    NEW    YORK.  449 

4501.  Q.  Did  you  vote  at  that  election  yourself  f 
A.  I  did. 

4502.  Q.  Are  you  what  is  generally  termed  a  "  repeater  P 
A.  I  am. 

4503.  C>.  How  many  times  did  you  vote  ! 
A.  I  voted  from  10  to  15  times. 

4504.  Q.  Who  engaged  you  in  that  business  ! 

A.  It  was  merely  a  little  sport  of  our  own.  Xobody  engaged  me;  I 
received  nothing  for  doing  it. 

4505.  Q.  What  was  the  extent  of  this  repeating,  so  far  as  you  know: 
how  many  engaged  with  you  ? 

A.  From  20  to  30. 

4506.  Q.  Have  you  communicated  this  fact  to  anybody,  that  you  were 
engaged  in  repeating  ? 

A.  Xo.  sir;  I  have  not. 

4507.  Q.  Did  you  talk  with  Colonel  Wood  about  it  ? 

A.  They  talked  with  my  friends  about  it.  and  they  put  it  on  me. 

4508.  Q.  Have  you  not  talked  with  anybody  else  about  it ! 
A.  Xo.  sir. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

4509.  Q.  How  often  did  these  30  men  that  were  with  you  vote  ? 
A.  About  the  same  number  of  times  that  I  did. 

4510.  Q.  In  what  wards  did  they  vote  ! 
A.  It  was  in  Thirty-first,  Thirty-second,  and  Thirty-fourth  streets. 

The  night  before  we  voted  we  were  at  the  corner  of  Thirty- second  street 
and  Second  avenue. 

4511.  Q.  The  night  before  election  I 
A.  Yes.  sir. 

451i'.  Q.  What  is  that  place  \ 

A.  It  is  a  liquor  shop.     I  do  not  know  the  name  of  the  man  who 

eps  it. 

4513.  Q.  Is  there  any  club-room  there  \ 
A.  It  is  a  large  room.     I  do  not  know  whether  it  is  a  club-room  or  not. 

4514.  (c).  What  furniture  is  there  in  that  room  ? 
A.  Tables,  chairs,  a  carpet,  &c. 

4515.  Q.  How  many  people  were  at  that  place  the  night  previous  to 
election  ? 

A.  A  great  many.     I  should  think  there  were  300  there  altogether. 

By  Mr.  Hopkivs  : 

451G.  Q.  Did  you  understand  from  what  they  said  that  they  were  all 
engaged  in  this  business  of  repeating  ? 

A.  I  could  not  say  that.  I  did  not  have  communication  with  all  of 
hem,  although  they  were  all  sitting  around  drinking  and  smoking  and 
akiug  about  matters  in  general. 

By  the  Chatrman: 

4517.  Q.  State  who  procured  the  names  upon  which  you  were  to  vote. 
A.  The  names  were  given  to  us  on  slips  of  paper. 

4518.  Q.  Where  did  you  get  these  slips? 

A.  We  got  the  first  lot  at  the  liquor  shop,  and  when  we  had  used  them 
p  we  were  supplied  with  another  batch. 

4510.  Q.  Where  did  you  get  the  ballots  ? 

A.  The  same  man  that   gave  us  the  papers  gave  us  the  ballots.     I 
ever  opened  them  ;  I  do  not  know  what  they  were. 
L>9  T 


450  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 


4520.  Q.  Don't  you  know  that  that  place  on  the  corner  of  Thirty. 
second  street  and  Second  avenue  was  called  the  Jackson  club  ? 

A.  I  cannot  recollect  at  present. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

4521.  Q.  Can  you  give  the  names  of  some  of  the  persons  who  were 
with  you  i 

A.  I  know  of  but  two  or  three  ;  one  man's  name  was  Melville,  another 
Bartlett.  I  think  there  was  a  man  by  the  name  of  Smith,  and  another 
by  the  name  of  Harris. 

4522.  Q.  Where  does  Melville  live  ? 
A.  At  103  Crosby  street. 

By  Mr.  Boss : 

4523.  Q.  What  ticket  did  you  vote  f 

A.  I  do  not  know.  I  think  it  was  a  democratic  ticket ;  I  did  not  open 
the  tickets. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

4524.  Q.  You  were  at  the  head  of  their  gang,  were  you  not  ? 
A.  Well,  they  met  at  my  house  and  I  went  with  them. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

4525.  Q.  Who  advised  yon  to  do  all  this  ? 

A.  Nobody  advised  me  in  particular ;  there  was  a  crowd  in  my  liquor 
shop  that  evening  and  they  asked  me  to  join  them,  and  I  went  with  them. 

4526.  Q.  What  friends  did  you  expect  to  help  by  repeating  in  that 
manner  ? 

A.  Nobody  at  all. 

4527.  Q.  Did  you  talk  with  some  of  the  candidates  about  it? 

A.  No,  sir ;  when  I  was  at  the  club-room  in  Thirty-second  street,  they 
talked  over  about  a  good  many  candidates.  I  think  they  mentioned  a 
man  by  the  name  of  Field,  and  said  he  was  a  good  fellow,  and  we  ought 
to  do  a  little  something  for  him. 

New  York,  January  7,  1869. 
George  Mabee  sworn  and  examined* 
By  the  Chairman  : 

4528.  Q.  State  if  you  have  examined  the  poll-lists  of  the  different 
election  precincts  of  this  city  of  the  last  presidential  election. 

A.  I  have. 

4529.  Q.  What  ones? 

A.  I  have  examined  the  1st,  3d,  4th,  6th  and  7th  districts  in  the  7th 
ward. 

4532.  Q.  State  if  you  have  examined  the  list  of  names  contained  in  the 
repeater's  book  seized  by  Inspector  Walling,  and  ascertained  from  an 
examination  of  the  poll-books  how  many  and  which  of  the  men  whose 
names  are  on  said  list  voted  $ 

A.  I  have.    The  names  marked  with  a  u  V"  on  said  list,  which  I  pro- 
duce, and  which  is  a  copy  of  the  book  seized  by  Inspector  Walling,  are 
those  who  voted  at  the  presidential  election. 
By  Mr.  Ross : 

4533.  Q.  You  copied  this  list! 
A.  No,  sir,  I  did  not. 

4534.  Q.  Who  copied  it? 
A.  A  Mr.  Toulon. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 


451 


4535.  Q.  You  were  present  when  lie  copied  it  ? 

A.  X<>.  sir  j  but  I  examined  it  this  afternoon  and  found  it  correct. 

4536.  Q.  Who  had  possession  of  this  list  that  you  compared  ? 

A.  Major  Strong.  I  examined  the  book  that  was  said  to  be  seized  by 
Inspector  Walling,  and  found  that  the  names  on  this  list  corresponded 
with  those  on  that  book.  I  also  examined  the  poll-list  in  the  county 
clerk's  office  and  found  that  the  meu  on  the  annexed  list,  whose  name 
was  marked  with  a  "  V,"  had  voted. 

4537.  Q.  Did  you  mark  these  names  with  a  "V"! 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

4538  Q.  State  whether  you  have  examined  the  registry  list  and  ascer- 
tained whether  the  other  names  ou  the  list  you  have  presented  are  also 
on  the  registry  list. 

A.  I  did ;  all  the  names  on  this  list  were  on  the  registry  list. 


FIRST   DISTRICT,    SEVENTH   WARD. 


•/Peter  McGovern    - 
V'Edward  Wilson     - 
Edward  Thomas 
Stephen  H.  Maloney 
Thomas  Nugent    - 
Thomas  Maloney 
Charles  Li  1  ley 
Jobn  Mull'n     -     - 

V  James  Moore    -     - 
•/Thomas  Delaney  - 

V  William  McCoby 
James  Lambert     - 
George  Lake    -    - 

■/Robert  Corcoran    - 

John  Mullin      -     - 

Thomas  Nolan 
\/Kobert  Smith    -     - 

James  McGuire 
/George  F.  Wilson 

John  Coles  -  - 
/John  Spink  -  - 
/Frank  Derain  -     - 

James  Hushien     - 


V James  S.  Smith  - 
James  B.  Wilson 

John  0.  Connor  - 

V Benjamin  Craig  - 

Joseph  Roberts  - 
James  Hanely 

John  McCabe  -  - 
■/Thomas  0.  Donnel 

Henry  Hoy      -  - 

James  Henry    -  - 

■/James  Morris   -  - 

■/James  Saunders  - 
•/James  Stirling 

■/Charles  Wilson  - 
George  Wilson 
James  Watson 
l/William  Lamb 

Samuel  Davis  -  - 

Thomas  Park  -  - 
Thomas  Nolan 

John  Hayse      -  - 

■/Izzy  Lazarus    -  - 


16  East  Broadway. 

Michael  WThalen 

66  East  Broadway. 

16 

" 

•/Harrison  Sutton  -     - 

29 

14 

" 

-/James  Thompson     - 

39 

39 

ii 

■/ James  Leonard  -     - 

38 

39 

(i 

V'Thomas  Craig     -    - 

43  Henry  street. 

39 

" 

■/George  Gillespie 

44 

40 

i< 

George  Varely     -     - 

44 

73 

" 

■/Thomas  Smith     -     - 

34 

73 

44 

\/George  S.  Clark       - 

42 

39 

11 

Thomas  Culli'n     -     - 

45 

16 

44 

•/William  Cullin    -     - 

45 

18 

44 

William  Varely  -     - 

44 

40 

" 

v' James  Thompson 

42 

16 

(i 

James  Johnson    -     - 

40 

73 

" 

William  Craig     -     - 

43 

16 

u 

-/George  Drake      -    - 

34 

39 

44 

Thomas  Smith     -     - 

34 

16 

( I 

•/Thomas  Varely    -     - 

44 

16 

" 

■/Edward  Condon 

44 

20 

" 

-/Timothy  Harrington 

37 

63 

11 

John  Fitzsimmons    - 

54 

39 

44 

John  Duff       -     -     - 

13  Market  street. 

39 

II 

John  Reilly     -     -     - 

13 

THIRD 

DISTRICT, 

SEVENTH   WARD. 

28  Market  street. 

John  McCaferty    -     - 

90  East  Broadway 

28 

44 

Michael  Smith       -     - 

80 

28 

" 

Charles  Fisher       -     - 

90 

28 

(< 

James  Carr       -     -     - 

92 

38 

n 

James  Watson      -     - 

10« 

26 

44 

■/William  Opp    -    -    - 

108             g 

18 

44 

Charles  Sinclair  -     - 

J17 

18 

(t 

Thomas  Watson 

108 

38 

" 

■/George  Knowls    -     - 

87 

38 

44 

William  Cluse      -     - 

80 

08  East 

Broadway. 

William  Knowls 

87 

08 

44 

Henry  Walker    -     - 

80 

08 

" 

Patrick  McGovern   - 

80 

91 

44 

■/John  Sullivan      -     - 

82 

92 

•' 

Henry  Shannen  -     - 

80 

108 

»« 

Harris  Hosen       -     - 

80  Henry  street. 

80 

14 

John  Dolan    -     -     - 

80 

80 

44 

James  McDermot     - 

96 

80 

" 

Thomas  Murphy 

106 

90 

44 

WTilliam  Hoye    -    - 

98 

90 

t< 

Charles  Grant      -     - 

92 

80 

" 

George  M.  Mitchell 

76 

452 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 


Edward  Thomas 

-    76  Henrv  street. 

-y/Thomas  Henessey 

83£  Division  street. 

James  Flinn    -     - 

-73 

-y/Myer  Wolf      -     - 

-  83* 

Henry  Walker     - 

-     80 

■y/Charles  Williams 

-  83* 

l/ Charles  Conner   - 

-     80 

George  Thomas   - 

-  83£ 

Thomas  Hushion 

-     80 

-y/ William  Brown  - 

-  83i 

-y/Abraharn  Brown 

-     92 

FOURTH   DISTRICT 

SEVENTH    WARD. 

Richard  Thompson 

54  Monroe  street. 

■y/George  Gilbert     - 

-    50  Market  street. 

George  Robinson  - 

-     54 

Francis  Gibins    - 

-    50 

Thomas  Hushon    - 

-     64 

William  Fowler 

-     42 

-/Edwin  Thomas 

-    50  Market  street. 

George  Larry 

-    48 

John  Sullivan  -    - 

-     42 

Thomas  Sharnely 

-    54 

SIXTH   DISTRICT, 

SEVENTH   WARD. 

-y/Henry  Williams    - 

-  173  East  Broadway. 

Henry  Austin 

-  169  Henry  street. 

Henry  Jackson 

-  120 

James  Weaver     - 

-  167 

George  H.  Brown 

-  163 

■y/George  Brown 

-  169 

l/Ge..»rge  Brown  -    - 

-  163 

John  Reily    -     - 

-  169 

Joseph  Scanlin,  2Nos. 

George  Parson     - 

-  197 

on  registry,  163,  165 

Henry  Lawrence 

-  169 

l/Thomas  Nolan 

-  173 

■y/ Frank  Thomas     - 

-  197 

l/  William  Nolan 

-  173 

Geoige  Williams 

-  167 

-y/Thomas  Scanlin     - 

-  163 

Robert  Garner 

-  197 

Edward  Kiely  -     - 

-  120 

Florence  F.  Gerald     197 

Thomas  Scanlin    - 

-  163 

William  Hushen 

-  122 

■y/John  Wilson     -     - 

-  1 1 1  Henry  street. 

George  White 

169 

G.W.Baldwin,  (sw'n,) 

V Charles  Myers     - 

-  169 

George  H.  Foster 

-  122 

■y/ William  Murphy 

-  169 

Geoige  Foster  -     - 

-  122 

Thomas  Boyde    - 

-  197 

Jno.  Wilson      -     - 

-  Ill 

John  Bennett 

-  167 

William  Lilly  -     - 

-  122 

George  Morgan    - 

167 

V  William  Galager    - 

-  122 

Thomas  Hushon 

-  124 

•y/John  Saunders 

-  16!) 

Daniel  Stamely    - 

-  122 

William  Stephens 

-  Ill 

-yAJohn  Smith     -     - 

-   150 

Thomas  Fitzgerald 

-  167 

George  Green 

-  173  Madison  street. 

l/Lewis  Light      -     - 

-  169 

SEVENTH   DISTRICT 

',    SEVENTH    WARD. 

Charles  Pratt    -     - 

-  227  Henry  street. 

Henry  Hun  key    - 

-  227  Henry  street. 

George  Martin  -     - 

-  227 

Richard  Parr,  jr. 

-  227 

William  Huut  -     - 

-  227 

•y/ Andrew  Morrison 

-  227 

Henry  Carlton 

-  227 

William  Dorans  recalled  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

4539.  Q.  Are  you  acquainted  with  Sheriff  James  O'Brien  of  this  city! 
A.  Yes,  sir  ;  I  have  seen  him. 

4540.  Q.  State  whether  any  officer  of  this  county  was  with  these  men 
who  were  engaged  in  repeating  as  you  have  stated,  and  who  stayed  at 
the  liquor  shop,  in  Thirty-second  street,  the  night  before  election. 

A.  Not  that  I  know  of.     I  saw  Sheriff  O'Brien  on  the  day  of  election. 

4541.  Q.  Where  did  you  breakfast  on  the  morning  of  election? 
A.  I  took  breakfast  at  the  sheriff's  house. 

4542.  Q.  Was  the  sheriff  there? 

A.  I  did  not  see  the  sheriff  there  ;  it  was  about  4  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing. 

4543.  Q.  Do  you  recollect  the  number  of  the  house? 

A.  No,  sir  ;  I  do  not.     It  was  very  dark  when  I  went  there. 

4544.  What  street  was  it  on  % 

A.  I  could  not  be  positive  whether  it  was  on  Thirty-third  or  Thirty- 
fourth  street;  it  was  near  Second  avenue. 
Q.  Who  took  you  to  this  place  ? 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  453 

A.  Some  one  in  the  shop  asked  me  to  go  there  and  get  breakfast. 

4545.  Q.  How  many  took  breakfast  with  yon  there  I 

A.  A  good  many. 

4540.  Q.  Where  did  yon  see  Sheriff  O'Brien  on  the  day  of  election  ! 

A.  1  saw  him  ride  down  Second  avenue  in  a  street  car. 

4547.  Q.  Do  yon  know  Sheriff  O'Brien's  brother  I 
A.  I  have  seen  him. 

4548.  Q.  Did  yon  see  him  before  the  day  of  election? 

A.  I  saw  him  the  night  before  the  election  in  the  liquor  shop,  on 
Thirty-second  street ;  I  did  not  see  him  the  day  of  electiou. 

4549.  Q.  Did  yon  see  the  sheriff  the  night  before  election  ! 
A.  No,  sir. 

4550.  Q.  Were  yon  promised  any  pay  for  your  services  as  repeater  ? 
A.  Xo.  sir. 

4551.  Q.  Did  yon  get  any  ? 

A.  No,  sir  ;  in  fact,  I  was  out  of  pocket  by  it. 

4552.  Q.  Have  you  been  a  deputy  sheriff  or  a  special  deputy  sheriff? 
A.  Xo,  sir. 

4553.  Q.  Do  you  know  where  Xo.  307  East  Thirty-third  street  is? 

A.  I  should  think  it  would  be  at  the  right-hand  side  of  Second  avenue. 

By  Mr.  Boss : 

4554.  Q.  Do  you  know  where  Sheriff  O'Brien  lives  ? 

A.  No,  sir  j  he  lives  up  in  the  direction  of  Thirty-second  or  Thirty- 
third  street.  They  called  the  place  O'Brien's  where  we  got  breakfast. 
I  could  not  say  positively  whether  it  was  the  sheriff's  brother's  place  or 
his  own. 

4555.  Q.  Did  the  sheriff's  brother  have  anything  to  do  with  the 
repeaters  \ 

A.  I  did  not  see  him  have  anything  to  do  with  the  repeating.  I  had 
no  conversation  with  him  the  night  I  was  with  him  in  the  liquor  shop. 

4550.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  Sheriff'  O'Brien  has  more  than  one 
brother  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know. 

4557.  Q.  You  do  not  know  what  house  you  took  breakfast  at? 

A.  I  do  not  know  any  more  than  that  it  was  O'Brien's ;  whether  it  was 
the  sheriffs  house  or  not  I  could  not  say. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

4558.  Q.  How  many  took  breakfast  there  that  morning  ? 
A.  About  40  or  50.' 

4559.  Q.  Did  you  start  from  O'Brien's  house  on  your  tour  of  voting  ? 
A.  We  returned  to  Thirty-second  street ;  there  we  stopped  a  little 

while  and  then  started  out,  stopping  at  many  places,  eating  and  drink- 
ing, &c. 

4500.  Q.  What  time  did  you  start  out  to  vote  ? 
A.  It  was  about  daylight. 

4501.  Q.  Did  you  see  Sheriff  O'Brien  or  his  brother,  while  you  were 
at  breakfast  at  the  house  \ 

A.  No,  sir. 

4502.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  your  own  knowledge  whether  he  lived  there  ? 
A.  I  do  not. 

4563.  Q.  Who  did  you  see  in  the  house? 

A.  There  Mas  such  a  crowd  there  that  I  didn't  know  who  belonged  to 
the  house  or  who  did  not. 


454 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 


New  York,  January  7, 1869. 


William  H.  Bogart  recalled. 


By  the  Chairman  : 

4504.  Question.  Do  you  know  anything  of  a  list  of  names  furnished 
hy  William  II.  Hendrick  of  fictitious  persons  registered  for  the  purpose 
of  voting  at  the  last  presidential  election  of  this  city  \ 

Answer.  No,  sir. 

4505.  Q.  Have  you  examined  any  of  the  registry  lists  of  the  last 
presidential  election  of  this  city  1 

A.  I  have.  I  present  to  the  committee  a  list  of  names  with  the  elec- 
tion districts  and  of  the  names  found  upon  the  registry  lists  for  these 
districts. 

By  Mr.  Koss: 
450G.  Q.  From  what  registry  list  did  you  take  these  names? 
A.  From  the  registry  list  at  the  police  headquarters. 
4507.  Q.  Did  you  copy  them  yourself! 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

TENTH   DISTRICT,    EIGHTH    WARD. 

Thos.Longe,  142  Sullivan.     V 


NINTH   DISTRICT,  SIXTH  WARD. 


Patrick  Coleman,      V 

62  Bayard. 

Matthews  Phipps, 

V 

August  Hernsdorff,  V 

l* 

Thos.  Fitzgerald, 

V 

Michle  Kean,            V 

11 

Daniel  Nugent, 

V 

Jas.  White,               V 

60  Mott. 

Edwd.  Mclntyre, 

y 

60  Most. 


These  names  on  poll-list  and  not  on  registry. 


84  Green  street,  first  district,  eighth  ward. 


9.  Moore,  Nathaniel 

10.  Mitchell,  Peter  V 

11.  Mitchell,   William  V 

12.  Smith,  James  V 

13.  Travis   William  H.  V 

14.  Williams,  Isaac  V 

15.  Worden,  James  V 


13.  Newman,  Daniel  V 

14.  O'Keefe,  Patrick  V 

15.  O'Brien,  Michael  V 

16.  Reynolds,  John  J.  V 

17.  Ryan,  Thomas  V 

18.  Right,  William  V 

19.  Slater,  Henry  B.  V 

20.  Thompson,  John  V 

21.  Williams,  George  V 

22.  Welsh,  James  V 

23.  Wallace,  Thomas  V 

24.  Zander,  John  V 


1.  Andrews,  Andrew 

V 

2.  Cram,  James  J. 

3.   Cavenagh,  Francis 

V 

4.  Dimphy,  Edward 

V 

5    Green,  Howard 

C.  Hogan,  Michael  C. 

V 

7,.  Hogan,  Edward 

V 

8.  Henderson,  John 

V 

142  Sullivan  street,  tent 

1.  Ben  sod,  August 

V 

2.  Butler,  William 

3.  Hill,  Andrew 

V 

4.  Hamson,  Charles 

V 

5.  Hepburn,  George 

V 

6.   Halpiu,  John 

V 

7.  Larkin,  George 

V 

8.  Lee,  James 

V 

9.  Munday,  William 

V 

10.  Merrifield,  John 

V 

1 1.  Norton,  Peter 

V 

12.  Nicol,  Joseph 

V 

595  Broadway,  third  district,  eighth  ward. 


1 .  Blauvelt,  Daniel  V 

2.  Barnard.  John  H. 

3.  Brown,  George  S.  V 

4.  Dennis,  Jerome  V 

5.  Harrison,  John  L.  V 

6.  Lowell,  B.  F.  V 


7.  Littell,  William  K.  V 

8.  Mack  ay,  Gordon 

9.  Skelly,  John  V 

10.  Walker,  Thomas  H.  V 

11.  Wyckoff,  P.  V 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 


455 


69  East  Houston  street,  second  district,  fourteenth  ward. 


1.  Anthony,  Charles 

8.  Leven,  Thomas 

V 

2.  Connolly,  John 

V 

9.  McGovvan,  Martin 

V 

3.  Duffey,  James 

10.  McGowan,  James 

V 

4.  Frazer,  Charles  H. 

V 

11.  Riley,  Hugh 

V 

5.  Fox,  Robert 

V 

12.  Summers,  David 

6.  Glennon,  Thomas 

V 

13.  Watters,  Charles 

V 

7.  Goldschmidt,  Herman 

V 

62  Bayard  street,  ninth  district,  sixth  ward 

1.  Brophy,  Patrick  J. 

V 

6.  Kane,  Michael 

V 

2.  Brophy,  James  J. 

V 

7.  Lenz,  Henry 

V 

3.  Brophy,  Michael 

V 

8.  Merritt,  Edward 

V 

4.  Bennett,  George 

V 

9.  Stevenson,  William 

V 

5.  Ganson,  John 

60   MOTT   STREET,  NINTH  DISTRICT,  SIXTH  WARD. 

1.  Bennett,  William 

V 

12.  Haggerty,  Lawrence 

V 

2.  Clark,  Thomas 

V 

13.  Harris,  Morris 

3.  Cullman,  Thomas 

V 

14.  Lord,  William 

V 

4.  Devoy,  James 

15.  Levy,  Morris 

V 

5.  Darling,  James 

16.  Maas,  John 

V 

6.  Edwards,  Michael 

17.  Mack,  Stephen 

7.  Fibbs,  Mathew 

18.  Nugent,  Patrick 

V 

8.  Farrell,  Patrick 

V 

19.  Nugent,  Daniel 

V 

9.  Fitzgerald,  Thomas 

V 

20.  Rooney,  Thomas 

V 

10.  Flynn,  Henry 

V 

21.  Smith,  Thomas 

V 

11.  Goodwin,  James 

V 

70  MOTT   STREET,  NINTH  DISTRICT,  SIXTH  WARD. 


1.  Adams,  Henry 

2.  Cohen,  Lazarus 

3.  Crone.  Michael 

4.  Gold,  John 


5.  Roach,  William 
6  Suydam,  George 
7.  Trebert,  Lewis 


George  Mabee  recalled. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

4568.  Q.  Look  at  the  list  of  names  furnished  by  William  H.  Bogart, 
the  witness  who  has  just  testified,  and  state  if  you  have  examined  that 
list  and  compared  it  with  the  poll  list  of  the  last  presidential  election, 
and  if  so,  how  many  of  the  names  are  found  on  the  poll-list  as  having' 
voted! 

A.  I  have  examined  the  list  and  compared  it  with  the  poll-list  of  voters 
and  found  all  the  names  on  the  poll-list  which  are  marked  "V,"  in  the 
accompanying  Jist  to  have  voted. 

T.  W.  Greig  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

4569.  Q.  State  if  you  can  furnish  the  committee  with  any  statistical 
information  in  relation  to  the  population  and  voters  of  the  sixth  ward 
of  this  city  ! 

A.  I  prepared  a  statistical  table,  which  I  present  to  the  committee. 

4570.  Q.  From  what  source  did  you  get  the  population  for  1860  ? 
A.  From  the  United  States  census. 

4571.  Q.  From  what  source  the  population  of  1865  ? 

A.  From  the  State  census.  The  table  of  voters  naturalized  and  alien 
for  1865  is  taken  from  the  official  State  census.  The  total  vote  for  1868 
is  taken  from  the  New  York  Daily  Transcript,  a  newspaper  of  this  city, 
and  is  the  official  vote  for  1868. 


456                              ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

Total  population  of  sixth  ward,  New  York  city. 

' 

I860. 

1865. 

White — Males 

13,319 
13,043 

9,574 

9,S9t 

143 

146 

Females _ 

Colored — Males 

146 

Females ' 

188 

Total 

26, 696 

19,754 

Voters,  1865. 
Native - 

599 
3  546 

Total 

.     4,145 

Aliens 

.     3, 074 

Total  vote,  1868. 

Republican 403 

Democrat 4,998 


Total 


;,40i 


New  York,  January  7,  18G9. 
Bartholomew  Cronin  sworn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instance 
of  Mr.  Ross.) 

To  Mr.  EOSS: 

4572.  I  was  an  election  officer  of  the  4th  district  of  the  4th  ward 
at  the  last  presidential  election.  I  cannot  state  how  many  votes  were 
cast  in  that  precinct.  Daring  the  day  no  illegal  votes  were  east  to 
my  knowledge.  It  would  be  utterly  impossible  to  prevent  them.  There 
is  a  certain  percentage  of  illegal  votes  cast  at  every  election. 

4573.  Q.  State  if  the  board  of  inspectors  used  ordinary  prudence  to 
prevent  illegal  voting  I 

A.  Yes,  sir;  everything  possible  that  could  be  done  was  done. 

4574.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  illegal  votes  being  cast  in  that  precinct! 
A.  Xo,  sir. 

4575.  Q.  Were  a  good  many  sworn  f 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  a  good  many ;  probably  twenty  or  thirty. 

4576.  Q.  Was  all  the  board  there  that  day  f 

A.  There  was  always  a  majority  of  the  board  there  ;  that  is  required 
by  regulation.     The  whole  four  were  not  there  all  day. 

4477.  Q.  Who  did  the  challenging  ? 

A.  Mr.  Shea  was  president  of  the  board;  he  did  most  of  the  challeng- 
ing. 

457S.  Q.  Did  you  all  exercise  that  privilege  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  whenever  it  was  necessary. 

4579.  Q.  Were  any  of  the  inspectors  driven  away  from  the  polls  that 
day  I 

A.  Xo,  sir;  I  do  not  know  of  any  of  the  inspectors  being  driven  away. 

458!).  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  of  the  challengers  being  driven  away  f 

A.  There  was  a  man  there  in  the  morning  as  a  hired  challenger;  he 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IX    NEW    YORK.  457 

was  ordered  away  by  the  board  of  inspectors.  We  all  agreed  in  ordering 
him  away.  Mr.  Shea  objected  to  it  at  first,  but  he  finally  agreed  to  it. 
When  a  man  is  challenged  there  is  always  a  good  deal  of  delay.  As 
there  was  a  large  number  of  votes  to  be  polled  in  our  district  in  a  short 
space  of  time,  we  could  not  allow  any  person  around  the  polls  to  chal- 

Ileiige  indiscriminately,  as  many  of  them  would  do,  to  delay  the  vote  as 
much  as  possible. 
4581.  Q.  Did  the  board  agree  that  there  should  be  no  challengers  ex- 
cept by  the  inspectors  ? 
A.  Yes.  sir. 

To  Mr.  Hopkix s : 

4582.  A.  One  of  the  challengers  was  ordered  away  because  he  created 
some  excitement ;  he  was  then  only  challenging  from  spite. 

By  the  Chaiemax  : 

4583.  Q.  Will  you  swear  that  he  challenged  through  spite  ? 

A.  I  do  not  positively  swear  that  he  did  it  out  of  spite ;  to  the  best  of 
my  knowledge  he  did,  however. 

4.384.  Q.  Are  you  a  democrat  ? 

A.  Sometimes  I  am.  I  was  during  the  last  election ;  not  in  the  elec- 
tion previous,  however. 

By  Mr.  HOPKIXS: 
4585.  Q.  How  long  have  you  resided  in  Xew  York  ! 
A.  About  17  years. 

4580.  Q.  Are  you  conversant  with  the  elections  here? 
A.  Yes,  I  am. 

4587.  Q.  What  percentage  of  illegal  votes  should  you  judge  were  cast ! 

A.  I  should  think  about  two  per  cent.,  probably  three  :  in  some  dis- 
tricts there  would  probably  be  more.  There  is  more  talk  about  this  illegal 
voting  than  really  exists.  It  is  greatly  exaggerated.  There  is  a  large 
class  of  people  who  do  not  think  anything  is  done  right  at  elections  unless 
it  is  done  just  as  they  want  it  done.  If  it  is  done  according  to  their 
party  predilections  they  think  it  is  right :  if  not,  they  think  it  is  wrong. 

4588.  Q.  Did  vou  challenge  any  vote  that  day  ? 
A.  I  did. 

4580.  Q.  Were  the  votes  you  challenged  sworn  in  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Boss: 

4590.  Q.  Was  there  any  man  who  did  not  get  to  vote  on  account  of 
obstructions  and  delavs  in  voting  by  challenging .' 

A.  Not  that  1  know  of. 

New  Y^oek.  January  7,  1869. 
Joseph  Maloy  sworn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instance  of  Mr.  Ross.) 
To  Mr.  Boss : 

4591.  I  was  an  election  officer  in  the  4th  district  of  the  4th  ward  at  the 
last  presidential  election.  I  know  nothing  of  illegal  votes  being  cast  in 
that  precinct.  I  had  the  poll-list  of  registered  voters,  and  as  a  man  came 
in  to  vote  I  checked  his  name  off.  I  do  not  know  of  any  repeating  being 
done  at  that  precinct.  I  believe,  however,  there  was  a  man  arrested 
afterwards  for  repeating  in  another  district  who  voted  at  ours.  Mr.  Shea 
and  myself  did  all  the  challenging  at  that  precinct  all  day.  He  chal- 
lenged about  10  or  12. 


458  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

4592.  Q.  Was  there  any  inspector  driven  away  from  your  polls! 

A.  Mr.  Shea  challenged  one  vote,  and  had  the  man  arrested.  The 
policeman  took  him  away,  and  after  awhile  came  back  for  Mr.  Shea  and 
wanted  him  to  go  along  as  a  witness.  Shea  said  if  lie  did  he  wanted 
Wood,  his  republican  colleague,  to  go  with  him,  and  adjourn  the  board, 
and  allow  no  more  votes  to  be  taken  until  they  came  back.  To  this  we  all 
objected,  and  it  was  finally  agreed  that  Mr.  Woods  should  stay  there  and 
the  voting  should  go  on.   Shea  was  absent  about  three-quarters  of  an  hour. 

459.').  Q.  You  observed  the  same  care  while  he  was  away  as  you  did 
before  while  he  was  there? 

A.  We  did,  as  his  republican  colleague  was  there  all  the  time. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

4594.  Q.  Was  there  a  challenger  driven  away  from  your  polls  during 
the  day? 

A.  No,  sir;  he  went  away  of  his  own  accord. 

4595.  Q.  Was  he  not  sent  away? 
A.  No,  sir. 

4590.  Q.  Was  he  not  notified  to  leave  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

4597.  Q.  Was  there  any  republican  challenger  there  during  the  day? 
A.  I  could  not  say. 

New  York,  January  7, 1869. 
John  Gilmore  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman: 

4598.  Question.  What  office  did  you  hold  at  the  last  presidential  elec-  ' 
tion  in  this  city  ? 

Answer.  I  held  the  office  of  inspector  of  election  and  registry  in  the 
7th  district  of  the  4th  ward. 

4599.  Q.  State  what  you  know  of  persons  presenting  themselves  to 
vote  upon  certificates  of  naturalization,  and  what  evidence  you  had  that 
their  certificates  were  fraudulent. 

A.  I  do  not  know  whether  the  certificates  were  fraudulent,  but  there 
were  men  who  came  to  the  polls  with  papers  that  they  had  obtained  in 
the  month  of  October.  When  they  presented  the  papers  I  asked  them 
if  they  were  the  only  papers  they  ever  had,  and  whether  they  had  got 
out  their  first  papers  or  not.  There  were  some  15  or  20  said  they  had 
not,  and  I  refused  to  allowr  them  to  register. 

4600.  Q.  State  if  you  swore  all  these  men  in. 
A.  I  did  swear  them  in. 

4001.  Q.  Did  any  of  them  state  where  they  got  their  papers? 

A.  None  of  them  stated.     I  am  now  speaking  of  the  day  of  registry.  ! 

Q.  State  if  you  know  of  any  illegal  voting  in  your  district. 

A.  There  were  a  great  many  x^ersons  came  to  the  polls  who  lived  in 
the  sailors'  boarding  houses  in  the  district ;  I  knew  them  to  be  illegal 
voters  and  would  challenge  them. 

By  Mr.  Ross : 

4602.  Q.  How  do  you  knowr  they  were  illegal  voters  ? 

A.  I  knew  it  from  the  fact  that  they  had  not  lived  in  the  ward  long 
enough  to  vote. 

4603.  Q.  How  long  have  you  lived  in  that  district  yourself? 

A.  I  have  lived  in  that  ward  33  years.  I  know7  the  biggest  part  of  the 
ward. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  459 

By  the  Chairman  : 

4004.  Q.  From  your  knowledge  of  those  who  actually  resided  in  the 
ward  and  were  entitled  to  vote  in  your  district,  can  you  estimate  the 
number  of  persons  who  voted  there  who  were  not  entitled  to  vote? 

A.  I  could  not  state  of  my  own  knowledge.  I  would  not  swear  to 
them.  If  any  man  came  to  the  polls  of  whom  I  had  any  doubt,  I  should 
challenge  him.  A  dozen  men  were  outside  the  polls  who  would  hand 
slips  of  paper  or  cards  with  names  on  them  to  men,  who  would  then 
walk  up  and  offer  to  vote  on  them. 

By  Mr.  Boss : 

4005.  Q.  Who  was  the  chief  challenger  in  your  precinct? 
A.  I  was  the  only  challenger  that  was  at  the  polls. 

4606.  Q.  How  many  did  you  challenge  ? 
A.  I  challenged  about  30,  I  should  think. 

4607.  Q.  Was  there  a  crowd  of  voters  there  all  day? 

A.  There  was  up  to  about  10  or  11  o'clock,  and  also  between  12  and  1 
o'clock,  when  the  men  came  to  dinner.  About  3  or  4  o'clock  the  crowd 
dropped  off. 

4608.  Q.  How  many  votes  were  polled? 
A.  Some  500. 

4609.  How  many  registered  ? 
A.  Some  715. 

4610.  Q.  How  many  were  there  who  could  not  get  to  vote  on  account 
of  want  of  time  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know ;  I  think  there  was  plenty  of  time  for  everybody  to  vote. 

4611.  Q.  Who  were  the  other  inspectors  in  that  precinct? 

A.  My  republican  colleague  was  Mr.  Nevins.  The  democrats  were 
Eobert  McGrath  and  Thomas  Dons. 

By  the  Chairman: 

4612.  Q.  Were  you  threatened  at  all  ? 

A.  The  crowd  outside  used  some  hard  words  against  me  and  threatened 
me  a  good  deal.  They  told  me  they  would  take  my  head  off  when  I  left 
the  polls  that  night.  When  T  did  leave  the  polls  I  went  out  with  an 
officer,  and  he  took  charge  of  me. 

By  Mr.  Ross : 

4613.  Q.  Did  anybody  try  to  injure  you  when  you  went  out  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  not  while  I  had  the  officer  with  me.  They  were  probably 
afraid  to  interfere  with  me  then.     T  only  lived  across  the  street. 

4614.  Q.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  did  anybody  try  to  injure  you  at  all? 
A.  No,  sir ;  they  did  not. 

4615.  Q.  What  is  your  business  ? 
A.  Boat-building/ 

4616.  Q.  Do  you  belong  to  the  Loyal  League  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  belong  to  the  republican  organization. 

4617.  Q.  Where  did  you  get  your  instructions  in  relation  to  conducting 
the  election? 

A.  I  got  it  from  the  law. 

4618.  Q.  Did  Colonel  Bliss  tell  you  anything  about  it? 
A.  No,  sir. 

4619.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  illegal  votes  being  given  there? 
A.  I  do  not  of  my  own  knowledge. 

4620.  Q.  Can  you  name  a  single  man  who  cast  an  illegal  vote  in  your 
district  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 


460  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW   YORK. 

By  the  Chairman: 

4621.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  a  single  man,  except  in  a  single  instance, 
who  has  been  indicted  or  punished  for  illegal  voting,  or  for  any  frauds 
on  naturalization,  in  New  York  city,  within  the  last  throe  years? 

A.  There  was  a  man  in  the  4th  precinct  of  the  4th  ward  that  I  know 
of,  and  that  is  all. 

New  York,  January  7,  1869. 
Henry  Lyle  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

4G22.  Question.  Where  do  you  reside  ? 

Answer.  I  reside  at  No.  45  West  Twenty-first  street  in  this  city.  I 
have  lived  here  for  twelve  years. 

4623.  Q.  With  what  political  party  have  you  acted  ? 
A.  With  the  democratic  party. 

4624.  Q.  What  is  your  occupation  ? 
A.  I  am  a  clerk. 

4625.  Q.  State  what  you  know  of  certificates  of  naturalization  being 
issued  by  Judge  McCunnof  the  superior  court,  and  in  the  supreme  court 
by  Judge  Barnard. 

A.  I  was  engaged  in  that  business  during  the  months  of  September 
and  October,  1868.  I  saw  that  everybody  almost  was  going  into  it  audi 
took  a  hand  at  it.  I  had  an  office  at  33  Chatham  street  in  this  city;  1  staid 
there  most  of  the  time  during  the  day,  and  at  night  would  go  up  town 
to  Thirty-second  street  at  a  liquor  store  there,  where  parties  would 
send  me  names  of  persons  to  be  naturalized.  The  next  day  I  would  fill 
up  the  applications,  go  before  the  judges  and  put  the  men  through. 
During  the  month  of  October  I  would  come  down  in  the  evening  and 
put  the  men  through  before  Judge  Barnard  of  the  supreme  court,  who 
held  the  night  session. 

4626.  Q.  Where  did  you  get  the  blanks  from  ! 

A.  I  got  the  blanks  at  Xo.  1  Centre  street  and  at  the  chamber  of  the 
board  of  councilmen  in  the  City  Hall. 

4627.  Q.  Where  did  you  fill  up  the  blanks  ! 

A.  At  Ko.  33  Chatham  street.  I  would  sign  the  names  of  the  appli- 
cants to  these  blanks ;  sometimes  I  would  sign  the  applicant's  name  and 
sometimes  he  would  himself,  or  if  anybody  else  happened  to  be  around 
he  would  sign  it. 

4628.  Q.  How  did  you  procure  certificates  of  naturalization  before 
Judge  McCunn  ! 

A.  I  would  take  the  papers  down  to  the  court  and  give  them  in  to  the 
clerk.  He  would  call  my  name,  and  I  would  then  go  around  and  swear  to 
the  truth  of  the  affidavits  before  the  judge.  After  that  I  would  go  around 
to  the  clerk's  desk;  if  the  man  was  not  there  I  would  take  the  oath  of 
allegiance,  or  if  the  man  was  too  old  to  go  through,  otherwise,  the  man 
himself  would  go  round. 

4629.  Q.  How  many  certificates  of  naturalization  did  you  procure 
during  these  two  months  ? 

A.  I  cannot  tell,  but  I  should  judge  from  600  to  1,000  ;  that  I  would 
swear  to.  Sometimes  I  would  swear  to  twenty  or  thirty  and  sometimes 
fifty  a  day. 

4630.  0.  State  if  you  would  sign  your  name  to  the  affidavits  as  wit- 
ness in  all  cases,  or  what  name  was  "signed. 

A.  I  signed  different  names  just  as  it  happened  to  come  into  my  head. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN   NEW   YORK.  461 

Sometimes  I  would  sign  my  own  name,  at  others  that  of  Henry  Law- 
rence, or  Lines,  or  any  name. 

4631.  Q.  How  were  you  sworn  to  the  affidavits  before  the  judge,  each 
one  at  a  time  or  more  than  one u? 

A.  I  would  bring  them  down  in  batches  and  he  would  generally  put 
through  eight  or  ten  at  a  time. 

4632.  Q.  State  as  near  as  you  can  how  many  of  the  applicants  for 
naturalization  were  present  when  they  were  naturalized,  or  if  any  were 
absent  ? 

A.  I  got  a  good  many  papers  out  for  men  who  were  not  there  at  all, 
by  being  both  wituess  and  applicant  myself. 
*4633.  Q.  From  what  courts  did  you  get  these  certificates? 

A.  From  both  the  superior  court  and  the  supreme  court. 

4034.  Q.  Who  furnished  you  with  the  names  of  persons  to  be  natur- 
alized ? 

A.  I  got  the  names  up  town  from  different  parties  who  told  me  that 
they  wanted  papers  for  those  persons,  that  they  didn't  have* time  to 
come  down  themselves,  that  they  would  pay  me  if  I  would  get  the  papers 
for  them. 

4635.  Q.  Did  you  procure  the  names  of  persons  desiring  to  be  natur- 
alized from  any  of  the  officers  of  this  city  }. 

A.  Ko,  sir ;  I  procured  some  of  the  papers  from  one  of  the  assistant 
aldermen. 

4636.  Q.  What  was  his  name? 
A.  Austin  V.  Pettit. 

4637.  Q.  State  what  connection  you  have  ever  had,  if  any,  with  the 
Tammany  general  committee  ? 

A.  Pettit  is  a  member  of  the  Tammany  general  committee  ;  I  have  had 
no  connection  with  it. 

4638.  Q.  With  what  did  you  pay  for  those  naturalization  papers  ? 
A.  With  red  tickets. 

4639.  Q.  Where  did  you  get  them  ? 

A.  I  got  some  from  Judge  Gale  in  Centre  street,  some  from  Mr.  Pettit, 
and  some  from  different  parties  around  the  City  Hall  that  I  knew. 

4640.  Q.  State  if  you  are  acquainted  with  Judge  McCunn  ? 
A.  I  am. 

4641.  Q.  State  if  he  is  acquainted  with  you! 
A.  He  is. 

4642.  Did  you  have  any  conversation  with  Judge  McCunn  about  this 
naturalization  business  ? 

A.  I  was  up  before  him  one  night  and  was  a  witness  for  a  man  by  the 
name  of  Spirit ;  I  told  him  my  name,  and  he  said  that  it  ought  to  be 
Spirit  too.  After  that  I  would  sometimes  sign  my  name  as  Spirit,  as  a 
witness. 

4643.  Q.  What  else  was  said  by  Judge  McCunn  ? 

A.  That  was  all,  though  he  told  me  at  one  time  that  if  they  did  not 
Register  any  of  the  men  that  I  got  papers  out  for,  they  would  compel 
them  to  register  them. 

4644.  Q.  State  what  you  observed  in  Judge  Barnard's  court ! 

A.  I  would  come  down  to  Judge  Barnard's  court  every  night  while 

pe  was  sitting  in  naturalizing.      He  would  call  the  applicant  and  in 

general  the  witness.     I  did  not  go  to  him  but  two  or  three  times  as  a 

witness.    He  would  call  the  applicants  all  up  in  a  batch  and  swear 

hem  to  renounce  their  allegiance,  &c. 

4645.  Q.  State  if  you  know  of  any  certificates  of  naturalization  being 
)btained  there  in  that  court  without  any  witness  being  present  at  all? 


462  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  had  papers  from  that  court  without  cither  applicant  or 
witness  being  present 

41)40.  Q.  How  many  papers  wen1  procured  without  the  presence  of 
the  applicant  f 

A.  I  probably  had  a  hundred  or  so.  Sometimes  T  got  the  applications 
from  different  parties;  I  would  give  them  the  names  and  they  would  get 
the  papers  for  me. 

4047.  Q.  Where  were  the  different  parties  from  whom  you  got  the 
papers. 

A.  I  got  some  from  Mr.  Pet  tit,  some  from  Mr.  Love,  corner  Thirty- 
fourth  street  and  Ninth  avenue,  and  1  paid  him  for  them.     1  also  got   i 
some  from  a  young  man  1  do  not  know. 

464S.  Q.  Do  you  mean  that  you  got  the  applications  or  certificates 
from  these  persons  l 

A.  I  got  the  certificates. 

4041).  Q.  State  as  near  as  you  can  how  many  certificates  of  naturaliza- 
tion you  procured  from  Judge  Barnard's  court  when  no  applicant  was 
present  in  the  court? 

A.  I  did  not  procure  but  very  few  that  way,  probably  a  dozen.  I 
would  generally  bring  my  men  down  with  me;  I  would  often  answer  for 
a  man  and  take  his  papers  out. 

4050.  Q.  State  if  you  signed  any  papers  as  a  witness  and  did  not 
afterwards  appear  in  court  to  be  sworn  in  as  a  witness  I 

A.  Yes.  sir;  I  signed  on  the  21st  of  October  papers  for  James  Bey- 
nolds  and  Owen  Gallagher  in  the  supreme  court.  1  signed  the  name  of 
Henry  Lawrence.  I  took  tin1  papers  and  gave  them  to  Arthur  Love  in 
the  supreme  court  chambers  about  V2  o'clock  that  day,  and  at  7  o'clock 
in  the  evening,  at  the  corner  of  Thirty-first  street  and  Ninth  avenue,  a 
young  man  that  was  with  him  in  this  business  gave  me  two  certificates 
of  naturalization  for  these  men.     I  paid  him  #2  for  them. 

4051.  Q.  Were  you  sworn  in  that  case? 
A.  No,  sir,  I  was  not. 

4652.  Q.  Who  is  Arthur  Love  ? 

A.  He  is  on  the  20th  ward  naturalization  committee  of  Tammany  Hall. 

4053.  Q.  When  you  signed  as  a  witness  what  proportion  of  the  names 
were  fictitious  f 

A.  They  were  all  names  that  just  happened  to  come  into  my  head  at 
the  time. 

4654.  Q.  To  what  extent  in  either  of  these  courts  did  you  personate 
the  applicant J? 

A.  I  attended  in  the  superior  court  a  good  deal ;  I  also  did  it  some  in 
the  supreme  court. 

4655.  Q.  Did  you  touch  the  Bible  when  you  were  sworn  in  the  supe- 
rior court  % 

A.  Xo,  sir. 

4656.  Q.  How  were  you  sworn  in  ? 

A.  I  would  raise  up  my  right  hand  and  we  would  be  sworn  to  tell 
the  truth,  the  whole  truth,  and  nothing  but  the  truth.  Probably  ten  or 
twenty  would  be  sworn  in  together. 

4657.  Q.  How  was  it  in  the  supreme  court? 

A.  They  had  a  Bible  there,  and  they  were  sworn  in  in  batches  of  about 
forty  fit  a  time.  We  were  told  to  put  our  hands  on  the  Bible,  but  1 
generally  did  not ;  I  could  not  reach  it  in  many  cases. 

4658.  Q.  State  what  compensation  you  got  for  your  services  ? 

A.  I  got  whatever  I  could.  If  I  could  get  five"  dollars  from  any  man 
I  would  take  it ;  if  two  dollars  I  would  take  that.     I  would  not  do  any- 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  463 

(thing  for  less  than  one  dollar.  I  generally  got  two  dollars  if  a  man 
went  down  himself.  If  I  had  to  go  down  and  personate  the  applicant 
I  would  charge  more. 

4659.  Q.  Did  you  pay  any  money  to  the  officers  of  the  court  for  their 
services,  or  did  you  use  the  red  tickets  .' 

A.  Sometimes  I  would  treat  them. 

4000.  Q.  Did  you  have  any  one  to  assist  you  ? 
A.  I  did  it  all  alone. 

4001.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  others  that  were  engaged  in  the  same 

I  business  1 
A.  Yes,  sir.     One  was  Patrick  McCaffrey;    another  was  John  Galla- 
gher; he  is  in  the  street  department,  I  believe;  a  man  at  189  King 
I  street;  and  also  John  Vex  way,  conductor  on  a  Ninth  avenue  railroad  car: 
he  resides  at  439  West  Thirty-sixth  street.     I  know  William  Thurbin, 

iwho  is  also  engaged  in  that  business;  he  is  a  conductor  on  the  Bleeker 
street  line  and  resides  somewheres  in  the  19th  ward.  There  is  also 
John  Moran,  who  resides  in  the  21st  ward.  Also  Chauncey  Gray, 
who  resides  at  the  Putnam  County  House,  corner  Twenty-sixth  street 
and  Fourth  avenue. 
4662.  Q.  Do  you  know  John  or  Patrick  Golf? 

A.  I  do  not.     I  know  a  great  many  by  sight  but  do  not  know  their 
names. 
Q.  Do  you  know  where  Patrick  McCaffrey  is  ? 
A.  I  saw  him  last  Monday. 

4003.  Q.  Do  you  know  Henry  Blume  ? 

A.  1  know  a  great  many  by  sight  who  are  engaged  in  this  business, 
but  do  not  know  them  by  name. 

4004.  Do  you  know  anything  of  the  mode  in  which  these  men  con- 
ducted their  business  ? 

A.  They  did  it  just  the  same  as  I  did.  Some  of  them  were  at  Eosen- 
berg's  place;  Rosenberg  had  three  Jews  who  swore  in  papers  for  him. 
At  the  office  of  the  Tammany  committee,  No.  1  Centre  street,  there  was 
a  clerk  there  from  each  ward.  Applicants  would  come  to  these  men  to 
get  their  papers  put  through,  and  if  they  had  no  witnesses  the  clerks 
would  go  witness  for  them.  In  the  sheriff's  office  the  different  wards 
had  parties  there  who  would  go.  Patrick  McCaffrey  was  most  of  the 
time  in  the  old  sheriff's  office.    John  Gallagher  also  had  a  desk  there. 

4665.  Q.  Do  you  know  anything  about  "  repeating,"  as  it  is  called,  at 
the  last  presidential  election  in  this  city  'I 

A.  I  registered  quite  a  number  of  times,  but  I  only  voted  once.     I  got 
a  little  scared  that  I  would  get  catched  up  into  it. 
By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

4000.  Q.  What  do  you  get  for  telling  all  this  story  1 

A.  1  have  not  been  promised  one  cent. 

4007.  Q.  Don't  you  expect  something  ? 

A.  I  have  not  been  promised  anything. 

4668.  Q.  Don't  you  expect  anything  ? 
A.  I  may  expect  something. 

4669.  Q.  From  whom  do  you  expect  anything  f 

A.  I  do  not  know  exactly  whom  I  expect  anything  from ;  I  may  expect 
something  from  Mr.  Utley. 

4070.  Q.  Who  is  he? 

A.  He  is  in  the  custom-house. 

4071.  Q.  From  whom  else  do  you  expect  anything  ? 

A.  Mr.  Utley  took  me  to  Mr.  White,  a  lawyer  of  this  citv  •  1  think  he  is 
connected  with  the  Union  League. 


464  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

4672.  Q.  You  expect  compensation  to  come  from  Mr.  Utley  then? 
A.  Yes,  sir ;  if  I  get  any  at  all. 

4073.  Q.  Did  Mr.  White  tell  you  he  would  give  you  anything  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

4074.  Q.  Don't  you  expect  something  from  Marshal  Murray? 
A.  I  do  not  know  him. 

4075.  Q.  Do  you  know  Colonel  Bliss  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

4070.  Q.  Have  you  not  been  up  to  the  Union  League  rooms  % 

A.  No,  sir;  I  don't  train  with  that  party. 

4077.  Q.  Don't  yon  know  that  in  the  tale  you  have  told  here  yon  have 
subjected  yourself  to  a  criminal  prosecution  under  the  laws  of  the  State  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know;  I  have  sworn  to  nothing  false. 

4678.  Q.  You  did  not  consider  it  perjury  then  in  swearing  in  these  i 
naturalization  papers  ? 

A.  I  did  not  swear  on  the  Bible. 

4070.  Q.  You  think  then  if  you  held  up  your  hand  and  swore  to  tell 
the  truth,  the  whole  truth,  and  nothing  but  the  truth,  that  yon  were  not 
committing  perjury  .; 

A.  I  do  not  know. 

4080.  Q.  You  think  now  that  you  are  not  liable  to  prosecution  because 
you  did  not  swear  on  the  Bible  ?  Has  anybody  told  you  that  you  would 
be  protected  if  you  came  here  to  give  this  testimony  I 

A.  I  have  heard  that  if  a  person  gave  testimony  before  a  coin  mi  ttee 
he  woidd  be  protected. 

4081.  Q.  Who  told  you  that  ! 
A.  I  have  read  it. 

4082.  Q.  In  what  papers  ? 
A.  In  different  papers. 

4083.  Q.  Tell  me  one  paper? 

A.  I  generally  understood  a  man  is  protected  when  he  is  a  witness 
before  a  committee. 

4084.  Q.  Where  did  you  get  that  information  '? 
A.  Common  sense  told  me  that. 

4085.  Q.  Have  you  not  been  posted  up  by  somebody  as  to  your  exemp- 
tion  from  punishment  by  this  testimony,  and  if  so  by  whom  ! 

A.  Mr.  White  told  me  that  I  would  be  protected ;  he  said  the  law  pro- 
tected me. 

4080.  Q.  Didn't  somebody  read  to  you  the  law  and  tell  you  that  you 
would  not  be  punished  % 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

4087.  Q.  Who  was  that  who  did  so? 

A.  That  gentleman  standing  there,  (pointing  to  Mr.  Davenport,  clerk 
of  the  committee.) 

4088.  Q.  Did  he  tell  you  that  you  would  not  be  liable  to  punishment 
if  you  came  to  testify  in  this  way "? 

A.  He  only  read  me  the  law. 

4089.  Q.  Is  that  all  he  said  ? 

A.  That  is  all;  I  told  him  that  I  did  not  want  to  make  myself  liable 
to  punishment,  and  he  read  the  law  to  me. 

4090.  Where  did  he  read  the  law  to  you  ? 
A .  In  Chambers  street. 

4091.  Q.  Whereabouts? 

A.  As  we  were  walking  along  the  street. 

4692.  Q.  Did  he  read  to  you  the  whole  ol  this  law  f 

A.  No,  sir. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  465 

4G93.  Q.  What  part  did  lie  read  ! 

A.  I  think  it  was  the  fore  part  of  it. 

4094.  Q.  What  have  you  been  doing-  for  the  last  twelve  years  ! 

A.  I  was  at  work  for  four  years  for  A.  H.  Dibble,  corner  of  Broadway 
and  Leonard  street ;  I  was  for  five  years  in  the  American  Telegraph 
Company,  corner  of  Broadway  and  Liberty  street,  and  I  was  employed 
for  six  months  in  the  New  York  custom-house,  but  was  removed  in  July 
last. 

4695.  Q.  On  what  account! 

A.  I  went  on  a  spree  on  the  occasion  of  the  democratic  convention, 
and  was  discharged. 

4696.  Q.  What  induced  you  to  organize  this  office  at  33  William  street? 
A.  There  was  no  office  there  at  all,  it  was  merely  a  desk  and  lager- 
beer  saloon. 

4697.  Q.  Who  kept  the  saloon  ? 

A.  A  man  by  the  name  of  Heidelberger. 

4698.  Q.  How  long  were  you  in  that  place  ? 

A.  I  was  there  for  six  weeks ;  every  day  I  would  come  there  at  9 
o'clock  in  the  morning  and  stay  until  about  4 ;  I  got  my  blanks  for  filling 
out  the  applications  at  No.  6  Centre  street,  and  So.  1  Centre  street,  and 
the  county  clerk's  office,  and  some  of  the  board  at  the  councilmen's  room. 

4699.  Q.  From  what  clerk  in  the  councilmen's  room  did  you  get  them  ? 
A.  I  do  not  know  his  name. 

4700.  Q.  You  say  you  know  Judge  McCunn  % 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  have  often  visited  at  his  house;  I  am  acquainted  with 
his  family. 

4701.  Q.  How  much  of  a  family  has  he  % 

A.  There  is  himself,  his  wife,  and  his  wife's  sisters ;  I  have  not  visited 
his  house  for  the  last  two  years ;  previous  to  that  I  used  frequently  to 
visit  with  my  sisters,  who  are  acquainted  with  his  wife's  sisters ;  I  lived 
three  or  four  doors  from  them. 

4702.  Q.  Upon  what  occasion  was  it  that  you  last  visited  his  house  ? 
A.  I  went  there  and  called  one  evening. 

4703.  Q.  Were  you  invited  by  him  to  come  ? 

A.  I  went  there  with  my  sister ;  1  used  to  visit  there  about  once  in 
two  weeks,  sometimes  more,  sometimes  less. 

4704.  Q.  How  did  you  manage  to  represent  both  the  applicant  and  the 
witness  when  you  procured  naturalization  papers  in  the  court  ? 

A.  I  would  go  around  and  appear  as  witness ;  after  I  had  sworn  and 
answered  questions,  I  would  go  around  and  present  myself  as  the  appli- 
cant and  get  the  papers  they  would  not  call  the  applicant's  name ; 
sometimes  it  would  be  called,  but  most  frequently  not ;  one  of  the  mes- 
sengers of  the  court  used  to  call  the  name ;  whenever  it  was  called  I 
would  hand  the  application  to  one  of  the  officers  and  he  would  hand 
it  to  the  judge ;  if  there  was  no  crowd  there  I  would  go  up  to  the  officer 
myself  and  hand  it  to  him ;  he  sat  beside  the  judge ;  he  would  then  call 
my  name  as  witness,  and  lay  the  paper  before  the  judge;  the  judge  would 
then  swear  me. 

4705.  Q.  Would  there  be  an  applicant  there  then  f 
A.  Sometimes  there  w  ould  and  sometimes  not. 

4706.  Q.  Did  the  judge  ever  ask  you  where  the  applicant  was? 

A.  No,  sir ;  sometimes  he  would  call  the  applicant's  name,  and  some- 
times not. 

4707.  Q.  How  many  times  did  you  go  there  to  get  out  applications 
without  the  applicants  being  present  I 

A.  A  good  many  times ;  perhaps  between  50  and  100  times. 
30  t 


4GG  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

4708.  Q.  When  you  went  there  50  or  100  times  did  the  judge  always 
only  call  the  witness  and  never  the  applicant  t 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  would  wait  about  15  minutes  and  see  how  the  business 
was  running;  if  I  saw  he  was  calling  the  applicants'  names  I  would  not 
present  my  papers ;  if  not,  I  would. 

4709.  Q.  To  what  extent  did  you  see  parties  get  papers  without  the 
applicants  being  there? 

A.  I  have  seen  it  almost  every  day ;  I  have  seen  it  also  in  Judge  Bar- 
nard's court. 

4710.  Q.  By  what  names  have  you  been  known  for  the  last  five  years? 
A.  Always  by  the  name  of  Henry  Lyle. 

4711.  Q.  Have  you  been  on  Blackwell's  island? 
A.  No,  sir. 

4712.  Q.  Have  you  been  in  the  State  prison  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

4713.  Q.  How  did  you  get  at  the  number  of  these  applications  you  got 
through  ? 

A.  I  calculated  I  got  about  twenty  through  a  day;  I  commenced 
about  the  15th  of  September  and  kept  it  up  until  the  end  of  October. 

4714.  Q.  How  much  did  you  get  for  all  this  business? 

A.  I  do  not  know7 ;  I  spent  my  money  as  fast  as  I  made  it. 

4715.  Q.  How  did  you  spend  it? 

A.  By  treating  fellows,  paying  my  board  and  lodging,  buying  my 
clothes,  &c. 

4716.  Q.  Any  other  way  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  made  lots  of  money,  but  spent  it  right  away. 

4717.  Q.  You  say  you  treated  the  clerks  of  the  courts;  to  what  extent 
did  you  treat  them,  and  who  were  they? 

A.  I  do  not  know ;  I  would  ask  out  the  messengers  and  officers  of  the 
courts. 

4718.  Q.  How  many  did  you  treat  ? 

A.  I  treated  two  or  three  in  the  superior  court. 

4719.  Q.  How  often  did  you  treat  them  ? 

A.  Sometimes  two  or  three  times  a  day;  and  sometimes  not  at  all; 
I  would  take  them  to  No.  33  Chatham  street,  and  sometimes  to  No.  2 
Centre  street. 

4720.  Q.  How  many  of  the  clerks  in  either  of  these  courts  do  you  know  I 
by  name  ? 

A.  I  only  know  one  clerk ;  he  is  in  the  superior  court,  and  his  name 
is  James  C.  Dana. 

4721.  Q.  Did  you  treat  him  ? 
A.  No,  sir,  I  did  not. 

4722.  Q.  Did  you  tell  him  what  business  you  were  engaged  in  ? 

A.  They  all  knew  how  I  was  doing  the  business;  1  never  told  any  of 
the  clerks,  they  all  knew  about  it. 

4723.  Q.  Did  you  tell  the  judge  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

4724.  Q.  Did  you  tell  any  of  the  messengers,  bailiffs  or  clerks  of  the 
court-room  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

4725.  Q.  Did  you  tell  any  of  these  numerous  persons  for  whom  you 
got  applications  through  that  you  were  committing  perjury  in  getting' 
papers  through  for  them  in  that  way  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

472G.  Q.  Didn't  you  tell  them  that  you  were  committing  a  crime  when 
you  got  out  these  papers  for  them  ? 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN   NEW   YORK.  467 

A.  I  told  them  I  was  working'  for  the  democratic  party. 

4727.  Didn't  you  tell  the  parties  that  3011  were  committing  a  crime  in 
doing  this  for  them  f 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  did  not  tell  the  parties. 

4728.  Q.  Yon  say  you  were  serving  the  democratic  party  in  doing  this 
business  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

4720.  Q.  Did  the  democratic  party  secure  your  services ! 

A.  No,  sir. 

4730.  Q.  Your  services  were  volunteered,  then? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

4731.  Q.  While  you  were  serving  the  democratic  party  it  appears  that 
in  a  financial  aspect  vou  were  serving  yourself  too  ? 

A.  That  is  it. 

4732.  Q.  You  would  assume,  in  getting  out  these  naturalization  papers, 
the  name  of  the  person  who  was  on  the  application? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

4733.  Q.  How  many  times  did  you  do  this  ? 
A.  I  could  not  say. 

4734.  Q.  How  many  papers  did  you  get  from  Mr.  Austin  Pettit? 
A.  I  got  about  ten. 

4735.  Q.  When  did  you  get  them? 
A.  About  the  loth  of  October. 

473C.  What  did  you  give  to  Mr.  Pettit  for  them  ? 

A.  I  gave  him  nothing.  I  gave  him  the  names  for  them,  and  he  got 
the  papers  out  for  me.  I  gave  him  the  names  on  the  steps  of  the 
supreme  court  about  12  o'clock  in  the  day,  and  I  got  the  papers  that 
evening  in  a  liquor  store  on  Thirty-second  street,  I  think. 

4737.  Q.  Do  you  know  any  of  these  men  whose  names  you  gave  Pettit? 
A.  Some  of  them  I  did ;  others  I  did  not. 

4738.  Q.  What  were  the  names? 

A.  Owen  Gallagher  was  one  of  them.  I  think  there  was  another  man 
by  the  name  of  Smith ;  another  one  by  the  name  of  Patrick  Glenn;  I  do 
not  know  where  he  lives.     Those  are  all  the  names  that  I  can  remember. 

4739.  Q.  Did  they  request  you  to  give  their  names  to  Pettit  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

4740.  Q.  Did  they  request  you  to  procure  the  papers  for  them? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

4741.  Q.  How  many  tickets  did  you  get  from  Judge  Gale  ? 

A.  I  got  tickets  from  him  two  different  times.  There  was  no  trouble 
whatever  in  getting  these  tickets;  anybody  could  get  them.  You  could 
get  them  from  any  prominent  man  of  Tammany  Hall. 

4742.  Q.  Do  you  consider  yourself  a  prominent  man  of  Tammany  Hall? 
A.  I  train  with  the  anti-Tammany  men,  and  I  belong  to  the  democratic 

Union  party  of  this  city.     The  chief  office  of  this  party  is  Masonic  Hall, 
Thirteenth  street. 

4743.  Q.  When  did  Judge  McCunn  tell  you  that  if  any  registers 
refused  to  register  the  names  you  could  say  he  would  attend  to  it  I 

A.  He  told  me  so  in  Thirty-first  street  one  evening.  I  met  him  in  the 
street  and  told  him  that  some  of  my  men  were  unable  to  register.  He 
•*aid  if  that  was  the  case,  let  him  know  and  he  would  compel  the  regis- 
ers_to  register  them.     That  is  all  I  said  to  him  on  that  occasion. 

4744.  Q.  Did  he  tell  you  how  he  would  make  them  register  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

4745.  Q.  Did  you  ever  call  on  him  to  make  the  registers  do  their  duty  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 


468  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

4746.  Q.  Who  called  on  you  in  the  first  place  to  ask  you  to  come  here 
and  testify  ? 

A.  I  was  talking  with  a  Mr.  Utley,  who  lives  at  the  corner  of  Forty- 
first  street  and  Seventh  avenue,  day  before  yesterday,  and  he  told  ine 
I  had  better  come  here. 

4747.  Q.  Was  that  the  only  man  ? 

A.  There  had  been  other  parties  talking  with  me  about  it  ;  one  of 
them  is  William  Monigan. 

4748.  Q.  Who  else? 

A.  That  is  all  that  I  remember  now. 

4749.  Q.  How  much  have  you  been  offered  for  coining  here  ? 
A.  Not  one  cent. 

4750.  Q.  What  protection  was  offered  to  you? 
A.  The  law  was  read  to  me ;  that  was  all. 

4751.  Q.  Did  you  ever  see  the  law  before  it  was  read  to  you  by  Mr. 
Davenport  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

4752.  Q.  Did  you  ever  see  anything  in  the  papers  in  regard  to  it! 
A.  I  cannot  say. 

4753.  Q.  Where  does  James  "Reynolds  live  ? 

A.  Tenth  avenue  between  Twenty-sixth  and  Twenty-seventh  streets. 
He  is  a  stone-cutter  by  trade.    Owen  Gallagher  lives  in  Greenpoint. 

4754.  Q.  How  did  you  come  on  the  21st  of  October  to  sign  the  papers 
of  these  two  men  for  naturalization  as  a  witness  ?  Did  you  sign  their 
names  to  the  papers? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  made  out  their  papers. 

4755.  Q.  Were  you  the  witness  in  each  case? 
A.  I  was  not. 

4756.  Q.  Who  was  their  witness? 

A.  They  did  not  have  any  witnesses.  I  made  out  their  papers  and 
gave  them  to  the  men  ;  in  the  afternoon  the  men  returned  and  gave  me 
the  certificates. 

4757.  Q.  Who  was  their  witness? 

A.  Henry  Lyons  is  the  name  I  put  down  on  the  paper. 

4758.  Q.  You  have  said,  in  reference  to  these  applications,  that  nobody 
was  sworn  at  all;  how  do  you  know  that? 

A.  I  know  it  from  this  fact,  that  the  supreme  court  was  not  in  session 
on  that  day  between  those  hours  naturalizing  parties.  I  handed  the 
papers  to  Pettit  about  12  o'clock,  and  about  6  or  7  o'clock  in  the  evening 
I  received  the  certificates.  The  supreme  court  did  not  commence  to 
naturalize  until  7  o'clock  in  the  evening.  I  was  in  the  supreme  court  all 
that  day  heariug  a  trial. 

4759.  Q.  Where  did  you  get  these  certificates  ? 

A.  They  were  given  to  me  in  a  liquor  store  in  Ninth  avenue,  about  7 
o'clock. 

4760.  Q.  Do  you  know  Pettit  personally? 
A.  I  know  him  by  sight  only. 

4761.  Q.  To  what  extent  did  you  go  into  court  and  swear  as  applicant 
when  you  were  not  an  applicant  ?  How  many  times  did  you  take  the 
oath  of  allegiance  for  the  applicant? 

A.  I  cannot  tell.     I  may  have  done  it  probably  a  hundred  times. 

4762.  Q.  In  such  cases  did  you  take  the  oath  of  witness  as  well  as  that 
of  applicant? 

A.  In  the  supreme  court  as  a  general  thing  they  did  not  call  the  wit- 
ness's name ;  they  only  called  the  applicant  to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance. 
In  the  superior  court  the  witness  would  be  called  often. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  469 

4763.  Q.  In  what  proportion  of  this  number  of  600  to  1,000  cases  did 
you  act  as  witness  as  well  as  applicant  ? 

A.  May  be  between  50  and  100  times. 

4764.  Q.  Did  you  ever  go  before  Judge  McCunn? 
A.  No,  sir. 

4765.  Judge  Jones,  Eobertson,  or  Barbour ? 
A.  Neither  of  them. 

4766.  Q.  How  many  persons  did  you  ever  see  sworn  in  a  batch  I 

A.  Probably  from  10  to  20  in  the  superior  court.  I  have  seen  as  many 
as  100  called  up  by  Judge  Barnard  in  the  supreme  court.  They  would 
be  called  up  by  the  officers,  and  the  oath  and  the  papers  would  be  read 
to  them,  and  the  names  called  off  from  the  papers,  and  all  of  them  were 
sworn  together. 

4767.  Q.  To  what  extent  did  McCaffrey  carry  on  this  business1? 
A.  He  carried  it  on  to  a  very  heavy  extent. 

4768.  Q.  To  what  extent  did  John  "Gallagher? 

A.  Very  largely.  Gallagher  told  me  that  he  was  in  the  street  depart- 
ment.   That  is  the  only  way  that  I  know  it. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

4769.  State  if  you  can  what  proportion  of  persons  for  whom  you  pro- 
cured certificates  of  naturalization  was  on  blanks  for  applicants  who 
came  to  the  United  States  under  18  years  of  age. 

A.  They  were  all  except  two  or  three. 

4770.  Q.  State  whether  any  persons  for  whom  you  made  out  applica- 
tions did  really  come  to  the  United  States  under  18  years  of  age? 

A.  Perhaps  a  few  of  them  did. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

4771.  Q.  To  whom  did  you  first  disclose  the  fact  that  you  were  engaged 
in  this  business1? 

A.  To  Mr.  Utley. 

4772.  Q.  Do  you  mean  to  sav  that  Mr.  Utley  wanted  you  to  come  here 
and  testify  falsely  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

4773.  Q.  Among  the  applicants  for  whom  you  procured  certificates  of 
naturalization  on  the  ground  that  they  came  to  this  country  under  18 
years  of  age  were  there  any  very  old  men  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  a  great  many. 

4774   Has  any  man  tried  by  any  means  whatever  to  induce  you  to 
come  here  and  swear  to  what  is  not  true  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Kerr: 

4775.  Q.  Of  this  600  to  1,000  persons  whom  you  served  in  this  way 
how  many  can  you  now  name  ? 

A.  I  cannot  recollect  but  a  very  few :  James  Reynolds,  Twenty-sixth 
street  and  Tenth  avenue;  Patrick  Glenn,  Twenty- seventh  street  and 
Ninth  avenue;  Owen  Gallagher,  Greenpoint;  Michael  Davis,  Twenty- 
seventh  street  and  Ninth  avenue;  Patrick  Duffey,  Twenty-third  street; 
Tames  Murphy,  I  do  not  know  where  he  lives ;  William  Redmond,  237 
Ninth  avenue ;  Patrick  McDonner,  Thirty-first  street  and  Ninth  avenue; 
Patrick  Clancy,  Thirty-first  street  and  Ninth  avenue.  These  are  all 
hat  I  remember  now. 

4776.  Q.  How  many  of  them  indicated  to  you  when  they  applied  to 
rou  that  they  wanted  to  be  naturalized  contrary  to  law  ? 


470  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW   YORK. 

A.  The  majority  of  them  told  me  they  were  not  entitled  to  be  natu- 
ralized. I  would  question  them  as  to  when  they  came  to  this  country, 
how  old  they  were,  &c.  I  wanted  to  know  all  the  points,  because  if  the 
judge  got  strict,  1  could  answer  the  questions. 

4777.  Q.  Did  you  ever  see  the  judge  tear  up  any  papers  ! 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  have  seeu  Judge  McCunn  tear  up  papers — those  that 
he  would  find  delivered  to  parties  that  he  had  naturalized  once  before— 
and  the  applicants  he  would  send  away.  I  have  seen  Judge  Robertson 
tear  up  20  in  an  hour.  I  have  seen  Judge  McCunn  tear  up  quite  a  num- 
ber of  papers. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins: 

4778.  Q.  Did  you  ever  see  any  of  these  men  who  were  engaged  in  this 
business  in  court  with  you  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  often. 

New  York,  Thursday,  January  7, 1869. 
John  H.  White  sworn  and  examined. 
To  the  Chairman  : 

4779.  I  reside  in  this  city ;  have  lived  here  for  over  20  years ;  am  a 
lawyer  by  profession ;  was  a  witness  before  the  grand  jury  of  the  court 
of  oyer  and  terminer  in  the  month  of  November  last.  A.  Oakey  Hall, 
our  present  mayor,  was  then  district  attorney.  I  was  summoned  to  ap- 
pear before  the  grand  jury,  and  was  examined  by  Mr.  Hall. 

4780.  Q.  Were  you  acquainted  with  any  members  of  the  grand  jury! 
A.  I  was  personally  acquainted  with  more  than  half  of  them. 

4781.  Q.  With  what  particular  party  do  they  act  ? 

A.  They  were,  with  but  one  exception,  all  prominent  and  leading  dem- 
ocrats. 

4782.  Q.  Can  you  state  if  any  indictments  were  found  by  the  grand 
jury  for  illegal  voting  or  fraud  in  connection  with  the  elections  of  this 
city? 

A.  I  never  heard  that  any  one  was  found. 

4783.  State  what  you  know,  if  anything,  of  evidence  of  fraud  being 
produced  to  the  district  attorney  or  to  the  grand  jury  in  reference  to 
illegal  voting. 

A.  I  was  asked  by  the  district  attorney  whether  I  knew  of  any  frauds 
being  perpetrated  at  the  late  election.  I  said  I  did ;  that  I  knew  of  the 
fact  that  false  naturalization  papers  were  obtained ;  that  many  persons 
voted  illegally;  and  that  I  had  evidence  of  that  kind  in  my  possession  I 
which  I  could  produce.  One  of  the  jurymen  remarked  that  I  was  not 
called  for  that  purpose ;  that  if  they  needed  me,  they  would  let  me ; 
know.  They  then  requested  me  to  retire,  and  told  me  that  they  had  got 
through  with  me. 

4784.  Q.  State  whether  steps  were  taken,  with  your  knowledge,  either 
by  the  district  attorney  or  the  grand  jury,  to  investigate  illegal  voting. 

A.  I  never  received  any  notice  from  the  grand  jury.  I  told  them  that 
I  would  be  ready  at  any  time  to  give  them  information,  but  they  never 
called  on  me. 

4785.  Can  you  state  what  connection  any  of  the  members  of  the  grand 
jury  had  with  Tammany  Hall? 

A.  The  foreman  of  the  grand  jury  was  Mr.  Charles  H.  Haswell.  He 
is  a  prominent  member  of  the  democratic  party ;  another  member  was 
John  G.  Bradley,  one  of  the  sachems  of  Tammany  Hall,  and  State  sen- 
ator $   there  was  also  Morgan  L.  Harris,  Henry  1).  Felter,  Patrick  G. ; 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  471 

Moloney,  William  Withers,  Morgan  Jones,  that  I  noticed  at  the  time  as 
prominent  members  of  the  democratic  party. 

4786.  Q.  State  to  what  extent,  within  your  knowledge,  persons  have 
been  convicted  or  punished  for  illegal  voting  or  any  frauds  upon  elec- 
tion in  this  city  for  the  last  three  years. 

A.  I  do  not  know  of  a  single  instance.  I  have  known  of  the  arrest 
of  parties,  but  they  were  subsequently  discharged. 

4787.  Q.  Can  you  state  where  the  register's  books  of  the  last  presi- 
dential election  were  kept ! 

A.  They  were  kept,  of  course,  by  the  registers  until  the  registry 
closed.  As  a  member  of  the  committee  to  prevent  fraudulent  voting  I 
procured  copies  of  the  registry  books  to  be  made.  We  obtained  copies 
of  the  lists  of  most  of  the  districts.  I  issued  a  letter  requesting  the 
registers  as  they  registered  the  names  to  make  a  duplicate,  so  that  we 
could  have,  for  the  use  of  the  committee  of  which  I  was  a  member, 
copies  of  all  the  registry  lists. 

4788.  Q.  Is  there  any  law  requiring  the  registry  books  to  be  kept 
secret  or  prohibiting  copies  to  be  made  of  them  ? 

A:  The  law  requires  that  the  registry  book  shall  be  made  public,  and 
that  a  copy  shall  be  posted  up  at  the  place  where  the  polls  are  to  be 
held,  for  public  inspection. 

4789.  Q.  There  was  no  illegality  or  fraudulent  purpose  in  obtaining 
these  copies  of  the  registry  books  that  you  speak  of? 

A.  No,  sir.  These  papers  were  obtained  for  the  express  purpose  of 
guarding  against  frauds,  if  possible.  The  trouble  was,  that  in  the  time 
intervening  between  the  close  of  registration  on  Saturday  night  at  0 
o'clock  and  election  day  on  the  following  Tuesday,  it  was  utterly  impos- 
sible to  make  a  canvass  to  ascertain  whether  registration  had  been  made 
correctly  or  not. 

4790.  Q.  State  if  any  original  registration  books  had  been  returned 
to  police  headquarters  as  early  as  the  30th  of  October. 

A.  It  could  not  have  been.  It  would  have  been  utterly  impossible  if 
the  law  was  carried  out. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

4791.  Q.  Do  you  mean  to  say  that  the  members  of  the  grand  jury 
either  violated  the  law,  or  corruptly,  or  from  interested  motives,  failed 
to  perform  their  duties  as  members  of  it  ? 

A.  I  do  not  mean  to  make  any  charge  of  corruption  against  the  grand 
jury  in  any  respect.  I  recognized  among  them  personal  acquaintances 
and  friends.  I  did  not  know  who  composed  the  grand  jury  before  I 
went  into  the  room ;  nor  did  I  know  for  what  purpose  they  wanted  me 
until  I  was  examined  by  the  district  attorney.  Most  of  the  jury  are 
prominent,  leading  politicians,  members  of  the  democratic  party.  Many 
of  them,  I  think,  are  high-toned  gentlemen. 

4792.  Q.  Do  you  mean  to  say  that  the  district  attorney  neglected  his 
duties  in  the  punishment  of  crime  through  the  agency  of  the  grand 
jury? 

A.  I  have  merely  stated  what  took  place,  so  far  as  I  know. 

4793.  Q.  Do  you  know  any  motive  that  would  justify  you  in  making 
such  a  statement  as  to  throw  doubt  upon  the  fidelity  of  the  grand  jury. 

A.  I  was  examined  in  reference  to  what  took  place  at  the  Fifth  Avenue 
Hotel  in  regard  to  the  books  and  papers  of  the  republican  party.  That 
was  the  first  intimation  I  had  upon  the  subject  upon  which  I  was  to  be 
examined.  The  district  attorney  then  asked  me  if  I  knew  of  frauds 
being  perpetrated  at  the  last  election?    I  told  him  ldid;  that  I  had 


472  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

evidence  in  my  possession  which  I  could  produce.  One  of  the  grand 
jury,  and  I  think  Mr.  Hall  also,  stated  that  they  were  not  upon  that  sub- 
ject ;  if  they  wanted  me,  they  would  let  me  know. 

4794.  Q.  Do  you  mean  to  say  that  you  could  have  stated  at  that  time    | 
facts  within  your  personal  knowledge  relative  to  fraud  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir — from  my  own  knowledge.  I  had  in  my  possession  at 
the  time  fraudulent  naturalization  papers. 

4795.  Q.  How  do  you  know  they  were  fraudulent  I 

A.  They  were  papers  surrendered  to  me  by  parties  who  had  obtained 
them.  I  would  have  given  them  to  the  grand  jury,  with  the  names  of 
the  parties. 

4796.  Q.  You  say  no  indictments  have  been  found  that  you  know  of   I 
against  persons  engaged  in  illegal  voting :    please  state  whether  you 
know  of  any  strong  republican   community  in  New  York  finding  an 
indictment  and  punishing  persons  for  offerees  against  the  election  laws ! 

A.  I  think  there  have  been  some  prosecutions  in  the  interior  of  the   i 
State ;  I  think  one  in  Livingston  county. 

4797.  Q.  During  the  time  that  you  had  a  republican  government  in  this   i 
citv  do  vou  know  of  any  vigorous  prosecution  for  violations  of  election 
laws? 

A.  My  attention  was  not  directed  to  the  subject  at  that  time. 

4798.  Q.  Do  you  know  that  the  grand  juries  impanelled  in  the  [Jnited 
States  court  in  this  city  are  composed  almost  entirely  of  radicals! 

A.  I  never  noticed  that  they  had  any  partisan  or  party  direction. 

4799.  Q.  Did  you  ever  know  of  a  democrat  serving  on  the  grand  jury 
of  the  federal  court  ? 

A.  I  know  some  while  Isaiah  Eynders  was  marshal. 

4800.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  since  Robert  Murray  has  been  marshal? 
A.  Yes,  sir;  I  know  Andrew  Clark,  on  the  present  grand  jury  :  that  is 

all  I  can  recollect  at  present. 

4801.  Q.  What  are  your  politics  ? 
A.  I  am  a  republican. 

4802.  Q.  What  relation  did  you  sustain  to  the  party  in  the  last  election?   | 
A.  I  am  a  member  of  the  general  committee,  as  it  is  called.     The  com- 
mittee that  met  at  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel  was  not  the  general  commit- 
tee ;  it  was  simply  a  committee  of  citizens. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

4803.  Q.  Do  you  know  a  man  by  the  name  of  Henry  Lyle  ? 
A.  Yres,  sir. 

4804.  Q.  Have  you  had  any  conversation  with  him  with  regard  to  his 
coming  here  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

4805.  Q.  Did  you  offer  him  any  inducement  to  come  here  to  testify  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

4806.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  inducements  being  offered  to  him  to 
come  here? 

A.  No,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

4807.  Q.  What  did  you  say  to  him  ! 

A.  I  had  heard  that  there  was  a  man  by  the  name  of  Lyle  who  had 
been  a  good  deal  mixed  up  in  procuring  naturalization  papers.  I  was 
not  acquainted  with  him  personally ;  I  found,  however,  a  man  by  the 
name  of  Utley  who  did  know  him,  and  he  brought  Lyle  to  me  yesterday. 
Lyle  stated  to  me,  after  some  preliminary  questions,  that  he  Avas  willing 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IX    NEW    YORK.  473 

to  testify  as  to  what  he  knew,  provided  he  should  not  render  himself 
liable  to  arrest.  I  said  that  if  he  went  there  as  a  witness  and  told  the 
truth  he  should  be  protected.  He  gave  me  some  general  statements  in 
i  regard  to  what  took  place,  so  far  as  he  was  concerned,  in  respect  to  the 
procurement  of  naturalization  certificates.  I  told  him  if  he  came  here  I 
thought  he  woidd  be  protected  by  the  committee  if  he  was  made  a 
witness. 

4808.  Q.  You  gave  him  such  advice  as  a  lawyer  ! 
A.  I  gave  him  such  advice. 

4809.  Q.  What  was  the  basis  of  it  ? 

A.  The  basis  was  that  I  knew  that  there  was  a  provision  of  the  statute 
providing  that  when  a  party  is  summoned  to  testify,  the  testimony 
shall  not  be  used  against  him  in  a  criminal  prosecution. 

4810.  Q.  And  suppose  he  swears  to  a  lie  f 

A.  Then  I  suppose  he  would  subject  himself  to  the  pains  and  penalties 
of  perjury. 

4811.  Q.  Suppose  in  his  testimony  he  should  render  himself  amenable 
!  to  the  statutes  of  the  State  of  New  York,  would  an  act  of  Congress  pro- 
tect him  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  whether  it  would  or  not ;  I  merely  advised  that  he 
would  not  be  prosecuted  under  the  United  States  laws.  He  told  me 
he  could  identify  his  papers,  state  how  he  managed  his  business,  &c. 

4812.  Q.  Did  he  tell  you  how  many  such  papers  he  got  out  % 
A.  I  think  he  said  some  hundreds. 

4813.  Q.  Who  is  Mr.  Utley? 

A.  He  was  formerly  an  inspector  in  the  custom-house,  and  lives  in  my 
vicinity;  I  believe  he  is  not  in  business  at  present.  I  understood  that 
he  was  removed  from  the  custom-house.  He  is  a  high-toned  gentleman 
and  a  man  of  strict  probity. 

4814.  Q.  Do  you  know  anything  about  Mr.  Lyle's  character? 

A.  I  had  made  some  inquiries  in  regard  to  this  Mr.  Lyle.  I  should 
think  he  is  what  is  termed  here  a  Bohemian — that  is  a  man  who  could 
adapt  himself  to  almost  anything  to  get  a  living.  He  had  been  a  reporter 
on  one  of  the  papers  for  some  time.  He  has  a  brother  who  is  a  lawyer 
in  this  city. 

4815.  Q.  What  reference  did  you  make  to  Mr.  Utley  in  regard  to  com- 
pensation to  Lyle  ? 

A.  There  has  been  no  assurance  given  in  reference  to  compensation  by 
any  person  to  my  knowledge. 

New  York,  Thursday,  January  7,  I860. 
Charles  Eeilly  sworn  and  examined. 
To  the  Chairman  : 

4816.  I  live  at  169  Houston  street.  I  have  lived  in  this  city  twenty 
years.  In  regard  to  the  process  of  registering  their  names  as  voters 
more  than  once  at  the  last  presidential  election,  I  would  say  that  there 
were  gangs  of  repeaters  who  would  go  around  from  one  registry  place 
to  another  and  register  different  names.  I  went  around  with  a  gang  and 
registered  my  name  I  should  think  three  or  four  times.  I  voted  four 
times  at  the  last  presidential  election  in  this  city — once  in  the  6th  ward, 
once  in  the  8th  ward,  and  twice  in  an  up-town  district;  I  voted  each 
time  under  a  different  name.  We  would  go  around  in  squads  of  20  or  30 ; 
there  would  be  a  man  who  would  lead  us,  who  would  furnish  us  with 
slips  of  paper  containing  names  and  residences  upon  which  we  were  to 
vote;  we  would  go  up  to  the  polls,  give  our  name  and  residence;  the 


474  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

register  would  look  on  his  book,  find  the  name  there,  then  take  the  bal- 
lot and  deposit  it  in  the  box;  the  other  members  of  the  gang  would  fur- 
nish names  in  the  same  way. 

4817.  Q.  What  ticket  did  you  vote? 

A.  The  democratic  ticket  I  believe.  I  should  think  there  were  about 
200  persons  in  the  place  up-town  where  we  went  to  get  our  tickets;  there 
was  quite  a  large  room  full. 

4818.  Q.  State  at  whose  request  you  engaged  in  this  business. 
A.  I  should  not  like  to  state. 

4819.  Q.  Can  you  state  the  wards  in  which  these  other  parties  voted? 
A.  Some  voted  in  the  6th  ward,  8th  ward,  14th  ward,  and  a  good 

many  up  in  Harlem;  they  did  most  of  the  voting  up  there  because  the 
registers  were  all  right  and  there  was  no  challenging;  we  could  vote  and 
then  turn  round  and  come  back  and  vote  again  at  the  same  polling  place. 

4820.  Q.  State  if  you,  or  any  of  the  parties  with  you,  were  challenged, 
so  far  as  you  know. 

A.  I  saw  nobody  challenged  or  sworn  in. 

4821.  Q.  State  if  any  officer  of  this  city  had  any  knowledge  that  this 
work  was  going  on. 

A.  I  would  not  like  to  answer  that  question. 
By  Mr.  Ross : 

4822.  Q.  What  business  do  you  follow? 

A.  I  am  a  butcher.  I  am  out  of  business  at  present;  been  out  of  busi- 
ness a  couple  of  years,  I  should  think.  Have  not  been  doing  any  busi- 
ness for  a  year. 

4223.  Q.  How  have  you  made  your  living? 

A.  I  live  on  the  interest  of  my  money. 

Q.  Have  you  got  your  money  loaned  out  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

4824.  Q.  How  much  do  you  get  per  annum? 

(Question  objected  to  by  Mr.  Hopkins  and  objection  sustained.) 

4825.  Q.  To  whom  have  you  loaned  this  money? 
(Objected  to  by  Mr.  Hopkins  and  objection  sustained.) 
482b*.  Q.  How  much  money  have  you  loaned  out? 
(Objected  to  by  Mr.  Hopkins  and  objection  sustained.) 

4827.  Q.  State  the  number  of  men  that  were  with  you  and  their 
names. 

A.  I  do  not  know  the  names  of  any  of  them. 

4828.  Q.  How  much  did  you  get  for  this  business  ? 
A.  Not  a  cent. 

4829.  Q.  Who  advised  you  to  go  into  the  business  ? 
A.  A  friend  of  mine. 

4830.  What  is  his  name? 
A.  I  would  not  like  to  state. 

4831.  Q.  Does  this  man  live  in  this  city  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

4832.  Q.  Does  he  hold  any  ofhce? 
A.  No,  sir ;  not  that  I  know  of. 

4833.  Q.  What  street  does  he  live  in? 
A.  I  do  not  know. 

4834.  Q.  Was  he  running  for  any  office  ? 
A.  I  do  not  know. 

4835.  Q.  How  long  have  you  been  acquainted  with  him  ? 
A.  Five  or  ten  years. 

4836.  Q.  Did  he  make  you  any  promise  that  he  would  give  you  any- 
thing? 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  475 

A.  No,  sir. 

4837.  Q.  What  induced  you  to  go  into  this  business  1 
A.  He  was  a  friend  of  mine. 

4838.  Q.  Are  you  a  gambler  '? 

A.  No,  sir.    I  used  to  gamble  a  little,  and  got  broke. 

4839.  Q.  Have  you  ever  been  indicted  for  any  offence  ? 

A.  I  was  indicted  for  assault  and  battery,  but  the  charge  was  with- 
drawn before  it  was  brought  up. 

4840.  Q.  Did  you  have  a  rendezvous  where  the  repeaters  met  before 
they  went  to  vote  ? 

A   Yes  sir 

4841.  Q.  Where  is  it ! 

A.  It  is  on  Second  avenue  uptown  somewhere. 

4842.  Q.  Ho  you  know  who  kept  the  house  I 
A.  I  do  not. 

4843.  Q.  Do  you  know  that  you  were  committing  a  criminal  offence 
when  you  did  that  ? 

A.  I  have  no  doubt  that  I  did. 

4844.  Q.  Did  you  have  to  swear  in  your  vote  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

4845.  Q.  Under  what  names  did  you  vote  ? 
A.  I  have  forgotten  now. 

4846.  Q.  Do  you  know  the  person  that  gave  you  the  ballots  to  vote 
upon ! 

A.  I  would  not  like  to  mention  his  name ;  he  is  the  same  man  that 
induced  me  to  go  into  it. 

4847.  Q.  Are  you  a  voter  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  have  been  since  I  was  18  years  of  age. 

4848.  Q.  Where  were  you  born  ? 
A.  In  Ireland. 

4849.  Q.  How  did  you  get  to  be  a  voter  when  you  were  18  years  of  age  ? 
A.  I  was  in  the  lire  department  and  in  the  army. 

4850.  Q.  How  long  were  you  in  the  army  ? 
A.  Two  years. 

4851.  Q.  Are  members  of  the  fire  department  authorized  to  vote  at 
18  years  of  age  ? 

A.  Nobody  objected  to  my  having  a  vote,  and  I  supposed  I  had  a 
right  to  vote.     I  was  in  the  army,  and  everybody  voted  there. 

4852.  Q.  In  what  army  were  you  in? 
A.  In  the  army  of  the  Potomac. 

4853.  Q.  Were  you  ever  naturalized  ? 

A.  I  served  in  the  army,  and  I  supx>osed  that  naturalized  me. 

4854.  Q.  Have  you  any  parents  ? 

A.  My  father  is  dead ;  my  mother  lives  in  Brooklyn. 

4855.  Q.  Where  does  she  live  % 

A.  In  Atlantic  street ;  I  do  not  know  the  number.  Previous  to  that 
she  lived  in  Hicks  street ;  I  do  not  know  the  number  of  the  house  she 
lived  in  there.  She  has  lived  in  Brooklyn  20  years.  Before  she  lived 
in  Hicks  street  she  lived  at  12  Amity. 

4850.  Q.  When  did  she  live  at  12  Amity  ? 

Q.  I  do  not  know ;  it  is  many  years  ago. 

New  York,  Thursday,  January  7,  1869. 
Robert  Utley  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  Chairman: 
4857.  Question.  State  if  you  ever  have  seen  Henry  Lyle. 


476  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

Answer.  I  have. 

4858.  Q.  State  what  reward  you  offered  him  as  an  inducement  to 
testify  before  this  committee. 

A.  I  offered  him  no  pecuniary  reward. 

4859.  Q.  How  long  have  you  known  him  ? 
A.  About  four  years. 

4860.  Q.  Do  you  know  his  reputation  for  truth  and  veracity  in  the 
neighborhood  where  he  resides  I 

A.  1  am  not  well  acquainted  with  his  neighbors;  I  could  not  tell  what 
his  reputation  is  with  them. 

By  Mr.  Kerr: 

4861.  Q.  How  did  you  come  to  know  him  ? 

A.  He  was  messenger  in  the  custom-house  at  the  time  I  was  employed 
there;  he  was  removed  from  his  position  there  to  make  room  for  some- 
body else. 

4862.  Q,  How  did  you  get  out  of  the  custom-house  ? 
A.  I  was  removed  too. 

4863.  Q.  What  is  your  business  now  ! 

A.  I  am  out  of  employment:  have  been  since  the  1st  of  December. 

4864.  Q.  Where  do  you  live  I 
A.  No.  575  Seventh  avenue. 

4865.  Q.  With  what  political  party  do  you  act? 
A.  The  republican  party. 

4866.  Q.  You  say  you  did  not  promise  Lvle  any  reward? 
A.  No. 

4867.  Q.  Did  you  not  tell  him  it  would  be  to  his  advantage  to  testify 
here. 

A.  I  told  him  he  had  better  come  here  to  testify  to  what  he  knew;  we 
had  some  general  conversation ;  I  asked  him  if  he  was  willing  to  give 
testimony  as  to  what  he  knew ;  he  said  he  would  if  he  thought  he  would 
not  be  locked  up  for  it  j  I  told  him  I  thought  there  would  be  no  danger 
of  that. 

4868.  Q.  Did  you  tell  him  that  if  he  committed  perjury  against  the 
people  of  the  State  of  New  York  he  would  not  be  locked  up  ? 

A.  The  word  perjury  was  not  used. 

4869.  Q.  Did  you  read  him  the  law  in  regard  to  testimony  before  com- 
mittees ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

4870.  Q.  Did  you  tell  him  to  go  anywhere  and  get  satisfaction  on  that 
point? 

A.  I  told  him  he  had  probably  better  go  and  see  Judge  White ;  I  went 
with  him  to  Judge  White's  office.  Judge  White  told  him  he  did  not 
think  there  was  any  probability  of  his  being  locked  up  because  of  his 
testimony.     He  did  not  read  the  law  to  him  in  my  presence. 

4871.  Q.  What  is  Lyle's  character  generally  for  truth  and  veracity  ? 
A.  I  think  it  is  very  good;  I  have  not  had  any  reason  to  doubt  it. 

4872.  Q.  Do  you  not  know  from  reputation  and  the  knowledge  you 
have  of  this  man  that  he  might  be  called  what  is  commonly  denominated 
a  Bohemian — a  man  equally  ready  for  money  to  serve  anybody  or  do 
anything. 

A.  I  should  judge  not  from  the  fact  that  all  he  has  doue  in  these 
election  frauds  has  been  to  subserve  the  interests  of  only  one  party? 

4873.  Q.  Do  you  not  think  that  he  is  now  pretty  vigorously  serving 
the  interests  of  the  other  party  ? 

A.  I  do  not  think  he  is  doing  so  in  any  party  sense. 


ELECTION   FRAUDS    IN   NEW   YORK.  477 

New  York,  Thursday,  January  7,  18G9. 
Henry  Lyle  recalled  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman: 

4874.  Q.  State  if  you  have  seen  Judge  McCunn  recently,  if  so  where 
and  when. 

A.  I  just  saw  him  a  moment  ago  in  this  room. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

4875.  Q.  Where  have  you  been  living  for  the  past  several  years  ? 

A.  I  live  in  Thirty-third  street.  Since  I  have  got  out  of  the  custom- 
house I  have  been  sleeping  around  in  several  places;  I  now  live  with  my 
sister,  Mrs.  Samuel  Watson,  241  West  Twenty-first  street. 

4876.  Q.  Where  did  you  live  before  this ;  did  you  live  on  Thirty-first 
street  ? 

A.  I  do  not  remember. 

4877.  Q.  How  many  times  were  you  put  under  arrest  by  Judge  McCunn 
in  his  court  during  the  month  of  October  1 

A.  Never,  sir;  1  was  drunk  in  court  several  times  and  he  would  not 
swear  me  or  take  my  papers. 

4878.  Q.  Were  you  in  the  habit  of  going  there  drunk  % 

A.  I  would  go  there  under  the  influence  of  liquor  a  good  many  times ; 
I  think  he  only  took  my  papers  away  twice;  it  certainly  was  not  a  half 
a  dozen  times. 

4879.  Q.  What  did  he  do  with  the  papers  when  he  refused  to  swear 
you! 

A.  He  handed  them  back  to  me  and  I  kept  them  until  I  got  sober. 

New  York,  Thursday,  January  7,  1869. 
Peter  Cook  sworn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instance  of  Mr.  Kerr.) 
By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

4880.  Question.  What  position  did  you  hold  last  fall  in  this  city  ? 
Answer.  I  was  a  member  of  the  republican  naturalization  committee, 

and  opened  an  office  in  this  city,  No.  25  Chambers  street,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  facilitating  applicants  for  naturalization  in  getting  their  papers. 
That  is  the  only  office  we  had  in  this  city.  The  various  ward  clubs  and 
associations  would  send  parties  to  us  and  we  would  make  out  their 
applications. 

4881.  Q.  Did  you  use  any  tickets  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

4882.  Q.  What  kind  of  tickets  were  they  f 

A.  They  were  printed  tickets  directing  the  clerk  of  the  court  to  natur- 
alize so  and  so,  and  charge  it  to  the  account  of  myself.  I  signed  the 
tickets.  We  filled  out  the  names  of"  the  persons  we  naturalized  in  the 
ticket  so  that  they  were  not  negotiable,  and  could  only  be  used  by  the 
party  to  whom  they  were  given. 

4883.  Q.  In  pursuance  of  your  business  here,  at  No.  25  Chambers 
street,  as  a  member  of  the  republican  naturalization  committee,  you  had 
frequent  opportunities  to  observe  the  manner  in  which  this  business  was 
done  in  court  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  was  in  and  out  of  the  court  all  the  time. 

4884.  Q.  Did  you  often  go  into  both  superior  and  supreme  courts  ? 
A.  I  was  only  in  the  supreme  court  once  or  twice;  but  in  the  superior 

court  I  was  there  continually. 

4885.  Q.  Who  seemed  to  be  doing  the  most  naturalization  in  the  supe- 
rior court  ? 


478  ELECTION   FRAUDS    IN   NEW   YORK. 

A.  I  think  Judge  McCunn  did  the  most. 

488G.  Q.  Did  any  of  the  judges  of  the  superior  court  hold  night  ses-  I 
sions  ? 
A.  Not  that  I  recollect. 

4887.  Q.  State  how  the  naturalization  business  was  done. 

A.  Most  of  the  business  was  transacted  before  Judge  McCunn.  Judge 
McCunn  could  despatch  business  quicker  than  almost  any  other  judge.  , 
He  would  question  the  applicant  sharply  and  vigorously.  I  have  not 
observed  any  irregularities  of  any  kind  on  the  part  of  any  of  the  judges 
in  the  naturalization  business.  I  have  often  observed  that  the  judges 
were  deceived.  Parties  would  frequently  come  to  me  to  have  applica- 
tions for  naturalization  made  out  without  any  witnesses  at  all.  I  would 
question  them  and  ask  them  where  their  witness  was,  and  they  said 
they  had  none,  and  would  want  me  to  furnish  them  with  one.  I  would 
send  them  away  and  tell  them  that  I  didn't  do  that  business.  They 
would  often  go  to  other  places  to  get  witnesses  and  go  before  the  court 
and  get  their  applications  through. 

4888.  Q.  How  did  you  come  to  know  that  met  ? 

A.  It  was  the  common  report.  I  remember  two  or  three  cases  in  par- 
ticular— parties  who  came  to  me — of  parties  I  had  sent  away,  Avhom  I 
met  afterwards  up  in  the  City  Hall  with  their  certificates  of  naturaliza- 
tion. They  told  me  they  had  picked  up  some  man  on  the  corner  to  act 
as  witness  for  them. 

4889.  Q.  Did  you  not  inform  the  court  that  these  frauds  were  being 
perpetrated — that  these  men  were  being  naturalized  improperly  I 

A.  I  told  Judge  McCunn  of  it  at  one  time,  and  he  told  me  if  I  ever 
knew  of  such  a  case  to  let  him  know  and  he  would  put  a  stop  to  it. 
But  I  could  not  watch  the  court  to  detect  these  parties. 

4890.  Q.  These  men  that  came  to  you  to  be  naturalized  without  a  wit- 
ness and  whom  you  sent  away,  were  they  republicans  % 

A.  I  do  not  know  whether  they  were  republicans  or  not. 

4891.  Q.  Did  anybody  ever  come  to  you  that  were  not  republicans! 
A.  When  any  person  applied  to  me  the  first  question  I  would  ask  was 

how  long  he  had  been  in  the  country  ;  second,  the  name  of  the  witness; 
third,  who  recommended  him  to  the  place.  If  the  person  who  recom- 
mended him  was  a  republican  I  would  naturalize  the  man.  When  these 
men  that  I  speak  of  applied,  as  soon  as  they  told  me  they  had  no  wit- 
nesses, I  asked  them  no  more  questions  and  sent  them  away. 

4892.  Q.  You  say  you  never  saw  any  irregularities  on  the  part  of  the 
judges  or  clerks  of  the  courts  in  the  business  of  naturalization  % 

A.  No,  sir ;  and  I  have  been  very  sharp  in  watching  this  business. 

4893.  Q.  State  from  your  observation  whether  it  was  practicable  for 
any  person  to  appear  both  as  witness  and  applicant  in  the  same  case. 

A.  Not  very  well. 

4894.  Q.  Do  you  think  it  possible  for  a  person  to  be  naturalized  in 
these  courts  without  having  with  him  somebody  as  a  witness! 

A.  In  Judge  Barnard's  court  and  in  Judge  McCunn's  court,  two  men 
were  always  there,  one  as  applicant,  and  one  as  witness.  In  fact  it  was 
a  perfect  system  for  witness  and  applicant  to  appear  both  together 
before  the  judge. 

4895.  Q.  State  from  your  observation  in  connection  with  this  business, 
whether  it  was  possible  at  all  for  one  man  to  be  both  applicant  and  wit- 
ness in  one  case. 

A.  It  might  possibly  happen  when  a  large  crowd  was  there  that  per- 
sons would  appear  before  the  judges  as  witness,  be  sworn  in,  answer 
the  questions,  and  then  dodge  around  in  the  crowd  to  the  clerk's  desk 
and  take  the  oath  of  allegiance. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  479 

4897.  Q.  You  say  the  system  was  for  the  applicant  and  witness  to  be 
called  together  and  come  in  together;  do  you  know  of  any  instance  in 
which  the  applicant  and  witness  were  not  called  together  f 

A.  I  never  knew  an  instance. 

4898.  Q.  What  question  would  the  clerk  ask  the  witness  ? 

A.  "How  long  have  you  known  the  applicant?  Where  do  you  live? 
Where  does  the  applicant  live  f    How  long  has  he  been  in  this  country  F 

4899.  Q.  Would  it  be  possible  for  the  witness  to  go  in  without  the 
applicant  f 

A.  Not  unless  the  judge  was  a  party  to  it. 

4900.  Q.  In  other  words,  you  think  it  could  not  be  done  ? 

A.  No,  sir,  I  do  not.  In  almost  every  case  I  observed  the  judge  look 
for  the  principal. 

4901.  Q.  State  if  you  were  in  Judge  McCunn's  court  at  night. 
A.  No,  sir,  I  was  not. 

4902.  Q.  Were  you  in  the  supreme  court  at  all  in  the  night ! 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

4903.  Q.  How  often  ? 
A.  Three  or  four  times. 

4904.  Q.  How  often  were  you  in  the  superior  court  day-times  ? 
A.  Every  day ;  three  or  four  times. 

4905.  Q.  How  long  did  you  stay  at  one  time  ? 
A.  I  generally  only  stayed  a  couple  of  minutes. 

4906.  Q.  How  long  did  you  stay  in  the  supreme  court  ? 

A.  Only  a  few  minutes ;  just  looked  in  and  saw  how  business  was 
going  on. 

4907.  Q.  State  whether  you  kept  a  list  at  your  office  of  the  names  of 
persons  by  whom  applications  were  made  for  naturalization  each  day; 
if  so,  have  you  it  with  you  % 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  have  the  list  with  me. 

4908.  Q.  State  the  total  number  of  persons  for  whom  applications 
were  made  to  be  naturalized  through  your  office  % 

A.  We  naturalized  2,085. 

4909.  Q.  How  many  were  of  persons  who  came  to  the  United  States 
under  18  years  of  age  ! 

A.  Twelve  hundred  and  thirty- seven. 

4910.  Q.  How  many  had  declared  their  intentions  previously  to  be  a 
citizen  ? 

A.  Five  hundred  and  forty-nine. 

4911.  Q.  How  many  were  soldiers  % 
A.  Two  hundred  and  ninety-nine. 

4912.  Q.  Will  you  produce  to  the  committee  and  identify  the  list  of 
names  of  the  applicants  who  got  their  papers  through  your  office  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  here  is  a  list  which  is  signed  by  Joseph  Spangenberg, 
Herman  Wien,  Albert  Seifert,  clerks  of  the  committee. 

4913.  Q.  Did  you  remain  in  the  supreme  court  long  enough  at  any 
one  time  to  see  persons  go  through  with  the  process  of  naturalization  % 

A.  No,  sir;  I  only  noticed  it  was  done  in  a  hurried  manner. 

4914.  Q.  Can  you  state  whether  the  oath  was  administered  to  one 
person  at  a  time,  or  to  a  large  number  of  persons  at  the  same  time  ? 

A.  Generally  to  a  large  number  of  persons.  They  would  stand 
around  in  a  group  and  the  oath  would  be  administered  to  renounce  their 
allegiance  to  the  kingdom  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  the  King  of 
Prussia  or  the  Emperor  of  Austria,  as  the  case  might  be ;  it  was  all 
stated  in  one  oath. 


480  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

4915.  Q.  You  do  not  know  how  many  persons  that  voted  the  republi- 
can ticket  at  the  last  presidential  election  were  naturalized  without  your 
assistance  ? 

A.  There  were  some  two  or  three  that  were  naturalized  through  the 
democratic  office. 

4916.  Q.  Do  you  know  how  many  persons  outside  undertook  to  get  for 
the  republican  party  any  business  of  naturalization? 

A.  The  whole  business  of  naturalization  of  the  republican  party  was 
concentrated  in  our  office. 

4917.  Q.  How  do  you  know  that  persons  outside  did  not  put  persons 
through  the  naturalization  process  in  behalf  of  the  republican  party? 

A.  1  would  have  known  it  if  it  had  been  done;  a  republican  might 
once  in  a  while  get  through  the  democratic  office,  but  this  could  not  be 
done  to  any  extent. 

4918.  Q.  How  do  you  know  that  there  were  no  other  republican  offices 
in  this  city  ? 

A.  I  know  there  was  no  other  republican  office  or  branch  office  in  this 
city;  I  would  certainly  have  known  it,  if  there  were.  I  had  all  the  tick- 
ets issued  by  the  republicans  in  payment  of  the  fees  of  the  clerks,  and 
I  know  all  the  republican  tickets  came  through  my  office.  The  clerk 
received  no  money  at  all — only  red  and  white  tickets. 

4919.  Q.  J  low  do  you  know  that  there  was  no  money  paid? 
A.  I  have  been  told  so  by  the  clerks  of  the  court. 

4920.  Q.  Who  told  you  so? 
A.  Mr.  Meeks  told  me  so. 

4921.  Q.  Who  else? 

A.  The  clerk  in  the  trial  term  of  the  superior  court ;  I  forget  his  name. 
I  would  not  be  positive  whether  anybody  else  told  me  so  or  not. 

4922.  Q.  Was  it  not  possible  for  a  republican  to  get  naturalized  in  a 
democratic  office  or  on  democratic  tickets? 

A.  No,  sir ;  democrats  would  soon  have  discovered  it  and  stopped  it. 

4923.  Q.  Did  they  discover  these  few  men  that  went  away  from  you 
and  went  to  a  democratic  office? 

A.  No,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

4924.  Q.  Did  you  have  any  professional  witnesses  around  you? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  cleared  them  out.  One  man  came  to  me  and  brought  a 
letter  to  me  from  "  an  earnest  republican, "  asking  for  a  place  in  my  office. 
I  told  him  that  we  then  had  enough  clerks,  but  probably  we  might  employ 
him  hunting  up  lost  certificates.  "No,"  said  he,  " I  want  to  be  employed 
as  a  witness."  I  soon  sent  him  out,  and  had  nothing  whatever  to  do  with 
him. 

4925.  Q.  Do  you  know  the  fact  that  there  were  men  employed  as  wit- 
nesses ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  that  they  were  employed,  of  my  own  knowledge.  I 
know  that  men  hang  around  naturalization  offices  and  the  City  Hall,  and 
offer  their  services  to  any  person  as  witnesses.  They  are  well-known 
characters. 

New  York,  Thursday,  January  7,  18G9. 
George  Johnson  sworn  and  examined. 
To  the  Chairman: 

4926.  I  live  at  the  Liberty  Hotel  in  this  city.  I  know  where  the  Jack- 
son Club  of  this  city  is  located ;  it  is  located  at  the  corner  of  Thirty- 
second  street  and  Second  avenue.    I  staid  in  that  club-room  all  night 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  481 

the  night  previous  to  election.  There  were  about  75  or  80  persons  in  the 
room  at  the  time;  about  50,  I  should  judge,  staid  all  night.  The  next 
morning  I  went  to  tour  or  live  different  districts  and  voted.  I  think  I 
voted  at  the  4th,  5th,  6th,  7th,  and  8th  precincts;  I  do  not  know  the  ward ; 
in  was  in  Second  avenue,  near  the  club-room.  I  got  the  tickets  upon 
which  I  voted  at  the  club-room.  By  tickets  I  mean  slips  of  paper  con- 
taining names  and  residences  upon  which  to  vote.  They  were  all  fictitious 
names  I  probably  voted  some  10  or  11  times  that  day,  in  different  elec- 
tion districts.  There  were  other  parties  who  went  with  me;  they  were 
'all  strangers  with  me,  except  a  few  that  came  up  from  Crosby  street  with 
me.  I  cannot  swear  positively  as  to  what  the  others  did  that  day.  We 
got  dinner  that  day  corner  of  Twenty-seventh  street  and  Fourth  avenue. 
In  the  morning  we  had  breakfast  in  a  private  house  two  or  three  streets 
above  Thirty-second  street.  I  did  not  look  at  the  ticket  which  I  voted, 
but  T  believe  it  was  a  Seymour  and  Hoffman  ticket. 

To  Mr.  Kerb  : 

4927.  I  have  had  no  other  assumed  name  except  those  I  voted  on  elec- 
tion day.  My  name  has  been  Johnson  all  my  lifetime.  I  have  been 
living  at  the  Liberty  House  for  a  couple  of  months.  I  am  not  married; 
I  am  divorced  from  my  wife.  For  the  last  four  years  I  have  been  engaged 
in  driving  a  truck  ;  for  the  last  year  I  have  been  out  of  employment.  I 
get  a  living  the  best  way  1  can,  picking  up  occasional  jobs,  driving  a 
truck. 

4928.  Q.  Who  asked  you  to  come  here  to  testify? 
A.  Mr.  Doran. 

4929.  Q.  Why  did  he  tell  you  to  come  here  » 
A.  I  do  not  know.     It  was  from  his  place  that  1  started  to  go  up  to 

Thirty-second  street  and  Second  avenue.  I  have  been  acquainted  with 
him  for  the  last  year  or  so ;  he  went  around  with  us ;  whether  lie  voted 
>r  not  I  cannot  say. 

4930.  Q.  Did  he  tell  you  to  come  here  to  vote  ? 
A.  He  wanted  me  to  make  my  statement  as  to  what  I  did  on  election 

lay. 

4931.  Q.  What  reward  did  he  promise  you? 
A.  Nothing. 

4932.  Q.  Did  anybody  promise  you  anything? 
A.  No,  sir. 

4933.  Q.  Do  you  expect  anything.' 
A.  Xo,  sir. 

4934.  Did  anybody  tell  you  that  you  would  be  protected  from  prose- 
ution  if  you  came  here  to  testify  ? 

A.  I  was  under  that  impression. 

4935.  Q.  Who  told  you  of  it  f 

A.  Mr.  Doran  and  Mr.  Le  Barnes,  deputy  sergeant-at-arms  of  this  coin- 
nttee. 

4935.  Q.  How  did  he  come  to  tell  you  of  it? 

A.  Somebody  asked  him  outside  in  the  entry,  and  he  said  there  was 
)me  law  passed  protecting  witnesses  who  testified  before  a  congres- 
onal  committee,  stating,  at  the  same  time,  that  if  I  did  not  testify  I 
as  liable  to  be  arrested  at  any  moment. 

4937.  (}.  And  if  you  testified  you  would  not  be  arrested  or  punished? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

493S.  Q.  Who  procured  you  to  do  this  repeating? 
A.  Mr.  Doran  asked  me  to  go  there  as  a  favor  to  him. 
4939.  Q.  Did  he  hire  vou? 
31  T 


482  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

A.  He  did  not  pay  me  a  cent. 
41)40.  (,).  Was  he  paid  himselfl 
A.  Not  to  my  knowledge. 

New   York.  Thursday,  January  7,  L8G9. 

George  Hill  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

41)41.  Q.  State  your  residence  and  age. 

A.  I  live  at  No.  61  Thompson  street.     I  am  28  years  of  age. 

4042.  Q.  Do  yon  know  of  any  persons  voting  more  than  once  at  the 
Last  presidential  election  in  this  city — what  preparations  were  made  for 
it  and  what  was  done  I 

WITNESS.  I  would  like  to  know  what  is  to  be  done  in  regard  to  it ; 
whether  I  will  be  protected  in  making  a  statement. 

The  chairman  directed  the  clerk  to  read  the  act  of*  Congress  in  regard 
to  testimony  of  witnesses  before  a  committee. 

The  Chairman.  (Jo  on  with  your  statement. 

Witness.  The  night  before  election  we  met  at  the  corner  of  Hester 
and  Wooster  streets.  There  was  quite  a  number  there,  and  we  agreed 
to  meet  at  that  place  the  next  morning  at  8  o'clock.  They  gave  us  slips 
of  paper  containing  about  19  or  20  names  and  told  us  to  go  and  vote  on 
them. 

494.°).  Q.   How  often  did  you  vote  that  day  ? 

A.  I  voted  9  or  10  times  in  different  election  districts  in  this  city, 
mostly  in  the  8th  ward. 

41)44.  Q.  State  what  you  know  of  other  persons  voting  with  yon. 

A.  The  crowd  went  around  with  me  and  voted  at  the  same  time  so  far 
as  I  know.  When  we  met  at  the  corner  of  Hester  and  Wooster  streets 
a  man,  whose  name  1  don't  know,  said  to  me  if  1  would  vote  for  him  he 
would  get  me  employment,  or  something  to  do.  I  said  "All  right,  I  will 
vote  for  you." 

4945.  Q.  How  often  did  the  other  persons  vote  ! 

A.  I  could  not  say;  I  suppose  as  many  times  as  I  did. 

4940.  Q.  What  ticket  did  you  vote  > 

A.  The  democratic  ticket  right  clean  through.  We  voted  in  the  first 
place  in  Green  street,  near  Spring.  We  voted  there  three  times  each. 
We  next  voted  in  Green  street,  further  below  the  first  polling  place; 
then  again  in  Prince  street;  then  down  near  the  corner  of  Sullivan; 
then  again  at  the  corner  of  Lawrence  street.  I  voted  at  the  last  place 
twice.  I  was  pretty  full  all  day,  and  T  cannot  recollect  how  many  times 
I  voted  at  each  place. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

4947.  Q.  How  many  were  in  your  squad  8 

A.  Sixteen  or  twenty.     There  were  two  or  three  who  led  us  around. 

4948.  Q.  At  whose  request  did  you  do  this  repeating  2 
A.  At  the  request  of  the  man  who  gave4  us  the  tickets. 

To  Mr.  Kerr  : 
I  have  been  known  only  by  the  name  of  George  Hill  since  I  was  horn. 
I  have  lived  in  various  places,  particularly  in  Detroit :  also  in  Cincin 
nati  and  in  various  other  places.  I  went  around  in  search  of  employ 
ment.  I  am  a  salesman.  I  have  been  living  in  this  city  for  the  last  two 
years.  For  the  hist  six  months  !  have  been  sick  and  have  followed  no 
occupation. 

4949.  (}.  Were  you  ever  sent  to  BlackwelFs  island  ! 
A.  No,  sir. 


p:lection  frauds  in  new  york.  483 

41)50.  Q.   Were  you  ever  sent  to  State  prison  ? 
A.  Xo,  never  in  my  life. 

4951.  Q.  I  suppose  these  parties  with  you  thought  they  were  doing 
M'ri'eetly  right  in  doing  this  way. 

A.  I  suppose  they  were  hard  up,  as  I  was.  I  don't  think  there  was 
my  harm  in  it.  I  was  Aery  hard  up  and  T  had  to  steal,  or  do  something 
o  get  a  living. 

4952.  Q.  You  do  not  think  it  was  wrong,  then? 
A.  I  do  not  know  as  it  is  ;  even  if  I  did  I  would  have  done  it. 

4953.  Q.  Who  was  this  man  that  employed  you? 
A.  I  do  not  know. 

4954.  Q.  Have  you  seen  him  since  .' 
A.  I  may  have  seen  him. 

4955.  Q.  Did  he  pay  you  for  your  services  .' 

A.  Not  much,  if  anything,  lie  gave  me  something  to  drink  and 
iomething  to  eat.     I  did  not  see  any  money. 

4950.  Q.  What  else  did  he  give  you? 

A.  He  gave  me  some  stamps  and  agreed  to  give  me  a  good  deal  more, 
le  promised  me  more,  but  did  not  fulfil  his  promise. 

4957.  Q.  You  think  you  were  cheated,  then  ? 
A.  E  think  so. 

4958.  Q.  What  reward  do  you  expect  for  coming  here? 
A.  I  do  not  expect  any  reward. 

4959.  Q.  Have  you  not  had  assurances  that  you  would  be  reAvarded 
:o  testify  in  this  way  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  as  1  had.     I  refuse  to  answer  whether  I  had  or  not. 

49G0.  Q.  Who  saw  you  before  you  came  here  in  relation  to  this 
testimony  ? 

A.  1  saw  a  man  in  Jersey  City. 

4961.  Q.  How  did  you  come  to  be  over  there? 

A.  The  man  came  to  me  and  asked  me  if  I  would  not  go  across  the 
Tver  and  do  a  favor  for  him.  He  wanted  me  to  make  a  statement  to  a 
mill  over  there. 

4961.  Q.  Who  was  that? 
A.  It  was  a  man  over  there. 

4962.  Do  you  know  Colonel  Wood  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

4963.  Q.  Do  you  know  Marshal  Murray  ? 
A.  1  have  seen  him. 
4904.  Q.  Did  you  see  him  over  there? 
A.  No,  sir. 

4965.  Q.  What  place  did  you  go  to  in  Jersey  City? 
A.  Taylor's  Hotel. 

4966.  Q.  Who  requested  you  to  go  there? 
A.  A  friend  of  mine. 

4967.  Q.  Who  was  that? 
A.  1  decline  to  answer  that. 

4968.  Question  repeated. 
A.  I  could  not  tell  you  who  he  was.     I  know*  him  by  sight,  but  do 

ot  know  his  name. 

4969.  Q.  When   did  von  leave  that  place  in  Jersey  City  to  come  over 
ore  i 

A.  I  started  from  there  about  10  o'clock  this  morning. 

4970.  Q.  Who  went  over  to  Jersey  City  with  you? 
A.  A  man  by  the  name  of  Johnson. 

4971.  Q.  Was  it  the  man  who  testified  here  this  morning? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 


484  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IX    NEW    YORK. 

4972.  Q.  Who  else  ! 

A.  A  man  by  the  name  of  Nichols. 

4973.  Q.  Who  else  \ 
A.  No  other  man. 

4974.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  reason  why  you  were  requested  to  go 
over  there  instead  of  talking  on  this  side  of  the  river  with  him  I 

A.  I  do  not. 

4975.  Q.  Did  you  tell  the  men  over  there  in  that  place  what  yon  have 
sworn  to  here  to-day  I 

A.  Yes,  sir.    They  did  not  ask  me  to  come  over  here,  however. 

4976.  Q.  Who  did  ? 

A.  The  other  man,  whose  name  I  do  not  know. 

4977.  Q.  What  did  you  call  that  man  \ 

A.  "Billy"  or  "Sammy,"  or  something  like  that. 

4978.  Q.   How  many  were  at  that  office  in  Jersey  City  with   you  this 
morning J 

A.  I  did  not  see  many;  there  were  tour  or  five  men   and  two  writers. 

4979.  Q.  Would  you  know  the  handwriting  of  any  of  these  men? 
.V.  They  were  short  hand  writers. 

4980.  Can  you  give  the  names  of  these  men  l 
A.  No,  sir. 

4981.  Q.   Were  you  not  paid  something  over  there  ? 
A.  I  decline  to  answer. 

4982.  Q.   Who  told  you   here  in  this  building  that  you  would  not  be 
harmed  for  giving  testimony  I 

A.  I  saw  a  paper  which  stated  that  no  man  would  be  hurt  if  he  gave 
a  statement  here,  by  some  act  of  Congress. 

4983.  Q.  Can  you  give  all  the  names  for  which  you  voted? 
A.  I  cannot  give  any. 

4984.  Q.  Bid  you  swear  in  your  vote  at  any  time  I 
A.  No,  sir. 

4985.  Q.  Did  you  swear  in  your  registry  l 
A.  No,  sir. 

New  York,  January  7,  1869. 
Clark  Bell  sworn  and  examined. 

To  the  Chairman: 

4986.  I  am  an  attorney  and  counsellor  at  law.     1  voted  for  Grant  at 
the  last  election,  but  paid  very  little  attention  to  local  politics.    Mr. 
Joseph  Beamis,  private  secretary  to  George  Francis  Train,  came  to  me,  I 
professionally,  and  asked  me  to  inquire  into  the  alleged  election  frauds  in  j 
the  5th  congressional  district  in  this  city.     George  Francis  Train  was  a 
candidate  for  Congress  in  this  district  at  the  last  presidential  election, 
and  Mr.  Beamis  requested  me,  in  behalf  of  Mr.  Train,  to  take  some  proof 
as  to  alleged  frauds  supposed  to  have  been  committed  in  that  election,  i 
I  took  a  large  number  of  affidavits  of  persons  who  swore  that  they  voted 
for  George  Francis  Train.     I  examined  more  particularly  the  election 
returns  of  the  5th  district  of  the  13th  ward  of  this  city.     The  vote  in 
that  precinct  for  members  of  Congress  was,  for  James  McCartin,  repub- 
lican, 131 ;  for  John  Morrissey,  democrat,  229 ;  for  George  Francis  Train, 
independent,  1.     I  confined  my  operation  to  that  precinct,  as  I  was  pretty  ; 
certain  that  there  were  some  frauds  in  that  district.     I  have  with  me 
affidavits  of  various  parties  who  swore  that  they  voted  for  George  Fran-  . 
cis  Train. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  485 

By  Mr.  Kerb: 
4987.  Q.  What  motive  prompted  you  to  make  this  inquiry  I 
A.  Simply  a  motive  of  justice  to  Mr.  Train,  who  was  absent  from  the 

•ity.    His  private  secretary,  Mr.  Beamis,  consulted  me  professionally 

about  it,  and  requested  me  to  do  it. 


New  York,  January  7,  1869. 
JAMES  Nichols  sworn  and  examined. 


By  the  Chairman  : 

4988.  Question.  Where  do  you  reside  ? 
Answer.  At  87  Mercer  street,  New  York  city. 

4989.  Q.  State  where  you  were  the  night  previous  to  the  day  of  the  last 
presidential  election. 

A.  I  staid  at  the  corner  of  Thirty-second  street  and  Second  avenue. 

4990.  Q.  How  often  did  you  vote  at  that  election  ? 
A.  About  seven  times,  I  guess ;  all  in  the  22d  ward. 

4991.  Q.  State  upon  what  names  you  voted. 
A.  Different  names.     The  only  name  I  can  remember  now  is  that  of 

Tames  White. 

4992.  Q.  How  did  you  procure  the  names  upon  which  to  vote  ? 
A.  I  procured  them  at  the  club-room,  corner  of  Thirty-second  street 

md  Second  avenue,  where  I  staid  the  night  before. 

4993.  Q.  State  what  you  know  of  others  being  engaged  in  the  same 
business. 

A.  There  were  something  like  27  of  us  in  the  party  I  was  with. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

4994.  Q.  How  long  have  you  lived  at  87  Mercer  street ! 
A.  For  the  four  months  last  past. 

4995.  Q.  Where  did  you  live  before  that ! 
A.  At  4.1  Robinson  street ;  I  lived  there  for  eight  years.  .  Previous  to 

rliat  1  lived  at  No.  10  Beekman  street.     I  have  been  in  this  citv  since 
1857. 

4990.  Q.  What  is  your  business  ? 

A.  I  work  in  an  auction  house. 

4998.  Q.  Where  did  you  work  l 
A.  At  Wildermings  &  Mount. 
4997.  Q.  Are  you  there  now  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

4999.  Q.  How  long  have  you  been  there  ? 
A.  Four  years. 

5000.  Q.  JBv  what  name  have  you  been  known  during  the  last  four 
oar? 

A.  James  Nichols;  I  never  had  any  other  name. 
j  5001.  Q.  Where  were  you  yesterday  ? 

A.  I  was  at  work  at  my  business. 

5002.  Q.  All  day? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 
j  5003.  Q.  Do  you  know  George  Hill? 

A.  No,  sir. 

5004.  Q.  Do  yon  know  George  Johnson? 
A.  No,  sir. 

5005.  Q.  Were  you  not  out  of  town  yesterday? 
A.  No,  sir. 

5006.  Q.  Who  procured  you  to  come  here  ? 


486  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN'  NEW  YORK. 

A.  Parties  sent  me  here. 

5007.  Q.  Who  were  they  ' 
A.  I  came  here  partly  by  myself.     1  thought  the  thing  was  right 

saw  about  this  committee  sitting  here  in  the  papers. 

5008.  (}.  At  whose  request  did  you  conic.' 
A.  I  decline  to  answer. 

5000.  Q.  How  much  money  was  paid  you  to  come  here? 
A.  Nothing  at  all. 

5010.  Q.  How  much  was  promised  }. 
A.  Nothing  at  all. 

5011.  Q.  Don't  you  expect  something? 
A.  No,  sir. 

5012.  (^.  AVho  procured  you  to  go  into  this  repeating  business! 

A.   I  went  in  with  a  party  of  young  fellows,  and  thought  we  would  I 
have  a  good  time.    Nobody  in  particular  engaged  me. 

5013.  Q.  How  long  were  you  engaged  in  this  business \ 

A.  During  the  morning  of  the  election  until  about  L2  o'clock. 

5014.  Q.  Were  you  paid  for  doing  this  business! 

A.  I  was  not  paid  anything  at  all.  1  had  ;i  few  drinks  and  something 
to  eat. 

5015.  Q.  AVho  gave  you  the  drinks  '. 

A.  I  do  not  know  the  names  of  the  parties. 

5010.  Q.  Give  the  names  of  the  parties  whom  you  were  with  in  this 
repeating  business. 

A.  One  man  by  the  name  of  White,  who  lives  somewhere  in  Forsyth 
street;  he  is  in  business  down  in  Wall  street  with  his  father.  1 1  is  father, 
I  believe,  is  a  custom-house  broker,  or  something  of  that  kind. 

5017.  Q.  How  do  you  know  he  is  engaged  in  that  business  .' 
A.  His  son  told  me  so. 

5018.  Q.  How  old  is  the  son. 

A.  Twenty-three.  There  was  another  man  by  the  name  of  Daniel 
Norton;  I  have  known  him  about  two  years;  I  do  not  know  where  he 
lives.  Another  by  the  name  of  John  Graham,  and  he  lives  in  Frankfort 
street,  near  Pearl;  he  is  a  printer.  1  have  known  him  about  a  year  and 
a  half.  Another  man  by  the  name  John  Eastburn;  he  lives  in  McDougal 
street  somewhere.  He  is  not  doing  anything  at  present ;  i  believe  his 
occupation  is  a  carver.     Those  are  all  the  names  that  I  can  recollect. 

5019.  Q.  By  what  names  did  you  vote  at  these  different  places? 
A.  One  of  them  was  James  White. 

5020.  Q.  In  what  district  did  vou  vote  by  that  name  ? 

A.  The  6th  district  of  the  21st  ward.  There  were  a  lot  of  Hutch  and 
Irish  names. 

5021.  Q.  Did  you  swear  your  vote  in  ! 
A.  No,  sir. 

5022.  Q.  Did  you  swear  in  your  registry  J 
A.  I  did  not  register  at  all. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

5023.  Q.  What  ticket  did  you  vote  ? 
A.  The  democratic. 

5024.  Q.  Did  your  colleagues  vote  for  the  same  ticket .' 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

5025.  Q.  How  do  you  know  it  t 

A.  The  tickets  were  given  us  by  the  democratic  party. 

5026.  Q.  Who  gave  them  to  you? 
A.  I  do  not  know  the  names. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  487 

New  York,  January  7,  ls<;<». 
William  Wood  sworn  and  examined. 
To  the  Chairman: 

5027.  I  live  at  Xo.  5  Eldridge  street.  New  York  city.  1  voted  a  good 
many  times  at  the  last  presidential  election  in  this  city;  I  could  not 
state  exactly  how  many:  I  should  suppose  from  16  to  20  times  at  differ- 
ent polling  places.  I  voted  on  different  names.  The  names  were  fam- 
ished me  on  slips  of  paper.  I  voted  in  the  10th  and  7th  wards.  I  pro- 
cured the  slips  of  paper  containing  the  names  upon  which  1  was  to  vote 
in  the  Bowery.  I  voted  twice  at  several  of  the  precincts.  1  cannot 
remember  any  of  the  names  upon  which  I  voted. 

By  Mr.  Kerb  : 

5028.  Q.  State  if  von  received  any  compensation  for  what  you  did  that 
dav. 

A.  I  did. 

5029.  Q.  What  was  it  ? 

A.  I  could  not  say;  I  received  some  money. 

5030.  Q.  Who  paid  it  to  you  I 
A.  I  decline  to  answer  that. 

5031.  Q.  What  do  you  know,  it  anything,  of  other  persons  engaged  in 
that  business  I 

A.  I  guess  there  were  from  20  to  25  in  the  same  party  with  me. 

By  the  CHAIRMAN: 

5032.  Q.  Where  did  you  procure  the  names  upon  which  you  were  to 
vote  ? 

A.  At  the  same  place  in  the  Bowery.  I  think  it  was  the  Atlantic 
Garden. 

By  Mr.  HOPKINS  : 

5033.  Q.  What  political  party  did  you  vote  with  ? 
A.  The  democratic  party,  I  believe. 

5034.  Q.  Who  was  the  leader  of  the  gang  that  you  were  with  engaged 
in  this  repeating  ? 

A.  I  decline  to  answer. 

5035.  Q.  Do  you  know  him  \ 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

503G.  Q.  Where  does  he  live  ? 

A.  He  lives  in  this  city. 

5037.  Q.  What  does  he  do  for  a  living? 

A.  I  hardlv  know. 

503S.  Q.  Is  he  a  friend  of  yours  I 

A.  Slightly. 

5039.  Q.  What  do  you  consider  a  good  day's  work  for  a  repeater  \ 
A.  That  is  more  than  I  can  tell  you. 

5040.  Q.  Would  you  consider  voting  30  times  a  good  day's  work  ? 
A.  I  should  consider  that  a  very  fair  day's  work. 

5041.  Q.  Did  these  men  get  pay  in  proportion  to  the  number  of  votes 
they  polled,  or  for  a  day's  work  regardless  of  the  number  of  votes  that 
they  deposited  ? 

A.^I  can  hardly  say.     Some  got  more  than  others. 

By  Mr.  Kekr: 

5042.  Q.  How  long  have  you  been  known  by  name  of  William  Wood? 
A.  Since  T  was  christened. 


488  ELECTION    FRAUDS    J\    NEW    YORK. 

5043.  Q.  Have  yon  assumed  any  oilier  name! 
A.  No,  sir. 

5044.  Q.  How  long  have  you  lived  in  this  city  '. 

A.  Sixteen  or  seventeen  years.  I  live  with  my  parents,  at  No. 
Eldridge  street,  in  this  city.  lama  machinist  by  trade.  I  am  doing 
nothing  now.  I  quit  work  about  six  months  ago;  since  then  1  have 
been  attending  store,  off  and  on,  for  my  brother-in-law,  at  No.  1)7  Bowery. 
His  name  is  John  C.  Anderson.  He  keeps  a  jewelry  store.  I  eouldnot 
say  definitely  how  much  time  I  spent  there;  I  suppose  I  have  been 
engaged  there  a  week  or  so;  1  could  not  say  how  long. 

5045.  Q.   What  else  have  yon  been  doing  during  the  last  six  months.' 
A.  Nothing  in  particular. 
5040.  Q.  What  ill  general? 
A.  Nothing  in  general. 

5047.  Q.  Mow  do  yon  earn  a  living.' 
A.  I  have  a  brother-in-law  who  works  for  a  living. 

5048.  Q.  Does  he  support  you  '! 
A.  I  decline  to  answer  that  question. 

5049.  Question  repeated. 
A.  He  does. 

5050.  Q.  Who  employed  you  to  go  into  this  repeating  business! 
A.  I  could  not  tell  von  the  man's  name. 

5051.  Q.  Why  not  i 
A.  Because  I  do  not  know  it.     I  might  come  very  near  it. 

5052.  Q.  What  do  you  think  it  is  I 
A.  I  decline  to  answer  that  question. 

5053.  Question  repeated. 
A.  I  think  it  is  something  like  Gilden,  or  something  of  that  kind. 

begins  with  a  (I. 

5054.  Q.  Where  were  you  yesterday  1 
A.  I  was  in  the  city  here. 

5055.  Q.  Who  did  von  see  yesterday  in   reference  to  coming  here  to 
testify? 

A.  No  one. 

5050.  Q.  Who  did  von  see  about  it  in  reference  to  coming  here  to 
testify? 

A.  I  do  not  know  the  man's  name. 

5057.  Q.  Where  did  you  see  him  ! 
A.  In  Jersey  City. 

5058.  Q.  What  place  ? 
A.  Taylor's  Hotel. 

5059.  Q.  How  many  persons  were  present  at  that  place  at  that  time  .' 
A.  Three  or  four. 

5060.  Q.  How  came  you  to  go  there  ? 

A.  A  friend  of  mine  brought  me  over  there. 

5061.  Q.  Who  was  he? 

A.  I  could  not  tell  you  his  name. 

5062.  Q.  Where  was  he  when  he  made  that  request  l 
A.  On  the  Bowery  near  Canal.     I  met  him  in  the  street. 

5063.  Q.  How  much  money  did  you  get  in  Jersey  City  for  coining  hero  \ 
A.  No  money. 

5064.  Q.  Hoav  much  did  you  get  the  day  before  ? 
A.  Nothing. 

5065.  Q.  How  much  did  you  get  to-day  f 
A.  I  decline  to  answer. 

5066.  Q.  Who  gave  you  the  money  ? 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IX  NEW  YORK.  489 

A.   I  decline  to  answer. 

5067.  Q.  Where  was  it  given  to  yon  ? 

A.  1  decline  to  answer. 

5008.  Q.  What  were  you  told  by  way  of  inducement  to  come  here,  in 
reference  to  prosecution  for  anything  you  might  say  here? 

A.  I  do  not  care  to  answer  that  question.  I  was  told  that  no  harm 
would  come  to  me  by  the  State  or  the  United  States  government. 

5069.  Q.  Who  told  you  that  ? 
A.  I  decline  to  answer. 

5070.  Question  repeated. 

A.  It  was  a  young  man  in  Jersey  City. 

5071.  Q.  Do  you  know  him ? 
A.  Xo,  sir;  I  do  not. 

5072.  Q.  Where  did  you  see  him  ? 
A.  In  Jersey  City. 

5073.  Q.  Was  anything  said  to  you  about  it  here ? 
A.  Xo,  sir. 

5071.  Q.  Name  one  of  these  repeaters  that  were  with  you. 
A.  I  could  not  name  one  of  them.     They  all  repeated  under  assumed 
names.     I  could  not  tell  you  their  real  names. 
5075.  Q.  When  were  you  on  Blackwell's  island  ? 
A.  Xever. 

5070.  Q.  When  were  you  in  State's  prison  ? 
A.  Xever. 

5077.  Q.  What  gambling  house  do  you  frequent  ? 
A.  None. 

5078.  Q.  Who  do  you  know  in  the  city  of  New  York  ? 
A.  I  know  C.  A.  Durgan,  for  one. 

5070.  Q.  Who  is  he? 

A.  Solicitor  of  patents.  He  has  business  at  111  Leonard  street.  I 
|  worked  for  him  some  time  repairing  sewing  machines  and  the  like. 

5080.  Q.  How  many  went  over  with  you  to  Jersey  City? 
A.  1  went  over  there  myself;  no  one  went  with  me. 

5081.  Q.  Who  made  up  these  affidavits  in  the  hotel? 
A.  I  could  not  tell  you  the  man's  name. 

5082.  Q.  Was  the  statement  you  made  over  there  brought  here  ? 
A.  I  believe  it  was. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 
!     5083.  Q.  Has  any  person  offered  to  pay  you  money  to  testify  falsely 
before  this  committee  I 

A.  No,  sir. 

5081.  Q.  The  parties  you  saw  who  have  talked  with  you  about  coming 
before  this  committee  have  simply  asked  vou  to  come  here  and  tell  the 
truth? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

5085.  Q.  Has  any  member  of  this  committee  ever  seen  you  or  spoken  to 
yon  about  testifying  before  this  committee? 

A.  No,  sir. 

New  York,  Jdnuary  7,  1869. 
James  Emott  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chaiioian  : 

5086.  Question.  What  is  your  profession  or  business  ? 

Answer.  I  am  counsellor-at-law ;  have  been  judge  of  the  supreme  court 
and  court  of  appeals  in  this  State,  and  have  been  practicing  my  profession 


400  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 


upwards  of  20  years.  In  regard  to  the  questions  you  submitted  to  me 
I  would  say  that,  as  to  my  construction  of  the  law  in  regard  to  the  power 
of  deputy  clerks  to  sign  the  name  of  the  clerk  to  official  documents,  and 
the  power  of  clerks  to  appoint  deputies,  I  find  a  statute  authorizing  the 
clerk  to  appoint  a  deputy. clerk.  That  statute,  I  have  no  doubt,  only 
authorizes  the  appointment  of  one  deputy.  There  is  another  statute 
authorizing  the  appointment  of  a  special  deputy,  apparently  for  the  pur- 
pose of  performing  duties  in  courts.  I  think  that  the  proper  construc- 
tion of  thatstat  ute  only  authorized  the  appointment  of  one  special  deputy, 
but,  i  suppose,  the  construction  of  it  in  the  city  must  have  been  different, 
as  we  have  a  good  many  courts  here,  and  have  many  clerks  to  administer 
oaths,  &c.     I  speak  only  of  the  county  clerk's  office. 

5087.  Q.  What  is  the  power  of  the  deputy  clerk  so  appointed  to  sign 
the  name  of  the  county  clerk  ! 

A.  It  has  been  held  in  this  State  that  he  has  power  to  sign  the  name 
of  the  clerk.  I  should  think,  also,  thai  a  special  deputy,  properly 
appointed,  could  sign  the  name  of  the  clerk,  in  regard  to  proceedings  in 
courts. 

5088.  Q.   How  as  to  certificates  authenticating  a  judicial  order.' 

A.  My  recollection  of  that  statute  relative  to  the  appointment  of 
special  deputies  is  that  it  did  not  give  such  power  to  special  deputies. 

5089.  (w>.  How  as  to  the  power  of  administering  oatlis  and  attaching 
jurats  ? 

A.  That  1  think  a  special  deputy  might  do,  and  if  the  law  authorizes 
more  than  one,  then  all. 

5090.  Does  not  the  act  of  Congress  require  the  oath  to  be  administered 
to  witnesses  and  applicants  in  cases  of  naturalization  to  be  in  these 
words  "  You  solemnly  swear  that  you  will  tell  the  truth,  the  whole  truth, 
and  nothing  but  the  truth  touching  naturalization,  so  help  you  God?" 

A.  1  suppose  the  act  of  Congress  does  require  an  oath  to  that  effect. 
But  if  the  witness  is  produced  in  court  and  Ids  statement  is  reduced  to 
writing  and  read  over  to  him  and  he  testifies  to  it,  I  think  that  will  sat- 
isfy the  provisions  of  the  law.  I  do  not  think  the  act  of  naturalization 
would  be  vitiated  because  the  common  law  oath  was  not  administered. 
The  witness,  however,  I  think,  should  be  produced,  and  the  court  ought 
to  make  an  oral  examination  and  not  to  naturalize  a  person  upon  the 
mere  production  of  an  affidavit  prepared  and  signed  out  of  court  without 
additional  examination.  1  never  knew  that  to  be  done  while  1  was  on 
the  bench.  But  if  the  witness  was  produced  and  the  affidavit  was  rend 
to  him  I  should  think  that  would  answer  all  the  requirements  of  the 
statute  ;  after  he  had  made  his  deposition  it  would  then  be  the  duty  of 
the  court  to  examine  him  if  there  was  any  reason  for  so  doing. 

5091.  Q.  The  next  question  is  as  to  whether,  to  test  the  veracity  of 
witnesses,  questions  cannot  be  asked  that  are  not  printed  on  the  paper! 

A.  Most  unquestionably. 

5092.  Q.  How  could  such  questions  be  asked  unless  the  common  law 
oath  was  put  to  the  witness J? 

A.  That  is  difficult  to  say.  I  do  not  mean  to  say  that  merely  the 
production  of  the  witness  with  an  affidavit  prepared  and  signed  outside 
would  be  sufficient,  but  I  think  if  he  is  sworn  and  made  to  understand 
its  contents  that  would  be  sufficient. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

5093.  Q.  When  a  witness  is  produced  in  court  and  sworn  to  answer 
all  questions  put  to  him  in  relation  to  the  pending  application,  &c,  pat- 
ting in  a  short  form,  would  that  be  sufficient  ? 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  491 

A.  I  think  that  would  be  sufficient.  I  think  he  ought  to  make  such 
oath  as  would  make  everything'  lie  said  come  under  it,  then  1  think  if  he 
was  asked  if  the  affidavit  which  was  read  over  to  him  was  true,  that 
would  be  sufficient. 

5094.  Q.  If  the  naturalization  laws  required  the  applicant  to  verify 
under  oath  certain  facts,  do  not  these  words  require  a  common  law  oath? 

A.  They  require  an  oath  that  lie  shall  tell  the  truth,  the  whole  truth, 
and  nothing  but  the  truth  touching-  the  matter  before  the  court.  But, 
after  the  affidavit  had  been  read  to  the  man  and  he  testifies  to  its  truth, 
I  suppose  it  would  be  a  compliance  with  the  statute.  It  would  be  in 
effect  a  leading  question.  The  affirmation  would  be  in  this  form  u  You, 
so  and  so,  came  to  this  country  at  such  a  time,  you  have  lived  here  so 
long,  you  have  not  been  out  of  the  country,  your  residence  is  such  a 
place  ;  is  that  true."    If  he  answers  yes,  he  complies  with  the  statute. 

5095.  Q.  The  next  question  is  as  to  whether  a  judge  in  New  York  can 
discharge  on  habeas  corpus  when  no  return  has  been  made  ! 

A.  I  think  he  ought  not  to  discharge.  He  ought  to  require  a  return. 
If  the  officer  produced  the  person  and  made  no  return  that  would  be 
equivalent  to  saying  that  he  had  no  warrant.  If  the  person  was  not 
produced  before  the  court  and  no  answer  was  made  to  the  writ,  I  do  not 
see  how  the  judge  could  make  any  order  at  all. 

5096.  Q.  Do  the  judges  of  this  State  have  jurisdiction  in  chambers  to 
discharge  on  habeas  corpus? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  there  is  a  statute  which  requires  them  to  issue  habeas 
corpus  out  of  court  under  penalty. 

5097.  Q.  What  are  your  political  opinions  ? 

A.  I  am  a  republican  and  expect  to  be  as  long  as  the  party  exists. 

5098.  To  all  of  the  testimony  of  this  witness  which  consists  of 
legal  opinions,  the  minority  of  the  committee  object  as  being  incompe- 
tent, because  it  does  not  relate  to  facts,  but  only  to  opinions,  and  at  the 
same  time  the  minority  object  to  its  being  stricken  out. 

Neav  York,  January  8,  1869. 

Joseph  Duzvible  sworn  and  examined. 
To  the  Chairman  : 

5099.  I  was  registrar  and  inspector  of  the  2d  district  of  the  4th  ward 
at  the  last  presidential  election ;  on  the  day  of  registry  I  found  that  a  great 
many  persons  who  presented  themselves  for  registry  had  naturalization 
papers  which  they  did  not  get  in  the  court ;  I  took  away  the  papers  from 
two  or  three  of  them ;  many  of  them  could  give  no  satisfactory  answers 
as  to  where  they  got  them  ;  they  said  that  they  had  not  been  in  court, 
but  said  that  somebody  had  got  the  papers  for  them ;  I  took  about  four 
papers  from  these  parties ;  two  of  them  I  returned,  and  the  other  two  I 
gave  to  Mr.  White ;  there  were  a  great  many  came  over  on  election  day 
from  the  14th  ward ;  there  was  one  man  I  had  arrested  for  illegal  voting ; 
he  registered  himself  by  the  name  of  "Sheehan,"  and  said  he  lived 
somewhere  in  Water  street ;  I  knew  he  did  not  live  at  that  place,  and 
when  he  came  to  vote  I  swore  him  in,  and  then  had  him  arrested ;  he 
was  discharged  afterwards  by  the  city  judge ;  I  cannot  say  whether  any 
fraud  was  practiced  by  substituting  tickets  that  were  never  voted  for 
those  that  Avere  voted. 

To  Mr.  Kerr  : 

5100.  I  only  knew  of  one  fraudulent  vote  in  my  district  to  my  own 
knowledge ;  that  was  the  case  of  Sheehan ;  I  know  that  he  did  not  live  at 
the  house  in  Water  street  where  he  registered,  because!  inquired  there ; 


492 


ELECTION    FRAVDS    IN     NEW    YORK. 


the  reason  1  took  the  papers  from  these  parties  that  wanted  to  register 
was  because  they  could  give  no  satisfactory  answers  as  to  where  they 
got  them;  I  knew  they  did  not  get  them  of  the  court,  because 
they  said  so;  the  democratic  inspectors  of  that  precinct  were  William 
Dodson  and  Patrick  Kane;  Peter  Ryan  and  myself  were  the  republican 
inspectors;  the  two  democrats  were  willing  to  receive  the  votes  of  then 
men,  but  it  required  a  vote  of  three  of  the  inspectors  to  register  I 
name;  the  men  themselves  that  presented  these  naturalization  papers 
acknowledged  that  they  did  not  get  them  in  the  court;  that  they  had 
not  previously  declared  their  intentions  to  become  citizens  ;  I  have  lived 
in  the  ward  for  17  years;  I  do  not  know  any  of  these  men  that  presented 
these  papers;  there  were  900  votes  registered  in  that  precinct ;  the  vote 
was  about  99  short  of  the  registry. 

5101.  Q.  You  swear  that  your  democratic  colleagues  wanted  to  take 
the  names  of  these  men  that  you  rejected  .; 

A.  They  did  not  insist  upon  taking  them  ;  they  would  argue  with  me 
and  say  that  J  had  better  put  the  names  down,  and  we  would  have  quit! 
an  argument  over  them;  but  I  would  insist  upon  rejecting  them;  1  told 
them  that  if  they  could  prove  to  me  satisfactorily  that  they  were  legal, 
and  had  received  their  papers  in  a  lawful  manner.  I  would  register 
them. 

New  York,  January  8,  1869. 
THOMAS  II.  York  sworn  and  examined. 

To  the  Chairman: 

5102.  I  am  deputy  clerk  of  the  Kings  county  court  :  was  so  during  the 
year  1868;  I  present  herewith  to  the  committee  a  statement  of  the 
number  of  persons  naturalized  in  that  court  from  the  year  185G  to  the 
year  18C8,  both  inclusive,  with  the  number  naturalized  daily  during  the 
month  of  October,  1868;  the  city  court  of  Brooklyn  has  also  the  power 
of  granting  certificates  of  naturalization ;  they  probably  naturalized 
more  than  we  did. 

To  Mr.  Kerr: 
ol03.  I  copied  this  list  from  the  records  in  the  county  clerk's  office; 
we  have  a  printed  book  there  with  the  different  headings  under  which 
we  write  the  applicant's  and  the  witness's  names,  and  other  data  neces- 
sary to  be  preserved. 

Statement  of  the  whole  number  of  persons  naturalized  in  the  county  clerk1* 
office  from  the  23d  day  of  September.  1S5G,  to  the  31st  day  of  December. 
1868. 


1856 1,667 

1857 293 

1858 984 

1859   J44 

I860 1,159 

1861  47 

1862 151 

1863 181 


1864 722 

1865 483 

1866 2,328 

1867 2,436 

1868 3,246 

Total 13,841 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 


4fJ3 


Whole  number  naturalized  from   the  1st  day  of  October  to  the  31st  <la\f  of 

October.  1868. 

October     1 130     October  19 


9. 
10. 
12. 
13. 
14. 
15. 
16. 


130 

October  19 

1 13 

28 

•20 

157 

24 

•21 

J  45 

74 

•22 

130 

55 

2:5 

183 

•217 

24 

39 

147 

26 

130 

27 

1° 

42 

28 

4 

1-7 

29 

y 

•2i  )7 

30 

6 

165 

•'iiT 

31 

Total. . 

5 

107 

•) 

613 

New  York, 

Ja 

nn<\) 

11 

3, 

1869 

Edmund  M.  Plumb  sworn  and  examined. 
To  the  Chairman  : 

5101.  I  am  clerk  of  records  in  the  county  clerk's  office  in  this  city. 
I  have  examined  the  records  of  the  supreme  court  of  this  comity  on  hie 
in  the  comity  clerk's  office,  and  present  herewith  a  statement  of  the 
number  of  persons  naturalized  in  that  court  from  the  6th  to  the  23d  day 


of  October,  1868. 


Number  of  persons  naturalized  in  the  supreme  court  of  New  York  city,  on 
the  days  hereinafter  named. 


1868. 
October 


October  16 

6 

17 

8 

19 

379 

•20. 

ms 

21. 

717 

22. 

W\ 

23. 

901 

523 

857 

721 

633 

955 
944 
773 
675 

587 


Total 10,070 


The  number  I  counted  from  the  applications  on  hie  :  and.  to  the  best 
of  my  knowledge  and  belief,  this  is  a  correct  statement  of  the  number. 

To  Mr.  Hopkins  : 
•5105.  These  applications  were  all  tiled  with  me.     I  made  search  of  the 
records  of  the  office  for  applications  as  far  back  as  1841.     1  could  find 
none  prior  to  1868. 

Xew  5TORK,  January  8.  1869. 
Austin  D.  Pettit  sworn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instance  of 
Mr.  Kerr.) 

5106.  Question.  Do  you  know  a  man  by  the  name  ot  Henry  Lyle  f 
Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

5107.  Q.  Do  yon  know  where  he  lives  \ 
A.   1  do  not. 

5108.  (c>.  What  is  his  business! 

A.  The  last  time  I  saw  him  he  said  he  was  a  reporter  for  the  Evening 
tfews  of  this  city. 


494  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

5100.  Q.  How  long  have  you  known  him  J 
A.  Two  or  three  years. 

5110.  Q.  What  is  his  character  for  truth  and  veracity  8 
A.  Not  very  good  in  my  opinion. 

5111.  Q.  What  is  his  reputation  among  his  neighbors  for  truth  and 
veracity  "I 

A.   I  could  not  say  ;    I  have  never  associated  with  his  neighbors. 

5112.  (}.  What  means  have  you  of  knowing  his  character  for  truth 
and  veracity  \ 

A.  (lenerally  from  Ins  mode  of  life.     lie  is  [in  habitual  drunkard. 
511.').  Q.   Did  you  have  much  intercourse  with  him  during  the  month 
Of  October  Last? 
A.  No,  sir. 

5114.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  you  ever  had  any  conversation  with 
him  during  that  time  J 

A.  I  met  him  at  onetime  and  he  accosted  me  and  said  he  had  reported 
a  meeting  uptown  in  which  I  was  interested,  and  that  he  had  received 
no  pay  for  it,  and  I  gave  him  a  quarter  of  a  dollar. 

5115.  Q.  Are  you  a  democrat  ' 
A.  I  am. 

51  HI.  (,).   Are  you  identified  with  the  Tammany  organization  l 

A.   I  have  been  within   the  last   few  months  ;  previous  to    that  J  was 

always  opposed  to  it.     At  that  time  1  was  a  member  of  the  independent 

democratic  party. 

5117.  Q.  State  whether  you  did  ever  at  anytime  procure  ten  final  cer- 
tificates of  naturalization  from  any  court  in  anybody's  name  or  names 
and  give  them  to  Henry  Lyle. 

A.  No,  sir;   I  never  did. 

5118.  Q.  State  whether  he  at  any  time  during  the  month  of  October, 
or  at  any  other  time,  requested  you  to  procure  certificates  of  naturaliza- 
tion for  any  number  of  persons,  and  gave  you  their  names. 

A.  ^No,  sir;  he  told  me  at  one  time  that  if  there  were  any  parties  who 
did  not  want  to  come  down  town  and  wait  to  get  their  final  certificates, 
as  he  was  doing  nothing  and  was  generally  about  the  City  Hall,  he 
would  do  it  himself.  This  was  for  procuring  the  final  certificates  at  the 
City  Hall  after  the  judge  had  sworn  the  naturalization  certificate  to  be 
granted.  The  clerk  of  the  court  would  generally  give  orders  for  the 
certificates,  which  were  obtained  somewhere  in  the  City  Hall. 

5119.  Q.  State  whether  he  ever  made  any  other  request  of  you  of  any 
kind. 

A.  No,  sir  ;  not  that  I  remember. 

5120.  Q.  Did  he  ever  request  you  to  get  any  certificates  for  names 
that  he  would  hand  you,  without  producing  the  persons  to  you  or  their 
witnesses  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  he  would  not  ask  me  to  do  it,  for  I  was  not  in  that  business. 

5121.  Q.  Suppose  lie  had  asked  you  to  obtain  certificates  in  ways  that 
were  unlawful,  would  you, remember  it ! 

A.  1  certainly  would.  He  would  not  dare  to  have  made  any  such 
request  of  me. 

5122.  Q.  Do  you  know  where  he  kept  himself  during  the  month  of 
October? 

A.   I  do  not. 

5123.  Q.  Was  he  habitually  drunk? 

A.  Yes,  sir.  The  last  I  have  beard  of  him,  he  was  expelled  from  the 
organization  of  which  he  was  a  member,  for  being  drunk  and  disorderly. 
At  that  time  I  believe  he  lived  in  Twenty-seventh  street.    That  was 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  41)5 

two  or  three  years  ago;  I  was  then  a  candidate  for  nomination  and  he 
was  a  candidate  also. 

5124.  Q.  State,  from  what  yon  know  of  his  character,  whether  yon 
believe  hira  under  oath. 

A.   I  certainly  would  not. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

5125.  Q.  What  office  were  he  and  yon  candidates  for? 

A.  For  assemblymen.  He  was  a  candidate  for  some  small  local  organ- 
ization. 

5126.  Q.  Did  yon  procure  certificates  of  naturalization  for  .lames 
Beglan  or  James  Glenn? 

A.  No,  sir. 

51U7.  Q.  Do  you  know  these  men? 

A.  1  know  James  Beglan.  I  was  at  the  December  election.  Previous 
to  that  election  he  was  a  bitter  opponent  of  mine.  I  had  not  spoken  to 
him  previous  to  a  few  days  before  the  December  election,  for  three  years. 

5128.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  person  speaking  of  Lyle's  character  for 
truth  and  veracity? 

A.  I  cannot  recollect  just  now. 

5129.  Q.  Can  you  name  any  person  whom  you  heard  speak  of  his 
character  for  truth  and  veracity'? 

A.  I  think  I  could  name  a  half  a  dozen  who  would  not  believe  him 
under  oath.     I  do  not  remember  having  any  particular  conversation 
with  these  men,  however,  about  Lyle. 
By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

5130.  Q.  You  stated  that  Mr.  Lyle  wanted  you  to  send  your  friends  to 
him,  and  that  he  would  obtain  papers  for  them. 

A.  He  said  he  would  obtain  their  certificates.  The  regular  paper,  I 
believe,  is  filed  with  the  judge,  and  after  it  has  passed  him  an  order  is 
given  on  the  clerk  at  the  City  Hall  for  the  regular  certificate,  and  as  there 
was  a  great  crowd  at  the  City  Hall,  persons  would  not  want  to  wait  there  a 
long  time. 

5131.  Q.  Did  you  seud  any  papers  to  Mr.  Lyle ! 
A.  Xo,  sir. 

5132.  Q.  Did  you  ever  meet  him  in  any  court,  or  have  any  conversa- 
tion with  him  about  naturalization  papers  ? 

A.  Xo,  sir;  not  of  my  knowledge.  I  think  1  met  him  one  day  around 
the  City  Hall  somewhere,  or  in  a  lager-beer  saloon  in  William  street; 
it  was  the  time  I  gave  him  a  quarter  of  a  dollar. 

513;).  Q.  Were  you  engaged  at  that  time  in  assisting  your  friends  in 
getting  naturalized  ? 

A.  I  have  assisted  some  five  or  six. 

5134.  Q.  Were  you  a  witness  for  them  I 
A.  I  was  a  witness  for  two  or  three,  I  believe.     I   had  tickets  which 

were  issued  by  Tammany  Hall  to  pay  for  the  fees,  and  I  supplied  them 
to  parties  in  my  ward. 

5135.  Q.  Do  you  know  what  business  Lyle  was  engaged  in  I 
A.  He  told  me  he  was  a  reporter  for  the  Evening  Xews. 

5136.  Q.  Don't  you  know  that  he  was  engaged  about  the  City  Hall  in 
procuring  papers  .; 

A.  He  told  me  he  was  about  the  City  Hall  a  good  deal  and  could 
procure  papers  for  me. 

5137.  Q.  Did  you  not  know  that  he  was  a  witness  for  parties  desiring 
to  be  naturalized? 

A.  Xo,  sir. 


4%  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

5138.  Q.  Were  you  in  courts  much  when'  Qaturalization  was  going  on) 

A.  No,  sir;   very  little.      I  was  in  the  superior  court  once  or  twice. 

New  York,  January  8,  L869. 

GEORGE  B.  (xIFFORD  sworn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instance 
of  Mr.  Kerr.) 

By  M.  Kerr  : 

5139.  Question.  Do  you  know  John  II.  White! 
Answer.  Yes,  sir;  I  am  well  acquainted  with  him. 

5140.  Q.  Have  you  had  any  conversation  with  him  lately? 
A.  I  had  about  a  week  ago  last  Tuesday  night. 

5141.  Q.  Where  I 

A.   In  front  of  the  Union  League  club  room. 

5142;  <).   Please  state  what  it  was. 

A.  I  went  up  there  in  company  with  a  friend  of  mine  by  the  name  of 
Henry  Darling.  Previous  to  that  a  boy  came  to  me  and  said  that  Mr. 
White  wanted  to  see  me  at  the  Union  League  rooms.  I  went  up  there 
about  8  o'clock  in  the  evening  with  Darling.  We  met  White  in  front  of 
the  Union  League  club  rooms  and  entered  into  conversation.  He  said 
he  wanted  me  to  testify  to  frauds  committed  by  the  democratic  party  at 
the  presidential  election.  I  told  him  that  I  knew  of  no  frauds  being' 
perpetrated  by  the  democratic  party,  lie  said  that  that  would  make  no 
difference;  that  as  long  as  I  would  swear  to  the  facts  that  he  would 
write  in  the  shape  of  an  affidavit,  he  said  that  he  would  pay  me  liber- 
ally for  such  evidence.  1  told  him  that  1  would  have  nothing  to  do  with 
the  affair  at  all.  The  reason  he  asked  me  I  suppose  was  because  I  was 
formerly  a  member  of  the  republican  party,  and  was  formerly  in  the 
revenue  service. 

5143.  Q.  What  position  did  you  hold  in  the  revenue  service? 

A.  I  was  assistant  assessor  under  Anthony  J.  Bleecker,  assessor,  and 
George  Putnam  and  Morgan  Harris,  collectors. 

5144.  Q.  To  whom  did  he  say  that  you  would  be  well  rewarded  '! 
A.  To  myself  and  Darling;  we  had  conversation  together. 

5145.  Q.  What  was  it  lie  would  reward  you  well  fori 

A.  For  making  an  affidavit  to  the  effect  that  frauds  were  perpetrated 
by  the  democratic  party  at  the  presidential  election. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

5146.  Q.  Where  do  you  live  ? 
A.  At  No.  511  Third  avenue, 

5147.  Q.  What  business  are  you  engaged  in  ? 
A.  I  am  clerk  to  Mr.  Hanberry. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

5148.  Q.  When  did  you  dissolve  your  connection  Avith  the  republican 
party  ? 

A."  They  struck  my  name  off  the  rolls. 
5141).  Q.  What  for? 

A.  It  was  at  the  time  of  the  October  election.  I  had  a  conversation 
with  Christopher  B.  Pullman  in  reference  to  going  to  Philadelphia* 

5150.  Q.  What  did  he  want  you  to  go  there  for  ? 
[Mr.  Hopkins  objected.     Objection  sustained.] 

By  the  ( JHAIRMAN  : 

5151.  Q.  Were  you  a  member  of  the  Union  League? 

A.  No.  sir:  1  was  a  member  of  the  republican  organization  of  the  21st 
ward. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  497 

5152.  Q.  Who  was  present  at  this  conversation  with  Judge  White? 
A.  Mr.  Henry  Darling. 

5153.  Q.  Where  does  he  live? 

A.  In  Thirty-second  street,  in  the  22d  ward.     Only  ns  three  were 
present. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

5151.  Q.  With  whom  did  yon  have  consultation  in  regard  to  your  tes- 
timony before  this  committee? 

A.  I  had  not  much  consultation  about  it.  I  had  repeated  conversa- 
tions with  some  of  my  friends  in  the  21st  ward. 

5155.  Q.  Who  are  they  ? 

A.  1  had  one  conversation  with  Mr.  Jones.  I  also  had  one  with  Mr. 
Barrett.    They  are  both  democrats. 

5156.  Q.  Have  you  consulted  with  any  member  of  this  committee  as 
to  what  your  testimony  would  be  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

5157.  Q.  Who  else  have  you  consulted  with? 

A.  I  had  a  conversation  with  Mr.  Banker.     He  is  a  democrat. 

5158.  Q.  With  what  party  did  you  act  this  fall? 
A.  I  voted  the  democratic  ticket  straight  through. 

5159.  Q.  Were  you  removed  from  your  position  as  assistant  assessor? 
A.  No,  sir ;  I  left  of  my  own  accord. 

5160.  Q.  Do  you  mean  to  state  that  Mr.  White  offered  you  a  reward 
to  testify  to  what  was  not  true  before  this  committee? 

A.  He  offered  to  pay  me  liberally  for  testifying  to  what  frauds  were 
committed  by  the  democratic  party.  I  told  him  that  I  knew  of  no  frauds. 
He  said  that  would  make  no  difference,  if  I  would  only  come  here  and 
testify. 

5161.  Q.  Who  is  this  Mr.  Banker  with  whom  you  had  this  conversa- 
tion ? 

A.  Thomas  A.  Banker ;  he  is  a  deputy  sheriff.  Banker  told  me  he 
thought  it  was  proper  for  me  to  come  here  and  give  my  evidence.  Mr. 
Banker  is  a  personal  friend  of  mine. 

New  York,  January  8,  1869. 

Henry  Darling  sworn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instance  of  Mr. 
Kerr.) 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

5162.  Q.  Do  you  know  John  H.  White,  attorney  at  law  in  this  city  ! 
I    A.  Yes,  sir. 

I    5163.  Q.  Have  you  had  any  conversation  with  him  lately  ? 

|    A.  Last  Tuesday  night,  a  week  ago,  I  had  a  conversation  with  him  in 

(front  of  the  Union  League  club  room. 

I    5161.  Q.  How  came  you  there  ? 

A.  I  went  there  with  a  man  by  the  name  of  Gifford.    Mr.  White  sent 
for  him. 
5165.  Q.  What  conversation  did  you  have  with  Mr.  White  ? 
A.  Mr.  White  said  to  Gifford,  "  I  want  you  to  go  down  before  the  com- 
nittee  and  testify  as  to  frauds  and  illegal  voting  by  the  democratic 
mrty."    We  told  him  we  knew  nothing  about  election  frauds.     He  said 
t  would  make  no  difference,  if  we  would  swear  to  the  evidence  that  he 
vould  draw  up ;  that  we  would  be  liberally  compensated  for  it.     Said  I 
:o  Mr.  White,  "lam  not  doing  business  in  that  way."    I  voted  for  Mr. 
White  every  time  he  has  ever  run  for  office  in  New  York  city.    I  have 
dways  supported  and  voted  for  him. 
32  t 


498  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN   NEW   YORK. 


5166.  Q.  Was  lie  a  candidate  at  the  last  election? 
A.  I  think  he  was. 

5167.  Q.  Did  you  have  any  further  conversation? 
A.  I  told  Mr.  Gifford  that  he  could  do  as  he  liked  in  this  matter,  but 

so  far  as  any  frauds  committed  by  the  democratic  party  was  concerned, 
I  knew  nothing  about  it. 

5168.  Q.  Was  it  stated  what  compensation  you  should  have? 
A.  No,  sir. 

5169.  Q.  Was  it  stated  from  whom  you  would  receive  your  compensa- 
tion? 

A.  He  said  that  he  would  see  that  it  was  all  right. 

5170.  Q.  Was  anything  said  as  to  the  amount  of  compensation  you 
shoidd  have? 

A.  Not  in  my  hearing.     I  left  Mr.  Gifford  talking  with  him  for  10  or 
15  minutes. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

5171.  Q.  Do  you  know  Thomas  A.  Banker,  deputy  sheriff  of  this  city? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

5172.  Q.  When  did  you  see  him  last  ? 
A.  I  saw  him  to-day. 

5173.  Q.  Did  you  talk  with  him  about  this  matter  ? 
A.  No,  sir  •,  never  a  word. 

5174.  Q.  Was  Gilford  with  you  when  you  saw  Banker? 
A.  No,  sir. 

5175.  Q.  Where  did  you  see  Banker  ? 
A.  I  saw  him  in  the  City  Hall. 

5176.  Q.  Did  you  see  Banker  yesterday  f 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

5177.  Q.  Was  Gifford  with  you  then? 
A.  No,  sir ;  I  saw  Banker  last  evening,  up -town  somewhere. 

5178.  Q.  Did  you  have  any  conversation  with  him  about  this  matter? 
A.  No,  sir ;  I  have  never  talked  with  him  about  this  matter. 

5179.  Q.  To  whom  did  you  first  tell  this  conversation' 
A.  I  think  I  talked  it  over  in  a  lager-beer  saloon  while  many  persons 

were  present. 

5180.  Q.  Whose  lager-beer  saloon? 
A.  A  Mr.  Whiter  $  he  keeps  a  lager-beer  saloon  in  Thirtieth  street, 

near  Second  avenue. 

5181.  Q.  What  business  are  you  engaged  in  ? 
A.  Not  any  at  present. 

5182.  Q.  Was  Banker  present  at  the  lager-beer  shop  ? 
A.  No,  sir ;  I  have  never  seen  him  there. 

5183.  Q.  Where  do  you  live  ? 
A.  At  No.  253  Thirty- second  street. 

5184.  Q.  How  long  have  you  lived  there  ? 
A.  Since  last  May. 

5185.  Q.  Have  you  been  engaged  in  any  business  lately  ? 
A.  Not  of  any  account;  1  am  about  to  go  into  the  butcher  business. 

5186.  Q.  What  office  did  Judge  White  run  for? 
A.  I  do  not  recollect  exactly ;  he  ran  for  assemblyman  and  school 

trustee.    I  think  I  voted  for  him  once  for  city  judge. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

5187.  Q.  With  what  political  party  do  you  act  ? 
A.  I  have  been  an  old  line  whig ;  I  have  acted  with  the  republican 

party  up  to  the  last  election,  when  I  voted  the  democratic  ticket* 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  499 

15188.  Q.  Where  was  this  interview  with  Judge  White  ? 
A.  Right  opposite  the  Union  League  club  room. 
5189.  Q.  How  did  you  get  the  interview  with  him? 
A.  We  were  about  sending  our  names  into  the  club-room  when  he  came 
along. 

5190.  Q.  With  whom  did  you  talk  about  this  interview  before  you  went 
there  f 

A.  Mr.  Gifford  came  after  me  to  go  there  and  I  went  up  with  him. 

5191.  Q.  Then  you  acted  as  an  accomplice  too  in  it ? 
A.  I  went  up  with  him. 

5192.  Q.  After  you  had  this  interview  with  White,  with  whom  did  you 
talk  about  it  ? 

A.  I  talked  with  several  in  the  lager-beer  shop  about  it.  I  said  I  was 
not  going  to  State's  prison  for  anything  of  that  kind. 

5193.  Q.  Have  you  seen  Sheriff  O'Brien  about  this? 
A.  No,  sir. 

5194.  Q.  Any  other  officer  of  the  city  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

5195.  Q.  With  whom  have  you  consulted? 

A.  Nobody  in  particular ;  I  have  mentioned  the  matter  in  this  lager- 
beer  saloon,  as  I  have  stated.  I  would  not  have  come  here  at  all  if  I  was. 
not  obliged  to. 

5196.  Q.  You  were  subpoenaed  to  come  here  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  was  told  that  I  was  obliged  to  come  here;  that  if  I  did 
not  I  would  be  arrested. 

5197.  Q.  Who  told  you  to  come  here? 
A.  Mr.  Gifford. 

5198.  Q.  Who  else  told  you? 
A.  Nobody. 

5199.  Q.  State  what  Gifford  said  to  you  when  he  wanted  you  to  go  and 
see  Judge  White. 

A.  He  came  to  me  and  said  that  Judge  White  wanted  to  see  both  of 
us.  I  told  him  that  I  did  not  want  to  see  Judge  White  about  anything.. 
Says  he:  "Maybe  there  is  a  dollar  or  two  in  it,  and  we  had  better  go." 

5200.  Q.  And  then  you  went  because  there  was  a  dollar  or  two  in  it? 
A.  Yes,  sir ;  but  when  I  found  what  it  was  I  would  not  go  into  it.. 

5201.  Q.  Do  you  know  that  Judge  White  sent  for  Gifford  ! 
A.  No,  sir ;  not  of  my  own  knowledge. 

5202.  Q.  Did  he  send  for  you? 
A.  No,  sir. 

5203.  Q.  Did  you  commence  the  conversation  with  Judge  White  t 
A.  No,  sir ;  Mr.  Gifford  did. 

5201.  Q.  What  did  he  say? 

A.  He  said  to  the  judge  that  he  was  there  according  to  the  arrange- 
ment, and  asked  what  was  to  be  done.  Judge  White  said  he  wanted  us. 
to  go  down  and  testify  before  a  committee  about  frauds  committed  by 
the  democratic  party.  I  told  him  I  knew  nothing  about  frauds  commit- 
ted by  that  party.  Says  he,  "  It  don't  make  any  difference  whether  you 
io  or  not ;  you  go  down  there  and  testify  to  the  affidavits  that  I  will 
draw  up." 

5205.  Q.  Did  he  not  say,  "  Go  down  and  testify  to  what  you  know  ! " 
A.  No,  sir. 

5206.  Q.  How  long  did  this  conversation  last? 

A.  About  ten  or  fifteen  minutes.     I  left  Gifford  talking  with  him,  per- 
iaps  ten  minutes. 

5207.  Q.  Did  Gifford  tell  you  who  had  advised  him  to  see  Judge  White  I 
A.  No,  sir. 


500  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

5208.  Q.  Your  only  inducement  in  going  there,  then,  was  to  make  a 
dollar  or  two? 

A.  I  have  done  a  good  deal  for  Judge  White.  I  have  had  a  good  deal 
of  his  money ;  he  has  given  me  a  good  many  jobs. 

5209.  Q.  How  did  3011  know  there  was  any  money  in  it? 
A.  I  did  not  know. 

New  York,  Friday,  January  8,  1867. 
John  H.  McCunn  recalled,  (at  the  instance  of  Mr.  Kerr.) 
By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

5210.  Q.  State  whether  you  know  Henry  Lyle. 

A.  The  young  man  I  saw  here  yesterday  appeared  several  times  in  my 
court  in  a  very  drunken  condition,  and  I  ordered  him  to  be  expelled.  Ho 
said  he  lived  in  my  street,  and  was  acquainted  with  some  of  my  people. 
I  told  the  officers  of  the  court  to  use  him  as  gently  as  possible.  From  | 
what  I  learned  about  him  1  believe  him  to  be  a  poor,  broken-down, 
drunken  fellow.  He  had  a  decent  mother,  but  ruin  got  the  best  of  him. 
I  never  knew  him  before  he  appeared  before  me,  but  upon  inquiry  of  my 
wife  last  night  she  said  that  she  know  him.  He  appeared  before  me  at 
one  time  as  a  witness  of  some  applicant  for  naturalization.  He  was  very 
-drunk  at  the  time,  and  I  ordered  him  to  be  put  under  arrest.  I  le  pleaded 
that  he  was  acquainted  with  my  family,  and  I  ordered  him  to  go  out  of 
the  room. 

5211.  Q.  State  whether,  during  the  time  this  naturalization  business 
was  going  on,  you  had  any  conversation  with  him  about  the  registration 
of  persons  naturalized  by  you. 

A.  Never  in  my  life. 

5212.  Q.  Did  you  ever  say  to  him  in  effect  that  if  the  registers  refused 
to  place  the  names  of  persons  for  whom  he  got  out  certificates  of  natu- 
ralization upon  the  registry  list  you  would  compel  them  to  do  so? 

A.  I  never  exchanged  one  word  with  him  off  the  bench  in  my  life. 

5213.  Q.  State  whether,  under  all  the  circumstances  attending  the 
transaction  of  the  business  of  naturalization,  it  was  possible  for  him  or  any 
other  man  to  have  personated  both  witness  and  applicant  in  any  one  case,  i 

A.  It  was  utterly  impossible. 

5214.  Q.  State  if  any  preparations  were  made,  to  your  knowledge,  for 
compelling  registers  to  register  the  names  of  voters. 

A.  No,  sir. 

5215.  Q.  Were  not  blank  mandamuses  printed  for  that  purpose  ? 
A.  Not  to  my  knowledge. 

5216.  Q.  Did  these  men  who  were  engaged  in  this  business  of  natu-  | 
ralization  have  any  visible  means  of  support  ? 

A.  There  are  a  large  class  of  men  in  this  city  who  are  engaged  in  pol- 
itics ;  they  attend  all  the  primary  meetings,  and  mix  a  good  deal  with 
the  people  of  the  ward  in  which  they  live,  and  know  almost  everybody 
in  it.  These  men  would  have  nothing  to  do  for  a  few  weeks  before  the 
election,  and  they  would  act  as  witnesses  for  a  great  number  of  persons 
who  they  honestly  knew  were  entitled  to  naturalization. 

5217.  Q.  Did  you  consider  that  class  of  men  very  reliable  in  court? 
A.  I  found  that  they  were  just  as  honorable  as  almost  anybody  else.  ! 

5218.  Q.  How  long  have  you  known  this  young  Lyle  ? 

A.  I  only  know  him  from  the  time  he  came  into  my  court  drunk. 

5219.  Q.  State  whether,  in  view  of  all  the  circumstances  attending 
naturalization  in  your  court,  it  is  possible  for  Henry  Lyle  or  any  other  ! 
man,  during  the  days  of  hurried  naturalization,  to  have  by  his  own  ser- 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  501 

vice  there  as  applicant  and  witness  put  through  from  600  to  1,000  men ! 
A.  It  was  utterly  impossible.  The  moment  I  discovered  any  man  run 
ning  through  a  number  of  cases,  say  20  or  25, 1  would  instantly  stop  him 
and  tell  him  to  go  away,  or  I  would  commit  him.  The  moment  I  got  my 
eye  on  witnesses  of  this  kind  that  I  thought  were  perpetrating  frauds 
on  the  court,  I  would  instantly  stop  them.  I  don't  think  he  could  for 
fifty,  at  the  outside,  without  my  detecting  it  when  it  came  before  me. 

New  York,  Friday,  January  8,  1869. 
James  A.  Lucas  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

5220.  Question.  What  position  did  you  occupy  during  the  year  1868  ? 
Answer.  I  was  telegraph  operator  at  police  headquarters  in  this  city. 

5221.  Q.  At  what  time  were  the  election  returns  of  this  city  received 
at  police  headquarters  % 

A.  The  election  returns  did  not  go  on  our  book  of  messages  received. 
They  would  be  sent  instantly  up  to  the  superintendent,  and  would  not 
go  on  the  records  that  night.  My  impression  is  that  the  first  return  was 
received  about  5  o'clock  or  5.50,  I  think.  I  received  two  at  the  same 
time. 

5222.  Q.  Can  you  give  the  time  you  received  the  returns  from  the 
wards? 

A.  It  would  be  impossible  to  do  so.  We  received  the  returns  from 
the  different  police  precincts,  and  they  are  in  many  cases  composed  of 
fractional  parts  of  different  wards.  One  precinct  that  I  recollect  of  just 
now  takes  in  a  part  of  four  different  wards,  and  the  returns  are  sent  in 
from  each  of  these  precincts  only  by  election  districts,  regardless  of 
wards. 

5223.  Q.  At  what  time  did  you  receive  the  last  return? 
A.  I  cannot  say. 

5224.  Q.  Can  you  state  to  what  extent  the  election  returns  were 
delayed  that  night  ? 

A.  It  was  the  general  impression  that  the  returns  were  coming  in 
exceedingly  slow. 

New  York,  Friday,  January  8,  1869. 
John  H.  W^hite  recalled  and  examined. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

5225.  Q.  State  if  you  know  Henry  Darling  and  George  Gifford. 

A.  Not  to  my  knowledge.  I  have  no  recollection  of  the  names.  I 
may  know  them  by  sight. 

New  York,  Friday,  January  8,  1869. 
George  Mellvllle  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

5226.  Question.  Where  do  you  reside  % 
Answer.  No.  11  Hester  street,  New  York  city. 

5227.  Q.  State  what  took  place  at  the  last  presidential  election  in  this 
city  in  regard  to  illegal  voting. 

A.  I  should  think  I  voted  five  or  six  times  at  that  election.  I  repeated 
once ;  that  is,  voted  twice  in  the  same  precinct.  The  only  place  I  recol- 
lect voting  in  is  in  Canal  street.  I  was  under  the  influence  of  liquor 
most  of  the  time  and  I  cannot  recollect  any  more  precincts.    The  night 


502  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

before  election  I  stayed  at  my  own  house.  On  the  morning  of  election 
before  we  commenced  voting,  I  met  a  party  of  about  25  or  30  nun  a 
Atlantic  Garden,  in  the  Bowery.  These  other  men  went  mound  Avitl 
me.  I  saw  them  doing  pretty  nearly  the  same  thing  as  I  did.  Th< 
names  were  given  to  me  on  a  slip  of  paper. 

5228.  Q.  At  whose  request  did  you  go  to  Atlantic  Garden  on  the 
morning  of  election  I 

A.  A  man  by  the  name  of  Hawley.  I  think  his  first  name  is  James. 
I  cannot  say  where  he  lives  nor  what  his  business  is.  I  had  known  him 
about  two  years  before.  He  did  not  go  around  with  us  but  stayed  right 
in  that  one  spot  most  of  the  day. 

5229.  Q.  Was  Hawley  a  candidate  for  office  at  that  election. 
A.  No,  sir. 

5230.  Q.  In  how  many  wards  did  you  vote  at  that  election  f 
A.  I  voted  in  two  wards,  as  far  as  I  can  recollect. 

5231.  Q.  Did  you  receive  any  compensation  for  this  service  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

5232.  Q.  Were  you  promised  any  ? 
A.  No,  sir ;  none  at  all. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

5233.  Q.  What  ticket  did  you  vote  ¥ 

A.  I  believe  it  was  the  democratic  ticket. 

5234.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  any  money  was  paid  to  any  of  the 
others  t 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  believe  there  was. 

5235.  Q.  By  whom  f 

A.  By  the  party  who  gave  us  the  names. 
523G.  Q.  How  much  was  paid  ? 
A.  Some  received  five  dollars  and  others  less  ;  I  received  seven  doll 

5237.  Q.  State  if  you  or  any  party  that  was  with  you  were  challeng 
during  that  day? 

A.  Some  of  the  others  I  believe  were  challenged,  I  was  not. 

5238.  Q.  Do  you  know  what  the  politics  of  this  man  Hawley  are  ! 
A.  I  believe  he  is  a  democrat. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

5239.  Q.  What  is  your  business  f 
A.  I  am  a  boiler-maker.     I  did  work  at  the  Franklin  boiler- works  in  , 

Jersey  City ;  business  got  dull  and  I  was  discharged  about  four  months 
ago.    I  worked  at  that  place  for  two  years. 

5240.  Q.  What  did  you  do  before  that  time  t 
A.  I  cannot  recollect. 

5241.  Q.  Where  did  you  first  make  the  statement  that  you  have  made 
here  in  regard  to  illegal  voting  ? 

A.  In  Jersey  City. 
'   5242.  Q.  When? 
A.  Yesterday. 

5243.  Q.  At  whose  request  % 

A.  I  do  not  recollect  who  it  was. 

5244.  Q.  Were  you  drunk  yesterday  ? 
A.  I  think  I  was. 

5245.  Q.  Were  you  drunk  when  you  gave  the  statement  ? 
A.  Not  very  drunk ;  I  had  been  drinking. 

5246.  Q.  Are  you  sober  to-day  % 
A.  Yes,  sir. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  503 

5247.  Q.  Where  did  you  go  in  Jersey  City  ? 
A.  Taylor's  Hotel ;  I  do  not  know  the  room. 

5248.  Q.  Whom  did  you  find  in  the  room  ? 
A.  Only  one  clerk,  I  do  not  know  his  name. 

5249.  Q.  What  conversation  took  place  between  you  and  him  ! 
A.  Nothing  more  than  in  the  statement. 

5250.  Q.  What  compensation  did  you  expect  for  going  there  ? 
A.  I  did  not  expect  any. 

5251.  Q.  What  were  you  promised  ? 
A.  I  was  not  promised  anything. 

5252.  Q.  What  motive  induced  you  to  go  there  ? 

A.  Nothing  more  than  that  man  asked  me  to  go  there. 

5253.  Q.  Was  that  man  a  friend  of  yours  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

5254.  Q.  What  is  his  name  ? 

A.  Smith  ;  Bichard,  I  think,  is  his  first  name. 

5255.  Q.  How  long  have  you  known  Smith  % 
A.  Since  election. 

5256.  Q.  Is  he  one  of  the  chaps  that  repeated  with  you  f 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

5257.  Q.  Where  did  you  see  him  % 
A.  In  this  city. 

5258.  Q.  When? 

A.  Yesterday  morning  about  eight  o'clock.  He  went  over  there  with 
me  to  Jersey  City.  He  said  he  wanted  me  to  go  over  there  to  make  a 
statement.  I  paid  my  own  ferriage  going  across  the  river.  He  did  not 
treat  me  any;  I  treated  him. 

5259.  Q.  Did  he  go  into  that  room  with  you  % 
A.  No,  sir. 

5260.  Q.  Where  does  he  live  % 
A.  I  do  not  know. 

5261.  Q.  What  is  his  business  % 

A.  I  do  not  recollect  where  he  works ;  I  believe  it  is  somewhere  in 
Eighth  street. 

5262.  Q.  Did  he  tell  you  by  whom  he  was  employed  to  get  up  this 
evidence  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

5263.  Q.  State  the  number  of  precincts  at  which  you  voted  on  the 
day  of  election. 

A.  I  remember  voting  twice  in  Canal  street.  I  voted  legally  once, 
and  repeated  once.    That  is  all  I  recollect. 

5264.  Q.  Can  you  give  the  names  of  the  parties  that  were  with  you  % 
A.  I  cannot  say  who  they  were. 

5265.  Q.  When  were  you  told  that  if  you  came  here  to  testify  you 
j  would  not  be  harmed  under  the  laws  of  the  United  States  % 

A.  Yesterday  morning. 

5266.  Q.  Who  told  you  that? 
A.  My  friend  Smith. 

5267.  Q.  Did  he  read  any  law  to  you  % 

A.  No,  he  did  not.  The  clerk  at  Taylor's  Hotel,  however,  read  me 
the  law. 

5268.  Q.  Has  any  man  about  this  building  told  you  that  if  you  were 
examined  here  you  would  not  be  punished  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

5269.  Q.  By  what  name  have  you  been  known  during  the  last  five 
years  % 

A.  George  Mellville. 


504  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

5270.  Q.  Didn't  you  go  to  Philadelphia  during  the  last  State  election 
in  that  State  to  engage  in  the  business  of  repeating  I 

A.  No,  sir. 

5271.  Q.  Were  you  not  in  Philadelphia  at  that  time  ¥ 
A.  No,  sir. 

5272.  Q.  What  reward  did  you  receive  for  engaging  in  this  repeating 
business  ? 

A.  I  received  seven  dollars  on  the  night  of  the  election. 

5273.  Q.  How  do  you  know  that  money  was  paid  to  other  persons  ! 
A.  I  have  seen  parties  receive  it.     Some  received  five  doDars,  and 

others  less,  and  some  more. 

5274.  Q.  How  many  received  more  ! 
A.  I  do  not  know. 

5275.  Q.  How  can  you  recollect  seeing  this  money  paid  if  you  were  so 
drunk? 

A.  I  got  sober  by  that  time ;  it  was  9  o'clock  in  the  evening  then. 

5276.  Q.  Where  do  you  go  when  you  engage  in  the  business  of  gamb- 
ling 1 

A.  I  never  gamble. 

5277.  Q.  When  were  you  over  in  BlackwelPs  island  last1? 
A.  I  never  was  there. 

5278.  Q.  Suppose  records  were  produced  here  showing  that  a  man  of 
your  name  was  sent  to  BlackwelPs  island ;  which  would  be  true,  your 
statement  or  the  record  ? 

A.  Perhaps  there  may  have  been  a  man  of  my  name  sent  to  Black- 
well's  island;  it  was  not  me. 
By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

5279.  Q.  Did  any  man  at  any  time  ask  you  to  testify  before  this  com- 
mittee to  anything  that  was  not  true  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

New  York,  Friday,  January  8,  1869. 
Peter  Hale  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

5280.  Question.  Where  do  you  live  ? 
Answer.  No.  242  Division  street,  in  this  city. 

5281.  Q.  State  in  what  ward  and  election  district  you  voted  in  the 
last  presidential  election  ? 

A.  Fifth  district,  13th  ward. 

5282.  Q.  For  whom  did  you  vote  as  candidate  for  Congress  ? 
A.  George  Francis  Train. 

5283.  Q.  State  if  you  saw  other  persons  vote  at  that  precinct  for  Mr. 
Train,  and,  if  so,  how  many  ? 

A.  I  think,  to  the  best  of  my  knowledge,  there  were  from  30  to  50  of 
us.  We  all  voted  for  Train.  I  was  working  in  the  interest  of  Train, 
and  had  charge  of  that. 

5284.  Q.  Did  you  see  the  others  vote  for  Train  t 

A.  Yes,  sir.  There  were  a  good  many  in  that  district  who  were  strong- 
advocates  for  Train,  and  voted  for  him :  I  could  not  give  their  names. 

5285.  Q.  How  do  you  know  that  these  men  voted  for  him  % 

A.  I  put  the  tickets  in  their  hands  and  saw  them  deposit  them  in  the 
box. 

5286.  Q.  Who  employed  you  to  do  that? 

A.  The  committee  employed  me.  I  was  one  of  the  committee  myself. 
This  committee  was  organized  to  forward  the  interest  of  George  Francis 
Train,  and  we  did  all  we  could  to  elect  him  to  Congress. 


ELECTION   FRAUDS    IN   NEW   YORK.  505 

New  York,  Friday,  January  8,  18G9. 
James  Clark  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

5287.  Question.  Where  do  you  live  ? 
Answer.  No.  82  Mott  street. 

5288.  Q.  State  anything  you  know  in  regard  to  illegal  voting  at  the 
last  presidential  election  in  this  city. 

A.  I  suppose  I  voted  eight  or  nine  times  in  the  10th  and  7th  wards  in 
this  city  at  that  election.  I  do  not  recollect  any  names  upon  which  I 
voted.  They  were  given  to  me  on  a  slip  of  paper.  There  were,  I  suppose, 
some  25  or  30  of  us  in  the  party  that  I  was  with. 

5289.  Q.  Who  furnished  you  with  the  slips  of  paper  containing  the 
names  and  the  residences  ? 

A.  I  refuse  to  answer  that  question. 

5290.  Question  repeated. 

A.  When  I  made  my  statement  as  to  what  I  would  swear  to  here,  I 
said  I  would  not  give  any  names  at  all ;  therefore  I  decline  to  answer. 

The  Chairman.    I  insist  upon  an  answer. 

Witness.  His  name  was  Morris j  I  do  not  know  his  first  name ;  can- 
not say  where  he  lives. 

5291.  Q.  At  whose  request  did  you  go  to  Atlantic  Garden  ? 
A.  At  Mr.  Morris's  request. 

5292.  Q.  Do  you  know  what  business  Morris  is  engaged  in  ? 
A.  I  do  not. 

5293.  Q.  Where  can  he  be  found? 
A.  I  suppose  at  Atlantic  Garden. 

5294  Q.  Did  you  receive  any  compensation  for  it  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir.     I  received  $8  from  Mr.  Morris. 

5295.  Q.  What  ticket  did  you  vote  f 

A.  I  presume  it  was  the  democratic  ticket ;  I  did  not  look  into  the 
ballots,  but  I  understood  they  were  for  the  democratic  party. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

5296.  Q.  To  what  political  party  did  the  man  belong  who  gave  you 
the  tickets  ? 

A.  I  believe  the  democratic. 

5297.  Q.  Do  you  know  a  man  by  the  name  of  James  Hawley,  45  Mott 
street  ? 

A.  I  cannot  say  that  I  do. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

5298.  Q.  How  long  have  you  been  knoAvn  as  James  Clark? 
A.  Ever  since  I  was  christened. 

5299.  Q.  What  has  been  your  business  for  the  last  five  years  ? 

A.  I  have  been  engaged  in  several  occupations ;  but  most  of  the  time 
I  have  been  in  the  jewelry  business. 

5300.  Q.  Where  f 

A.  Different  places.  Fulton  street,  Courtlandt  street,  and  Chatham 
street. 

5301.  Q.  Give  us  the  names  of  the  parties  you  were  with? 

A.  I  was  with  James  Morrison,  103  Fulton  street ;  I  was  with  a  party 
in  Courtlandt  street,  I  don't  remember  his  name ;  I  was  also  at  No.  90 
Chatham  street. 

5302.  Q.  Where  else  have  you  been  in  business  % 
A.  I  do  not  recollect  any  more. 


506  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK 

5303.  Q,  What  business  are  you  in  now  ? 
A.  No  business  except  the  jewelry  business. 

5304.  Q.  Where  do  you  follow  that? 
A.  Nowhere  in  particular. 

5305.  Q.  Have  you  got  a  store  I 
A.  No,  sir.     I  have  not. 

5306.  Q.  How  do  you  carry  on  your  business  ! 

A.  I  receive  a  percentage  on  the  business  I  send  to  the  store.  I 
receive  25  per  cent, 

5307.  Q.  Name  some  more  men  with  whom  you  were  engaged  ? 
A.  I  am  engaged  with  James  Morris,  190  Fulton  street. 

5308.  Q.  How  long  have  you  been  engaged  in  this  business  with 
James  Morris  ? 

A.  For  a  year  and  a  half  last  past. 

5309.  Q.  When  did  you  take  to  him  the  last  purchaser  to  buy  some  of 
his  jewelry  * 

A.  About  six  weeks  ago. 

5310.  Q.  Where  do  you  find  your  customers  ? 

A.  In  the  different  hotels;  French's  Hotel,  the  Astor  House,  and  dif- 
ferent places. 

5311.  Q.  Do  you  make  it  your  business  to  go  to  the  guests  of  these 
hotels  and  suggest  to  them  the  propriety  of  their  going  with  you  to  buy 
jewelry  at  these  different  places  f 

A.  Not  at  the  start ;  I  generally  in  the  first  place  commence  playing 
billiards  to  get  in  with  them  and  then  get  them  to  go  down  there. 

531 2.  Q.  At  whose  request  did  you  go  over  to  Jersey  City  ? 
A.  I  decline  to  answer  that  question. 

5313.  Question  repeated. 

A.  A  man  by  the  name  of  Murray;  I  think  his  first  name  is  Charles. 

5314.  Q.  Is  that  Marshal  Murray? 
A.  No,  sir. 

5315.  Q.  How  long  have  you  known  him  ? 
A.  Some  time. 

5316.  Where  did  you  see  Murray  t 

A.  I  saw  him  in  the  6th  ward — in  the  Union  Hotel  in  that  place. 

5317.  Q.  When  did  you  see  him? 
A.  I  saw  him  night  before  last. 

5318.  Q.  What  is  his  business  ? 
A.  That  I  cannot  say. 

5319.  Q.  What  did  he  tell  you  he  wanted  you  to  do  ? 

A.  He  wanted  me  to  go  over  to  Jersey  City  and  make  a  statement  of 
what  I  knew;  he  went  over  with  me — went  over  to  a  room  in  Taylor's 
Hotel;  there  were  two  clerks  in  the  room — nobody  else. 

5320.  Q.  Did  Murray  go  into  the  room  with  you? 
A.  No,  sir;  he  stayed  down  stairs. 

5321.  Q.  What  reward  did  he  promise  you  for  giving  the  statement? 
A.  I  refuse  to  answer  that  question. 

5322.  Q.  Where  was  the  reward  offered  you  ? 
A.  I  refuse  to  answer  that  question. 

5323.  Q.  Where  did  you  make  that  statement? 

A.  At  Taylor's  Hotel,  Jersey  City,  yesterday  between  ten  and  twelve. 

5324-25,  Q.  What  guarantee  was  given  you  that  you  should  be  exempt 
from  harm  if  you  testified  before  this  committee? 

A.  I  was  guaranteed  that  the  United  States  of  America  and  the  State 
of  New  York  would  not  harm  me  for  anything  I  did. 

5326.  Q,  Was  any  law  read  to  you? 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  507 

A.  A  written  statement  was  read  to  me. 

5327.  Q.  Who  read  it  to  yon? 
A.  One  of  the  clerks. 

5328.  Q.  Name  every  person  who  repeated  with  yon  at  the  last  No- 
vember election. 

A.  I  do  not  recollect  any  names. 

5329.  Q.  What  ticket  did  you  vote? 
A.  I  do  not  know. 

5330.  Q.  You  did  not  care  what  ticket  you  voted? 
A.  It  made  no  difference  to  me. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

5331.  Q.  How  old  is  Mr.  Murray ! 

A.  I  should  think  he  is  a  man  from  28  to  30. 

5332.  Q.  Has  anybody  offered  you  anything  or  promised  you  anything 
-or  paid  you  anything  to  come  here  and  testify  to  what  is  not  true? 

A.  No,  sir,  they  have  not. 

5333.  Q.  Are  you  well  acquainted  with  James  Morris? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

New  York,  Friday,  January  8,  1869. 
Ja^ies  Green  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  Chairman  : 
5331.  Question.  Where  do  you  live  ? 
Answer.  No.  175  Crosby  street,  New  York. 

5335.  Q.  State  anything  you  know  in  regard  to  illegal  voting  in  this 
city  at  the  last  presidential  election. 

A.  I  suppose  I  voted  nine  times  altogether  at  that  election ;  I  do  not 
remember  any  names  upon  which  I  voted ;  I  did  not  pay  much  attention 
to  it  at  the  time,  as  I  did  it  to  oblige  a  friend ;  I  got  the  names  upon 
which  I  voted  at  a  place  in  Thirty-second  street,  near  Second  avenue  ; 
there  were  about  30  of  us  went  around  and  repeated  at  that  election ;  I 
believe  the  others  voted  about  the  same  number  of  times  that  I  did ;  I 
stayed  the  night  before  the  election  at  this  house  in  Thirty-second  street; 
got  breakfast  on  the  morning  of  election  at  Sheriff  O'Brien's  house,  I 
believe ;  there  were  about  fifty  of  us  who  went  together  to  the  house 
and  got  breakfast. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

5336.  Q.  Do  you  know  Mr.  O'Brien  well? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

5337.  Q.  How  long  have  you  known  him  ? 
A.  About  15  months. 

5338.  Q.  How  did  you  come  to  know  him? 
A.  By  his  being  pointed  out  to  me  at  the  Toombs. 

5339.  Q.  What  were  you  doing  at  the  Toombs  ? 
A.  Seeing  a  friend  of  mine. 

5310.  Q.  What  was  he  doing  in  the  Toombs? 
A.  He  was  in  there  for  stealing. 

5311.  Q.  When  were  you  in  the  Toombs  for  stealing? 
A.  Never. 

5312.  Q.  How  long  has  James  Green  been  your  name? 
A.  As  long  as  I  can  remember  ? 

5313.  Q.  When  were  you  on  Blackwell's  island? 
A.  Never  in  my  life. 


508  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

5344.  Q.  What  is  your  business? 

A.  I  am  a  peddler ;  I  have  peddled  in  different  places  around  the  coun- 
try— Newark,  New  York,  and  Philadelphia. 

5345.  Q.  What  do  you  peddle? 

A.  I  am  an  optician  peddler,  mend  spectacles,  &c. 

5346.  Q.  How  do  you  go  around  the  country  ? 

A.  On  foot  and  alone;  sometimes  I  ride  in  the  cars. 

5347.  Q.  How  long  has  that  been  your  business  f 
A.  Eight  or  nine  years. 

5348.  Q.  Suppose  a  criminal  indictment  was  produced  here  showing 
that  a  man  by  your  name  had  been  convicted  of  some  offence;  which 
would  be  true,  your  statement  or  the  record  ? 

A.  I  would  put  up  with  the  consequences ;  I  have  never  been  in  x^rison 
at  any  time  for  stealing. 

5349.  Q.  What  have  you  been  in  prison  for,  then  ? 
A.  For  being  drunk. 

5350.  Q.  Where  were  you  in  prison  ? 
A.  The  Toombs. 

5351.  Q.  How  long  ago  ? 

A.  About  10  months ;  my  friends  paid  my  fine  for  me,  and  I  got  out. 

5352.  Q.  Where  did  you  go  yesterday  to  make  the  statement  as  to 
what  you  were  to  testify  to  here  to-day  ? 

A.  I  did  not  go  anywhere. 

5353.  Q.  Who  took  you  over  to  Jersey  City,  to  Taylors  Hotel,  to  make 
the  statement  you  have  made  here  to-day  ? 

A.  No  one. 

5354.  Q.  Were  you  not  over  there  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

5355.  Q.  Who  took  you  over  there  ? 
A.  Mr.  Dunn. 

5356.  What  is  his  name  ? 

A.  Bill  Dunn ;  he  lives  at  103  Crosby  street. 

5357.  Q.  What  did  he  tell  you? 

A.  He  told  me  nothing,  only  to  state  what  I  did  on  the  morning  of 
election. 

5358.  Q.  Did  he  not  tell  you  if  you  came  here  to  testify  you  would  be 
guaranteed  against  all  harm  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

5359.  Q.  How  long  have  you  known  Dunn  ? 
A.  About  six  months. 

5360.  Q.  What  is  Bill  Dunn's  business? 
A.  I  do  not  know. 

5361.  Q.  Were  you  in  Philadelphia  on  the  second  Tuesday  in  October 
last? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  was  in  this  city  at  the  time. 

5362.  Q.  How  much  money  did  Dunn  tell  you  you  should  have  if  you 
would  come  here  and  testify? 

A.  He  did  not  say  anything  about  it. 

5363.  Q.  How  much  did  you  expect  ? 

A.  Nothing  at  all ;  I  came  here  to  do  an  indirect  kindness  for  a  friend. 

5364.  Q.  Did  not  Dunn  tell  you  it  would  be  a  benefit  to  him  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  he  said  if  I  came  here  and  spoke  the  truth  it  would  be 
doing  him  a  benefit,  which  he  could  not  tell  me  then,  but  he  would  tell 
me  at  some  other  time.  I  wanted  to  oblige  him,  because  he  had  done 
me  some  kindness  at  one  time. 

5365.  Q.  What  kindness  did  he  do  you? 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  509 

A.  He  lent  me  some  money — $10  at  one  time  and  $20  at  another  time; 

te  lent  me  the  $20  about  three  months  ago. 
5306.  Q.  How  did  you  know  what  room  to  go  to  in  Taylor's  Hotel  in 
ersey  City  ? 

A.  I  met  a  couple  of  men  there  who  told  me  where  to  go ;  I  do  not 
know  their  names ;  they  were  strangers  to  me. 
5307.  Q.  How  many  went  over  with  you  ? 
A.  I  think  four. 

5368.  Q.  What  were  their  names  ? 
A.  I  do  not  know. 

5309.  Q.  Have  you  seen  any  of  them  about  here  % 
A.  No,  sir. 

5370.  Q.  Did  you  hear  what  statements  the  others  made  there  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir;    but  I  was  disinterested  and  paid  no  attention  to  it. 

Dunn  told  me  to  go  over  there  and  I  would  be  doing  him  a  good  turn, 
and  he  might  be  able  to  do  me  a  good  turn  some  time ;  so  I  went  over. 

5371.  Q.  Where  do  you  go  when  you  engage  in  gambling? 

A.  I  go  to  different  places;  there  is  no  necessity  to  go  very  far  for 
that  purpose. 

5372.  Q.  Did  you  ever  meet  any  of  these  parties  at  any  of  these  gam- 
bling-honses  ? 

A.  No,  sir,  not  that  I  know  of. 

5373.  Q.  Have  you  been  in  any  of  these  gambling-houses  with  Bill 
Dunn  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

5374.  Q.  Were  you  sober  yesterday  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir,  I  was  sober  for  two  months ;  I  gamble  and  I  drink  some- 
times. 

5375.  Q.  When  you  go  to  faro-banks  and  gambling-houses,  what  ones 
do  you  go  to? 

A.  I  refuse  to  answer  that  question;  I  aint  going  to  expose  these  men. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

5376.  Q.  Did  you  see  O'Brien  at  this  house  where  you  took  breakfast 
on  the  morning  of  election  day  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  it  may  not  have  been  his  house ;  I  heard  parties  in  the 
crowd  saying  we  were  going  to  O'Brien's  house,  and  I  supposed  it  was 
the  sheriff's  house. 

5377.  Q.  Are  you  personally  acquainted  with  the  sheriff? 
A.  I  am. 

5378.  Q.  Do  you  know  Sheriff  O'Brien's  brother? 
A.  No,  sir. 

5379.  Q.  In  the  interest  of  what  party  did  you  vote  ? 
A.  The  democratic  party,  of  course. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

5380.  Q.  Who  is  that  gentleman  ?  (pointing  to  Sheriff  O'Brien.) 
A.  That  is  Mr.  O'Brien. 

5381.  Q.  Did  you  see  him  about  that  h  ouse  at  which  you  took  breakfast  % 
A.  No,  sir,  I  did  not. 

New  York,  Friday,  January  8, 1809, 
James  O'Brien  recalled  and  examined. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

5382.  Question.  Have  you  any  brothers? 
Answer.  Yes,  sir. 


510  ELECTION   FRAUDS   IN   NEW   YORK. 

5383.  Q.  Who  are  they? 

A.  John,  Lawrence,  Stephen,  and  Patrick. 

5384.  Q.  Are  any  of  them  deputies  of  yours  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  none  of  them.  My  youngest  brother  is  employed  by  one 
of  my  deputies  as  a  kind  of  clerk,  but  1  had  nothing  to  do  with  it  at  all. 

5385.  Q.  Where  do  you  live? 

A.  No.  307  Thirty-second  street,  near  Second  avenue.  It  is  about  four 
doors  from  Second  avenue. 

5386.  Q.  Where  do  your  brothers  reside  ? 

A.  One  of  them  resides  between  Thirty-first  and  Thirty-second  streets, 
in  Third  avenue ;  another  in  Third  avenue  between  Thirty-seventh  and 
Thirty-eighth  streets,  with  my  father;  another,  corner  of  Thirty-third 
street  and  Third  avenue  j  and  the  other  lives  with  my  sister  in  Thirty 
sixth  street. 

5387.  Q.  Which  one  of  them  keeps  house? 

A.  Stephen.    He  lives  in  Third  avenue  near  Thirty-second  street. 

5388.  Q.  Where  is  the  headquarters  of  the  Jackson  Club  '! 
A.  At  the  corner  of  Thirty-second  street  and  Second  avenue. 

5389.  Q.  How  far  is  that  from  your  residence? 
A.  One  block. 

5390.  Q.  Do  you  know  this  man  James  Clark  who  has  just  given  his 
testimony  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  have  never  seen  him  in  my  life  before  that  I  remember. 

5391.  Q.  Have  you  a  deputy  in  your  service  by  the  name  of  Banker! 
A.  I  have. 

5392.  Where  does  he  live  ? 

A.  In  Thirty-first  street,  I  believe. 

5393.  Q.  Did  you  ever  see  a  letter  addressed  by  the  clerk  of  this  com- 
mittee, Mr.  Davenport,  to  any  parties  in  this  city  in  relation  to  procuring 
testimony  for  this  committee? 

A.  I  had  it  in  my  possession,  but  tore  it  up. 

5394.  When  was  this? 

A.  About  three  weeks  ago. 

5395.  Q.  Was  it  before  the  committee  came  here  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  it  was  addressed  to  a  man  in  this  city,  asking  him  to 
come  before  this  committee  to  give  testimony  in  relation  to  these  frauds. 

5396.  Q.  W  ho  was  president  of  the  Jackson  Club  ? 
A.  Leander  Burke. 

5397.  Q.  Who  was  secretary? 
A.  Samuel  Ward. 

5398.  Q.  How  large  is  that  club? 

A.  The  club  consists  of  115  members,  many  of  whom  are  the  most 
respectable  men  in  New  York  city.  Mr.  Kerr,  president  of  a  savings 
bank  in  this  city,  is  a  member.  Also  Mr.  Costello,  one  of  the  head 
butchers  in  Washington  market. 

5399.  Q.  How  large  is  the  club-room  ? 

A.  About  65  feet  deep  and  20  crossways ;  has  a  public  house  on  the 
first  floor.     The  club-room  is  on  the  second  floor. 

5400.  Q.  Were  you  at  the  club-room  during  the  night  previous  to  the 
election  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

5401.  Q.  Were  there  many  men  there  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir.  We  distributed  our  tickets  there  and  made  preparations 
for  election  next  day.  We  were  making  arrangements  for  hiring  persons 
to  attend  the  polls,  to  keep  the  election  boxes,  distribute  tickets,  &c. 

5402.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  quite  a  considerable  number  of  men 
took  breakfast  at  your  house  on  the  morning  of  election  ? 


ELECTION   FEAUDS    IN    NEW   YORK.  511 

A.  I  believe  there  was.     Some  men  came  in  whom  I  had  hired  to  attend 

the  polls  and  look  after  the  interest  of  the  democratic  party.    There  were 

about  nine  of  them  altogether.     They  came  in  about  6  o'clock  in  the 

■morning,  and  I  gave  them  breakfast.    There  were  also  some  policemen 

i round  whom  I  asked  in  to  take  a  cup  of  coffee. 

5403.  Q.  Is  your  brother  a  member  of  this  club  % 
A.  He  is  not. 

5404.  Q.  Was  he  there  that  night  ? 
A.  He  might  have  been. 

By  the  Chairman  : 
'    5405.  Q.  What  kind  of  men  were  those  whom  you  hired  to  attend  the 
polls? 
A.  The  most  respectable  men  in  the  ward, 

5406.  Q.  Were  any  of  them  thieves  % 
A.  No,  sir. 

5407.  Q.  Were  they  men  who  might  have  been  in  the  habit  of  getting 
into  the  Toombs? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  can  name  the  whole  lot  of  them. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

5408.  Q.  Do  you  pretend  to  say  that  there  were  only  nine  men  took 
breakfast  at  your  house  that  morning? 

A.  That  was  all  while  I  was  there.  This  was  about  five  o'clock  j  from 
five  to  six  I  kept  open  house. 

5409.  Q.  Was  it  not  possible  for  parties  to  have  been  there  without 
your  knowing  it  % 

A.  No,  sir  j  it  could  hardly  have  been  possible.  I  got  up  very  early 
and  was  very  busy  making  arrangements  for  the  election. 

5410.  Q.  To  whom  was  this  letter  directed  which  you  say  was  signed 
by  Mr.  Davenport  and  which  you  had  in  your  possession  % 

A.  It  was  addressed  to  a  man  by  the  name  of  Lawrence. 

5411.  Q.  Tell  us  why  you  tore  that  letter  up. 

A.  I  did  not  think  it  concerned  me  at  all.  I  did  not  think  it  would 
amount  to  much. 

New  York,  Friday -,  January  8,  I860. 

Edward  Sanford,  Jr.,  sworn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instance 
rf  Mr.  Kerr.) 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

5412.  Question.  Did  you  go  this  morning  with  a  process  of  this  com- 
nittee  to  summon  James  Morrison,  190  Fulton  street,  and  James  Morris? 
L03  Fulton  street? 

Answer.  I  did  sir. 

5413.  Q.  State  with  what  result* 
A.  The  parties  could  not  be  found. 

5414.  Q.  What  inquiries  did  you  make  for  them  f 

A.  I  asked  at  103  Fulton  street  for  James  Murray  \  I  inquired  first  in 
he  store  on  the  first  floor,  and  there  was  not  any  one  there.  Up  stairs 
ire  all  lawyers7  offices ;  I  inquired  of  parties  whom  I  met  on  the  stairs 
md  who  belonged  to  the  building,  if  they  knew  such  a  party,  and  they 
;aid  no. 

5415.  Q.  Did  yon  see  any  jewelry  store  there  I 

A.  No,  sir  5  I  then  went  down  to  190  Fulton  street.    This  building  is 

»ccupied  by  a  paper-hanging  firm  and  they  occupy  the  whole  building  % 

inquired  of  the  clerk  of  the  establishment  and  he  said  there  was  no 


512  ELECTION    FRAUDS   IN   NEW    YORK. 

man  there  by  that  name,  unless  it  was  a  party  whom  they  had  employed 
there  that  morning;  he  then  consulted  his  books  to  see  and  found  out 
that  there  was  no  party  at  all  employed  by  the  name  of  James  Morrison. 

5416.  Q.  Was  there  a  jewelry  store  there? 
A.  No,  sir;  I  inquired  of  several  parties  around  190  Fulton  street,  who 

were  employed  there,  and  they  knew  no  such  man. 
By  the  Chairman: 

5417.  Q.  How  many  stories  were  there  to  this  building,  190  Fulton 
street? 

A.  Four  stories;  and  at  103  Fulton  street  there  were  two  stories;  I 
did  not  notice  whether  there  were  basements  in  these  or  not. 

5418.  Q.  Did  you  take  any  steps  to  ascertain  if  any  of  these  men  were  \ 
engaged  in  this  business  six  weeks  ago,  at  any  of  these  places  8 

A.  They  said  they  knew  nothing  about  it. 

5419.  Q.  Do  you  hve  in  the  city? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

5420.  Q.  Do  you  not  know  that  these  dollar  jewelry  stores  only  keep  ! 
a  place  for  a  little  while,  then  leave  and  go  to  some  other  location  I 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  believe  so. 

5421.  Q.  Don't  you  know  that  people  engaged  in  this  dollar  jewelry 
business  are  generally  swindlers? 

A.  1  believe  they  are. 

5422.  Q.  I  >o  you  know  of  one  place  in  Broadway,  a  large  place  t 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

5423.  Q.  Do  you  think  that  store  is  changed  around  every  fewr  weeks? 
A.  That  I  could  not  say. 

New  York,  Friday,  January  8, 18C9. 
William  Willson  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

5424.  Question.  Where  do  you  live? 
Answer.  No.  19  Forsyth  street,  fh  this  city. 

5425.  State  wiiat  frauds  were  committed  at  the  last  presidential  elec- 
tion of  which  you  have  any  knowledge. 

A.  I  voted  a  good  many  times  myself  at  that  election ;  I  cannot  tell 
how  many  times;  I  voted  once  in  Canal  street;  I  was  intoxicated  most  I 
of  the  day  and  could  not  recollect  where  I  voted. 

5426.  Q.  Can  you  remember  whether  you  voted  more  than  once  ? 
A.  I  could  not  exactly  say  whether  I  did  or  not ;  I  got  pretty  drunk 

after  I  voted  the  first  time. 

5427.  Q.  Where  were  you  on  the  morning  of  election  ? 
A.  At  the  Atlantic  Garden  in  the  Bowery. 

5428.  Q.  How  many  persons  were  with  you  there  ? 
A.  Some  12  or  15. 

5429.  Q.  At  whose  request  did  you  go  there? 
A.  A  young  man  told  me  to  go  there  by  the  name  of  James  Hawley.    I 

5430.  Q.  Where  does  he  live? 
A.  I  do  not  know,  I  merely  know  him  by  his  name. 

5431.  Q.  For  what  purpose  did  you  go  there  f 
A.  To  get  slips  of  paper  containing  names  on  which  to  vote. 

5432.  Q.  From  whom  did  you  get  these  slips  of  paper  ? 
A.  I  could  not  say. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

5433.  Q.  How  long  have  you  been  known  by  the  name  of  William  j 
Willson? 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  513 

A.  All  my  life. 

5434.  Q.  By  what  name  were  you  sent  to  the  Tombs  not  long  ago  ? 
A.  I  was  never  sent  there. 

5435.  Q.  Never  sent  to  BlackwelPs  island ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

543G.  Q.  What  is  your  business  ? 
A.  Hat  and  bonnet  presser. 

5437.  Q.  Where  have  you  worked  ? 

A.  I  have  worked  with  Ball,  Bergen  &  Ray,  312  Canal  street. 

5438.  Q.  When  did  you  quit  there? 

A.  In  the  latter  part  of  the  fall ;  I  should  think  in  the  latter  part  of 
September. 

5439.  Q.  Why  did  you  leave? 
A.  Work  became  slack. 

5440.  Q.  Where  did  you  live  at  the  time  you  were  discharged  ? 
A.  Orchard  street;  I  do  not  know  the  number, 

5441.  Q.  What  business  are  you  in  now  ? 
A.  No  business. 

5442.  Q.  Where  do  you  live  ? 

A.  With  a  friend  of  mine  by  the  name  of  Stephens — John  I  think  is 
his  first  name. 

5443.  Q.  What  business  is  he  engaged  in  ? 
A.  No  particular  business. 

5444.  Q.  How  does  he  make  a  living  ? 
A.  By  speculating. 

5445.  Q.  Speculating  in  what  ? 
A.  Anything  at  all. 

544G.  Q.  Name  one  thing. 
A.  In  jewelry. 

5447.  Q.  On  what  floor  does  he  live  ? 
A.  Second  floor. 

5448.  Q.  How  does  he  speculate  in  jewelry? 

A.  I  do  not  know ;  I  never  inquired  into  his  business. 

5449.  Q.  How  large  a  store  does  he  occupy? 
A.  He  deals  in  jewelry,  but  he  has  no  store. 

5450.  Q.  How  does  he  support  you  ? 
A.  He  feeds  me  at  this  place. 

5451.  How  long  have  you  been  living  at  this  place? 
A.  Some  four  or  five  months. 

5452.  Q.  Where  did  you  go  yesterday  to  make  a  statement  of  what 
vou  were  sworn  to  here  ? 

A.  I  went  over  in  Jersey  City  yesterday.  I  did  not  suppose  I  would 
lhave  to  answer  any  more  questions  here  than  what  I  stated  in  my  affi- 
|lavit  in  Jersey  City. 

5453.  Q.  With  whom  did  you  go  to  Jersey  City  yesterday  ? 
A.  I  went  over  by  myself. 

i    5454.  Q.  At  whose  request  ? 

;    A.  At  the  request  of  a  man  by  the  name  of  Smith ;  I  do  not  know  his 

irst  name. 

5455.  Q.  How  long  have  you  known  him  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  ;  I  have  seen  him  several  times.  / 

5456.  Q.  What  did  he  tell  you  he  wanted  you  to  go  over  ther/ 
A.  To  tell  the  truth  about  illegal  voting.  / 

5457.  Q.  What  reward  did  he  promise  you? 
A.  No  reward  at  all. 

5458.  Q.  What  reward  did  anybody  promise  you  ? 
33  T 


51.4  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

A.  Nobody  promised  me  any  reward. 

5459.  Q.  What  reward  did  you  expect  ? 
A.  None  at  all. 

5460.  Q.  When  you  got  over  to  Jersey  City  where  did  you  go  '? 
A.  I  decline  to  answer  that  question. 

5461.  Question  repeated. 

A.  I  went  to  Taylor's  Hotel,  and  made  a  statement  there. 

5462.  Q.  Who  were  there? 

A.  There  were  a  couple  of  men ;  I  don't  know  who  they  were.     They 
took  down  my  statement. 

5463.  Q.  What  reward  did  they  offer  you? 
A.  None  at  all. 

5464.  Q.  What  reward  did  Smith  offer  you? 
A.  None. 

5465.  Q.  What  reason  did  Smith  assign  for  asking  you  to  go  over  to 
Jersey  City  ! 

A.  He  assigned  no  reason  whatever. 

5460.  Q.  You  say  you  were  drunk  when  you  voted  '? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

5467.  Q.  Who  made  you  drunk  ? 

A.  A  lot  of  men  that  were  with  me;  and  I  made  a  darned  fool  of 
myself. 

5468.  Q.  Are  you  in  the  habit  of  getting  drunk  I 
A.  No,  sir. 

5469.  Q.  How  many  times  did  you  vote? 
A.  I  do  not  know. 

5470.  Q.  What  did  you  get  for  voting  ? 
A.  Nothing  at  all. 

5471.  Q.  What  were  you  promised? 
A.  I  supposed  I  should  get  $5  or  $6. 

5472.  Q.  Did  you  get  it? 
A.  No,  sir. 

5473.  Q.  Who  promised  you  the  $5  or  $6? 

A.  A  whole  lot  of  men ;  I  do  not  know  any  of  them  from  a  bunch  ol 
beets. 

New  York,  Friday,  January  8,  1869. 
Lewis  Jonassohn  recalled  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Kerr  : 

5474.  In  regard  to  my  testimony  the  other  day  before  this  committee, 
I  would  like  to  make  an  explanation.  I  stated,  in  answer  to  a  question 
in  regard  to  whether  applicants  or  witnesses  in  the  naturalization  cases 
in  the  superior  court  were  sworn  individually  or  collectively,  that  wit- 
nesses were  individually  questioned  by  the  judge ;  after  they  had  passed 
the  judge  and  went  before  the  clerk,  the  clerk  would  take  probably  a 
dozen  or  half  a  dozen  applications,  which  had  been  previously  marked 
by  the  judge,  and  would  call  off  the  names;  they  would  then  appear 
before  the  clerk,  who  requested  them  to  lay  their  right  hands  upon  the 
Bible,  and  would  then  administer  to  them  the  following  oath :  "You  and 
each  of  you  do  solemnly  swear  that  you  will  support  the  Constitution  of 
the  United  States  of  America,  and  renounce  forever  any  allegiance  to 
any  foreign  prince,  potentate,  or  sovereignty  whatsoever;  especially  you" 
so-and-so,  "  the  kingdom  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,"  "you"  so-and-so 
"the  free  state  of  Frankfort,"  and  "you  "  so-and-so  "  the  King  of  Prussia," 
&c,  &c;  and  in  this  wray  the  oath  could  be  administered  to  them  collec- 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  515 

tively.  I  also  stated  that  the  reason  why  Judge  McCunn  sent  away  in 
one  night  so  many  Irishmen  was  because  they  did  not  give  proper  answers 
to  the  questions  that  were  put  to  them.  The  particular  question  they 
could  not  answer  was,  "  In  what  year  were  you  born  V  The  usual  ques- 
tions put  to  them  by  judges  were,  "How old  were  you  when  yon  arrived 
in  this  country f  and  "How  old  are  you  now?"  But  as  soon  as  Judge 
McCunn  put  the  question  to  them  as  to  the  year  in  which  they  were  born 
they  could  not  answer,  and  he  would  not  receive  their  applications. 
Another  ground  why  he  expelled  many  was  because  they  appeared  before 
him  in  a  gross  state  of  intoxication. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

5475.  Q.  Do  you  know  Henry  Lyle  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  him  by  name ;  I  know  so  many  that  appeared  before 
the  courts  that  I  cannot  recollect  all  of  the  names. 

5476.  Q.  Do  you  hold  an  appointment  under  Judge  McCunn? 
A.  No,  sir. 

5477.  Q.  Are  you  not  an  interpreter  ? 
A.  I  am  an  interpreter  by  profession. 

5478.  Q.  How  are  you  paid  for  your  services  ? 

A.  In  cases  where  an  interpreter  is  required  in  any  court,  whatever  it 
may  be,  I  am  paid  either  by  the  party  bringing  the  witnesses  forward 
who  do  not  understand  the  English  language,  or  I  am  paid  by  both 
parties,  if  they  both  have  witnesses  who  do  not  understand  this  language. 

New  York,  Friday,  January  8,  1869. 
Edward  Sanford,  Jr.,  recalled  and  examined. 
By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

5479.  Question.  Did  you  go  to  the  house  of  Ball,  Bergen  &  Bay,  312  Canal 
street,  to  make  an  inquiry  whether  William  Willson  was  employed  there 
last  September ;  and  if  so,  what  did  you  ascertain  ? 

Answer.  I  asked  Mr.  Bergen  if  any  such  man  had  been  employed  in 
that  house,  and  he  said  no  such  man  had  been  employed  there  for  a  year 
past. 

New  York,  Friday,  January  8,  1869. 
Edward  H.  Bergen  sworn  and  examined,  (called  by  Mr.  Kerr.) 

To  Mr.  Kerr  : 
5480  to  5482.  I  am  a  manufacturer  of  frames  for  bonnets  ;  I  made  an 
examination  this  morning  to  ascertain  whether  one  William  Willson  had 
been  in  my  employ  in  September  last,  and  found  that  no  such  person  had 
been  employed  by  me  since  1867 ;  I  consulted  with  my  partner  and  my 
foreman,  and  they  were  positive  no  such  man  had  been  in  our  employ. 

New  York,  Friday,  January  8,  1869. 
James  O'Brien  recalled  and  examined. 
By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

5483.  Question.  State  whether  your  deputy  sheriffs  are  obstructing  the 
door  of  this  committee  room  I 

Answer.  There  are  only  three  of  them  standing  outside;  they  are 
waiting  out  in  the  ante-room. 

5484.  Q.  State  whether  you  directed  any  policeman  to  arrest  anybody 
here. 

A.  I  gave  no  directions  to  arrest  anybody. 

5485.  Q.  Who  did  give  directions  ? 


516  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN   NEW   YORK. 

A.  As  I  understood  that ;  the  committee  wanted  me  to  take  a  party  whom 
they  had  here  as  a  witness  to  be  identified,  I  took  one  down  to  the  Otli 
ward  station-house  to  be  identified  by  Captain  Jourdan  ;  this  is  a  sample 
of  the  lot  of  witnesses  that  have  been  here  ;  they  are  all  thieves,  and  they 
get  pay  for  coming  here  and  swearing.  I  went  into  Marshal  Murray's 
room  a  little  while  ago ;  I  told  the  marshal  that  this  thing  was  played 
out;  that  I  had  kept  men  from  coming  here  who  would  swear  against 
him  ;  that  I  did  not  think  he  was  doing  the  right  thing  towards  me  ;  that 
these  men  coming  here  to  give  testimony  were  all  thieves,  and  he  acknow- 
ledged the  fact. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

5486.  Q.  Do  you  know  that  the  marshal  of  this  district  has  been 
engaged  in  repeating,  or  hiring  men  to  repeat,  in  this  city  8 

A.  I  think  he  has  been,  together  with  Marcus  Cicero  Stanley. 

5487.  Q.  Do  yon  know  that  to  be  so  of  your  own  knowledge! 
A.  I  do,  to  the  best  of  my  belief. 

5488.  Do  yon  know  of  your  own  knowledge  that  he  has  been  engaged 
in  that  business"? 

A.  I  would  not  like  to  swear  to  that ;   I  do  not  want  to  injure  the  man. 

5489.  Q.  Do  you  mean  to  swear  that  you  have  been   protecting  the  I 
marshal  of  this  district  against  persons  who  are  willing  to  swear  to  these 
facts  ? 

A.  I  told  the  men  that  it  would  be  best  not  to  come;  that  they  better 
not  come  here. 

5490.  Q.  Do  you  consider  it  lawful  for  one  officer  to  protect  another  in 
the  commission  of  crime  1 

A.  I  feel  very  friendly  towards  Marshal  Murray. 

5491.  Q.  And  you  say  you  have  been  protecting  him  from  persons  who 
were  coming  here  to  give  testimony  ! 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

5492.  Q.  Can  you  give  one  name  of  persons  that  were  coming  here  to  ■ 
give  testimony,  as  you  state  I 

A.  There  was  a  man  by  the  name  of  Ferguson  ;  I  do  not  know  where 
he  lives,  he  is  a  clerk ;  and  Peter  McKnight,  he  keeps  a  rag  and  iron 
business  somewhere. 

5493.  Q.  You  say  that  men  came  up  to  you  and  disclosed  to  you  facts 
which  they  wanted  to  swear  to  before  this  committee,  and  that  you  pre-  ] 
vented  them  from  coming! 

A.  They  said  they  knew  a  great  deal  against  Marshal  Murray 5  that, 
there  was  a  great  noise  about  the  democrats  repeating;  that  the  repub- 
licans had  as  much  to  do  with  it  as  anybody  else. 

5494.  Q.  And  you  say  you  prevented  these  men  coming  here  to  testify 
in  order  to  screen  Marshal  Murray  ? 

A.  I  did  not  give  them  any  encouragement. 

5495.  Q.  What  other  man  was  there  ? 

A.  George  Bartlet  and  John  Jones;  they  are  partners  in  the  plumbing 
business. 

5496.  Q.  What  did  they  say  ? 

A.  They  said  they  had  a  conversation  with  Marshal  Murray  and  Stan- 

5497.  Q.  You  prevented  them  from  coming  here  and  testifying  i 

A.  I  did  not  encourage  them  at  all.  They  said  they  knew  a  great 
deal  about  republican  frauds  and  that  Marshal  Murray  was  implicated. 

5498.  Q.  What  did  you  do  when  you  left  this  room  this  morning  ? 
A.  I  met  a  lot  of  suspicious  people  out  in  the  entry  5  I  knew  them  to 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  517 

be  a  lot  of  English  thieves,  and  I  took  them  down  to  Captain  Join  dan 
to  identify  them. 

5499.  Q.  Did  you  have  any  warrant  for  their  arrest  I 

A.  No,  sir ;  a  man  told  me  that  Colonel  Wood,  in  Taylor's  Hotel,  Jer- 
|  sey  City,  had  hired  a  gang  of  thieves — English  thieves — to  come  over 
here  and  swear. 

5500.  Q.  What  person  told  you  that ! 

A.  A  man  by  the  name  of  Daniel  Noble. 

5501.  Q.  Where  does  he  live  ! 
A.  In  Elmira. 

5502.  Q.  What  is  his  character  ? 
A.  Very  bad,  I  think. 

5503.  Q.  Is  he  the  man  that  was  arrested  some  time  since  for  being 
engaged  in  robbery  ? 

A.  There  was  a  notice  of  that  kind  in  the  papers. 

5504.  Q.  What  other  man  told  you  that  these  men  were  thieves  ? 
A.  Barney  Aaron. 

5505.  Q.  What  is  his  business  ? 

A.  He  is  a  prize  fighter.  He  has  been  over  to  see  Colonel  Wood  in 
Jersey  City;  Colonel  Wood  sent  for  Noble  to  Elmira,  and  he  paid  all 
his  expenses  to  come  on  here  to  swear  for  him.  I  met  Noble  in  Broad- 
way and  he  showed  me  the  despatch. 

5506.  Q.  How  did  you  arrest  those  men  that  were  in  the  hall  f 

A.  I  sent  three  of  my  deputy  sheriffs,  who  took  the  men  to  Captain 
Jourdan  to  identify;  the  captain  said  he  knew  them  all. 

5507.  Q.  Did  you  arrest  them  at  the  instance  of  Mr.  Kerr,  a  member 
of  this  committee  ? 

A.  I  supposed  that  it  was  the  desire  of  the  committee  that  I  should 
have  these  men  identified.     I  believe  Mr.  Kerr  told  me. 

5508.  Q.  Did  you  arrest  them  thinking  Mr.  Kerr  represented  this  com- 
mittee, or  was  it  at  his  personal  suggestion  J? 

A.  I  thought  it  to  be  for  the  benefit  of  the  committee. 

5509.  Q.  How  many  of  them  did  you  arrest  % 

A.  I  should  think  there  were  three  or  four  of  them. 

New  York,  Friday  1  January  8,  1869. 
Eobert  Murray  recalled  and  examined. 
By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

5510.  Q.  I  would  like  to  inquire  whether  the  sheriff  of  this  county,  at 
your  request  or  by  your  knowledge,  has  screened  or  attempted  to  screen 
>*ou  from  any  investigation  before  this  committee  that  would  implicate 
7011  in  any  violation  of  the  election  law  of  the  United  States  or  of  the 
State  of  New  York  % 

(The  minority  of  the  committee  objected  to  this  question  as  being- 
leading  and  improper.     Objection  overruled.) 

A.  He  has  not,  or  any  other  person.  I  desire  to  state  here  that  I 
iave  not  been  engaged  either  directly  or  indirectly,  by  myself  or  through 
my  other  person,  in  perpetrating  any  frauds  against  the  election  laws 
)f  the  United  States  or  of  the  State  of  New  York,  either  at  the  last 
Section  or  at  any  other  time  in  my  life.  I  desire  to  make  this  statement 
is  broad  as  possible,  that  I  am  incapable  of  doing  anything  of  the  kind. 

5511.  Q.  Do  you  knowT  Daniel  Noble  % 

A.  I  do  not  believe  there  is  such  a  man.  If  the  committee  will  permit 
ne  to  state,  I  desire  to  say  that  the  witnesses  who  appeared  before  your 
committee  yesterday,  and  testified  in  regard  to  repeating,  have  never 


518  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

conversed  with  me  or  I  with  them.  I  have  never  had  any  communica- 
tion with  them  directly  or  indirectly.  I  would  not  be  able  to  call  one  of 
them  by  name. 

6512.  Q.  State  what  occurred  at  the  interview  between  you  and  Sheriff 
O'Brien. 

A.  I  was  standing  out  in  the  hall,  looking  for  one  of  my  men  to  go 
on  some  errand.  Mr.  Kerr  was  out  in  the  hall  at  the  time  pointing  out 
certain  parties  to  the  sheriff.  The  sheriff  ordered  the  arrest  of  some  of 
these.  He  then  followed  me  into  my  office.  Said  he,  "  Who  have 
got  here  ■"  Said  1,  "Nobody,  O'Brien."  He  then  went  up  to  the  door 
of  my  room,  which  was  locked.  Said  he,  "Who  have  you  got  in  he 
I  told  him,  "  there  was  nobody  in  there."  Said  lie.  "  You  are  carrying 
this  thing  a  little  too  far."  -'What  thing  T  said  I.  He  said  he 'had 
saved  me  from  exposure  in  this  business,  and  didn't  think  I  was  doing 
a  fair  thing  by  him :  that  these  men  that  came  here  to  testify  to-day 
were  all  thieves.  1  told  him,  "I  thought  they  were,  that  it  woulil 
require  thieves  to  do  this  kind  of  business."  He  then  went  out.  That  is 
the  substance  of  what  transpired  between  myself  and  the  sheriff.  He 
said  that  he  could  bring  12  men  that  conversed  with  me  at  the  Fifth 
Avenue  Hotel.  I  told  him  I  was  not  aware  of  having  conversed  with 
anybody  there. 

5513.  Q.   You  were  quite  willing,  were  you  not.  for  him  to  bring  any- 
body here  to  testify  I 

A.   I  would  only  be  glad  for  him  to  do  it.     1  shrink  from  no  exposure 
whatever. 

By  Mr.  Ross: 

5514.  Q.  Who  is  Charles  Murray  I 
A.  I  do  not  know. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

55L").  Q.  Do  you  know  by  name  any  person  whom  you  have  seen  about 
your  room  waiting  to  swear  before  this  committee  I 
A.  I  do  not. 

5516.  Q.  Do  you  know  where  they  came  from! 
A.  I  do  not. 

5517.  Q.  Have  you  sent  any  man  or  set  of  men  to  room  Xo.  18.  Taylors 
Hotel,  Jersey  City,  to  see  anybody  there! 

A.  Xo,  sir ;   I  have  not. 

5518.  Q.  Did  you  authorize  any  of  your  deputies  or  clerks  to  do  so! 
A.  No,  sir ;  I  did  not. 

5519.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  they  have  done  so  I 
A.  I  do  not. 

5520.  Q.  Do  you  know  who  has  an  office  in  that  hotel  ? 

A.  I  think  Colonel  Wood  stops  over  there.     I  do  not  think  that  he 
has  any  office  there. 

5521'.  Q.  Who  is  Colonel  Wood ! 
A.  Detective. 

Xew  York,  Friday,  January  8,  1869. 
Samuel  S.  Acker  recalled,  (at  the  instance  of  Mr.  Kerr.) 

To  Mr.  Kerr  : 
T)S2'2.  I  do  not  think  I  know  a  man  by  the  name  of  Henry  Lyle. 
There  has  been  a  man  around  the  court,  who  represented  himself  as  a 
reporter  on  some  paper  in  this  city.  I  think  his  name  was  Wild.  He 
stands  about  live  feet  three,  and  is  rather  roughly  dressed.  I  have 
been  an  officer  in  the  superior  court  in  this  city  about  twenty  years:  and 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IX  NEW  YORK.  519 

every  year  I  have  had  something  to  do  with  the  issuing  0f  naturaliza- 
tion certificates.  During  last  October  I  was  employed  during  the  day, 
as  an  officer  of  the  court,  to  maintain  order  among  the  people  who  pre- 
sented themselves  for  naturalization.  1  would  take  up  their  applications 
to  the  clerk;  and,  in  the  absence  of  the  clerk,  woidd  sometimes  swear 
in  the  applicants. 

5523.  Q.  State  whether,  from  your  observation,  you  think  it  possible 
for  any  one  man,  during  the  month  of  October,  to  have  got  in  over 
600  or  1,000  applications  while  appearing  as  a  witness  1 

A.  Most  emphatically,  no. 

Q.  Did  you  ever  know  any  person  to  appear  as  both  applicant  and 
witness  at  the  same  time  ! 
A.  So,  sir  ;  it  woidd  be  utterly  impossible. 

New  York,  Friday,  January  8, 1869. 
Thomas  Kyan  sworn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instance  of  Mr. 
Kerr.) 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

5524.  Q.  State  if  you  know  Henry  Lyle. 

A.  I  know  a  man  who  represents  himself  by  that  name. 

5525.  Q.  Have  you  seen  him  about  this  building  recently  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  have  seen  him  a  little  while  ago  in  the  custody  of  one 
of  the  marshals. 

5526.  Q.  How  long  have  you  known  him ! 

A.  I  knew  him  while  the  naturalization  business  was  going  on ;  he 
represented  himself  as  a  reporter. 

5527.  Q.  State  whether  he  acted  as  a  witness  or  applicant  in  the 
naturalization  of  cases. 

A.  He  acted  once  in  a  while  as  a  witness. 

5528.  Q.  State  what  you  know  of  him. 

A.  He  appeared  in  court  several  times  under  the  influence  of  liquor, 
and  acted  in  a  disorderly  manner.  I  turned  him  out  several  times.  He 
was  generally  intoxicated  when  he  was  at  the  court. 

5529.  Q.  State  whether  it  is,  from  your  knowledge  and  observation 
of  the  superior  court,  possible  for  this  man  Henry  Lyle,  during  these 
days  of  naturalization,  to  have  come  into  court  and  to  have  secured,  on 
his  own  testimony,  as  either  witness  or  applicant,  from  600  to  1,000  cer- 
tificates. 

A.  No,  sir;  it  would  have  been  utterly  impossible. 

5530.  Q.  State  whether,  according  to  your  observation  as  an  officer  of 
the  court,  you  suppose  it  to  have  been  possible  that  that  man  or  any 
other  man  could  have  come  in  on  successive  days,  or  at  any  time,  and 
secured  certificates  of  naturalization  by  being  himself  both  witness  and 
applicant;  first  testifying  as  a  witness,  then  turning  around  and  taking 
the  oath  of  allegiance  as  an  applicant  in  the  same  case. 

A.  No,  sir;  it  coidd  not  have  been. 
By  Mr.  Hopkins: 

5531.  Q.  Did  you  ever  see  him  around  the  court? 
A.  I  saw  him  there  sometimes. 

5532.  Q.  Was  he  hanging  around  the  court-room? 

A.  He  woidd  come  in  and  look  around  and  see  if  he  could  see  anybody 
that  he  knew,  and  if  he  did,  he  would  approach  them  and  try  to  get  a 
drink  out  of  them. 

5533.  Q.  You  saw  him  two  or  three  times  as  a  witness — might  he  not 
have  been  a  witness  for  a  good  many  persons? 


520  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

A.  I  do  not  think  he  could  have  been  without  my  recollection. 

5534,  Q.  Do  you  know  all  the  men  who  hung  around  the  court  and 
acted  as  professional  witnesses! 

A.  No,  sir.  I  do  not;  I  think  I  did  not  know  of  anybody  acting-  as  a 
professional  witness. 

~hft5.  Q.  Were  there  not  a  good  many  faces  which  you  saw  there 
every  day? 

A.  No,  sir. 

5536.  Q.  Is  your  knowledge  sufficient  to  tell  whether  he  was  acting 
as  a  witness  in  a  good  many  cases? 

A.  I  could  not  say. 

5537.  Q.  When  Ik1  did  act  as  a  witness  was  he  drunk? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  that  is  to  say  lie  was  under  the  influence  of  liquor,  but 
could  give  answers  to  the  questions;  sometimes  lie  would  stagger,  but 
if  he  was  very  drunk,  he  was  generally  put  out  of  court. 

5538.  Q.  Did  you  see  men  there  acting  from  day  to  day  as  witnesses? 
A.  I  did  not. 

55;><).  Q.  Do  you  know  of  a  man  by  the  name  of  McCaffrey? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

5540.  {}.   Was  he  in  there  frequently  as  a  witness? 
A.  1  cannot  say  of  my  own  knowledge. 

5541.  Q.  Do  you  know  Peter  Gougii  I 
A.  No,  sir. 

New  York,  Friday,  January  8,  1869. 
Charles  Grant  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

5542.  Q.  State  if  you  were  present  at  the  last  presidential  election  in 
this  city;  if  so,  what  occurred  in  your  precinct? 

A.  I  was  at  the  1st  election  district,  20th  ward,  in  this  city.  I  went 
there  to  look  after  parties  that  were  attempting  to  register  improp- 
erly. I  had  not  been  in  the  place  long  when  Charles  McCarthy  came  in 
and  attempted  to  register.  I  challenged  him  and  he  was  sworn.  He 
said  he  had  never  been  to  a  court  to  obtain  his  naturalization  certificate, 
but  had  got  it  at  the  corner  of  Thirty-fourth  street  and  Ninth  avenue.  I 
then  arrested  him  for  attempting  to  vote  on  illegal  papers,  brought  him 
down  to  the  station-house,  and  he  was  committed.  Subsequently  he  said 
a  man  by  the  name  of  Robert  Love  gave  him  the  paper.  A  warrant  was 
issued  for  his  arrest,  and  he  was  arrested;  but  he  could  not  be  identified, 
and  he  was  discharged. 

5543.  Q.  I  here  present  four  papers  purporting  to  be  certificates  of 
naturalization  issued  to  John  R.  Glover,  Jacob  Huffschmidt,  Edmund 
Jacker,  and  Robert  Frye,  three  of  which  are  signed  "Charles  E.  Loew," 
and  dated  October,  1868 ;  the  other  one  is  signed  by  James  M.  Sweeny 
and  dated  in  October,  1868;  state  what  you  know  of  them. 

A.  I  arrested  the  parties  holding  these  papers  and  the  man  who  sold 
them.  His  name  is  Simon  Lesser.  These  men  gave  two  dollars  apiece 
for  them. 

5544.  Q.  How  do  you  knoAv  that  ? 

A.  They  so  stated  it  to  me.  I  saw  Frye  give  the  two  dollars  to  Lesser. 
The  papers  were  purchased  in  a  lager-beer  saloon,  corner  of  Seventh 
avenue  and  Thirty-fifth  street.  I  understood  this  thing  was  going  on, 
and  went  up  there  and  watched  for  it.  When  Frye  came  out  of  his  place 
I  arrested  him  and  asked  him  for  his  paper;  took  him  back  into  the 
place  and  told  him  to  point  out  to  me  the  man  who  sold  it  to  him.    He 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  521 

pointed  out  Simon  H.  Lesser.  1  took  Lesser  down  before  the  marshal 
and  had  a  commitment  made  out  for  him  and  had  him  locked  up.  I 
hen  got  the  papers  from  these  other  parties  and  had  them  arrested. 

554-").  Q.  What  official  position  do  you  hold  ? 

A.  I  am  deputy  United  States  marshal. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 
5540.  Q.  Did  any  of  these  men  vote  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  their  papers  were  taken  away  from  them  the  Wednesday 
preceding  the  election. 

5547.  Q.  What  is  Lessees  character? 

A.  I  do  not  know  anything  about  his  character;  he  operated  in  this 
lager-beer  saloon ;  he  is  now  confined  in  the  Ludlow  street  jail. 

New  York,  Friday,  January  8,  1869. 
i    James  Gorman  recalled  and  examined,  (at  the  instance  of  Mr.  Kerr.) 
By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

5548.  Q.  State  whether  you  went  by  the  process  of  this  committee 
this  afternoon  to  19  Forsyth  street,  in  this  city,  to  find  one  John  Ste- 
phens ! 

A.  I  did. 

5549.  Q.  State  what  was  the  result. 
A.  I  went  to  No.  19  Forsyth  street  and  inquired  there  for  the  man. 

The  first  story  is  a  grocery  store.  They  told  me  they  did  not  know  of 
any  such  man.  I  then  inquired  on  the  floor  above,  and  no  such  man 
lived  there.  I  then  met  the  lady  who  was  agent  of  the  house  and 
inquired  of  her ;  she  said  that  John  Stephens  did  not  live  there  and  had 
not  lived  there  for  some  time  past.  She  did  not  know  of  any  such  man. 
She  said  there  were  some  German  cigar-makers  on  the  first  floor,  but 
she  did  not  think  it  could  be  any  of  them.  I  went  into  the  rear  house 
and  inquired  there,  and  was  told  that  there  was  no  such  man  lived  there 
by  that  name. 

New  York,  Friday,  January  8,  1869. 
George  Merritt  sworn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instance  of 
Mr.  Kerr.) 

To  Mr.  Kerr  : 

5550.  I  live  at  247  West  Twentieth  street.  I  was  inspector  of  elections 
at  the  last  presidential  election,  5th  district,  16th  ward.  Mr.  Howell, 
and  Mr.  Brady,  and  Mr.  Willis  were  my  colleagues.  Messrs.  Willis  and 
Brady  were  the  democrats.  I  was  appointed  inspector  to  serve  in  the 
last  election  •  but  they  said  I  was  a  democrat  and  had  me  removed.  I 
was  then  reappointed,  but  was  discharged  again.  I  had  been  inspector 
in  that  district  for  32  years. 

5551.  Q.  State  whether  the  business  done  before  the  board,  in  connec- 
tion with  registration  and  voting,  was  done  with  the  general  consent  or 
harmonious  action  of  the  whole  board  % 

A.  Certainly. 

5552.  Q.  Did  you  have  any  difference  of  opinion  concerning  those  who 
night  to  be  registered  ? 

A.  I  had  none ;  there  was  no  ill-feeling  or  jarring  at  all. 

5553.  Q.  State  whether  of  your  own  knowledge  you  have  reason  to 
jelieve  that  illegal  or  otherwise  unauthorized  persons  were  registered 
)y  your  board? 

A.  No,  sir ;  if  a  man  appeared  and  desired  to  be  registered,  and  I  had 
my  doubts  about  him,  I  would  make  him  show  his  papers.    I  know 


522 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN   NEW   YORK. 


almost  everybody  in  the  ward,  and  could  easil}-  tell  whether  they  were 
legal  voters  or  not. 

5554.  Have  yon  any  reason  to  believe  that  any  illegal  votes  were  cast 
at  your  precinct  ? 

A.  So  far  as  my  knowledge  is  concerned  I  do  not  think  there  could 
have  been  any  illegal  voting,  because  I  do  not  suppose  there  are  any 
men  vile  enough  to  do  that.     I  hear  a  good  deal  of  talk  about  illegal 
voting,  but  I  never  saw  any  of  it  in  my  life. 
By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

5555.  Q.  Do  you  regard  the  presentation  as  conclusive  of  a  man's  right 
to  vote  I 

A.  No,  sir ;  parties  would  often  have  papers  that  would  not  belong  to 
them. 

5556.  (}.  Did  you  challenge  any  man? 
A.  Frequently;  I  made  them  swear. 

5557.  Q.  How  many  votes  were  polled  at  your  precinct? 

A.  Five  hundred  and  seventeen  at  the  presidential  election;  at  the 
municipal  election  there  were  taken  only  .'>0!>  or  400  votes,  probably  le8S 
than  300.  At  the  municipal  election  there  were  only  4,000  votes  polled 
in  my  ward;  at  the  presidential  election  0,000  votes  were  polled. 

New  York,  Friday,  January  8,  1869. 
George  W.  Mabee  recalled  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman: 

.VT)*.  Q.  Have  yon  examined  the  registry  of  the  last  presidential  elec- 
tion in  this  city  for  the  7th  district,  L8th  ward  :; 

A.  I  have,  and  present  to  the  committee  a  list  of  persons  registered 
at  the  Compton  House,  at  the  corner  of  Third  avenue  and  Twenty- 
fourth  street. 

5559.  Q.  Have  you  examined  the  poll-list  in  that  district  l 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

5500.  Q.  How  many  of  those  in  that  poll-list  are  marked  as  having 
voted  at  the  last  presidential  election! 

A.  All  those  on  the  list  which  I  present  to  committee  are  marked  with 
the  letter  "  V." 

5501.  Q.  Are  there  on  the  poll-list  any  names  of  persons  whose  names 
are  not  on  the  registry  % 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  present  a  list  to  the  committee  showing  the  names  of 
persons  on  the  poll-list  whose  names  are  not  on  the  registry. 


COMPTON    HOUSE,     THIRD    AVENUE,  CORNER    OF 

TWENT 

^-FOURTH     STREET, 

SEVENTH 

DISTRICT,     EIGHTEENTH    WARD. 

Charles  Anderson, 

*Daniel  A.  Creamer, 

V 

Thomas  Conroy, 

Henry  Ayers, 

Arthur  Criming, 

V 

Owen  Clark, 

V 

Henry  Austin, 

Bernard  Campbell, 

V 

Peter  Campbell, 

Henry  Andrews, 

James  Cillin, 

Henry  Dean, 

Peter  Anderson,              V 

Hugh  E.  Coleman, 

Frederick  Decker, 

V 

*  James  H.  Blackwell, 

John  Culvert, 

V 

John  Delaney, 

William  Banker, 

William  Cohen, 

V 

Morton  Delaney, 

V 

Hiram  Beord, 

Richard  Cook, 

Hugh  Durnan, 

Edward  Briggs, 

James  Balland, 

V 

Michael  Dwine, 

*Christopher  Brown, 

John  Baker, 

v 

Charles  Devoe, 

V 

William  Blorsall, 

Francis  Borber, 

v 

Charles  Diamond, 

V 

*Daniel  Brown,               V 

John  Brooks, 

Albert  Devoe, 

Michael  Brody, 

Jos.  Bray, 

V 

William  Doherty, 

V 

John  M.  Borker, 

Jesse  Barker, 

V 

Tim  Dolan, 

Patrick  Boylan, 

Jos.  Cole, 

V 

Charles  Davis, 

V* 

William  Burgoyne,         V 

Levi  Cook, 

Jos.  Dodd, 

V 

ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 


523 


Peter  Delaney, 

Robert  McGee, 

V 

Thomas  Tillyon, 

Pearce  English, 

V 

Terrance  Monohan, 

V 

Samuel  Veedu, 

William  Elder, 

V 

Henry  G.  Moffatt, 

"Charles  Vanbergan, 

V 

Jos.  Ellis, 

V 

Henry  Masterson, 

V 

"Louis  Willsley, 

V 

Jos.  Elliott, 

V 

Jos.  F.  McMann, 

V 

Hiram  Whit  more, 

Patrick  Fitzsimmous, 

V 

Henry  Neely, 

William  Whady, 

V 

Michael  Foglin, 

Frederick  Morshal, 

Francis  Wort, 

John  Flood, 

V 

Henry  Mel  ay, 

Oscar  Wood, 

V 

Edward  Fallen, 

James  McClodd, 

Henry  L.  Webb, 

Amos  Garret, 

William  O'Brien, 

V 

Thomas  Williamson, 

James  Gardner, 

V 

*  Henry  Owens, 

V 

Henry  Westlake, 

John  M.  Garvey, 

Samuel  Purdy. 

V 

John  Westou, 

John  Griffin, 

V 

"Benjamin  F.  Pease, 

Jos.  Worden, 

Thomas  Henderson, 

"John  W.  Phelps. 

V 

James  Devlin. 

V 

George  W.  Hull, 

"Maurice  Powers, 

Jos.  Hengleton, 

Abel  Parker, 

Names   on  poll-book 

not  on 

Michael  Hendy, 

George  Piuard, 

registry. 

Philip  Higgins, 

William  Quinn, 

Alexander  Hauche, 

y 

"John  Rollins, 

V 

Michael  Morton, 

V 

Thomas  Hunt, 

Thomas  Roorke, 

Thomas  Davis, 

V 

Andrew  Hund, 

V 

William  Ramsey, 

"Peter  Carroll, 

V 

John  Henright, 

William  Randall, 

"J.  F.  Southworth, 

V 

William  Harrington, 

"Thomas  Rogers, 

"Harry  R.  McC ready 

v 

John  Harris, 

V 

Walter  Reed, 

V 

William  Moore, 

V 

Charles  Hogan, 

"John  F.  Scannell, 

V 

George  Andrews, 

V 

Henry  Jenkins, 

V 

"Henry  Steinchmann, 

"William  Long, 

V 

William  Johnston, 

V 

"David  Stevenson, 

William  Besaw, 

V 

Patrick  Lynch, 

V 

D.W.Smith 

V 

"Peter  Garvin, 

V 

Jos.  Larkin, 

Michael  Smith, 

V 

"William  P.  Suydam, 

V 

William  Lewis, 

Jos.  Smith, 

Henry  Arthur, 

V 

Andrew  Lord, 

V 

Albert  Smith, 

Richard  Coole, 

V 

David  Laynou, 

Owen  Shields, 

V 

James  Eiaidru, 

V 

Edward  Lyons, 

Barny  Small, 

Frederick  Mahon, 

V 

William  Long, 

V 

Michael  fchay, 

V 

John  Delaney, 

V 

James  R.  Logan, 

Frederick  Slack, 

Benjamin  F.  Kuzery, 

V 

John  Kendall, 

V 

Austin  Shepard, 

William  Becher, 

V 

Alexander  Koon, 

Robert  Shaw, 

James  Hutton. 

V 

Benjamin  F.  King, 

Andrew  Stewart, 

V 

Michael  Boy  Ian,  26, 

V 

William  Moore, 

V 

"Edgar  C.  Suydam, 

V 

William  Dornan, 

V 

Patrick  Monahan, 

"Daniel  H.  Southworth, 

John  Barrow, 

V 

'Gilbert  A.  Meigs, 

V 

"Florence  Scannell, 

V 

George  Bennell, 

V 

"Theodore  Morrell, 

"Peter  Smith, 

V 

Thomas  Connors, 

V 

*Thomas  Morrow, 

William  Teal, 

Alexander  Conn, 

V 

John  McArdle, 

Jacob  M.  Walsh, 

Henry  Anderson, 

V 

James  Murphy, 

V 

Horace  Taylor, 

V 

Arnus  Savitt, 

V 

New  York,  January  9,  1869. 

John  A.  Foster  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

5562.  Question.  State  if  you  have  examined  the  tables  numbered  from 
one  to  six,  both  inclusive,  referred  to  in  the  testimony  of  H.  E.Sweetzer; 
and  if  so,  what  do  yo.t  know  of  their  correctness? 

Answer.  I  have  examined  the  tables  mentioned.  In  examining  No.  1 
I  find,  in  the  third  and  fourth  columns,  there  is  given  what  is  called  per- 
centage of  increase  in  one  case  and  decrease  in  another  case,  as  referring 
to  the  vote  of  consecutive  years  in  this  city  5  such  a  percentage  would  not 
show  the  actual  increase  of  votes.  If  you  take  the  vote  of  any  four  years, 
containing,  two  of  them  an  increase,  and  two  of  them  a  decrease,  and 
add  the  increase  together  and  the  decrease  together,  and  if  they  amount 
to  the  same,  the  first  presumption  would  be  that  the  statement  showing 
a  large  percentage  of  increase  was  incorrect.  Compare,  for  instance, 
the  votes  from  1857  to  1861.  The  increase  of  the  vote  of  1858  over 
1857  is  16J  per  cent. ;  of  I860  over  1859,  68£  per  cent.  The  decrease 
of  the  vote  of  1859  from  that  of  1858  is  18*  per  cent,,  and  of  1861  from 


524  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

that  of  1800  is  41  per  cent.  If  you  add  the  percentages  of  increase 
together  they  amount  to  85  per  cent.,  while  the  percentages  of  decrease 
amount  to  but  59J  percent.;  but  on  reference  to  the  actual  figures,  as 
shown  in  the  table,  instead  of  exhibiting  a  large  increase  they  show  a 
decrease.  From  1848  to  1868,  taking  the  vote  by  presidential  contests, 
there  has  been  an  increase  of  the  vote  in  New  York  city  at  each  elec- 
tion.    I  have  prepared  a  table  showing  that  increase: 

From  1848  to  1852 8  per  cent. 

From  L852  to  L856 38X       " 

From  1850  to  1860 20  " 

From  1800  to  1864 L5J         " 

From  L848  to  1804  the  average  increase  is  20J  per  cent.  From  1864 
to  1808  the  percentage  of  increase  is  41^  per  cent.,  or  nearly  twice  as 
much  as  the  average  percentage  of  increase  of  previous  presidential 
elections.  If  the  votes  actually  cast  at  that  election  had  been  at  such 
average,  there  would  have  been  133,000  votes,  or  23,000  less  than  has 
been  actually  declared  in  the  official  canvass.  Taking  the  rate  of  in- 
crease from  L860  to  L864,  15J  percent.,  as  the  basis  of  the  number  of 
votes  that  should  have  been  polled  in  1808,  there  would  have  been 
128,500,  or  27,500  less  than  were  declared. 

Making  the  same  computation  for  the  State,  exclusive  of  New  York 
city,  I  find  that  from  1848  to  1852  the  increase  was  10  per  cent.;  from 
1852  to  1866,18  percent,;  from  1850  to  1800,  11  percent.;  from  1860 
to  1804,  7  per  cent.;  and  from  1804  to  180S,  12  per  cent.,  making  an 
average  increase  of  about  12  per  cent,  for  each  four  years,  being  less 
by  eight  per  cent,  than  the  average  increase  in  the  city  previous  to  1868. 
I  have  also  made  a  computation  of  the  population  of  New  York  city  from 
1850  to  1805,  showing  the  number  of  voters,  native  and  foreign,  and  a 
similar  table  for  the  State,  showing  the  number  of  voters,  native  and 
foreign.  It  shows  that  of  the  total  number  of  voters  in  New  York  city 
in  1855  40,173  were  native  and  42,704  were  foreign,  and  in  1805  51,500 
native  and  77,475  foreign.  I  have  also  made  the  same  computation  for 
the  State.  I  have  also  prepared  a  table  showing  the  percentage  of 
natives  and  foreigners  in  the  six  New  England  States  and  in  New  York 
and  Pennsylvania;  showing  also  the  percentage  of  natives  and  foreigners 
in  New  York  city  and  Philadelphia. 

Such  of  the  figures  as  I  have  used  as  were  on  the  tables  submitted  to 
me  I  have  taken  from  them,  supposing  them  to  be  correct;  when  not  on 
the  papers  I  have  taken  them  from  the  official  canvass  and  the  United 
States  and  State  census  of  1850,  1855,  1800,  and  1805. 

Mr.  Kerr  objected  to  witness  being  allowed  to  make  the  above  state- 
ment ;  objection  overruled. 

To  Mr.  Kerr: 
5503.  I  am  a  counsellor-at-law ;  have  been  practicing  for  sixteen  years, 
except  from  about  the  middle  of  1801  to  1805,  during  which  time  I  was 
in  the  army.  I  Avas  lieutenant  colonel  and  colonel;  served  most  of  the 
time  in  the  department  of  the  gulf;  was  wounded  at  Port  Hudson,  and 
on  my  request  to  be  either  mustered  out  of  the  service  or  placed  on  some 
light  duty,  I  was  ordered  to  court-martial  service.  I  did  not  recover 
from  the  wound  in  my  leg  until  nearly  a  year  after  I  left  the  service.  I 
have  paid  great  attention  to  statistics.  It  has  been  a  favorite  study  of 
mine,  and  I  have  made  myself  extremely  familiar  with  them.  I  am 
counsel  for  the  Union  League ;  have  been  so  since  three  days  after  the 
presidential  election.  I  did  not  compile  these  tables  especially  as  their 
counsel;  I  did  it  in  the  interests  of  truth.    I  Avas  not  requested  by  them 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  525 

to  do  so.  I  am  not  paid  for  it.  I  will  charge  them  a  counsel  fee  for  my 
services  as  counsel;  it  will  not,  I  suppose,  be  anymore  because  I  pre- 
pared these  tables.  As  counsel  for  the  Union  League  I  examine  Avitnesses 
for  the  purpose  of  submitting  to  this  committee  such  facts  as  may  be 
elicited.  I  have  addressed  letters  to  parties  all  over  the  State  where 
there  was  any  probability  of  fraud;  the  letters  were  printed  in  the  papers; 
when  answers  were  received,  1  would  examine  the  evidence,  to  ascertain 
whether  it  was  legal  evidence,  such  as  might  be  produced  in  a  court  of 
justice.  If  it  was  I  made  memoranda,  and  submitted  them  to  my  asso- 
ciates; they  are  Mr.  S.  J.  Glassey  and  J.  H.  White.  I  do  not"  know 
whether  Mr.  Bliss  considers  himself  an  associate  counsel  or  not;  he  is  in 
and  out  all  the  time.  I  cannot  say  whether  we  have  furnished  most  of 
the  evidence  produced  by  the  majority  of  this  committee.  I  suppose  we 
have  produced  a  good  deal  of  it.  I  know  very  little  as  to  the  testimony 
in  relation  to  the  repeating.  I  could  not  say  what  my  associates  had  to 
do  with  them.  I  never  knew  that  any  of  my  associates  were  employed 
in  Jersey  City  in  getting  up  evidence.  I  should  naturally  have  heard  of 
it  if  they  had  been.  I  was  not  aware  there  was  an  office  organized  over 
there. 

To  the  CHAIR3IAN : 

5564.  I  was  one  of  the  counsel  for  John  H.  Surratt ;  I  know  Colonel 
Samuel  Xorth ;  in  regard  to  his  character  for  truth  and  veracity  I  only 
know  what  I  heard  at  the  time  he  was  tried. 

To  Mr.  Kerr  : 

5565.  Colonel  North  was  tried  in  Washington  before  a  military  com- 
mission, of  which  Major  General  Doubleday  was  president  and  I  was 
judge  advocate.  He  was  tried  for  making  false  votes  under  what  was 
known  as  the  soldiers'  voting  law.  It  was  alleged  on  the  trial  that  he 
would  either  himself,  or  procure  somebody  else  to,  forge  the  names  of 
parties  who  voted,  of  the  officers  before  whom  the  vote  was  given,  and  of  the 
officerwho  certified  that  the  signature  of  the  officer  was  genuine,  andnnally 
forward  it  to  New  York.  I  do  not  know  that  there  was  any  final  result 
to  the  trial  only  that  he  was  discharged ;  he  was  served  with  a  copy  of 
the  charges  and  specifications,  and  made  a  long  argument,  occupying 
three  days,  as  to  the  question  as  to  whether  the  charges  contained 
a  military  offence  at  all.  I  cannot  disclose  the  decision  of  the  commis- 
sion until  the  proceedings  are  published.  I  know  nothing  as  to  Colonel 
North's  character  other  than  what  I  gathered  on  that  trial. 

5560.  Q.  Don't  you  know  that  the  census  of  this  State,  taken  in  1865, 
is  confessedly  unjust  and  incorrect  towards  the  city  of  New  York? 
A.  No,  sir ;  I  believe  it  is  right. 

5567.  Q.  Don't  you  know  that  Mr.  Depew  himself  has  repeatedly  stated 
that  it  is  grossly  incorrect? 

A.  I  do  not  know  that  he  has. 

5568.  Q.  Do  you  knoAV  anything  about  its  correctness  or  incorrectness  ? 
A.  No  more  than  from  my  judgment. 

Witness  presents  the  following  statement  and  tables  as  part  of  his 
testimony : 

Percentage  of  increase  in  votes  for  everv  four  vears,  (presidential  elec- 
tions,) from  1848  to  1868 :  From  1818  to  1852,  8  per  cent,  increase;  from 
1852  to  1856,  38.8  per  cent,  increase ;  from  1856  to  1860,  20  per  cent, 
increase ;  from  1860  to  1861,  15.5  per  cent,  increase ;  from  1861  to  1868, 
11.1  per  cent,  increase.  From  1818  to  1861  the  average  is  20£  per  cent.; 
less  than  half  of  this  presidential  election. 

If  the  votes  actually  cast  at  this  election  had  been  at  such  average  of 


526 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 


20J  per  cent.,  they  would  have  amounted  to  13.3,020,  or  about  23,000  less 
than  was  actually  declared  in  the  official  canvass. 

If  we  take  the  rate  of  increase  for  from  L860  to  L864  as  the  basis  of  15J 
per  cent.,  the  number  which  would  have  been  polled  would  be  128,500, 
and  which  is  probably  nearly  correct.  This  is  about  27,500  less  than  the 
canvass. 

Making  the  same  estimate  of  the  State,  exclusive  of  New  York  county, 
I  find  from  1848  to  1852  an  increase  of  10 per  cent.;  from  1852  to  1S56  of 
18  per  cent, ;  from  1856  to  1800  of  11  per  cent.;  from  1860  to  1864  of  7 
per  cent. ;  from  1864  to  1868  of  12  per  cent,,  or  not  quite  12  per  cent,  for 
each  four  years. 


Population  of  New  York  city. 


Yearg. 


1850... 
1855... 
1860  . . . 
1865  . . . 


Native. 


274,  558 
303,7-21 
427,  324 
412,  909 


Foreign. 


240,  981 
326,  183 
386, 345 
313,477 


Total. 


515,  547 
629,810 
813,669 
726,  386 


Voters. 


Native. 


46.  173 


51,  500 


Foreign 


42,  704 


77,  475 


Population  of  State  of  New  York. 


Native. 


2,441,465 
2,  528,  444 
2,  879,  455 
2,  880,  852 


Foreign. 


659,  929 

937,  768 

1,001,280 

920,  293 


Total. 


3,  097,  394 
3,466,212 
3,  880,  735 
'3,827,  818 


Voters. 


Native. 


Foreign. 


516,745     135,577 


583,  611     239, 873 


1860.     Percentage  of- 


Native. 


Maine 94.04 

New  Hampshire j  93.58 

Vermont I  89.01 

Massachusetts 78.87 

Rhode  Island 78.58 

Connecticut 82.46 

New  York 74.27 

New  Jersey 8 1 .73 

Pennsylvania 85. 1 9 

New  York  city 52.38 

Philadelphia 71.07 


Foreign. 


5.96 
G.42 
10.39 
21.13 
21.42 
17.54 
25.73 
18.27 
14.81 
47.62 
28.93 


New  York,  Saturday,  January  9,  1869. 
John  E.  McGowan  sworn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instance  of 
Mr.  Kerr.) 

By  Mr.  Boss : 

5569.  Question.  What  is  your  business  I 

Answer.  I  am  a  clerk  in  the  sheriff's  office  in  this  city ;  I  was  formerly 
a  clerk  in  the  World  office,  and  previous  to  that  in  the  American  News 
Company. 

5570.  Q.  Are  you  acquainted  with  Colonel  Wood  % 
A.  No,  sir. 

5571.  Q.  Are  you  acquainted  with  Marshal  Murray  ? 
A.  Not  personally. 

5572.  Q.  Are  you  acquainted  with  Marcus  Cicero  Stanley  % 


A.  Yes,  sir,  I  am. 

5573.  Q.  How  long  have  you  known  him  % 

A.  I  have  known  him  by  reputation  since  I  was  a  boy ;  I  have  known 
him  intimately  for  about  a  year. 

5574.  Q.  Do  yon  know  with  what  political  party  he  acts  ? 
A.  I  could  not  state  positively j  he  is  a  very  uncertain  man. 

5575.  Q.  State  if  you  have  had  any  conversation  with  him ;  if  so,  when 
and  where,  and  what  it  was. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  527 

A.  It  was  two  days  before  the  State  election  in  this  city.  I  met  him 
it  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel.  He  asked  me  if  1  was  a  canvasser  in  the  3d 
ward  in  this  city,  and  I  told  him  I  was.  He  then  offered  me  $50  to 
bhange  tickets  for  him  at  the  election.  He  wanted  me  to  give  him  the 
Governor  and  electoral  ticket,  and  stated  he  would  swap  off  the  other 
Tickets  with  me.  That  was  the  substance  of  the  conversation.  I  have 
aot  seen  him  afterwards  to  talk  with  him. 

r>r)7(;.  Q.  For  whom  did  he  want  you  to  make  this  change? 

A.  In  favor  of  the  republicans.    1  was  a  democratic  canvasser. 

.3377.  Q.  Who  was  your  republican  colleague? 

A.  I  cannot  recollect  his  name. 

By  the  Chair:man  : 

5578.  Q.  Did  you  have  more  than  one  interview  with  him  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

5579.  Q.  Hid  he  produce  any  money ! 
A.  I  told  him  I  would  see  about  it. 

5580.  Q.  Have  you  stated  all  that  transpired  at  that  interview  % 
A.  Yes,  sir.    It  took  place  in  the  bar-room  of  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel. 

5581.  Q.  Was  anybody  else  present  ? 
A.  Marshal  Murray  was  with  him. 

5582.  Q.  Did  he  hear  the  conversation? 
A.  He  was  present  at  the  time  the  interview  took  place. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

5583.  Q.  Where  do  you  live? 
A.  No.  119  White  street. 

5584.  Q.  How  long  have  you  been  a  clerk  of  the  sheriff? 
A.  Nine  months. 

")So.  Q.  Have  you  had  any  conversation  with  the  sheriff  about  testi- 
fying here  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

5586.  Q.  Were  you  summoned  here  % 
A.  I  came  here  of  my  own  accord. 

5587.  Q.  At  whose  instance  did  you  come  ? 

A.  At  my  own  instance ;  I  felt  it  my  duty  to  coAe  here. 

~)oS$.  Q.  Did  you  come  here  without  telling  anybody  about  it  ? 

A.  I  told  two  or  three  I  was  coming  here ;  I  knew  nothing  about  this 
ommittee  until  last  evening ;  I  heard  somebody  talking  about  it  at  the 
?ifth  Avenue  Hotel. 

5589.  Q.  Whom  did  you  hear  talking  about  it  ? 
A.  Ben  Butlers  nephew ;  I  forget  his  name. 

5590.  Q.  Are  you  acquainted  with  Marshal  Murray  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  him  to  talk  with  hini;  I  have  seen  him  frequently. 

5591.  Q.  Did  you  change  any  votes  ? 
A.  No,  sir ;  I  did  not. 

5592.  Q.  Did  Stanley  ever  speak  to  you  about  changing  the  votes  after 
hat  interview ! 

A.  No,  sir ;  he  did  not  come  to  me  afterwards ;  I  did  not  see  him 
igain  until  after  the  election. 

5593.  Q.  When  did  this  conversation  occur? 
A.  It  was  two  or  three  days  before  the  election. 

5591.  Q.  How  did  you  happen  to  get  into  this  conversation  with  him  ? 
A.  Accidentally ;  I  was  standing  there,  and  was  there  almost  every 
ening. 


. 


528  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW   YORK. 

New  York,  Saturday,  January  9,  1869. 
Robert  Murray  recalled  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

5595.  Question.  Do  yon  know  Marcos  Cicero  Stanley  \ 
Answer.  I  do;  but  I  have  not  spoken  a  word  to  him  for  five  years. 

5596.  Q.  State  if  yon  arc  acquainted  with  John  E.  McGowan,  the  wit 
ness  who  has  just  testified. 

A.  I  never  saw  him  in  my  life  to  my  knowledge. 

5597.  Q.  State  if  he  had  any  conversation  with  Marcus  Cicero  Stan 
ley  two  or  three  days  before  the  presidential  election,  in  your  presence! 
at  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel. 

A.  No,  sir  ;  I  have  had  no  conversation  with  Stanley,  or  noticed  him! 
in  any  possible  way  in  five  years. 

5598.  Q.  Did  McGowan  have  any  conversation  with  you  prior  to  th( 
presidential  election  1 

A.  No,  sir. 

New  York,  Saturday,  January  9,  1869. 
Thomas  Sullivan  sworn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instance 
Mr.  Kerr.) 

By  Mr.  Ross : 

5599.  Question.  What  is  your  business  ? 
Answer.  I  am  a  clerk. 

5G00.  Q.  Where  do  you  live? 
A.  No.  173  Delancy  street. 

5601.  Q.  Do  you  know  Marshal  Murray  ? 
A.  1  do,  sir. 

5602.  Q.  Did  you  have  any  conversation  with  him  touching  the  elec 
tion? 

A.  I  did,  sir. 

5603.  Q.  When  and  where  \ 
A.  The  conversation  occurred  in  Chambers  street,  a  few  doors  fro 

the  United  States  court-house.    It  was  last  Tuesday,  I  believe. 

5604.  Q.  State  what  your  conversation  was. 

A.  John  Donovan  and  myself  were  standing  in  Chambers  street  when 
Murray  came  up  and  asked  us  what  we  were  doing  there.  He  asked  w 
then  if  Ave  would  not  make  an  affidavit  that  we  breakfasted  at  Sherif 
O'Brien's  house  on  the  morning  of  election,  and  repeated  for  the  demo' 
cratic  party  in  the  election.  I  told  him  I  wonld  not  make  such  an  affi 
davit. 

5605.  Q.  Did  he  offer  you  any  reward  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

5606.  Q.  What  was  it? 

A.  He  said  we  would  be  compensated.  He  did  not  name  any  amount 
but  said  Ave  Avould  be  paid  for  doing  so. 

5607.  Q.  Did  he  state  by  whom  you  would  be  compensated  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

5608.  Q.  HaA^e  you  stated  as  nearly  as  you  can  recollect  all  that  tran 
spired  I 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

5609.  Q.  In  what  business  are  you  a  clerk  ? 

A.  I  am  a  clerk  to  Mr.  MuellerJ  who  keeps  a  liquor  store  398  Green* 
street. 


- 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  523 

5610.  Q.  How  long  have  you  been  there  ? 
A.  Six  months. 

5611.  Q.  What  time  did  this  conversation  take  place? 

A.  Last  Tuesday  between  11  and  12  o'clock  in  the  forenoon. 

5612.  Q.  Where  does  John  Donovan  live  % 

A.  I  cannot  state  ;  I  have  known  him  for  five  years. 

5613.  Q.  What  business  is  Donovan  engaged  in  % 
A.  I  do  not  know. 

5614.  Q.  What  is  Mr.  Mueller's  name  with  whom  you  are  employed  1 
A.  Anthony  Mueller. 

5615.  Q.  How  often  did  you  vote  at  the  last  presidential  election  1 
A.  I  voted  only  once. 

5616.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  persons  voting  more  than  once  ! 
A.  No,  sir. 

5617.  Q.  Where  did  you  vote  ? 

A.  At  the  4th  election  district,  13th  ward. 

5618.  Q.  What  ticket  did  you  vote  ? 
A.  Democratic  ticket. 

5619.  Q.  Were  you  summoned  as  a  witness  here  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

5620.  Q.  Who  summoned  you? 
A.  I  do  not  know. 

New  York,  Saturday,  January  9,  1869. 
Robert  Murray  recalled  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

5621.  Q.  Have  you  seen  Thomas  Sullivan,  the  witness  who  has  just 
stilled  here  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

5622.  Q.  Have  you  ever  seen  him  before  ? 
A.  No,  sir ;  not  to  my  knowledge. 

5623.  Q.  Did  you  have  any  conversation  with  him  in  Chambers  street? 
A.  No,  sir. 

5624.  Q.  State  if  you  ever  made  any  request  of  him  to  appear  before 
lis  committee  to  testify  in  relation  to  taking  breakfast  at  Sheriff 
•'Brien's  house  on  the  morning  of  election. 

A.  No,  sir;  I  never  made  any  request  of  this  kind,  nor  had  any  con- 
^rsation  with  him  of  any  kind  whatsoever. 

Neav  York,  January  9,  1869. 
John  Donohue  sworn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instance  of  Mr. 

!err.) 

To  Mr.  Kerr  : 

1 5625.  I  live  at  No.  259  Broome  street,  New  York  city.  I  have  lived 
'.ere  since  last  December.    I  am  an  engineer  by  occupation. 

1 5626.  Q.  Do  you  know  Marshal  Murray  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir;  by  sight. 
[5627.  Q.  Did  you  have  any  conversation  with  him  within  the  last  two 

eks? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  had  a  conversation  with  him  last  Tuesday,  in  Chambers 
*eet,  a  few  doors  below  the  United  States  court-house. 
5628.  Q.  State  what  occurred  at  that  time. 

A.  I  was  standing  in  front  of  Sheldon  &  Company's  store  with  Thomas 
llivan.    Marshal  Murray  came  along,  and  asked  us  what  we  were 
ing  there.    We  told  him  we  were  going  in  to  see  the  investigating 
34  T 


iC 


530  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

committee.  He  told  us  to  go  in  and  swear  we  took  breakfast  at 
Sheriff  O'Brien's  house,  and  repeated  for  the  democratic  party  at  the  last 
presidential  election,  and  that  we  would  be  liberally  paid  for  it. 

5629.  Q.  Did  he  say  how  much  you  would  be  paid? 
A.  No,  sir. 

5630.  Q.  Did  he  say  by  whom  you  would  be  paid? 

A.  He  did  not.  I  would  not  be  positive,  however,  whether  he  said  lie 
would  pay  us  or  not. 

By  the  Chairman: 

5631.  Q.  How  long  have  you  known  Mr.  Sullivan? 
A.  Eighteen  months  or  two  years. 

5632.  Q.  Did  you  have  any  conversation  with  Sheriff  O'Brien  about 
your  testimony  here? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  only  told  him  about  the  conversation. 

5633.  Q.  When  did  you  tell  him  about  that? 
A.  Tuesday  afternoon. 

5634.  Q.  Did  you  tell  him  anything  about  it  yesterday? 
A.  No,  sir;  I  did  not  see  him  yesterday. 

5635.  Q.  Were  you  served  with  a  subpoena  to  come  here  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  was  served  with  a  subpoena  yesterday  afternoon. 

5636.  Q.  Are  you  engaged  in  your  business  of  engineering  now? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  am  messenger  to  the  board  of  aldermen ;  I  have  been 
so  since  the  8th  of  January  last,  a  year  ago. 

5637.  Q.  How  often  did  you  vote  at  the  last  election  ? 

A.  But  once,  and  registered  but  once ;  I  voted  in  the  9th  election  dis- 
trict, 7th  ward. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

5638.  Q.  Do  you  know  Marshal  Murray  well  ? 
A.  I  know  him  by  sight. 

5639.  Q.  State  how  that  interview  commenced. 

A.  We  were  standing  in  Chambers  street,  in  front  of  Sheldon  &  Co.'s, 
when  Marshal  Murray  came  along  and  said,  "  Boys,  what  are  you  doing 
here?"  We  told  him  we  were  going  in  to  see  the  investigating  commit- 
tee. I  had  heard  a  good  deal  of  talk  about  the  committee,  and  had  come 
down  to  see  it  ;  I  was  not  aware  that  the  committee  was  sitting  with 
closed  doors. 

5640.  Q.  Who  employed  you  to  come  here  and  give  this  testimony? 
A.  Nobody  employed  me;  1  was  served  with  a  subpoena  yesterdaj' 

afternoon. 

5641.  Q.  Is  that  the  gentleman  to  whom  you  refer?  (pointing  to  Mar- 
shal Murray.) 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

5642.  Q.  Did  anybody  send  you  here  to  spy  around  this  committee? 
A.  No,  sir. 

5643.  Q.  Has  not  anybody  talked  with  you  about  coming  here  ? 
A.  No,  sir ;  no  one  at  all. 

5644.  Q.  Did  you  take  breakfast  at  Sheriff  O'Brien's  house  on  th< 
morning  of  the  presidential  election  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  do  not  know  where  he  lives. 

New  York,  January  9, 1869. 
Eobert  Murray  recalled  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

5645.  Question.  Have  you  seen  the  witness,  John  Donohue,  who  has 
just  testified  before  this  committee  ? 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  531 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

5646.  Q.  State  if  you  had  any  conversation  with  him  on  Tuesday  last? 
A.  No,  sir  ;  I  never  had  on  Tuesday  last,  nor  upon  any  previous  time. 

5647.  Q.  Did  you  have  any  conversation  with  him  about  testifying 
>efore  this  committee  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

New  York,  January  9,  1869. 
David  Hogan  sworn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instance  of  Mr. 
£err.) 

To  Mr.  Kerr  : 

5648.  I  reside  at  No.  833  Third  avenue,  New  York  city;  I  am  a  hackman 
>y  occupation. 

5649.  Q.  Where  were  you  last  October  and  November  ? 
A.  In  New  York  city. 

5650.  Q.  Do  you  know  Marcus  Cicero  Stanley  ! 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

5651.  Q.  Do  you  know  Marshal  Murray? 
A.  I  do. 

5652.  Q.  Do  you  know  George  Wilkes  ? 
A.  Partially. 

5653.  Q.  Prior  to  last  November  election,  state  whether  you  had  any 
•onversation  with  any  of  those  gentlemen,  and  if  so,  with  whom  ? 

A.  I  had  a  conversation  with  Marshal  Murray  and  with  Marcus  Cicero 
Stanley  at  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel  in  this  city ;  I  think  it  was  the  28th 
)f  October. 

5654.  Q.  State  what  that  conversation  was. 

A.  It  was  in  reference  to  voting  and  getting  repeaters,  and  repeating 
nyself;  I  went  over  to  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel  with  a  friend  of  mine,  by  the 
larae  of  Ferguson,  and  also  one  by  the  name  of  Jones,  and  another  man 
vhose  name  I  do  not  recollect.  We  heard  that  there  was  a  good  deal  of 
msiness  going  on  at  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel  in  connection  with  the  election ; 

said  to  Ferguson  that  there  was  a  good  deal  of  money  floating  around 
here,  and  that  we  might  try  and  get  some  of  it.  I  went  there  and  saw 
vfarshal  Murray ;  he  said  he  wanted  me  to  get  10  good  men  to  vote  on 
lection  day  in  the  western  district  of  the  21st  ward,  and  one  or  two  dis- 
ricts  of  the  18th  ward,  and  he  asked  me  how  much  it  would  be  worth ; 

told  him  it  would  be  worth  $1,000 ;  Murray  said  that  was  too  much  ; 

e  talked  a  little  while,  and  he  finally  offered  me  $300  ;  I  said  I  would 
ike  it;  I  then  made  an  agreement  with  him  to  meet  him  at  the  Hoffman 
touse  the  night  before  the  election ;  we  went  there  that  night  and  met 
ini  there ;  he  introduced  us  to  a  man,  whom  I  had  not  seen  before,  with 
ery  heavy  black  whiskers,  and  he  paid  us  the  $300  ;  I  then  went  to  the 
ir-rooin  and  divided  it  up  between  myself,  Ferguson,  Jones,  and  the 
:ber  man. 

5655.  Q.  Who  paid  you  this  money? 

A.  The  man  with  the  heavy  whiskers  ;  I  do  not  know  his  name. 

5656.  Q.  What  were  Stanley's  political  relations  at  this  time  f 

A.  I  think  he  was  a  republican ;  Murray  did  all  the  talking  in  the 
Lsiness. 

5657.  Q.  In  what  interest  did  he  want  you  to  repeat  ? 
A.  In  the  interest  of  the  republican  party. 

5658.  Q.  What  did  yon  do  on  the  day  of  the  election  ? 
A.  I  repeated,  I  suppose,  at  least  14  times. 

5659.  Q.  Did  the  other  three  who  were  with  you  repeat  ? 


532  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW   YORK. 


A.  Yes,  sir. 

5G60.  Q.  Who  gave  you  the  names  upon  which  to  vote  ? 

A.  The  man  who  gave  us  the  money. 

5661.  Q.  Which  ticket  did  you  vote  ? 
A.  The  republican  ticket. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

5662.  Q.  Where  did  you  vote  ? 

A.  I  voted  all  over;  I  voted  in  the  4th,  5th,  9th,  and  14th  precincts  of 
the  21st  ward;  I  voted  again  down  in  Twenty  eighth  street;  I  do  not 
know  the  number  of  the  precinct, 

5663.  Q.  In  which  place  did  this  man  give  you  the  names  and  the 
numbers  upon  which  to  vote  ? 

A.  At  the  corner  of  Twenty-fourth  street  and  Third  avenue,  directly 
opposite  the  Compton  House ;  he  gave  them  to  us  in  the  bar-room  at  that  j 
place. 

5664.  Q.  Who  keeps  the  place  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know ;  I  had  never  been  there  before,  but  have  been  there ' 
since;  I  was  there  last  night;  I  saw  nobody  there  last  night ;  the  bar- j 
room,  1  suppose,  is  about  50  feet  in  length. 

5665.  Q.  Who  was  this  man  who  paid  you  the  money? 

A.  I  do  not  know.  I  never  saw  him  before,  and  have  not  seen  him 
since. 

5666.  Q.  In  which  part  of  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel  did  you  have  this 
conversation  with  Marshal  Murray  ! 

A.  In  the  lobby,  near  the  reading-room. 

5667.  Q.  Where  did  Marshal  Murray  introduce  you  to  this  man? 

A.  In  the  Hoffman  House;  we  were  standing  light  by  the  door  lead- 
ing to  the  bar-room. 

5668.  Q.  Upon  what  names  did  you  vote  ? 

A.  I  cannot  recollect  all  of  them ;  one  was  Charles  Hoff. 

5669.  Q.  Wliere  did  you  vote  upon  that  name  I 

A.  Either  the  4th  or  5th  precinct  of  the  21st  ward.  I  do  not  remem 
ber  any  other  names. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

5670.  Q.  Did  you  look  at  the  ballots  you  voted  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  went  to  the  republican  box  and  got  the  tickets  upon 
which  I  voted. 

5671.  Q.  What  are  your  politics? 
A.  I  am  a  democrat. 

5672.  Q.  And  you  say  you  voted  the  republican  ticket. 
A.  Yes,  sir;  I  voted  for  money. 

5673.  Q.  You  state  that  you  never  saw  this  man  who  paid  you  the 
money? 

A.  I  saw  the  man  when  he  paid  me  the  money;  I  had  never  seen  him 
before. 

5674.  Q.  Do  not  you  think  it  was  a  very  curious  transaction  for  a 
perfect  stranger  to  give  you  $300  before  you  had  done  any  work  for  hi 
at  all? 

A.  That  was  his  affair,  not  mine, 

5675.  Q.  Do  not  you  know  that  you  were  violating  the  law? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  did  not  think  much  of  it  at  the  time,  though ;  I  though 
more  of  the  money. 

5676.  Q.  Who  induced  you  to  come  here  and  testify  to  this? 
A.  1  was  told  that  I  was  wanted  here. 

5677.  Q.  Who  told  you? 


in) 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  533 

A.  A  democrat ;  his  name  is  Farley ;  I  do  not  know  his  first  name 
I  he  keeps  a  liquor  store  at  the  corner  of  Fifty-seventh  street  and  Third 
avenue. 

5678.  Q.  What  did  he  say  yon  were  to  do  down  here? 

A.  He  knew  that  I  had  repeated,  and  he  told  me  to  come  down  here 
!  and  tell  my  story.     He  said  there  was  a  commission  sitting  here  inquir- 
ing into  frauds,  and  that,  if  I  was  a  good  democrat,  I  would  come  down 
here  and  tell  what  I  knew  about  them. 

5679.  Q.  Who  came  with  you  here? 

A.  Mr.  Ferguson.     He  was  with  me  when  I  repeated. 

5680.  Q.  Did  you  vote  more  than  once  at  any  one  precinct  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

5681.  Q.  Were  you  challenged  at  any  precinct  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  was  challenged  in  the  9th  precinct  of  the  21st  ward. 
The  man  who  challenged  me  got  shot  afterwards.  I  do  not  know  his 
name. 

By  the  Chairman: 

5682.  Q.  What  time  in  the  day  did  you  see  Marshal  Murray  at  the 
Fifth  Avenue  Hotel? 

A.  I  think  it  was  about  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening. 

5683.  Q.  What  time  did  you  see  him  at  the  Hoffman  House  ? 
A.  About  eight  or  nine  o'clock. 

5684.  Q.  What  was  this  man  shot  for  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know ;  I  saw  a  notice  of  it  in  the  paper  the  next  day. 
By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

5685.  Q.  How  long  have  you  known  Marcus  Cicero  Stanley? 
A.  By  reputation,  for  many  years. 

5686.  Q.  Where  is  your  stand  as  hackman? 
A.  At  Jersey  City  ferry. 

5687.  How  do  you  know  that  Marshal  Murray  had  anything  to  do 
with  the  payment  of  the  money  at  the  Hoffman  House  ? 

A.  Nothing  but  what  this  man  told  me. 

5688.  Q.  Is  this  Marshal  Murray  now  present  ? 
A.  It  is,  sir. 

New  York,  January  9,  1869. 
Robert  Murray  recalled  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

5689.  Question.  Have  you  seen  the  witness,  David  Hogan,  who  has 
just  testified  before  this  committee? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

5690.  Q.  State  whether  you  ever  saw  him  before. 
A.  Never,  to  my  knowledge. 

]  5691.  Q.  Did  you  have  any  conversation  with  him  at  the  Fifth  Avenue 
|  Hotel  shortly  before  the  last  presidential  election  in  reference  to  repeat- 
ing ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

5692.  Q.  Did  you  introduce  anybody  to  him  or  him  to  anybody  at  the 
Hoffman  House  ? 

A.  No,  sir $  I  was  not  at  the  Hoffman  House  during  election  or  pre- 
vious to  it. 

5693.  Q.  Did  you  see  any  man  with  black  whiskers,  or  have  any  con- 
sultation with  any  man  with  black  whiskers,  about  repeating  for  the 
republican  party  ? 


534  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  never  had  any  conversation  with  any  man  about  repeat- 
ing, either  at  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel,  at  the  Hoffman  House,  or  at  any 
other  place. 

New  York,  January  9,  18G9. 
H.  B.  Gifford  recalled  and  examined,  (at  the  instance  of  Mr.  Kerr.) 
By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

5694.  Who  is  that  man,  (pointing  to  J.  H.  White)? 
A.  That  is  J.  H.  White. 

5695.  Q.  Is  that  the  man  about  whom  you  testified? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

5696.  Q.  You  stated  in  your  testimony  that  Mr.  White  sent  for  you  to 
meet  him  at  the  Union  League  club,  how  did  he  send  for  you  ? 

A.  By  a  boy  j  I  do  not  know  his  name.  The  boy  had  on  gray  clothes 
and  a  fur  cap.  The  boy  came  up  to  me  and  said  that  Mr.  White  would' 
like  to  see  me  and  Mr.  Darling  at  the  Union  League  club  that  night.  II 
said,  "Very  well."  I  went  to  Mr.  Darling  and  told  him  that  the  boy  had 
brought  a  message  from  Mr.  White  for  us  to  meet  him  at  the  Union 
League  club  rooms  that  night.  We  started  to  go  down  there  15  or  20 
minutes  before  seven.  We  got  there  about  10  minutes  before  the' 
appointed  time,  and  were  waiting  there  on  the  side-walk  in  front  of  the- 
Union  League  when  Mr.  White  came  up. 

5697.  Q.  Why  did  you  not  go  into  the  club-room? 
A.  Because  I  was  not  known  there. 

5698.  Q.  I  would  like  to  have  you  state  just  what  Mr.  White  said  to 
you  when  he  met  you. 

A.  He  came  up  to  me  and  says  he,  "Your  name  is  Gifford?"  1  said 
"  Yes."  He  then  asked  me  if  I  would  not  go  down  before  the  congres-' 
sional  committee  and  give  evidence  as  to  frauds  being  perpetrated  by  the' 
democratic  party  at  the  presidential  election.  I  told  him  that  I  knew  of, 
no  frauds  committed  by  the  democratic  party  at  that  election.  He  said 
that  made  no  material  difference ;  if  I  would  swear  to  an  affidavit  that' 
he  would  draw  up,  it  would  be  all  right,  and  he  would  pay  me  liberally 
for  doing  so.  I  do  not  know  whether  he  said  he  would  pay  me  or  I  would; 
be  paid  liberally. 

5699.  Q.  Do  you  know  why  Mr.  White  sent  for  you  to  inquire  about 
frauds  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know,  unless  it  is  because  I  was  a  member  of  the  repub- 
lican party  up  to  the  last  election ;  he  also  knew  that  I  lived  in  Third, 
avenue  near  Thirty-ninth  street,  and  I  presume  he  thought  that  if  therej 
were  any  frauds  going  on  I  would  know  about  them. 

5700.  Q.  State  the  exact  place  where  this  conversation  occurred. 

A.  It  was  on  Twenty-sixth  street,  30  or  40  feet  from  Madison  avenue, 
very  near  the  entrance  to  the  Union  League. 

5701.  Q.  Which  evening  was  this  ? 
A.  Tuesday  evening,  a  week  ago. 

5702.  Q.  How  old  a  boy  was  it  who  brought  you  the  message? 
A.  He  was  about  14  years  of  age,  I  should  judge.    He  had  on  a  gray 

sack  coat  and  pants ;  I  could  not  see  his  vest. 

5703.  Q.  Did  you  intimate  to  your  friend,  Darling,  that  there  was 
any  money  in  it  ? 

A.  No,  sir.     I  did  not  know  whether  there  was  or  not. 

5704.  Q.  Was  there  nothing  said  about  money? 

A.  Not  on  the  first  evening.    I  told  him,  after  I  came  away  from 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  535 

here,  that  if  they  wanted  anybody  to  commit  a  fraud  we  might  as  well 
nake  something  out  of  it  as  not. 

5704.  Q.  How  were  you  to  make  anything  out  of  it  ? 

A.  I  thought  we  might  come  down  here  and  make  some  statement 
hat  would  not  amount  to  anything,  and  then  get  them  to  pay  us  for  it. 

5705.  Q.  Do  you  think  that  was  perfectly  honorable  ? 
A.  As  honorable  as  this  proposition  to  us. 

5706.  Q.  When  did  you  see  this  Mr.  Banker  in  reference  to  your  tes- 
imony  here  I 

A.  I  think  it  was  last  Saturday  evening.  I  told  Mr.  Banker  the  facts 
!  a  the  case,  and  he  said  it  was  our  duty  to  come  down  here  and  give 
■vidence  before  this  committee.    I  told  him  I  was  very  willing  to  do  so. 

5707.  Q.  What  else  did  he  say  ? 
A.  Nothing  else. 

5708.  Q.  Did  he  offer  you  any  inducement  I 
A.  No,  sir. 

5709.  Q.  Have  you  been  offered  any  inducements  by  anybody  to  come 
lere  and  testify  ! 

A.  No,  sir. 

5710.  Q.  Have  you  been  promised  any  t 
A.  No,  sir. 

5711.  Q.  Do  you  expect  anything  ? 
A.  I  do  not. 

New  York,  January  9,  1869. 

John  H.  White  recalled  and  examined. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

5712.  Question.  State  if  you  have  seen  the  witness,  H.  B.  Gifford, 
vho  has  just  testified  before  this  committee  % 

Answer.  I  have. 

5713.  Q.  State  what  interview,  if  any,  you  had  with  him  on  last  Tues- 
lay  evening,  a  week  ago,  in  front  of  or  near  the  Union  League  club 
louse  ? 

A.  I  had  no  interview  with  him  at  that  place  or  any  other,  to  my 
:nowledge.     I  was  not  at  or  near  the  club  house  that  evening. 

5714.  Q.  State  if  you  sent  any  boy  with  a  message  to  him  to  meet 
rou  there  that  evening,  or  anywhere  else  ! 

A.  Never,  in  my  life. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

5715.  Q.  Do  you  know  where  this  man  lives,  or  anything  about  him  f 
A.  No,  sir ;  I  do  not  know  that  I  have  ever  seen  him  before.     He  may 

iave  seen  me  around  the  courts,  or  in  the  City  Hall. 

5716.  Q.  State  if  you  saw  Henry  Darling  with  this  man  at  or  near 
he  Union  League  club  house  last  Tuesday  evening,  a  week  ago,  or  any 
ther  time  ! 

A.  I  did  not.  I  have  never  seen  such  a  man,  to  my  knowledge,  either 
here  or  elsewhere.  I  can  state  to  the  committee,  by  referring  to  some 
lemorandum  that  I  have  at  home,  where  I  was  that  night,  but  my  mind 
3  not  now  entirely  fixed  as  to  where  I  was.  My  impression  is  that  I 
>Tas  where  there  were  50  gentlemen  from  7  o'clock  in  the  evening  till  10 
t  night.  I  desire  to  state  that  the  whole  story  is  a  fabrication  from 
•eginning  to  end  j  that  I  never  had  such  conversation  with  mortal  man. 


536  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

New  York,  January  9r  1869, 
H.  B.  Gifford  recalled  and  examined,  (at  the  instance  of  Mr.  Kerr.) 
By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

5717.  Question.  Do  you  kndw  that  man  ?  (pointing  to  Christopher  Pull- 
man.) 

Answer.  I  do. 

5718.  Q.  Who  is  he? 

A.  Christopher  Pullman. 

New  York,  January  9,  1M>9. 
Christopher  Pullman  called  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

6719.  Question.  State  if  you  had  any  conversation  with  11.  B.  Gilford,  i 
who  lias  just  testified  before  this  committee,  two  or  three  days  previous 
to  the  State  election  in  Pennsylvania,  in  reference  to  his  going  to  Phila- 
delphia? 

Answer.   I  had  none  whatever. 

5720.  Q.  Did  you  have  any  interview  with  him  about  going  to  Phila- 
delphia l 

A.  No,  sir.     I  have  had  no  conversation  with  him  whatever.     I  meet  J 
him  occasionally  on  the  street,  and  pass  the  compliments  of  the  day; 
that  is  all. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

5721.  Q.  Do  you  know  who  has  organized  an  office  in  Jersey  City ; 
for  the  purpose  of  receiving  men  who  might  be  sent  over  there,  and  '■ 
examining  them  in  reference  to  testifying  before  this  committee! 

A.  No ;  I  do  not.     I  never  heard  of  any  such  office  before. 

New  York,  January  9,  1869. 
J.  Malcolm  Smith  sworn  and  examined. 
To  the  Chairman  : 

5722.  I  reside  at  White  Plains,  Westchester  county,  New  York.    I 
am    clerk    of  Westchester  county ;    I  present   to    the  committee,  as  j 
requested  by  them,  a  statement  of  the  number  of  persons  naturalized  in 
that  county  from  the  year  1858  to  1868,  both  inclusive,  with  the  number  | 
of  persons  naturalized  upon  each  day  in  the  month  of  October,  1868. 
There  were  138  persons  naturalized  in  October,  1868.    We  naturalized  a 
good  many  previously  to  the  town  meetings.     The  supreme  court  and  . 
the  county  court  both  have  jurisdiction  in  reference  to  naturalization. 
There  were  very  few  persons  naturalized  in  the  supreme  court,  proba- 
bly  25.     I  have  a  deputy  clerk ;  his  name  is  Wright  Banks.     We  both 
act  with  the  democratic  party.     Judge  Cochran,  who  presides  over  the  , 
county  court,  is  also  a  democrat.     Mr.  Banks  has  acted  as  my  deputy 
since  January  1,  1868,  and  still  does. 

To  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

5723.  My  deputy  made  out  most  of  the  certificates  of  naturalization. 
We  never  made  out  any  certificates  for  parties  who  did  not  appear  in 
person.  When  the  party  appears  to  be  naturalized,  myself  or  my  dep- 
uty go  into  the  court-room  with  the  applicant,  the  judge  examines  him, 
and  when  he  has  passed  upon  the  papers,  either  myself  or  my  deputy  | 
makes  out  the  certificates.  The  court-room  is  on  the  second  floor  of  the 
court-house  j  my  office  is  on  the  first  floor. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  537 

5724.  Q.  Do  you  not  know  that  a  great  many  parties  have  been 
naturalized  who  would  not  go  into  the  court-room  ! 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  do  not  believe  there  is  one  case.     I  never  heard  of  any. 

5725.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  your  own  knowledge  that  certificates  of 
naturalization  have  not  been  issued  to  parties  who  never  went  iuto  the 
court-rooin  ? 

A.  I  do  not  believe  that  such  a  thing  has  occurred. 

5726.  Q.  Do  you  know  that  that  is  not  so  ? 

A.  Not  having  been  always  in  the  court-room  I  cannot  say  positively 
of  my  own  knowledge. 

5727.  Q.  You  say  your  deputy  made  out  most  of  the  certificates  $  has 
he  a  right  to  sign  your  name  ? 

A.  Yes ;  he  signs  my  name.  There  is  a  law  that  empowers  the  deputy 
clerk,  in  the  absence  of  the  clerk,  to  sign  his  name. 

5728.  Q.  Does  he  sign  his  name  or  your  name? 

A.  He  signs  my  name,  the  only  distinction  being  in  the  handwriting. 

5729.  Q.  Did  he  sign  most  of  the  certificates  of  naturalization? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  he  signed  most  of  them.  I  had  charge  of  the  office 
proper,  and  he  attended  to  that  portion  of  the  court  business  relative  to 
naturalization. 

By  Mr.  Ross  : 

5730.  Q.  Can  men  come  into  the  clerk's  office  and  obtain  final  papers 
without  going  into  the  court-room  at  all ! 

A.  No,  sir. 

5731.  Q.  Do  you  know  anything  about  a  man  by  the  name  of  John 
Lee  getting  papers  through  % 

A.  No,  sir. 

5732.  Q.  Do  you  know  anything  about  Thomas  Smith  bringing  a  lot 
of  men  into  the  court-house  and  getting  illegal  naturalization  papers  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  know  of  no  person  going  there  and  obtaining  illegal 
naturalization  pa  pers. 

5733.  Q.  Do  you  think  it  could  have  been  done  1 
A.  I  do  not ;  I  have  no  idea  that  it  has  been  done. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

5734.  Q.  Do  you  know  Thomas  Smith,  of  Hastings  ? 

A.  Yes;  I  know  of  his  bringing  men  there  at  different  times. 

5735.  Q.  Do  you  recollect  delivering  certificates  of  naturalization  to 
persons  he  brought  there  \ 

A.  Yes ;  I  do  remember  once  delivering  papers  to  a  man  he  brought 
there. 

5736.  Q.  How  were  you  paid  for  naturalization  ! 

A.  I  received  the  usual  fee ;  sometimes  I  charged  it,  sometimes  I  did 
not.  In  reference  to  obtaining  papers  without  appearing  in  court,  I 
would  say  that  the  practice  in  the  county  court  was  for  some  time  for 
applicants  to  go  before  the  clerk  in  the  clerk's  office  and  there  make 
their  affidavits  and  obtain  the  papers  from  the  clerk.  This  would  occur 
when  the  court  was  not  in  session,  but  we  would  take  it  for  granted  that 

!  there  was  an  open  court.  That  has  always  been  the  practice  until  1868, 
when  I  protested  against  it,  and  the  judge  issued  an  order  that  the 
applicant  should  appear  before  him  in  every  case,  and  he  would  open 
court  expressly  for  that  purpose. 

5737.  Q.  These  affidavits  then  were  made  in  the  clerk's  office  ! 

A.  Yes ;  that  was  the  practice  under  Judge  Robertson.  They  were 
made  in  the  clerk's  office  when  there  was  no  court  sitting. 

5738.  Q.  The  judge  did  not  see  the  witnesses  then  I 
A.  No,  sir. 


538  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

5730.  Q.  They  were  not  examined  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  we  would  swear  them  to  the  printed  form  upon  the  appli- 
cation in  the  clerk's  office.  I  found  this  to  be  the  practice  when  I  took  I 
charge  of  the  office,  and  I  continued  the  practice  for  some  time.  When  i 
the  number  of  applications  began  to  increase  in  September  last,  I  told 
the  judge  I  thought  it  was  his  duty  to  order  naturalization,  and  that  the  ! 
clerk  should  not  be  held  responsible.  He  agreed  with  me  and  entered  , 
an  order  to  that  effect,  and  since  that  time  he  has  taken  charge  of  it. 

5740.  Q.  How  did  you  swear  the  witness? 

A.  The  affidavit  was  read  to  him  and  the  witness  signed  it;  then  the    j 
affidavit  was  repeated  to  him  in  the  form  of  an  oath,  as  for  instance: 
"You  swear  that  you  have  been  acquainted  with  so  and  so,"  &c. 

5741.  Q.  In  what  manner  did  the  judge,  in  those  cases  where  witnesses  • 
were  sworn  in  the  clerk's  office,  indicate  that  certificates  of  naturalization  , 
should  be  issued  ! 

A.  In  those  cases  the  judge  was  not  consulted.     That  was  the  practice 
up  to  September  last. 

5742.  Q.  Did  he  know  that  you  were  engaged  in  issuing  naturalization 
Certificates  in  that  way  ! 

A.  Yes,  sir;  that  has  always  been  the   practice  both  under  Judge 
Robinson  and  the  previous  judges. 
By  Mr.  KERB  : 

574.3.  Q.  How  long  have  you  lived  in  White  Plains? 

A.  Only  since  I  have  held  the  office  of  county  clerk.  I  have  lived  in 
Westchester  county  all  my  life.  I  was  an  attorney  and  counsellor  at  law, 
and  resided  at  Sing  Sing.  I  have  attended  nearly  every  court  that  has 
sat  for  the  last  five  years,  and  have  been  somewhat  actively  identified  J 
with  the  democratic  party.  I  have  had  personal  observation  of  the 
manner  in  which  naturalization  business  has  been  conducted  in  the 
county  court  for  nearly  10  years.  During  all  that  time  it  was  transacted 
in  the  way  I  have  mentioned. 

5744.  Q.  Do  you  suppose  it  was  possible  during  the  time  the  judge 
transacted  this  naturalization  business,  lor  a  person  to  go  there  and   ! 
obtain  naturalization  certificates  without  a  witness  I 

A.  No,  sir. 

5745.  Q.  Was  it  practicable  for  a  person  to  be  witness  and  applicant 
at  the  same  time  ! 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  candidly  believe  that  no  application  has  been  granted 
unless  there  was  sufficient  proof  that  the  applicant  was  entitled  to  it. 
By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

5746.  Q.  Did  you  ever  permit  applicants  who  came  there  to  be  wit-  ( 
nesses  for  one  another ! 

A.  It  was  frequently  the  case  that  parties  would  come  there  who  knew 
each  other.     We  wrould  first  naturalize  one  man,  who  would  bring  a  citi-    j 
zen  as  a  witness.    After  he  was  naturalized  he  would  go  witness  for  one 
of  the  other  party  whom  he  knew. 
By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

5747.  Q.  State  if  it  was  possible,  so  far  as  you  know,  for  a  person  to 
become  naturalized  by  reason  of  perjury  either  of  witness  or  applicant. 

A.  No,  sir. 

The  following  is  the  statement  presented  by  the  witness : 
Statement  from  the  records  of  the  clerk's  office  of  the  county  of  West- 
chester of  the  number  of  persons  naturalized  in  the  county  of  Westches- 
ter in  the  years  1858  to  1868,  both  inclusive:  1858,48;  1859,99;  1860, 
139  ;  1861,43;  1862,  23;  1863,11;  1864,  176;  1865,16;  1866,  49;  1867, 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  539 

50  ;  1868,  502.  Number  of  persons  naturalized  each  clay  in  the  month 
of  October,  1868,  (included  in  above  statement  for  1868:)  October  3,  44 ; 
7, 1 ;  12, 2 ;  13, 13  ;  16,  5 ;  17,  51 ;  21,  4 ;  24, 17  j  27, 1.    Total,  138. 

New  York,  January  9,  1869. 
Florence  Scannel  sworn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instance  of 
Mr.  Kerr.) 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

5748.  Question.  State  your  residence  and  occupation. 

Answer.  I  reside  corner  Twenty-fourth  street  and  Third  avenue ;  1  am  in 
the  horse  business. 

5749.  Q.  How  long  have  you  lived  in  the  city  t 
A.  I  was  born  here. 

5750.  Q.  Do  you  know  Marcus  Cicero  Stanley  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

5751.  Q.  Do  you  know  Marshal  Murray  ! 

A.  I  know  him  by  sight ;  I  have  never  spoken  to  him. 

5752.  Q.  Do  you  know  George  Wilkes  ! 

A.  I  have  spoken  to  him,  but  do  not  know  him  intimately. 

5753.  Q.  Did  you  have  any  conversation  with  Mr.  Stanley,  in  company 
with  Mr.  Wilkes  ?  If  so,  state  when  and  where,  and  the  nature  of  the 
conversation. 

A.  I  had,  about  a  week  before  the  November  election.  I  met  him  at 
the  Fifth-avenue  Hotel  in  this  city.  I  agreed  with  him  to  register  a  num- 
ber of  names  and  leave  them  unvoted,  provided  they  would  give  me  two 
republican  canvassers  in  the  December  election.  I  fulfilled  my  part  of 
the  contract,  but  they  did  not  theirs. 

5754.  Q.  With  whom  did  you  make  this  contract  ! 

A.  I  made  it  with  both  Stanley  and  Wilkes.  I  was  a  candidate  for 
assistant  alderman  in  the  municipal  election  in  December.  1  had  made 
a  fight  against  Hoffman  at  the  convention  in  Albany ;  did  my  best  to 
get  Murphy  nominated,  and  I  thought  the  democrats  would  oppose  me 
pretty  strongly.  I  knew  that  Tammany  Hall  had  a  feeling  against  me, 
and  I  thought  that  if  I  could  get  two  republican  canvassers  I  would  have 
a  certain  thing  of  it ;  but  Wilkes  and  Stanley  went  back  on  me. 

5755.  Q.  How  could  Wilkes  and  Stanley  get  these  canvassers  nominated? 
A.  They  could  have  sent  the  names  to  the  leaders  of  the  republican 

organizations  of  the  ward,  got  the  two  republican  canvassers  who  were 
appointed  to  resign,  and  then  sent  in  my  names  to  Police  Commissioner 
Manniere. 

5756.  Q.  How  would  you  be  benefited  by  the  appointment  of  these 
canvassers  ! 

A.  If  I  could  have  got  two  republicans  appointed,  whom  I  would 
name,  they  would  do  almost  anything  1  told  them. 

5757.  Q.  What  would  you  tell  them  to  do  ? 

A.  I  would  tell  them  to  give  me  all  the  votes  they  could. 

5758.  Q.  What  did  you  do  for  Wilkes  and  Stanley ! 

A.  I  registered  150  or  200  names  in  my  ward.  I  voted  some  myself, 
ancUeft  some  for  them  to  vote. 

5759.  Q.  How  many  of  these  names  were  of  men  legally  entitled  to 
vote  * 

A.  I  cannot  tell  that ;  probably  none,  probably  a  dozen. 
5700.  Q.  How  many  men  registered  these  150  or  200  names'? 
A.  About  30  men ;  they  registered  about  five  apiece. 
5761.  Q.  Can  you  tell  where  they  registered  i 


540  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW   YORK. 

A.  I  cannot;  they  registered  tor  almost  every  house  in  the  district 
where  I  lived. 

5762.  Q.  What  district  is  that  I 

A.  The  18th  ward. 

57G3.  Q.  How  many  of  those  names  did  you  leave  unvoted? 

A.  I  probably  voted  a  hundred. 

5761.  Q.  Did  you  give  those  names  to  Wilkes  or  Stanley  t 

A.  I  did;  I  gave  them,  I  think,  50  or  (JO  names.  I  fulfilled  what  I 
agreed  to  do,  but  they  left  me  in  the  lurch. 

5705.  Q.  You  say  that  .Marcus  Cicero  Stanley  and  George  Wilkes 
voted  those  names  I 

A.  I  cannot  say  who  voted  them.  I  was  asked  the  day  before  elec- 
tion to  send  nobody  to  vote  upon  the  names.  I  told  them  that  was  the 
understanding,  and  they  might  bet  that  I  would  not  do  it. 

5766.  Q.  Who  asked  you  that  ! 

A.  A  man  who  lives  in  my  ward.  I  would  not  like  to  mention  his 
name.  lie  is  a  man  of  business  and  of  respectability,  and  did  it  for  these 
people  merely  as  an  act  of  kindness.  I  would  not  have  come  here  and 
made  any  statement,  if  those  fellows  had  carried  out  their  contract 
with  me. 

5707.  Q.  At  the  time  you  had  this  conversation  with  Stanley  and 
Wilkes,  was  any  consideration  offered  by  way  of  money  I 

A.  No,  sir;  they  knew  me  well  enough.  They  knew  that  if  I  said  I 
would  do  anything,  they  could  count  upon  it  that  it  would  be  done.  I 
was  a  candidate  at  the  December  election,  and  I  was  willing  to  strain 
everything  to  gain  my  point.  I  did  all  that  1  could  do;  organized  all 
the  combinations  that  I  could,  but  when  it  came  down  for  Wilkes  and 
Stanley  to  do  their  part,  they  weakened. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

5768.  Q.  For  whom  did  you  vote  at  the  last  presidential  election! 
A.  I  voted  the  Seymour  electoral  ticket.     I  often  vote  for  republican 

candidates.     I  vote  for  any  good  man,  regardless  of  politics. 

5769.  Q.  What  office  do  you  hold  in  this  city  now  f 

A.  I  do  not  hold  any.  I  was  member  of  the  common  council  in  1868. 
I  represented  the  same  district  that  Brooks  does,  and  polled  7,000  more 
votes  than  he  did. 

5770.  Q.  Which  Wilkes  do  you  refer  to  ? 

A.  George  Wilkes,  the  editor  of  the  Spirit  of  the  Times.  I  never 
knew  him  before,  but  I  heard  his  word  was  very  good. 

5771.  Q.  When  did  this  conversation  occur? 

A.  A  week  before  the  November  election.  I  met  Stanley  first,  and 
he  told  me  to  go  to  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel.  I  went  there  and  met  Wilkes. 
He  was  in  the  little  office  near  the  Twenty-third  street  entrance  when 
this  conversation  took  place. 

5772.  Q.  Were  those  all  fictitious  names  that  you  registered! 

A.  I  guess  they  Avere;  they  must  have  been  fictitious,  because  30 
respectable  men  would  not  register  150  names. 

5773.  Q.  Which  houses  did  they  register  at? 

A.  I  cannot  tell ;  different  houses.  I  voted  some  of  the  names  myself, 
and  gave  the  rest  to  Stanley.  They  did  not  want  the  names  so  much 
for  the  electoral  ticket  as  they  did  for  the  governor. 

5774.  Q.  Those  persons  who  voted  upon  your  fictitious  names,  did  they 
vote  the  democratic  ticket? 

A.  I  cannot  tell  whether  they  did  or  not. 

5775.  Q.  Did  you  have  any  understanding  with  these  men  that  they 
were  to  vote  the  democratic  ticket? 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  £41 

A.  I  never  had  an  understanding  with  a  voter  in  my  life. 

5776.  Q.  How  many  men  did  you  get  to  vote  upon  the  names  you  reg- 
istered? 

A.  About  20,  I  guess.     They  voted  upon  from  70  to  100  names. 

5777.  Q.  Did  they  vote  several  times  ? 

A.  Not  that  I  know  of.  I  suppose  some  of  them  voted  two  or  three 
times. 

5778.  Q.  Did  you  give  them  slips  of  paper  with  names  and  numbers 
on? 

,     A.  Yes. 

5779.  Q.  Do  you  know  that  Wilkes,  or  anybody  else,  got  in  any  votes 
,  upon  the  names  you  gave  them? 

A.  I  do  not  know ;  I  know  that  I  gave  him  the  list. 

5780.  Q.  To  whom  did  you  give  that  list? 

A.  I  gave  it  to  a  man  who  lives  in  my  ward.     I  registered  a  lot  of 
names,  and  told  the  democrats  not  to  vote  them,  as  they  were  to  be 
,  voted  by  the  republicans. 

5781.  Q.  You  do  not  know,  of  your  own  knowledge,  whether  they 
I  were  voted  on  or  not  ? 

A.  I  do  not;  but  the  man  to  whom  I  gave  the  list,  who  came  from 
,  Wilkes,  said  that  he  was  going  to  vote  upon  them,  and  I  took  his  word 
for  it.    I  knew  that  he  did  not  lie. 

5782.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  persons  engaged  in  repeating? 

A.  I  have  nothing  to  do  with  other  people's  business.  I  am  telling 
;  what  I  do,  and  that  is  bad  enough.     I  am  giving  myself  a  pretty  bad 

I  character  for  a  lot  of  politicians  who  would  not  walk  from  here  to  the 
door  for  me. 
5783.  Q,  Do  you  know  of  any  person  engaged  in  repeating  in  any 
other  ward  besides  the  18th? 

A.  I  do  not  like  to  answer  any  such  question.  I  came  here  to  tell  just 
what  I  have  done;  I  think  that  is  bad  enough.  I  have  showed  myself 
up  as  a  loafer  from  beginning  to  end,  and  I  do  not  want  to  meddle  with 
anybody  else's  matters.  1  would  not  be  here  at  all  had  Wilkes  and  his 
men  done  what  they  promised.  I  registered  so  many  men  for  the  repub- 
licans, and  they  voted  them,  and  when  I  asked  them  to  do  something 
for  me  I  could  not  find  them. 

By  Mr.  Eoss : 

5784.  Q.  Was  it  the  agreement  that  the  republicans  would  vote  for 
these  names  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

5785.  Q.  To  whom  did  you  give  those  names  ? 

A.  To  a  man  whose  name  I  would  not  mention ;  he  is  a  republican, 
and  one  of  the  strongest  who  live. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

5786.  Q.  I  want  you  to  state  that  name . 

A.  I  refuse  to  do  it ;  I  would  rather  go  to  the  Tombs  all  my  life  than 
do  it. 

5787.  Q  Did  this  man  vote  for  you  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  whether  he  did  or  not ;  I  would  be  willing  to  bet, 
however,  that  he  did ;  a  great  many  republicans  voted  for  me  because 
they  know  whenever  they  have  a  good  candidate  1  vote  for  him. 

5788.  Q.  I  insist  upon  an  answer  to  my  question. 
A.  I  cannot  answer  it. 

5789.  Q.  Do  you  know  that  you  render  yourself  liable  to  be  imprisoned 
by  refusing  to  answer  it? 


542  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

A.  I  am  very  well  aware  of  that ;  if  a  man  is  not  willing  to  suffer  pun- 
ishment rather  than  to  show  up  a  respectable  man  before  the  community, 
he  does  not  amount  to  much. 

5790.  Q.  Then  you  refuse  to  answer  that  question  ? 

A.  I  do. 

571)1.  Q.  State  if  you  know  any  person,  or  persons,  who  were  engaged 
in  voting  more  than  once  in  any  ward  in  this  city  at  the  last  presidential 
election  ? 

A.  I  had  nothing  to  do  with  anybody  else's  business. 

5792.  Q.  Who  keeps  the  Compton  House  ? 
A.  My  brother  keeps  it. 

5793.  Q.  Do  you  know  who  were  living  at  that  house  in  November 
last? 

A.  There  were  so  many  living  there  that  I  cannot  tell  the  names. 

5794.  Q.  Did  you  not  register  fictitious  names  from  the  Compton 
House  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  did. 

5795.  Q.  Look  at  this  list  of  persons  registered  as  living  in  the  Comp- 
ton House,  mentioned  in  the  testimony  of  Mr.  Mabee,  and  say  which  of 
them  lived  at  the  Compton  House  in  November  last . 

A.  I  cannot  say  how  many  people  1  know  ;  sonic  few  names  I  recognize. 

5790.  Q.  State  them. 

A.  Christopher  Brown,  Daniel  Brown,  Patrick  Boylan,  Wm.  Burgoyn, 
Daniel  A.  Creamer,  Charles  Davis,  Pierce  English,  Patrick  Fitzsim- 
mons,  John  Flood,  James  Gardner,  F.  A.  Hauckey,  James  Lewis,  Albert 
A.  Meigs,  Henry  Owens,  John  Rollins,  J.J.  Scannel,  (that  is  my  brother,) 
and  Florence  Scannel,  myself;  Wm.  O'Brien,  whose  name  is  on  the  list, 
I  know,  but  he  does  not  live  at  that  house ;  there  are  50  men  who  live 
at  the  Compton  House,  and  who  voted  from  that  place,  whose  names  are 
not  on  the  list  j  the  names  I  have  mentioned  are  of  men  who  work  for 
me ;  that  is  the  reason  I  recollect  them ;  I  may  know  all  of  them  by 
sight ;  my  recollection  is  very  poor. 
By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

5797.  Q.  Did  you  have  care  of  the  repeaters  in  the  18th  ward  ? 
A.  No,  sir ;  I  had  not  care  of  more  than  a  few  of  them. 

5798.  Q.  How  large  a  number  of  men  known  as  repeaters  did  you 
furnish  ballots  to  f 

A.  I  did  not  furnish  hardly  any. 

5799.  Q.  Who  did  furnish  tickets  to  the  men  you  had  registered  I 
A.  I  have  nothing  to  say  as  to  who  did. 

5800.  Q.  Do  you  know  who  did  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

5801.  Q.  State  to  the  committee  their  names. 
A.  I  cannot  answer  that ;  that  would  not  be  honest  to  my  friends. 

5802.  Q.  You  say  you  did  furnish  the  slips  with  the  names  that  you 
had  registered  % 

A.  I  furnished  them  one  election. 

5803.  Q.  I  speak  of  the  presidential  election  ? 
A.  I  did  not  furnish  the  names  of  probably  more  than  10,  because 

there  were  other  men  for  that  business. 

5804.  Q.  You  say  you  furnished  10  ? 
A.  It  was  probably  10.     It  might  not  have  been  over  three  or  four. 

There  were  other  men  who  were  doing  this  work.     They  were  doing  it 
for  me,  to  benefit  my  election ;  that  was  what  the  whole  thing  was  for. 

5805.  Q.  You  say  you  had  men  registered  in  every  precinct  in  the  18th 
ward? 


ELECTION  FEAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  543 

A.  Not  every  one.  I  did  not  register  the  names  myself ;  I  sent  them 
to  be  registered. 

5806.  Q.  How  many  men  did  yon  send  ont  to  register  these  names  % 
A.  Probably  30.  It  might  have  been  only  20. 

5807.  Q.  Do  yon  know  the  names  of  any  of  those  men  yon  employed 
in  this  way  f 

A.  I  have  nothing  to  say  about  it. 

5808.  Q.  Do  you  know  the  names  ? 

A.  I  know  the  name  of  one.     I  do  not  know  that  I  can  recollect  any  more. 

5809.  Q.  What  kind  of  character  had  these  men  ? 
A.  I  do  not  know ;  I  never  investigated  it. 

5810.  Q.  Give  the  committee  the  name  of  the  man  whom  you  recollect 
furnishing  names  to  be  registered  ? 

A.  I  do  not  want  to  answer  that  question.  He  is  a  young  man, 
i  respectable  and  industrious,  and  if  there  is  anybody  to  be  shown  up  in 
this  thing,  I  want  it  to  fall  upon  me,  and  not  upon  men  who  have  been 
my  friends. 

5811.  Q.  We  require  you  to  answer  that  question. 

A.  I  would  be  pretty  tightly  squeezed  before  I  would  answer  that 
question. 

5812.  Q.  Do  not  you  know  that  these  men,  Stanley  and  W^ilkes,  were 
trying  to  draw  you  in  to  ascertain  these  facts,  and  never  intended  to 
carry  out  their  programme  ? 

A.  Stanley  knows  me  too  well  to  undertake  such  work.    We  have 

always  been  friends ;  I  think  his  intention  was  good,  and  I  would  almost 

bet  my  life  upon  Stanley's  word.     I  was  at  one  time  the  only  man  in 

|  New  York  who  would  believe  him.     If  he  had  given  me  his  word,  I  would 

I  have  gone  out  and  bet  $100  to  one  that  he  would  have  kept  it.     I  do  not 
believe  it  his  fault  that  the  agreement  failed. 
5813.  Q.  Whose  fault  was  it? 
A.  I  do  not  know. 

'5811.  Q.  You  say  your  consideration  was  that  you  would  have  two 
republican  canvassers  whom  you  wrere  to  name  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  they  were  to  be  appointed  at  the  presidential  election, 
and  I  gave  my  word  that  Griswold  would  get  every  vote  that  wTas  com- 
ing to  him,  and  that  Grant  would  get  every  vote  that  was  coming  to 
him,  and  I  would  get  the  men  we  appointed  for  the  municipal  election. 

5815.  Q.  Then  these  canvassers  must  perform  a  very  important  part 
of  the  election? 

A.  I  should  think  they  did.  If  I  had  had  my  two  men  I  guess  I  would 
have  been  elected.     I  was  only  defeated  by  200  votes. 

5816.  Q.  You  think  if  you  could  have  got  these  canvassers  as  you  were 
promised,  you  could  have  been  elected  ? 

A.  Yes.  If  they  nominated  my  two  men  and  kept  my  district  out 
until  the  last,  I  think  I  would  have  run  in. 

5817.  Q.  Then  if  you  had  these  two  canvassers  appointed,  you  would 
have  got  the  returns  kept  back  until  the  other  returns  were  sent  in  ? 

A.  The  canvassers  did  not  amount  to  anything  to  the  republicans, 
because  they  knew  that  their  vote  was  not  more  than  700,  when  the 
democratic  vote  was  about  8,000,  so  there  was  no  chance  to  elect  a  repub- 
lican, and  they  might  as  wTell  have  given  me  the  two  canvassers  as  not. 
If  1  had  had  these  two  canvassers  I  would  have  slept  comfortably  election 
night. 

5818.  Q.  What  would  you  have  got  these  canvassers  to  do  % 

A.  I  think  I  could  have  selected  two  republicans  who  could  count  as 
fast  as  anybody  in  the  ward.     If  anybody  could  get  canvassers  to  count 


544  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

faster  than,  my  men,  I  would  be  willing  to  chuck  up  the  sponge.  T  know 
that  all  Tammany  Hall  was  against  me  and  they  accused  me  of  being 
associated  with  the  republicans,  and  I  never  denied  it. 

New  York,  January  9,  1869. 
Michael  Brady  sworn  and  examined. 
To  the  Chairman: 

5819.  I  reside  49J  Dominick  street  in  this  city.  In  reference  to  illegal 
voting  in  this  city  at  the  last  presidential  election  I  would  say,  that  at  the 
place  where  I  live  there  is  but  one  voter,  and  he  is  my  brother.  There 
were  registered  from  this  house  five  names,  none  of  whom  resided  there. 
From  54  Sullivan  street  there  were  registered  Matthew  McLaughlin, 
John  Andrews,  James  Bowen,  George  McCloud,  and  William  Wilson, 
none  of  whom  lived  there.  I  examined  the  registry  list  of  the  2d,  12th, 
and  4th  districts  of  the  8th  ward.  At  No.  43  Sullivan  street  there  are 
but  four  persons  who  actually  resided  there,  while  there  were  about  13 
names  registered  from  that  house.  At  No.  142  Sullivan  street  there 
were  quite  a  number  registered,  but  I  only  found  one  of  them  at  the 
place;  his  name  was  C.  C.  Winkle.  At  No.  117  Spring  street  I  found 
eight  voters  living  in  the  front  and  rear  house,  but  there  were  quite  a 
large  number  registered  from  the  place.  1  formerly  lived  at  48  Sullivan 
street;  I  saw  by  the  poll-list  that  William  H.  Dwyer  voted  from  that 
place;  I  know  him;  he  never  lived  there. 

To  Mr.  Kerr: 

5820.  1  have  lived  at  49  \  Dominick  street  about  a  month;  before  that  I 
lived  at  48  Sullivan  street.  I  was  never  in  Sing  Sing  or  Blackwell's  island. 
I  am  not  in  any  business  at  present.  I  used  to  be  employed  as  a  detec- 
tive by  Simeon  Draper.  I  was  detective  about  two  years.  I  have  been 
sick  for  the  last  two  years,  ami  have  not  followed  any  business.  I  had 
a  good  deal  of  money  standing  out,  and  have  lived  with  my  father.  I 
suppose  I  had  $10,000  standing  out.  1  lent  it  to  parties  during  the  war. 
1  am  a  machinist  by  trade,  and  have  been  in  Russia,  where  1  made  a 
good  deal  of  money. 

5821.  Q.  To  whom  did  you  lend  this  money  I 
A.  I  decline  to  answer. 

5822.  Q.  Who  supports  you  now  ? 

A.  I  live  with  my  father.  He  is  a  conductor  on  the  Eighth  avenue  rail- 
road. His  name  is  John  Brady.  I  have  never  voted  or  registered  more 
than  I  was  entitled  to.  I  was  requested  to  examine  these  poll-lists  by 
Major  Strong.  He  is  connected  with  the  Union  League.  I  found  the 
poll-books  at  the  Union  League  club  house.  There  were  probably  about 
200  of  them  there;  I  cannot  positively  say  how  many.  I  examined 
some  of  them  to-day,  and  previously.  He  requested  me  last  week  to  go 
up  there  and  examine  the  books.  I  met  him  at  the  club-house,  and  he 
showed  me  the  books  that  I  was  to  examine. 

5823.  Q.  Are  you  a  member  of  that  league  ? 

A.  I  am  not;  I  have  many  friends,  though,  connected  with  it,  S.  J. 
Glassey,  Major  Strong,  and  others.  I  should  think  I  examined  about 
six  of  the  books. 

5824.  Q.  Tell  me,  if  you  can,  the  name  of  any  person  who  was  regis- 
tered from  a  place  where  he  did  not  live? 

A.  I  can  mention  John  Lawrence,  54  Sullivan  street,  Michael  Laugh- 
lin,  531  Broome  street ;  both  of  these  registered  twice,  to  my  knowledge. 

5825.  Q.  How  do  you  know  that  they  did? 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  545 

A.  1  .saw  them.  These  are  about  all  I  know,  except  from  what  I  have 
ecu  on  the  poll-list  of  those  registered  as  residing  at  my  house. 

5820.  Q.  How  did  you  know  that  these  men  did  not  live  at  your  house 
nor  to  the  time  that  you  went  there! 

A.  I  used  to  visit  there1  very  frequently.  I  knew  everybody  who  lived 
n  the  house. 

To  Mr.  lloss: 

I  cannot  say  whether  the  other  books  that  were  at  the  Union  League 
lub  house  were  similar  to  those  I  examined  5  they  were  different  sizes. 

5827.  Q.  How  long  after  election  did  you  go  around  inquiring  at  the 
houses  to  ascertain  whether  the  parties  lived  there  ? 

A.  Probably  about  a  week  after  the  charter  election  in  December  last. 

5828.  Q.  Was  it  the  frauds  in  the  December  election  that  you  were 
examining  ? 

\.  No,  sir;  the  State  election. 
By  the  Chairman  : 
.    5820.  Q.  You  say  you  examined  those  books  at  the  Union  League  club 

Iiouse  ;  which  one  do  you  mean  f 
A.  I  mean  the  one  in  Broadway  ;  I  think  it  is  258  Broadway. 
By  Mr.  Boss : 

5830.  Q.  Did  you  lend  out  that  810.000  to  banks  or  private  individu- 
als! 

A.  Private  individuals. 

5831.  Q.  Have  you  got  a  note  for  it  ! 

A.  ^o,  sir ;  I  know  a  great  many  of  the  parties. 

Xew  York,  January  9,  1860. 
Robert  Murray  recalled  and  examined,  ('called  at  the  instance  of 
Mr.  Kerr.) 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

5832.  Question.  Upon  whose  authority  are  the  24  policemen  stationed 
in  and  about  this  building  ? 

Answer.  1  asked  the  superintendent  of  police  this  morning  to  send  me 
eight  or  ten  men.  Things  looked  rather  rough  about  here  at  10  o'clock 
Bis  morning.  There  was  a  rough  crowd  in  the  hall,  and  I  made  a  requi- 
ition  upon  the  superintendent  for  eight  or  ten  men. 

5833.  Q.  Have  you  that  requisition  with  you  t 
A.  No,  sir ;  I  did  not  keep  a  copy. 

5834.  Q.  How  does  it  read  ? 

A.  Something  like  this  :  "  1  would  thank  you  to  send  me  eight  or  ten 
iien.  In  consequence  of  the  peculiar  character  of  the  testimony  pre- 
dated to  the  congressional  committee,  I  am  apprehensive  that  there 
vill  be  a  disturbance,  and  desire  eight  or  ten  men  to  keep  the  peace." 

5835.  (c).  Will  you  furnish  us  a  copy  of  that  requisition  ? 
A.  1  did  not  keep  a  copy. 

5836.  (L>.  By  what  authority  did  you  make  that  requisition  ? 

A.  By  my  authority  as  marshal.  I  have  charge  of  this  building,  and 
,  m  responsible  for  it. 

5837.  Q.  Do  the  laws  of  the  United  States  put  you  in  charge  of  the 
►uhlic  buildings  here  ? 

A.  1  believe  they  do. 

^'>\X.  Q.  Is  it  in   pursuance  "of  any  law  that  a  marshal  of  the  United 
states  makes  a  requisition  upon  a  police  officer  of  a  State  to  furnish  him 
rith  policemen  1 
35  t 


54()  ELECTION  FRAUDS  iN  NEW  YORK. 

A.  1  do  not  know  whether  there  is  any  law  upon  the  subject  or  not. 
I  frequently  do  it. 

5839.  Q.  How  docs  it  conic,  in  response  to  a  requisition  for  eight  or 
ten  men,  that  he  sent  yon  LU  'I 

A.  That  is  a  question  he  will  have  to  answer  himself. 

5840.  Q.  What  trouble  did  yon  anticipate  that  led  yon  to  request  this 
force  ! 

A.  When  I  was  passing  out  of  this  room,  when  i  was  in  here  this 
morning,  1  was  hissed  by  the  crowd  standing  in  the  entry.  It  was  a 
very  rough  crowd,  and  upon  consultation  with  some  of  my  men  who  were 
mixing  with  this  crowd,  I  came  to  the  conclusion  that  there  would  he 
trouble,  and  I  immediately  wrote  this  communication  and  sent  it.  I 
sent  one  of  my  clerks  with  it  to  the  superintendent's  office.  Why  he 
sent  me  24  men  I  do  not  know. 

5841.  Q.   By  whom  were  you  hissed  I 

A.  1  cannot  tell.  By  the  sound  of  the  voices  I  should  think  there 
were  quite  a  number. 

5842.  Q.   Where  were  they  ! 

A.    Bight  at  the  door  of  the  committee  room. 

5843.  <A>.  Then  it  is  for  your  personal  protection  that  you  did  this? 
A.  Not  altogether ;  [  have  considerable  courage. 

~>*\i.  Q.  For  what  purpose  then  I 

A.  For  the  protection  of  this  building  and  the  records  of  the  court. 

5845.  Q.  Did  you  apprehend  that  they  were  in  danger  ' 

A.  I  do  not  know  whether  they  were  or  not.  I  take  great  precau- 
tion in  all  things. 

5846.  Q.  Did  you  assign  these  policemen   their  station  I 
A.  No.  sir. 

5847.  Q.  When  they  came  here  did  they  apply  to  you  for  orders? 

A.  The  sergeant  came  to  me  and  said  he  had  a  file  of  men  here  and 
wanted  to  know  what  disposition  to  make  of  them.  1  told  him  I  wanted 
order  kept  in  the  hall,  and  the  door  of  this  committee-room  kept  clear. 

5848.  Q.  Do  you  think  you  have  the  right  to  bring  these  policemen 
here  and  supersede  the  sergeant-at-arms  of  this  committee  \ 

A.  I  had  nothing  to  do  with  the  policemen.  1  supposed  that  you  were 
going  to  conduct  your  own  business  in  your  own  way,  with  your  own 
sergeant-at-arms. 

5849.  Q.  Suppose  our  sergeant  at-arms  wanted  the  witnesses  in  the 
hall  and  in  the  doorway  ? 

A.  He  told  me  that  he  did  not. 

5850.  Q.  Did  he  ask  you  to  send  for  these  policemen  ? 
A.  No,  not  particularly. 

5851.  Q.  Did  you  have  any  talk  with  him  on  the  subject ! 
A.  Not  to-day.     I  did  yesterday. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

5852.  Q.  State  if  you  made  this  requisition  upon  the  chief  of  police  at 
the  request  of  any  member  of  this  committee ;  or  with  the  knowledge,  or 
at  the  suggestion  of  any  member  of  this  committee. 

A.  I  did  not. 

5853.  Q.  Or  at  the  request  of  the  clerk  of  the  committee  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

5854.  Q.  State  if  Barney  Aaron  was  in  the  hall? 

A.  I  do  not  know  him.  I  was  told  this  morning  there  was  quite  a 
number  of  roughs  in  the  hall. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  547 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 
5855.  Q.  Do  you  think  the  men  you  have  seen  about  here  to-day  as 
witnesses  were  any  more  vicious  in  their  character  than  those  you  have 
seen  about  here  for  the  last  few  days? 

A.  I  testified  yesterday  that  I  derived  my  knowledge  of  those  parties 
'from  other  people.  I  know  but  very  few  of  the  men  here  to-day;  but 
[from  the  character  of  the  men  who  were  here  yesterday  and  to-day  I  don't 
see  much  difference. 

5S5().  Q.  Do  I  understand  from  what  you  say  that,  notwithstanding 
the  desire  of  the  committee,  you  intend  to  keep  these  men  here  ? 
A.  I  will,  so  long  as  I  deem  it  necessary  to  protect  the  building. 

5857.  Q.  Your  own  judgment  will  then  determine  that1? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  1  have  no  desire  whatever  to  interfere  with  the  committee. 

New  York,  January  9,  18G9. 
John  W.  LeBarnes  recalled  and  examined,  (at  the  instance  of  Mr. 

Kerr.) 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

5858.  Q.  State  whether  the  police  force  consisting  of  24,  now  in  and 
about  this  building,  was  brought  here  upon  your  procurement  or  with 
your  advice  and  consent  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  they  were  not. 

5859.  Q.  Were  you  consulted  before  they  came  here  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  knew  nothing  about  their  coming  here.  1  have  been 
waiting  for  an  opportunity  to  inquire  how  they  came.  I  was  very  glad 
to  see  them  here,  however. 

5860.  Q.  Did  you  have  any  conversation  with  Marshal  Murray  about 
bringing  them  here  • 

A.  No,  sir. 

New  York,  January  9,  1809. 
Thomas  A.  McGlade  called  and  examined. 

To  the  Chairman  : 

5861.  I  reside  at  No.  233  West  Thirty-first  street.  I  am  bar- tender  at  the 
Compton  House.  In  reference  to  a  list  of  152  names  referred  to  in  the 
testimony  of  George  Mabee,  I  would  say  that  I  am  not  acquainted  with 
all  the  boarders  in  the  Compton  House.  I  am  only  there  from  7  o'clock 
in  the  morning  till  7  o'clock  at  night.  I  did  not  go  there  until  the  27th 
of  October  last.  Some  of  the  names  I  recognize ;  they  are  as  follows : 
James  H.  Blackwell,  Christopher  Brown,  Daniel  Brown,  Daniel  A. 
Creamer,  Gilbert  A.  Meigs,  Theodore  Morrell,  Thomas  Morrow,  Henry 
Owens,  Samuel  Purdy,  Benjamin  F.  Pease,  John  W.  Phelps,  Maurice 
Powers,  John  Kollins,  Thomas  Kogers,  John  F.  Scannell,  Henry  Steinch- 
mann,  David  Stevenson,  Edgar  C.  Suydam,  Daniel  H.  Southworth, 
Florence  Scannell,  Peter  Smith,  Charles  Yanbergan,  Louis  Willsley, 
Peter  Carroll,  J.  F.  Southworth,  Harry  E.  McCready,  William  Long, 
Peter  Garvin,  and  William  P.  Suydam.  I  may  know  two-thirds  of  the 
parties  named  by  sight. 

58G2.  Q.  Who  are  the  proprietors  of  the  Compton  House  f 
A.  Fagin  &  Scannel. 

5863.  Q.  What  do  you  know  about  this  business  of  repeating  ? 
A.  I  do  not  know  anything  about  it.     I  have  heard  about  it,  but  do 
not  know  anything  about  it  of  my  own  knowledge. 


,r)48  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

58(54.  Q.  Where  is  the  hotel  registry  containing  the  names  of  the  per- 
sons who  stopped  al  the  hotel  from  the  last  of  October  to  the  10th  of 
November  I 

A.  I  believe  it  is  in  the  possession  of  the  proprietors  of  the  house. 

By  Mr.  Boss  : 

5865.  Q.  Are  there  a  good  many  people  around  the  Compton  House 
whom  you  do  not  know  » 

A.  A  good  many. 

5866.  Q.  Yon  do  not  know  the  regular  boarders! 
A.  No.  sir:  1  do  not. 

New  York,  January*.),  L8G9. 
JOHN  JONES  sworn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instance  of  Mr.  Kerr.) 

To  Mr.  Kkkk  : 

5867.  I  resident  202  East  Thirty-first  street.     I  have  been  there  about  a 
year.     1  keep   a    plumber's  store.     I    know   Marcus  Cicero  Stanley.    I 
also  know  Marshal  Murray.     I  am  not  acquainted  with  George  Wilkes. 
A  few  days  before  the  election  a  friend  of  mine,  Mr.  Hogan,  came  tome 
and  asked  me  to  go  oxer  to  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel  with  him,  and  said  that 
he  had  an  engagement  with  Marshal  Murray  and  Mr.  Stanley.     My  part- 
ner, a  man   l>y  the  name  of  Ferguson,  Hogan,  and  myself,  went  over 
there  and  met  Marshal   Murray  and   Stanley.     Marshal   Murray  wanted 
to  know  if  we  could  get  some  men  to  repeat.     Hogan  said  he  could.    He 
then  wanted  to  know  how  much   he  wanted  for  it,  and   Hogan  replied, 
"a  thousand  dollars  for  ten  men."     They   had   some  conversation,  and 
Hogan  finally  agreed  for  us  four  to  go  for  $300.     We  then  agreed  to 
meet  them    the  nighl    previous  to  the  election  at  the  Hoffman  House.' 
We  were  there  and  met  Stanley  and  Murray.     Murray  introduced  us  to 
another  gentleman  with  black  whiskers.     I  do  not  know  his  name.    Hejj 
took  Hogan  to  one  side  and  alter  a  little  talk  gave  us  $300,  and  made 
an  arrangement   to  meet  us  on   the    following  morning.     Hogan  then  J 
joined  us  and  we  went  to  the  bar-room,  and  he  gave  us  87.")  a  piece, j 
The  following  morning  we  met  this  man  at  the  corner  of  Twenty-fourth 
street  and  Third  avenue.     He  gave  us  some  tickets  and  names  to  vote 
on.     We  went  through  the  18th  ward  and  voted  at  five  or  six  places, 
then  went  to  the  21st  ward  and  voted  at  some  districts  there.     I  was 
arrested  in  the  14th  district  of  that  ward.     There  was  no  one  with  me 
when  I  was  arrested.     I  was  taken  up  before  the  court,  and  1  had  to 
stay  in  the  station-house  until  I  sent  for  bondsmen  to  get  me  out. 

5868.  Q.  To  what  extent  did  your  company  carry  out  the  programme? 
A.  We  all  worked  in  every  name  they  gave  us  until  I  was  arrested. 

I  cannot  say  positively  what  the  others  did.     I  suppose  I  voted  between 
10  and  12  times  before  I  was  arrested. 

5869.  Q.  For  whom  did  these  men  desire  you  to  do  this  business;  in 
whose  interest. 

A.  In  the  interest  of  the  republican  party.  I  have  always  been  a 
republican  myself,  and  have  always  voted  that  ticket  heretofore. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

5870.  Q.  Who  was  present  at  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel  when  this  con- 
versation took  place? 

A.  Marcus  Cicero  Stanley,  Marshal  Murray,  and  us  four.  There  weir 
several  gentlemen  standing  around. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  549 

5871.  Q.  Were  they  all  present  when  you  had  this  conversation  with 
Marshal  Murray? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

5872.  In  which  room  of  the  hotel  did  it  take  place  ! 
A.  Close  by  the  bar-room,  near  the  telegraph  offlee. 

5873.  Q.  Then  there  were  six  or  eight  persons  present? 

A.  I  should  think  there  were  only  four  or  Ave.  I  did  not  know  any 
of  the  gentlemen  before  I  came  there.  Hogan  knew  Marshal  Murray 
and  went  up  and  spoke  to  him. 

5874.  Q.  Where  does  Hogan  live  ? 

A.  In  the  19th  ward.     He  used  to  live  near  me,  in  University  Place. 

5875.  Q.  Was  George  Wilkes  present  at  this  interview  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  whether  he  was  or  not.     I  do  not  know  him. 

5876.  Q.  What  time  did  it  take  place  ? 
A.  In  the  evening,  about  8  or  9  o'clock. 

5878.  Q.  When  was  it  that  you  met  at  the  Hoffman  House  ? 
A.  The  night  previous  to  the  November  election.     We  met  at  about 

the  same  hour  in  the  evening.     We  waited  at  the  Hoffman  House  some 
ime  before  they  came. 

5879.  Q.  Who  was  present  at  the  Hoffman  House  when  you  had  the 
interview  there  ? 

A.  Marshal  Murray,  another  gentleman,  and  the  one  with  the  black 
whiskers  whom  he  introduced. 

5880.  Q.  Who  was  the  man  with  Murray  ? 
A.  I  do  not  know  his  name  ? 

5881.  Q.  Who  produced  the  money. 
A.  The  man  with  the  black  whiskers. 

5882.  Q.  State  the  names  of  your  party  who  were  at  the  Hoffman 
House  ? 

A.  David  Hogan,  Thomas  Barrett,  my  partner,  and  a  man  by  the  name 
of  Ferguson,  and  myself.  We  met  there  Marshal  Murray,  another  gen- 
tleman, and  the  black-whiskered  man.  The  last  man  was  about  five  feet 
eight  inches  in  height,  I  should  think. 

5883.  Q.  Then  there  were  seven  altogether  ! 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

o$H-L  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  this  man  gave  Hogan  any  money  I 

A.  1  cannot  swear  that  he  did.  Hogan  had  some  money  immediately 
after  he  left  him,  and  gave  us  $75  apiece. 

5885.  Q.  lu  what  part  of  the  house  did  all  this  occur  ! 

A.  It  was  in  the  first  story,  just  as  you  go  in  through  the  door.  It 
occurred  in  the  lobby,  about  20  feet,  I  should  think,  from  the  stairway. 

~)$SC>.  Q.  Where  did  you  meet  the  following  morning. 

A.  Corner  Twenty-fourth  street  and  Third  avenue,  in  a  bar-room  op- 
posite the  Compton  House. 

5887.  Q.  Who  keeps  that  bar-room  J 

A.  I  do  not  know.  We  were  furnished  there  with  the  names  and  res- 
idences and  tickets  with  which  to  vote.  The  man  with  the  black  whis- 
kers gave  them  to  us. 

5888.  Q.  Do  you  know  George  Wilkes  ? 
A.  1  do  not. 

5881).  Q.  Did  you  hear  his  name  spoken  at  any  of  these  interviews? 
A.  No,  sir. 

5890.  Q.  Was  there  any  man  there  pockmarked  I 
A.  No,  sir;  not  that  I  know  of. 


550  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

5891.  Q.   It    there  had  been,  would  you  have  noticed  it  ? 
A.  I  was  not   very  close  to  the  man;   I  might  not  have  noticed  it  by 

gas-light.     The  third   man  who  was  there  was  over  six  feet  in  height,  I 
should  judge. 

5892.  Q.   Do  you  recollect  any  of  the  names  upon  which  you  votedl 
A.  Only  the  name  upon  which  1  voted  when  I  was  arrested,  and  that 

was  my  own  name.  John  Jones. 
589^   (,>.    How  were  von  released? 
A.   ("poo  $500  hail. 

5894.  Q.    Has  nothing  been  done  with  yon  since.' 
A.   Nothing  that  I  know  of. 

5895.  Q,   Did  yon  register  more  than  once  prior  to  the  election  ! 

A.   No,  sir:    i  registered  my  own  name  as  a  voter  in  either  the  1.1th  or 
Kith  district  of  the  17th  ward:   I  forget  which. 

5896.  (>.   Did  yon  register  under  the  name  of  llinehman  in  the  4th  dis- 
trict. 21st  ward. 

A.   No.  sir. 

r>S!>7.  Q.  Did  yon  vote  under  that  name.' 

A.   Not  that  1  remember  of ;   I  voted  in  that  district,  however:  I  can- 
not recollect  under  what  name. 

5898.  Q.    Did  yon  sec  any  of  the  tickets  yon  voted  ! 

A.   Yes.  sir:   1   did  not  take  any  particular  notice  of  them,  because  1 
knew  what  they  were.     The  republican  endorsement  was  on  the  tickets. 

5899.  Q.  What  is  the  republican  endorsement? 

A.  The  name  of  the  office  upon  the  outside  of  tin'  ballot  is  printed  in 
Italics:  upon  the  democratic  ballot  it  is  printed  in  Roman. 
By  Mr.  Koss: 

5900.  (,>.   Yon  and  your  crowd  intended  to  vote  the  republican  ticket! 
A.   Yes.  sir. 

By  the  Chairman: 

5901.  Q.  How  long  have  you  been  in  the  plumbing  business.' 

A.  About  two  years:  my  father  furnishes  the  capital  and  I  oversee  the 
business. 

5902.  Q.  Do  you  know  Marshal  Murray  personally  ! 

A.  No,  sir:  I  think  I  would  recognize  him  if  1  saw  him. 
By  Mr.  Hopkins  ; 

5903.  Q.  With  whom  have  you  talked  in  reference  to  your  testimony 
before  this  committee  before  you  came  here  ! 

A.  I  talked  with  no  person  in  reference  to  what  my  testimony  would 
be;  Hogan  asked  me  to  come  down  here  and  tell  what  I  knew. 

5904.  Q.  Bo  you  know  Sheriff  O'Brien  ! 
A.  Xot  personally. 

5905.  Q.  Do  you  know  Under- Sheriff  Banker  ! 

A.  Only  through  busiuess;  I  have  worked  at  his  house. 

590G.  Q.  Have  you  talked  with  him  in  reference  to  this  transaction ! 

A.  Xo7  sir;  I  have  never  spoken  to  him  about  any  political  transaction. 

5907.  Q.  Has  Sheriff  O'Brien  tried  to  prevent  your  coming  here  ami 
giving  this  testimony  ? 

A.  No,  sir :  I  have  never  spoken  to  him  about  the  testimony. 

5908.  Q.  Look  around  among*  the  gentlemen  present  in  this  room,  and 
see  if  you  know  any  of  them. 

A.  I  recognize  Mr.  Murray,  (pointing  to  Marshal  Murray.) 

5909.  Q.  What  induced  you  to  go  into  this  business  of  repeating  1 

A.  I  was  not  doing  much  at  the  time,  and  was  pretty  short  of  money; 
Hogan  told  me  I  would  make  some  money  out  of  it,  and  I  went  into  it. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  00 1 

5910.  Q.  Did  you  know  that  it  was  a  violation  of  the  law,  that  would 
render  you  liable  to  imprisonment  % 

A.  I  am  not  very  well  posted  in  law  matters. 

5011.  Q.  What  did  Hogan  say  to  yon  when  he  came  to  you  and  wanted 
you  to  go  to  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel  ? 

A.  He  said  that  he  had  an  engagement  over  there  writh  Marshal  Mur- 
ray, and  we  could  probably  make  some  money  out  of  it.  1  consented 
and  went  over  with  him,  thinking  that  $75  or  $100  would  be  quite  an 
item  to  me. 

5912.  Q.  Did  you  know  what  kind  of  work  you  were  to  do  ! 

A.  Hogan  said  something  to  me  about  repeating.  I  did  not  know 
what  it  was,  and  he  explained  it  to  me. 

5913.  Q.  Do  you  know  Marcus  Cicero  Stanley  J? 

A.  I  am  not  personally  acquainted  with  him.  Hogan  pointed  him  out 
to  me  and  said  that  was  Stanley.     He  also  pointed  me  out  Mr.  Murray. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

5914.  Q.  State  whether  the  man  whom  Hogan  pointed  out  to  you  as 
Marshal  Murray  is  the  gentleman  whom  you  have  just  identified  ! 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

New  York,  January  9,  1808. 
Robert  Murray  recalled  and  examined. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

5915.  Q.  Did  you  ever  see  John  Jones,  the  witness  who  has  just  testi- 
fied before  this  committee,  before  ? 

A.  Never,  to  my  knowledge. 

5910.  Q.  Did  you  ever  meet  him  at  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel,  with  Mr. 
Hogan  or  anybody  else  1 
A.  No,  sir. 

5917.  Q.  Did  you  ever  know  of  anybody  paying  him  for  repeating  or 
engaging  in  repeating  at  the  last  election  ? 

A.  I  certainly  never  did. 

New  York,  January  9,  1888. 
John  W.  LeBaexes  recalled  and  examined. 
To  the  Chairman  : 

5918.  1  was  informed  that  one  of  the  witnesses  summoned  before  this 
committee  was  illegally  detained  in  the  ante-room  under  arrest  by  one 
of  the  deputy  sheriffs  of  this  city.  I  thought  I  recollected  the  man's 
name  and  something  of  his  case.  Presuming  that  the  committee  would 
not  reach  that  class  of  cases  this  afternoon,  I  took  him  into  Marshal 
Murray's  office,  to  have  a  private  conversation  with  him.  An  officer  of 
the  sheriff  followed  me  ;  I  asked  him  what  he  wanted ;  he  said  he  was  a 
deputy  sheriff,  and  that  this  man  was  under  his  charge.  I  asked  him  if 
he  had  a  warrant  for  his  arrest ;  he  said  he  had  not ;  I  asked  him  by 
what  authority  he  presumed  to  make  the  arrest ;  he  answered  by  order 
of  the  sheriff"  I  thought  I  would  see  whether  the  authority  of  the 
Sergeant-at-arms  over  witnesses  subpoenaed  by  this  committee  was  to  be 
interfered  with  by  deputy  sheriffs,  and  I  told  the  witness  that  he  was 
excused  until  Monday  morning,  ami  that  he  might  depart  from  the 
building  without  molestation.  I  then  turned  to  one  of  the  policemen 
who  was  standing  there  and  said  to  him :  "  I  am  messenger  to  the  Ser- 
geant-at-arms of  the  House  of  Representatives  ;  this  man  has  been  sum- 


552  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

moned  as  a  witness  before  this  committee ;  1  have  told  him  that  his  case 
will  not  probably  be  reached  this  afternoon  ;  I  have  excused  him  until 
Monday  morning.  I  desire  you  to  see  that  he  leaves  this  building  with- 
out molestation.  If  any  officer  has  a  warrant  for  his  arrest,  you  know 
your  duty  in  the  premises.  If  any  person  attemps  to  arrest  him  with- 
out a  warrant,  you  know  your  duty  in  the  premises  also." 

By  Mr.  Kerb  : 

5919.  Question.  By  what  authority  did  you  do  that I 

Answer.   1  did  that  on  my  own  responsibility. 

5920.  Q.  What  business  had  you  to  discharge  a  witness,  brought  here 
by  the  minority  of  the  committee  ? 

A.  J  discharge  witnesses  every  day. 

5921.  Q.  What  right  have  you  to  do  this  without  the  orders  of  the 
committee  \ 

A.  It  has  been  a  matter  of  practice  everyday. 

5922.  Q.  Do  you  know  that  this  man  was  a  witness  brought  here  by 
the  minority  of  the  committee  \ 

A.  He  was  summoned  by  me. 

5923.  Q.  Are  not  all  the  witnesses  summoned  by  you  \ 

A.  I  mean  in  contradistinction  to  the  witnesses  summoned  by  the 
minority. 

5924.  Q.  Then  you  mean  to  say  that  you  did  not  know  that  this  wit- 
ness was  here  at  the  request  of  the  minority  of  the  committee  \ 

A.  Xo,  sir. 

5925.  Q.  You  say  you  saw  him  in  custody  of  the  deputy  sheriff. 
A.   Yes,  sir. 

5926.  Q.  Was  that  deputy  acting  in  your  service  1 
A.  No,  sir. 

5927.  Q.  Upon  your  order  \ 
A.  Xo,  sir. 

5928.  Q.  What  right  had  you  to  believe  that  that  witness  was  here  at 
the  call  of  the  majority  of  the  committee  I 

A.  I  did  not  suppose  it  made  any  difference.  I  should  not  have  in- 
terfered in  any  way  with  the  witnesses  you  have  called. 

5929.  Q.  Do  you  mean  to  say  that  you  did  not  believe  that  that  wit 
ness  was  here  upon  the  call  of  the  minority  of  the  committee  ? 

A.  I  had  not  the  remotest  idea  of  it. 

5930.  Q.  Did  you  not  know  that  you  had  no  authority  to  discharge 
witnesses  in  attendance  upon  this  committee  without  its  order  ? 

A.  I  know  the  custom  has  been  to  do  so.  When  there  are  many  wit- 
nesses in  attendance  late  in  the  afternoon,  and  I  see  that  there  is  no 
probability  of  their  being  called  that  day,  I  generally  excuse  them  until 
the  next  morning,  without  reference  to  who  they  are,  or  who  called  them. 

5931.  Q.  Do  not  you  know  that  it  is  impossible  for  you  to  tell,  without 
some  direction  from  this  committee,  which  witnesses  are  to  be  called  ? 

A.  Xo,  sir. 

5932.  Q.  I  repeat  again  the  inquiry  :  by  what  authority  did  you  as- 
sume to  discharge  this  witness  ? 

A.  By  the  same  authority  I  have  hitherto  excused  witnesses  at  this 
time  of  the  day,  (4  o'clock  p.  m.) 

5933.  Q.  Do  you  exercise  that  authority  with  the  knowledge  of  airy 
member  of  this  committee  f 

A.  Xo,  sir. 

5934.  Q.  You  say  this  man  was  in  the  custody  of  the  sheriff's  officer  \ 
A.  I  learned  that  he  was  under  restraint.     If  I  have  stated  that  he 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IX    NEW    YORK.  553 

vas  under  custody,  I  made  a  mistake.  J  learned  that  he  was  under 
•estraint,  the  nature  of  which  I  ascertained  afterwards. 

5035.  Q.  Do  you  not  know  that  for  the  last  two  or  three  days  there 
las  been  no  deputy  sheriff  or  any  other  officer  here,  with  the  sanction 
>f  the  minority  of  the  committee,  except  a  man  to  summon  witnesses  I 

A.  Xo,  sir;  I  have  not  been  here,  however,  for  the  last  few  hours. 

5936.  Q.  Do  not  you  know  that  this  witness  was  sitting  in  that  little 
mom  wholly  alone,  and  unconnected  with  anybody,  under  no  man's  cus- 

ody,  and  under  no  man's  restraint  ? 
A.  I  do  not  know  the  man  at  all. 

5937.  Q.  How,  then,  did  you  point  him  out  to  the  policeman  8 

A.  I  thought  I  recognized  his  face  as  a  person  whom  I  had  seen  here 
is  one  of  the  repeaters,  and  I  called  out  his  name,  which  he  responded  to. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

5938.  Q.  State  how  long  this  deputy  sheriff  has  been  in  the  building. 
A.  I  do  not  know,  sir.    In  reference  to  deputy  sheriffs  being  in  attend- 

tnce  here,  I  desire  to  state  that  I  have  seen  more  than  three  or  four 
liere  ;  the  name  of  one  of  them  was  Scannell. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

51)30.  Q.  Do  not  you  know  Scannell  was  here  as  a  witness,  detained 
by  the  majority  of  the  committee? 

A.  It  was  the  brother  of  that  Scannell. 

5040.  Q.  AVho  authorized  you  to  give  orders  to  this  policeman  stationed 
about  the  building  ? 

A.  I  assumed  that  right  as  a  citizen  of  the  State  of  New  York. 

5941.  Q.  Is  that  all  ? 

A.  That  is  all. 

5042.  Q.  You  did  not  do  it,  then,  as  an  officer  of  this  committee  3 

A.  I  told  the  policeman  that  I  was  an  officer  of  this  committee,  in 
order  that  he  might  know  what  credibility  might  be  placed  upon  my 
statement. 

5043.  Q.  Did  not  you  state  your  position  in  connection  with  this  com- 
mittee, in  order  that  the  policeman  might  infer  that  it  was  by  direction 
of  the  committee  ? 

A.  Xo,  sir. 

5044.  Do  you  suppose  that  it  is  your  duty,  as  a  stranger  in  New  York 
city,  to  direct  the  policemen  here  I 

A.  I  do  not  know  that  I  directed  them. 

5045.  Q.  Or  do  what  you  did  \ 
A.  Yes,  sir,  certainly.1 

Xew  York,  January  9,  I860. 

George  Mabee  recalled  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

504G.  Question.  State  if  you  examined  the  poll-lists  of  the  15th  dis- 
trict, 8th  ward,  for  the  last  presidential  election  of  this  city,  and  whether 
you  found  upon  them  the  names  contained  in  the  paper  that  I  now  pre- 
sent to  you  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  I  found  all  those  names  upon  the  registry-list,  and 
those  marked  «V"  upon  the  poll-list. 

5947.  Q.  State  if  you  found  any  name  upon  the  poll-list  not  upon  the 
registry  ! 

A.  Yes,  sir;  J.  C.  W.  Willey. 


554 


ELECTION    FKATDS    IN    NEW    YOKK 


By  Mr.  KERB  : 

5948.  Q.  When  did  you  examine  this  list? 
A.  This  morning. 

5949.  Q.  At  whose  request  \ 

A.  The  request  of  Major  Strong. 

5950.  Q.  Where  did  you  do  it! 
A.  At  the  county  clerk's  office. 

5951.  Q.   In  the  county  clerk's  presence! 

A.  No,  sir:  Mr.  Plum,  one  of  the  deputies,  was  present. 

5952.  Q.   What  is  your  business  I 

A.   1  am  clerk  for  the  Union  League  club  committee. 

595.'*.  Q.   How  long  have  you  been  in  that  service  I 

A.  Six  weeks.  !  think. 

The  following  is  the  list  alluded  to  in  the  above  testimony  : 


FIFTEENTH    DISTRICT,    EIGHTH    WARD 

12  Renicic.k  st rat. 

S.  James  Goff. 

V 

17. 

Wm   Scott. 

9.  , James  Newell. 

V 

1-. 

Edward  Wilson. 

1. 

George  Bark  ley. 

10.  Augustus  Neidhoft. 

V 

1«). 

Charles  Wilson.          V 

'2. 

John  Cox. 

V 

1 1 .  George  C.  Robinson 

.V 

20. 

Chas.  W.  Whitmore.V 

\\. 

Martin  Cox. 

L2.  Hugh  Rilev. 

V 

21. 

John  Moran. 

4. 

Win    J.  Cook. 

13.   Augustus  Stevens. 

V 

22. 

John  Malloy. 

5. 

Lawrence  Farrell. 

V 

14.  James  Shannon. 

V 

23. 

Andrew  Macken. 

6. 

Chaiics  Florence. 

V 

l.">.   Wm.  Smith. 

V 

24. 

Jas   Macken. 

?. 

Wm.  Foley. 

Hi.  John  Stevenson. 

V 

25. 

Samuel  McGee.         V 

1 .  John  Andrews 

2.  James  Bowen. 


TWELFTH    DISTRICT,    EIGHTH    WARD. 

49^  Dominick  s'reet. 
V  3.  James  Jordan.  V      I     4.   Wil 


Wilson. 


FIFTEENTH   DISTRICT,    EIGHTH    WARD. 

12  Renwiclc  street. 
J.  C.  W.  Willey. 

The  above  name  is  on  pidl-book  but  not  on  registry. 

New  York,  January  9,  1809. 
Samuel  BAKER  sworn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instance  of  Mr 
Kerr.) 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 
0954.  Question.  Have  you  been  before  this  committee  before? 
Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

5055.  Q.  What  name  did  you  give  at  the  first  examination  'I 
A.  I  do  not  recollect ;  I  think  it  was  Johnson. 
5950.  Q.  What  is  your  real  name  J 
A.  Samuel  Baker. 

5957.  Q.  Do  you  recollect  what  you  testitied  the  other  day  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

5958.  Q.  State  to  the  committee  what  induced  you  to  come  here  the 
other  day  and  testify  f 

A.  One  reason  was  to  benefit  a  friend  in  trouble,  and  another  oik1  was 
to  get  some  money. 

5959.  Q.  Who  was  the  friend  you  were  to  benefit? 
A.  Wm.  Dorans. 

59G0.  Q.  What  money  did  you  get  ? 
A.  I  cot  $5  for  the  statement  and  $5  after  I  was  sworn  here. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  555 

5961.  Q.  Where  did  you  get  the  first  $5  ? 
A.  I  got  the  first  $5  in  Jersey  City. 
5902.  Q.  Whereabouts ! 
A.  In  a  liquor  store  there. 
5963.  Q.  Who  gave  it  to  you ! 
A.  Dora  us ;  he  said  he  got  it  from  Colonel  Wood. 
59(14.  Q.  Who  gave  you  the  $5  after  you  had  testified  here  "i 
A.  Dorans ;  he  said  he  got  that  from  Colonel  Wood  also. 
5965.  ().  When  you  went  over  to  Jersey  City,  whom  did  yon  see  there? 
A.  I  saw  Colonel  Wood  and  two  short -hand  writers. 
59(H).  Q.  What  did  Colonel  Wood  say  to  you? 

A.  He  asked  me  about  election;  how  many  times  F  repeated,  &c.     1 
certainly  did  testify  to  more  than  I  did. 

5907.  Q.  What  is  the  truth  of  the  ease  ? 

A.  The  truth  is  I  voted  but  once  or  twice  in  each  district ;  1  was  doing 
it  for  the  benefit  of  Dorans. 

5908.  Q.  What  ticket  did  you  vote  ? 
A.  I  think  the  democratic  ticket. 

5969.  Q.  Did  Colonel  Wood  himself  offer  you  any  money  for  testifying 
here  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  since  that  time  he  has  given  me  money  to  go  to  other 
people  and  get  them  to  do  the  same  as  I  did. 

5970.  Q.  How  much  money  did  he  give  you  ? 

A.  Five  dollars  a  man.     This  I  gave  to  the  parties,  and  he  gave  me  $5 
for  bringing  them  here. 

5971.  Q.  Can  you  give  the  names  of  the  men  yon  took  to  him  ? 
A.  I  know  some  of  them. 

5972.  Q.  Did  any  of  them  testify  here  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

5973.  Q.  Do  you  know  under  what  names  they  testified  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

5974.  (J.  State  whether  the  facts  you  testified  to  here  the  other  dayr 
as  to  your  residence,  Avere  true  or  false  ? 

A.  They  were  false. 

5975.  Q.  State  how  many  people  you  took  to  Colonel  Wood  for  the 
purpose  of  being  prepared  to  testify  here. 

A.  Probably  about  12. 

By  the  Chairman  : 
5970.  Q.  Yon  tell  the  truth,  now,  when  yon  say  you  did  vote  once  or 
twice  in  each  district  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

5977.  Q.  Did  Colonel  Wood  ask  you  to  state  anything  but  the  truth  f 
A.  No,  sir. 

5978.  Q.  Did  Colonel  Wood  request  any  of  these  parties  to  make  any 
untrue  statement  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

5979.  Q.  Did  you  make  any  such  request  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

5980.  Q.  Did  any  person,  to  your  knowledge,  request  anybody  to  testify 
here  to  what  was  not  true  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

5981.  Q.  State  if  any  caution  was  given  to  you  that  you  were  to  be  care- 
ful to  tell  only  what  was  true  ? 

A.  There  was  no  caution  at  all ;  they  said  there  should  be  no  proceed- 
ing taken  against  us. 


556  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    FORK. 

By  Mr.  HOPKINS: 

5982.  Q.  What  induced  you  to  come  hack  here  now  and  testify.' 

A.  Sonic  of  my  friends  living  in  my  ward  did  not  seem  to  be  satisfied 
witli  what  Dorans  had  done,  and  they  got  me  to  come  buck  and  speak 
right  out. 

5983.  (v>.  Who  are  these  friends! 

A.  They  live  in  the  8th  ward;  1  know  them  by  sight. 

5984.  ().   By  whom  were  yon  brought  here  this  afternoon  to  testify? 
A.    I  brought  myself. 

5985.  Q.  Under  whose  charge  have  yon  been  to-day  1 

A.   Under  the  charge  of  the  deputy  sheriff;    I  do  not  know  Ins  name. 

5986.  Q.   lie  took  yon  in  custody  and  kept  yon  all  day  ! 
A.   Yes,  sir. 

5987.  Q.   What  reason  did  lie  give  for  keeping  yon  in  custody? 
A.  lie  did  not  tell  me. 

5988.  Q.   And  he  kept  yon  in  close  custody  .' 

A.    He  has  kept  me  in  custody  all  the  afternoon. 

5989.  <c>.  Have  yon  been  at  the  sheriff's  office  to-day? 
A.    Yes,  sir;    I  went  over  with  him. 

5990.  Q.  What  questions  were  put  to  yon  there  in  reference  to  your 
testimony  I 

A.  They  asked  me  if  I  had  been  over  here  to  testify  :  I  said  no,  and 
they  asked  me  to  go  over  here  and  tell  the  truth. 

5991.  Q.  Who  examined  you  there? 
A.    I  was  not  examined  by  anybody. 

5992.  Q.  Who  asked  yon  the  questions  I 
A.  I  do  not  know  the  party. 

5993.  Q.  Do  you  know  Sheriff  O'Brien  \ 
A.   I  do  not. 

5994.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  he  sent  that  deputy  sheriff  to  take 
charge  of  yon? 

A.  It  was  a  little  short  man  who  told  him  to  take  charge  of  me. 

5995.  Q.  What  did  yon  get  for  testifying  here  to-day  ? 
A.  Nothing. 

5996.  Q.  What  do  yon  expect  to  get  ! 
A.  Nothing  at  all. 

5997.  Q.  You  cannot  give  the  name  of  anybody  who  advised  you  to 
come  down  and  testify  here  to-day ! 

A.  No,  sir. . 

5998.  Q.  Did  Mr.  Dorans  advise  you .' 

A.  No,  sir ;  several  friends  who  live  in  my  ward  did  not  approve  of 
what  Dorans  was  doing,  and  they  asked  me  to  come  down  here  and 
make  a  clean  breast  of  it. 

5999.  Q.  Where  do  you  live  ? 
A.  No.  103  Crosby  street. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

6000.  Q.  You  say  you  were  taken  in  close  custody ;  what  do  yon  mean 
by  that — did  the  deputy  sheriff  say  he  arrested  you  by  any  process? 

A.  He  did  not  say  so. 
0001.  Q.  What  did  he  say  I 

A.  He  said:  "  You  will  have  to  stop  with  me  until  you  go  in.,?  1  said 
that  I  came  here  on  purpose  to  go  in. 

6002.  Q.  Wrould  you  have  stopped  if  he  had  not  been  with  yon  I 
A.  Yes,  sir;  just  the  same. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  557 

0003.  Q.  When  you  say  he  took  you  in  custody,  you  do  not  mean  to 
say  that  he  compelled  you  to  stay,  whether  you  wanted  to  or  not  I 

A.   It  seemed  like  it. 

New  York,  January  9,  1869. 
Florence  Scannel  recalled  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Kerr: 

0004.  I  have  come  here  on  my  own  motion  to  say  that  I  was  the  only 
person  who  had  anything  to  do  with  registering  names  upon  election 
lay  from  the  Compton  House.     Neither  my  brother  nor  Mr.  Fagin,  who 

'keeps  the  house,  had  anything  to  do  with  it.  If  there  is  anybody  to 
blame,  1  am  the  man.  They  are  business  men  and  very  seldom  interfere 
with  politics. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

0005'.  Question.  Is  your  brother  a  deputy  sheriff? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

0000.  Q.  Is  Mr.  Fagin  also  deputy  sheriff? 

A.  He  is  connected  with  my  brother.  The  appointment  was  given  to 
me  first;  but  I  did  not  want  to  have  it,  and  I  gave  it  to  my  brother  and 
Mr.  Fagin. 

0007.  Q.  How  many  men  did  you  register  at  the  Compton  House  ? 

A.  Xone. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

6008.  Q.  How  many  did  you  procure  }. 

A.  I  do  not  know  that  I  procured  any.  If  I  met  any  boarders,  I 
would  ask  them  if  they  would  not  go  down  and  register. 

0009.  (}.  How  many  men  were  registered  by  you,  or  under  your  influ- 
ence, at  the  Compton  House? 

A.  I  cannot  say.  I  would  meet  a  man  and  ask  him  if  he  had  regis- 
tered; if  he  said  no,  I  would  induce  him  to  go  down  and  register. 

6010.  Q.  How  much  truth  have  you  told  us  to-day  ? 
A.  Every  word  I  have  said  is  true. 

6011.  Q.  I)o  not  you  know  more  than  you  have  told  us  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  as  I  do;  but,  if  I  do,  it  will  be  kept  where  it  is. 

6012.  Q.  You  have  stated  that  you  had  a  large  number  of  names 
registered;  state  how  many  were  registered  from  the  Compton  House. 

A.  I  diet  not  register  any  myself.  It  was  not  from  that  house  I  was 
to  register  these  names.  I  coulel  not  afford  to  register  them  in  my  dis- 
trict. If  I  was  to  let  the  republicans  show  strength,  it  must  be  some- 
where outside  of  my  district. 

Xew  York,  January  9,  1809. 
I    John  A.  Kennedy  sworn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instance  of 
Mr.  Kerr.) 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 
1    0013.  Question.  What  office  do  you  hold? 

Answer.  I  am  superintendent  of  the  metropolitan  police  of  the  State  of 
New  York. 

0014,  State  whether  to-day,  at  any  hour,  you  detailed  any  number  of 
policemen  to  come  to  this  building  and  guard  the  entrance  to  it  and  the 
entrance  to  this  committee  room. 

A.  1  received  a  communication  from  the  United  States  marshal,  stating 
that  there  was  a  large  crowd  of  persons  at  the  building,  and  that  he 


558  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 


apprehended  there  might  be  trouble,  and  he  wished  a  detail  of  eight  or 
ten  policemen  to  be  sent  here  for  the  purpose  of  preserving  the  peace. 
Eaving  received  that  communication,  I  addressed  a  special  order  to 
Captain  Jourdan,  of  the  precinct  in  which  this  building  stands,  directing 
him  to  send  a  detail  of  men,  under  a  discreet  sergeant,  to  preserve  the 
peace. 

6015.  Q.  Have  you  that  order  with  you  .' 

A.  No,  sir. 

0010.  Q.  Was  that  addressed  to  him  by  telegram  ! 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  sent  it  by  the  messenger  who  brought  me  the  request 
from  the  marshal. 

6017.  Q.  State  whether  it  was  in  pursuance  of  any  law  of  the  State  of 
New  York  you  made  that  order. 

A.  The  laws  of  the  State  of  New  York  make  it  my  duty  to  protect  the 
public  peace.  Whenever  I  learn  there  is  a  probability  of  a  disturbance 
of  any  kind  it  is  my  duty  to  see  that  it  is  prevented. 

6018.  Q.  Is  it  your  duty  to  obey  an  order  of  that  kind  made  upon  you 
by  the  marshal  of  this  district  I 

A.  No.  sir:  he  gave  me  no  order.  1  would  not  obey  any  older  if  he 
gave  one.     lie  made  an  official  request,  but  not  an  order. 

G019.  Q.  You  mean  by  that,  you  do  not  recognize  him  as  having  any 
authority  over  you  .' 

A.  >»<>,  sir;  not  in  my  judgment. 

6020.  Q.  Why  was  it  that  instead  of  <S  or  10  policemen  24  were  sent! 
A.  1  ordered  only  10;  and    1   directed   Captain   Jourdan,  in   case  his 

reserve  would  not  allow  him  to  send  that  number,  to  call  upon  other 
precincts  to  make  up  the  8  or  10. 

6021.  Q.  If  you  were  requested  by  this  committee  to  withdraw  those 
policemen  would  you  not  comply  with  their  request  I 

A.  I  certainly  would. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

6022.  Q.  AYitli  which  political  party  does  Captain  Jourdan  act? 
A.  He  has  always  been  a  democrat. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 
002,°).  Q.  if  any  respectable  party  should  make  a  request  similar  to  the 
request  made  by  Marshal  Murray,  would  you  not  have  done  the  same 
thing? 

A.  Most  assuredly. 
By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

0024.  Q.  Does  the  law  require  that  there  shall  be  kept  in  your  office 
an  account  of  the  returns  of  the  registers  in  the  city  of  New  York  at 
general  elections  ? 

A.  I  am  not  prepared  to  say ;  that  is  not  in  my  branch  of  business ; 
that  is  in  what  is  called  the  bureau  of  elections.     1  am  not  prepared  to 
speak  of  the  provisions  of  the  law  upon  that  subject.     Mr.  D.  B.  Has 
forouck  has  charge  of  that  bureau. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

0025.  Q.  State  if  you  accompanied  Mr.  Acton  and  some  other  gentle 
men  on  the  night  of  the  30th  of  October  from  the  police  headquarters  to 
301  Mott  street  in  a  hack  with  a  lot  of  books  or  copies  of  registries  or 
anything  of  that  kind. 

A.  No,  sir. 

0020.  Q.  State  if  you  rode  in  a  carriage  with  Mr.  Acton  from  the 
Fifth  Avenue  Hotel  to  procure  a  lot  of  books  from  police  headquarters! 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  559 


A.  On  cither  the  evening  of  the  30th  or  31st  of  October,  1  am  not 
•lear  which,  Mr.  Acton  and  myself,  understanding  that  a  habeas  had 
>een  issued  by  Judge  Barnard  on  me  to  send  certain  persons,  who  wore 
hen  in  custody,  to  his  office,  namely  his  dwelling-house,  we  went  down 
here  in  a  carriage.  We  were,  both  of  us,  at  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel 
ind  I  called  a  hack  and  went  down  to  the  police  headquarters.  There 
a  as  nobody  else  with  me.  I  went  in  and  saw  Mr.  Howe,  the  counsellor 
svho  had  sued  out  the  habeas,  and  I  directed  Mr.  Dilks  to  make  a  return 
>f  the  prisoners  and  to  send  them  forthwith  before  the  judge.  I  under- 
wood afterwards  that  lie  discharged  them.     J  did  not  meet  anybody  else. 

6027.  Q.  Did  you  not  meet  three  gentlemen  who  came  there  in  a 
carriage  ? 

A.  I  do  not  recollect  that  I  did.     As  to  being  present  when  any  books 

ere  taken  away  from  there,  I  do  not  know  anything  about  it. 

0028.  Q.  State  whether  the  election  returns  were  received  by  telegraph 
it  police  headquarters  as  early  as  usual. 

A.  No  election  returns  are  made  by  telegraph.  They  are  merely  elec- 
ion  reports.  These  have  been  returned  in  the  same  way  since  I  have 
Lad  charge  of  the  police  department,  nearly  eight  years.  They  were  not 
returned  quite  as  early  as  usual.  Some  of  them  were  very  long  delayed. 
Box  No.  1,  that  is  the  electoral  box,  is  required  by  law  to  be  counted 

rst,  and  we  were  not  able  to  make  complete  returns  of  this  box  until 
learly  V2  o'clock,  Avhen  we  ought  ordinarily  to  have  had  that  box  com- 
peted by  9  o'clock. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

()()29.  Q.  You  say  the  returns  were  not  received  as  early  as  usual? 

A.  Some  few  of  them  were  not. 

0030.  Q.  How  many  of  them f 

A.  I  should  suppose  about  8  or  10  out  of  340;  but  there  was  a  general 
delay.    I  am  speaking  of  the  list. 

G031.  Q.  How  many  of  the  340  were  in  before  0  o'clock  ? 

A.  I  am  not  prepared  to  say. 
I    0032.  Q.  Was  any  considerable  number  in  before  9  o'clock? 

A.  Yes,  sir;   1  think  some  of  the  wards  were  completed  before  9  o'clock. 

New  York,  January  9,  1SG9. 

Edward  Sanford,  jr.,  recalled  and  examined,  (at  the  instance  of  Mr. 
xerr.) 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

|  0033.  Question.  Take  that  list  handed  you  by  me  this  morning  with  the 
request  that  you  would  visit  the  places  mentioned  therein,  and  state  what 
►laces  you  have  visited  and  what  was  the  result. 

Answer.  I  went  to  No.  5  Eldridge  street  for  Mr. Wood ;  there  was  no  such 
>erson  living  there,  or  had  been  there  for  the  last  four  or  six  months.  I 
hen  went  to  27  Bowery  for  John  O.  Anderson;  no  such  man  lived  there  at 
dl;  it  is  a  lager-beer  saloon.  I  then  went  to  No.  75  Crosby  street  for 
lames  Green ;  there  is  no  such  person  there ;  it  is  a  large  furniture  house. 
[  then  went  to  No.  87  Mercer  street  for  James  Nichols;  I  found  no  such 
>erson  there,  either  in  the  rear  house  or  front  house,  or  in  that  neigh - 
)orhood.  I  then  inquired  at  No.  14  Hester  street  for  George  Melville, 
md  the  parties  occupying  the  house  said  that  no  such  person  ever  lived 
here.  I  found  Joseph  Benson  at  No.  103  Crosby  street;  this  place  is  a 
ow  drinking  shop,  evidently  a  resort  for  thieves  and  cutthroats.  I 
nquired  at  No.  169  Houston  street  for  Charles  Keilly;  I  went  to  both 


560  ELECTION    FRAUDS    L\    NEW    YORK. 

East  and  West  Houston  streets,  and  I  could  find  no  such  person.  Ho. 
61  Thompson  street  is  a  large  school-house,  and  I  could  not  find  that 
George  Hill  lived  anywhere  in  the  neighborhood. 

New  Yoiik  City,  -January  11,  1801). 
Eons  CAMPBELL  sworn  and  examined. 

To  the  Chairman: 

6034.  I  work  at  98  .Mercer  street.  I  did  not  vote  in  New  York  city  at 
the  last  presidential  election. 

6035.  Question.  Do  yon  know  of  any  person  voting  at  that  election 
more  than  once ! 

Answer.  I  know  what  I  have  been  told.  1  understand  I  am  underoath 
now.  At  the  time  I  made  the  statement  at  Taylor's  Hotel  in  JerseyCity 
I  was  what  you  may  call  drunk.  Whiskey  was  bought  for  me  and  J  was 
made  drunk.     I  calculate  to  swear  to  the  truth, and  nothing  but  the  truth. 

6036.  (L).  Did  you  register  as  a  voter? 
A.   I  did  not  here;   I  did  in  the  country. 

To  Mr.  Ross: 

6037.  As  1  before  said,  in  reference  to  the  statement  I  made,  it  was 
misrepresented  to  me.  I  was  plied  with  liquor  before  the  statement  was 
made.  It  was  represented  to  me  that  nothing  would  be  done  about  it, 
and  when  1  got  back  to  New  York  1  got  $10  in  money  for  going  over 
and  making  this  statement. 

6038.  Q.   What  statement  are  you  referring  to  now? 

A.  The  statement,  they  say,  is  here  that  I  made  in  New  Jersey. 

00.'>!>.  Q.   When  did  you  go  over  to  make  a  statement  in  New  Jersey! 

A.   I  was  over  in  New  Jersey  on  Saturday. 

6040:  Q.  At  whose  instance,  or  request,  did  you  go  over! 

A.  One  of  the  young  men  1  know — his  name  is  Cassidy.  lie  came  to 
the  stable  where  1  am  at  work,  and  came  up-stairs  and  said  *k  1  have  got 
five  dollars  for  you.*1  I  says,  kk  How  is  that  V  Then  lie  came  in  and  the 
other  young  gentleman  told  me 

6041.  Q.  Did  you  get  any  pay  for  going  over  I 

A.  I  did  not.  I  was  promised  pay  by  the  young  gentleman  that  1  did 
not  know  that  was  with  Mr.  Cassidy.     lie  promised  me  ten  dollars. 

0042.  Q.  Whom  did  you  go  over  with? 

A.  I  went  over  with  him  and  Mr.  Cassidy,  and  there  were  several 
others.     I  went  over  to  Taylor's  restaurant. 

6043.  Q.  What  did  you  do  after  you  got  over  there  ? 

A.  After  we  got  over  there  we  drank  considerable  liquor. 

0044.  Q.  Who  furnished  the  liquor? 

A.  This  young  gentleman  I  went  over  with. 

0045.  Q.  The  one  who  represented  himself  as  witness  the  day  before  \ 
A.  Xo,  sir  j  Cassidy  represented  himself  as  a  witness  the  day  before.  i 

The  other  gentleman  was  the  one  who  was  footing  the  bills. 

0040.  Q.  State  whether  there  was  a  good  deal  of  drinking,  and  what 
effect  it  had  on  those  present. 

A.  I  could  not  state  what  effect  it  had  on  the  rest.  It  made  me  pretty 
boozy. 

0047.  Q.   When  in  that  boozy  condition  what  did  they  ask  you  to  do? 
A.  They  asked  me  to  go  up-stairs  and  make  this  statement. 

0048.  Q.  Whom  did  you  make  that  statement  before? 
A.  I  could  not  tell  you  to  save  my  life. 

6049.  Q.  Was  tin1  statement  you  made  over  there  true  or  not? 

A.  They  never  asked  me  anything  of  the  kind,  whether  it  was  true  or  , 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  501 

iot,  and  nothin g  of  the  description.  All  that  was  said  to  me  a  gentlem a  n 
it  Taylor's  said  to  me :  "  Yon  need  not  be  scared.  I  will  give  you  a  written 
guarantee  it  shall  be  all  right;  there  will  be  nothing  done;  no  hereafter 
boat  it." 

0050.  Q.  Yon  know  nothing  of  any  illegal  voting  of  your  own  knowl- 
edge? : 

A.  I  do  not. 

6051.  Q.  Did  you  see  money  paid  to  other  parties  over  there? 
A.  I  did  not. 

6052.  Q.  Was  there  any  man  connected  with  that  that  you  knew  ? 
A.  There  was  not. 

6053.  Q.  If  you  testified  over  there  that  you  had  been  a  repeater,  it  is 
iot  true  ? 

A.  I  did  not  testify  to  anything.  I  made  a  statement  over  there  that 
vas  not  true.  I  considered  over  there  that  telling  a  story  and  swearing 
o  it  is  two  different  things.  If  I  swear  to  a  thing  I  consider  that  my 
ath  is  binding,  and  I  would  not  want  to  swear  to  a  lie,  but  talking  with 
t  man  and  telling  a  lie  I  don't  consider  that  that  is  binding. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

6054.  Q.  Did  they  ask  you  over  there  to  state  anything  that  was  un- 
rue  ? 

A.  Cassidy  knew,  as  well  as  I  did,  that  I  was  not  a  voter  in  the  city 
)f  New  York.  They  asked  me  questions  and  I  answered  them.  They 
lid  not  ask  me  whether  they  were  true  or  not  true. 

6055.  Q.  You  made  the  statement  over  there  that  you  had  voted  more 
jhan  once? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  was  not  asked  whether  it  was  true  or  untrue.  I  was 
isked  the  questions  and  that  was  all.  I  supposed,  at  the  time,  that  was 
he  end  of  it. 

6056.  Q.  Where  have  you  been  since  Saturday? 
A.  I  have  been  to  work  at  my  business. 

6057.  Q.  Whom  have  you  talked  with  about  this  matter  ? 
A.  Nobody  at  all. 

6058.  Q.  Why  did  you  come  here  this  morning  and  say  you  were  afraid 
hat  you  were  in  danger  ? 

A.  That  is  jugt  as  I  state  now.  I  did  not  understand  there  was  to  be 
ny  swearing  done  about  this  thing. 

6059.  Q.  Whom  were  you  afraid  of? 

A.  I  was  afraid  of  different  parties ;  in  the  first  place,  I  was  afraid, 
rtien  I  came  to  my  senses,  to  know  where  I  was,  that  if  I  came  here  this 
lomingand  made  this  statement  here  it  was  going  to  get  me  locked  up, 
nd  I  wanted  to  understand  that  before  I  came. 
By  Mr.  Ross : 

6060.  Q.  That  is,  if  you  came  befor?  the  committee  and  swore  falsely 
ou  were  afraid  you  would  get  into  trouble? 

A.  Yes,  sir  ;  I  knew  a  false  oath  would  get  me  in  trouble. 

6061.  Q.  After  you  got  afraid  you  concluded  that  you  would  tell  the 
uth,  and  have  now  told  it  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

6062.  Q.  You  were  led  by  the  promise  of  money  and  being  intoxicated 
)  make  the  statement  you  did  over  there  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

William  H.  Bogart  recalled. 
To  Mr.  Ross : 

6063.  I  reside  at  88  Lexington  avenue. 
36  t 


562 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN   NEW    YORK. 


To  the  Chairman  : 

6064.  I  have  examined  the  registry  and  poll-list  of  voters  in  this  city,  at 
the  last  presidential  election,  for  the  13th  district  of  the  8th  ward,  and 
others ;  and  I  present  to  the  committee  a  list  of  names  with  the  dis- 
tricts and  wards  as  they  are  found  on  the  registry-lists  and  poll-lists. 
Those  marked  "V"  are  found  on  the  poll-lists  as  persons  having  voted. 

The  following  is  the  list  presented  by  the  witness : 

THIRTEENTH  DISTRICT,    EIGHTH   WARD. 


277  Spring  street. 

7.  Thos.  Lilly.                V 

8.  Thomas  McKiuney.    V 

15.  Mich'l  Russell. 

16.  Thos.  Ryan. 

V 

1.  Harry  Bell. 

Y 

9.  Francis  McMahon.     V 

17.  Pat'k  Rearodan. 

V 

2.  Joseph  Dunlap. 

10.  Peter  J.  McCormick. 

18.  John  Schattheip. 

V 

3.  Harry  Golding. 

V 

11.  Mich'l  O'Leary.         V 

19.  Mich'l  Sexton. 

V 

4.  Luke  Higgins. 

V 

12.  Jas.  O'Neil. 

20.  Dan'l  E   Stewart. 

5.  James  Hall. 

V 

13.  Dan'l  Powers.             V 

21.  Henry  Walker. 

6.  Thos.  Kernay. 

V 

14.  James  Rorke.             V 

SECOND  DISTRICT,    EIGHTH    WARD. 

98  Mercer  street. 

2.  John  Brown. 

11.  Edw'd  Jones. 

3.  John  Baker.                V 

12.  Geo.  T.  Kintner. 

V 

1.  Andrew  Andrews. 

4.  Thos.  Connor.             V 

13.  Geo.  A.  Payne. 

2.  Charles  Mills. 

V 

5.  Jas.  Coffee.                  V 

14.  Egydrus  Roessner. 

3.  Jauies  Wiley. 

V 

6.  Chas.  H.  Diamond.    V 

15.  John  Rodgers. 

V 

4.  John  Q.  Smith. 

7.  Jacob  Fisher.              V 

16.  Theodore  Schoen. 

8.  Sebastian  Fisher. 

17.  Wm.  W.  Smith. 

V 

101  Spring  street. 

9.  Jesse  Goodeuough.     V 

18.  Philip  Strong. 

10.  Geo.  H.  lugersoll. 

19.  Julius  Waiblinger. 

V 

1.  John  Bermunder. 

V 
Ft) 

URTH   DISTRICT,    EIGHTH    WA 

RD. 

43  Sullivan  street. 

11.  Wm.  Wallace. 

7.  Thomas  Hederton. 

V 

12.  Henry  Langeleis. 

8.  Peirce  Muriay. 

V 

1.  Conrad  Appenzeller. 

V 

13.  Henrich  Fesericks.       V 

9.  Daniel  Mullin. 

V 

2.  Arends  J.  Allen. 

V 

10.  Michael  O'Connor. 

V 

3.  Heiurich  Hitiz. 

V 

12   Thompson  street. 

1 1.  Louis  Oweuhaus. 

V 

4.  Ludwig  Henri ckson. 

12.  Mike  O'Brien. 

V 

5  Conrad  Pollman. 

1 .  John  Barry.                  V 

13.  Patrick  Ryan. 

V 

6.  Heury  Schutz. 

2.  Philip  Bradley. 

14.  John  Mulvey. 

V 

7.  John  H.  Schwager. 

V 

3.  Thomas  Denegan. 

15.  Patrick  Mulvey. 

V 

8.  John  Smith. 

V 

4.  James  Duuavon.         V 

16.  Miles  McBride. 

9.  August  Schisler. 

5.  Wm.  Ferirurson. 

10.  CarlScholtz. 

V 

SE 

6.  Joseph  Hoppen.           V 

COMJ    DISTRICT,    EIGHTH    WAF 

lD. 

117  Spring  street. 

4.  Bryan  Duffy.                V 

9.  Michael  Schwanberger. 

5.  Hugh  McUrossen. 

10.  John  Smith. 

1.  Philip  Armouer. 

6.  Manuel  C.  Peach.        V 

11.  William  H.  Travis. 

2.  John  Barber. 

V 

7.  Joseph  Ryau.                V 

12.  Charles  Werner. 

V 

3.  Thomas  Cakanaley. 

TI 

8.  Lazar  Reichman. 
:nth  district,  eighth  war 

13.  James  Welsh. 
D. 

V 

143   West  Houston  street. 

13.  James  Mullen.             V 

8.  Wm.  H.  Lynn. 

V 

U.Henry  Smith.               V 

9.  Thomas  Martin. 

V 

1.  David  Anderson. 

V 

15.  James  Tompson.         V 

10.  James  O'Donuell. 

V 

2.  G.  E   Bissell. 

V 

16.  Edward  Wilson.          V 

11.  William  Porter. 

V 

3.  Henry  Brown. 

V 

IX.  Isaac  Robinson. 

V 

4.  Augustus  Cohen. 

V 

62  McDougall  street. 

13.  Robert  Roberts. 

V 

5.  William  Duryea. 

V 

14.  Adrian  Roberts. 

V 

6.  John  H.  Ebbetts. 

V 

l.Chas.  B.  Albertson.    V 

15.  James  Roach. 

V 

7.  William  Griffiths. 

V 

2.  James  Cusick.             V 

16.  Geo.  P.  Robinson. 

V 

8.  David  Garvey. 

V 

3.  James  Fitzjjerald. 

17.  James  Smith. 

V 

9.  William  C.  Howard. 

V 

4.  Alexander  Fallon.        V 

1  H.James  Steverson. 

V 

10.  Henry  Jackson. 

V 

5.  Samuel  J.  Goodwin.   V 

19.  George  Watson. 

V 

11.  William  Jones. 

V 

6.  George  Getchell.          V 

20.  Henry  Wheeler. 

V 

12.  Samuel  E.  Jones. 

V 

7.  Thomas  Hanna.           V 

ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 


563 


THIRTEENTH   DISTRICT,    EIGHTH   WARD. 


50  Vandam  street. 

1.  Gabriel  A.  Aiguin. 

2.  Dan'l  U.  Blauvelt. 
3.Wm.  E.  Blauvelt. 


116   Varick  street. 

1.  Sam'l  Bradnay 

2.  Sam'l  Bartley. 

3.  Geo.  Bowers. 

4.  Jas.  Berry 

15.  Henry  C.  Connor. 
6.  Jas.  Evlind. 
7.  Owen  Farley. 

8.  Henry  Fenton. 

9.  James  Flowers. 


4.  Chas.  Cummings. 

5.  James  J.  Foster. 

6.  John  Foster. 

7.  John  Grogan. 

8.  David  McLean. 


9.  James  Murphy. 

10.  Thomas  Murphy. 

11.  Wm.  E.  Ormend. 

12.  Clarkson  C  Poilion. 


EIGHTH  DISTRICT,    EIGHTH   WARD. 


10.  Owen  Gannon. 

11.  Thos.  Graham. 

12.  Jas.  Garvey. 

13.  David  Hall. 

14.  Stephen  Jones. 

15.  Wm.  Johnston. 

16.  Geo.  Jones. 

17.  Edw'd  Jenkins. 

18.  Jno.  Kaine. 

19.  James  Myers. 

20.  Jno.  Martin. 


21.  Mich'l  Norton. 

22.  Jas.  Murray. 

23.  Wm.  Ostrander. 

24.  Thos.  O'Donnell. 

25.  Sam'l  Stevens. 

26.  Henry  Stevens. 

27.  W.  B.  Short. 

'28.  Bernard  Trainor. 

29.  Henry  Welsh. 

30.  Geo.  Watson. 


SECOND  DISTRICT,  EIGHTH  WARD. 


v   I 


2.  Jno.  Fallon. 

3.  John  Hays. 

4.  Chas.  Kastenbein. 


5.  Thos.  King. 

6.  Henry  C.  Neff. 

7.  Jonas  Wilson. 


101  Greene  street. 
1.  Jno.  Briggs. 

By  Mr.  Ross : 

6065.  Question.  When  did  you  make  this  examination  f 

Answer.  I  made  that  Thursday,  Friday,  or  Saturday,  I  forget  which ; 
two  days  in  succession. 

6066/ Q.  Where  did  you  make  it ! 

A.  At  the  county  clerk's  office  I  got  the  poll-lists.  A  part  of  the 
others  I  got  at  the  office  in  Broadway. 

6067.  Q.  At  what  office  in  Broadway  ? 
A.  Xo.  258  5  the  office  of  the  Union  League. 

6068.  Q.  You  copied  these  from  their  books  ? 
A.  Xo,  sir ;  from  the  registry. 

6069.  Q.  From  the  registry  in  their  books  ? 
A.  No,  sir ;    the  registry  used  on  the  days  of  registering.      Some  of 

them  I  copied  from  the  registry-books  in  the  county  clerk's  office — all 
xcepting  one  district. 

6070.  Q.  Is  there  any  law  requiring  the  public  records  of  the  elections 
:o  be  deposited  in  the  office  of  the  Union  League ! 

A.  I  do  not  know  of  any. 

6071.  Q.  You  copied  part  of  those  from  their  books  ? 
A.  The  book  left  there  by  the  registrars  themselves. 

6072.  Q.  Then  the  registrars  do  leave  some  of  their  original  books  at 
he  office  of  the  Union  League  ? 

A.  I  presume  so. 

6073.  Q.  How  many  are  left  there  ? 
A.  I  cannot  tell. 

607L  Q.  You  found  some  of  the  original  election-books  at  the  Union 
^eague  rooms  ? 
A.  I  found  one  there. 

6075.  Q.  Is  that  the  only  one  ? 

A.  I  suppose  there  are  others  there. 

6076.  Q.  Which  you  understand  to  be  the  original  books'! 
A.  Yes,  sir. 


564  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

6077.  Q.  About  how  many  of  those  original  books  should  you  judge 
are  to  be  found  at  the  Union  League  room  ? 

A.  That  I  cannot  tell.  Perhaps  5,  10,  15  or  so.  I  have  never  seen 
any  except  what  I  used  myself.     I  left  one  there  myself. 

6078.  Q.  You  were  one  of  the  election  officers  l 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

6079.  Q.  Do  you  belong  to  the  Union  League  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

6080.  Q.  Are  you  republican  in  politics  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

6081.  Q.  What  is  your  business? 

A.  I  have  no  business  at  present;  only  connected  with  the  office,  in 
writing,  as  clerk. 

6082.  Q.  Clerk  to  the  Union  League? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

6083.  Q.  How  long  have  you  been  in  their  service? 
A.  Since  the  23d  of  November. 

6084.  Q.  At  what  salary  1 
A.  Eighteen  dollars  a  week. 

00Sf>.  Q.   How  many  of  you  are  employed  there? 
A.  That  I  could  not  tell ;  five  or  six. 

6086.  Q.  In  that  building? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

6087.  Q.  What  are  you  working  on? 
A.  We  are  doing  writing. 

6085.  ().  In  reference  to  election  frauds? 
A.  I  suppose  it  is. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

6089.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  the  registrars  keep  the  custody  of  one 
of  the  registry-lists,  as  a  general  rule  ? 

A.  I  think  they  do. 

6090.  Q.  Were  you  an  election  officer  ? 

A.  At  the  November  election  I  was  an  inspector  and  registrar. 

6091.  Q.  Do  you  know  John  E.  McGowan? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  he  is  deputy  sheriff  under  James  O'Brien. 

6092.  Q.  State  if  he  registered  or  voted  in  your  district  at  the  last 
November  election. 

A.  He  registered  under  the  name  of  Sherman,  234  East  Thirty-first 
street. 

6093.  Do  you  know  John  Jones  ? 
A.  I  know  the  gentleman  by  sight. 

6094.  Q.  State  if  he  registered  or  voted  in  your  district. 

A.  He  registered  in  my  district  by  the  name  of  Hinchman.  I  do  not 
think  that  he  voted.  I  could  not  positively  say  whether  his  name  was 
voted  on  or  not.     I  could  refer  to  my  book  and  answer  that  question. 

To  Mr.  Ross : 

6095.  I  saw  Mr.  McGowan  both  register  and  vote. 

New  York,  January  11, 1869. 
Hiram  B.  Ferguson  sworn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instance  of 
Mr.  Ross.) 

By  Mr.  Ross : 

6096.  Question.  Are  you  acquainted  with  Marshal  Murray  ? 
Answer.  I  know  him  by  sight. 

6097.  Q.  State  what  you  know,  if  anything,  in  relation  to  improper 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW   YORK.  565 

fluences  being  exercised  with  a  view  to  controlling  the  elections  in  this 
city. 

A.  All  I  know  is,  that  six  or  eight  clays  before  the  presidential  elec- 
ion,  I  went  to  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel,  about  eight  orclock  in  the  eve- 
ning, and  I  saw  Mr.  Murray  and  Mr.  Stanley.  They  wanted  to  know 
what  it  would  cost  for  eight  or  ten  repeaters  on  election  day.  A  friend 
that  was  with  me  told  him  81,000.  Mr.  Stanley  said  it  was  too  much. 
Mr.  Murray  said,  "I  will  give  you  8300,  and  he  would  see  him  the  night 
before  the  election  at  the  Hoffman  House."  Mr.  Stanley  said, "  Very  well ; 
arrange  it  to  suit  yourselves."  That  was  all  that  occurred  that  evening. 
We  went  away  on  the  night  before  the  election;  we  went  up  to  the 
Hoffman  House  and  got  8300.  I  did  not  get  the  $300;  it  was  given  to 
another  man.  I  got  875  of  it.  A  man  by  the  name  of  Hogan  gave  me 
the  875.  I  don't  know  the  amount  that  Marshal  Murray  gave  him,  but 
lie  asked  him  for  8500,  and  he  said  that  $300  was  all  that  had  been  given 
him. 

6098.  Q.  State  what  was  done  in  relation  to  that  on  election  day,  if 
anything. 

A.  I  don't  know  of  my  own  knowledge  what  was  done.  I  did  not 
do  anything  with  it.  I  took  the  875.  I  was  an  inspector  on  election  day, 
and  was  not  with  them  at  all.  I  was  expecting  to  be  Avithclrawn  from 
being  inspector,  but  was  not,  and  had  to  attend  to  that  on  election  day. 

6099.  Q.  In  the  interest  of  what  party,  if  any,  was  this  repeating  to  be 
done  ? 

A.  For  the  republican  party. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

6100.  Q.  Do  you  know  Peter  McKnight? 
A.  Yes,  sir;  he  holds  the  office  of  deputy  sheriff. 

6101.  Q.  Are  you  a  clerk  to  him? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

6102.  Q.  How  long  have  you  been  ! 
A.  A  year  the  first  of  this  month. 

6103.  Q.  You  were  inspector  of  elections  at  the  time  you  got  this  $75  ? 
A.  I  was  inspector  of  elections  on  election  day. 
6101.  Q.  When  were  you  appointed? 
A.  I  cannot  tell  that  exactly.     I  presume  a  month,  or  nearly  a  month, 

before  the  election. 

6105.  Q.  Then  you  were  inspector  at  the  time  you  got  the  $75  ? 
A.  Y/es.  sir. 

6106.  Q.  Did  vou  vote  at  the  last  presidential  election? 
A.  I  did. 

6107.  Q.  For  whom  % 
A.  I  voted  a  straight  democratic  ticket. 

6108.  Q.  Did  you  report  these  facts  to  anybody? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  reported  them  before  I  got  the  money.  I  told  them 
noney  was  being  given  out  there,  and  I  was  told  I  could  go  there  and 
ret  it  if  I  wanted  to. 

6109.  Q.  To  whom  did  you  report  it? 

A.  Several  gentlemen.  Peter  McKnight,  for  one ;  a  man  by  the  name 
>f  Odell ;  another  man  by  the  name  of  Kerrigan.  I  remember  telling  it 
o  a  large  party  that  thev  were  giving  out  money  there  for  repeaters. 

6110.  Q.  Did  you  tell  them  you  got  $75  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

6111.  Q.  Did  you  tell  anybody  else  ? 

A.  I  don't  remember  telling  anybody  but  McKnight,  Odell,  and  Ker- 
igan.    I  may  have  told  others. 


566  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK 

6112.  Q.  Who  were  the  men  that  got  the  money  for  repeating,  besides 
you? 

A.  Mr.  Hogan  got  the  money  in  the  first  place.  He  got  it  all.  He 
paid  me  $75.  There  was  another  man  by  the  name  of  Jones.  I  don't 
know  the  first  name.  I  know  him  by  sight.  I  have  generally  seen  him 
around  Twenty-fourth  street  and  Third  avenue. 

6113.  Q.  In  what  district  and  ward  were  you  inspector  ? 
A.  In  the  third  district,  11th  ward. 

6114.  Q.  Did  you  see  Jones  vote  there  that  day? 
A.  No,  sir. 

6115.  Q.  Did  he  vote  there? 
A.  He  did  not. 

6116.  Q.  Did  you  know  of  any  of  these  men  voting  ? 
A.  I  did  not. 

6117.  Q.  At  what  time  was  it  that  you  saw  Marshal  Murray  at  the 
Fifth  Avenue  Hotel? 

A.  It  was  about  8  o'clock  in  the  evening.     I  don't  remember  the  date. 

6118.  Q.  Whereabouts  in  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel  did  you  see  him? 
A.  I  met  him  first  in  the  main  hall,  and  he  walked  around  in  the 

southern  part  of  the  building,  fronting  Broadway.     There  is  a  partition 
as  you  go  into  the  main  entrance,  and  we  went  round  there. 

6119.  Q.  Did  you  go  into  another  room? 
A.  I  did  not;  no,  sir. 

6120.  Q.  Did  Murray? 

A.  He  went  away  from  me  and  I  don't  know  where  he  went.  He  and 
Mr.  Hogan  went  away  from  me. 

6121.  Q.  Was  your  conference  with  him  in  a  room  or  in  the  hall? 

A.  In  this  room  off  the  hall.  It  is  not  a  room,  because  there  is  no 
door  to  it. 

6122.  Q.  Who  were  present  at  that  interview  in  the  Fifth  Avenue 
Hotel? 

A.  Part  of  the  time  Mr.  Murray,  Mr.  Stanley,  Mr.  Hogan,  and  myself. 
Mr.  Jones  was  there;  and  another  man  I  don't  recollect. 

6123.  Q.  All  there  together? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

6124.  Q.  Was  there  a  man  there  with  very  large,  light,  sandy  whiskers?  I 
A.  I  don't  remember  any  such  man. 

6125.  Q.  Was  there  a  man  there  with  black  whiskers  ? 

A.  There  was  a  man  there  with  black  whiskers ;  but  I  don't  remem- 
ber his  name.    I  did  not  know  him.    I  know  he  seemed  to  be  interested,  j 
I  don't  know  who  he  is.     I  did  not  ask. 

6126.  Q.  Was  he  a  tall  man,  over  six  feet  high  ? 

A.  I  think  he  was  a  little  taller  than  I  am.  I  think  he  might  be  about 
six  feet,  with  black  whiskers.  I  remember  that  man.  I  saw  him  the 
next  night.  He  was  as  stout  as  I  am,  nearly;  rather  a  heavy  man.  I 
think  he  would  weigh  180  pounds,  or  200,  perhaps. 

6127.  Q.  You  have  been  known  as  a  democrat,  in  this  city,  for  how 
long? 

A.  I  never  was  much  of  a  politician.  I  don't  know  that  I  was  really 
known  as  a  democrat  any  more  than  a  republican. 

6128.  Q.  You  were  known  as  clerk  in  the  deputy  sheriff's  office? 

A.  Yes,  sir.  I  was  not  employed  there  as  a  politician,  but  only  for 
my  services  there.  I  was  there  before  the  present  sheriff  was  there.  I 
generally  stay  from  one  term  to  another,  because  I  am  posted  in  the 
business. 

6129.  Q.  Then  you  went  to  the  Hoffman  House  the  next  evening? 
A.  Not  the  next  evening.    It  may  have  been  a  week  after  that. 


0 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  567 

6130.  Q.  You  are  sure  it  was  as  long  as  a  week  ! 

A.  I  am  not  sure.  It  may  not  have  been  more  than  four  days.  It 
was  not  the  next  day  or  the  day  after  that. 

6131.  Q.  At  what  time  in  the  evening  were  you  at  the  Hoffman  House? 
A.  Between  eight  and  nine,  I  think. 

6132.  Q,  Was  it  not  nearly  twelve? 
A.  No,  sir. 

6133.  Q.  You  stayed  there  until  nearly  twelve  I 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  was  at  home  before  12  o'clock.  I  think  I  must  have  left 
there  long  before  11  o'clock. 

6134.  Q.  Who  was  there  at  the  Hoffman  House  in  conference  with 
you? 

A.  Mr.  Murray  and  this  same  gentleman  I  saw  at  the  Fifth  Avenue 
Hotel;  I  don't  know  his  name.  And  Mr.  Hogan  and  Mr.  Jones  was 
there;  and  there  was  another  man  went  up  there  with  us  from  the  Third 
avenue ;  I  don't  remember  his  name.  I  had  verv  little  to  say  with  any 
fthein. 

6135.  Q.  Then  the  money  was  paid  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

6136.  Q.  You  saw  it  paid? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

6137.  Q.  All  were  present  when  the  money  was  paid? 
A.  No,  sir. 

6138.  Q.  Who  were  present? 

A.  Mr.  Jones  and  I  were  standing  in  the  room,  and  Mr.  Hogan  and 
the  gentleman  that  gave  him  the  money  walked  down  to  the  other  end 
of  the  room,  and  he  handed  him  the  money,  and  then  he  walked  down 
and  asked  us  to  drink,  and  we  went  to  the  bar  and  I  think  the  gentle- 
man took  a  drink. 

6139.  Q.  At  this  time  were  you  in  a  room  in  the  second  or  third 
story? 

A.  No,  sir;  right  in  from  the  street;  the  first  floor. 

6140.  Q.  The  same  room  where  the  bar  is  ? 

A.  I  never  was  in  that  house  before;  it  must  have  been  in  the  bar- 
room, certainly.  The  money  was  paid  in  the  back  end  of  the  room ;  I 
am  not  certain  it  was  the  bar-room,  but  I  think  it  was. 

6141.  Q.  It  was  the  room  where  you  got  something  to  drink? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

6142.  Q.  They  had  a  -bar  there,  where  they  were  selling  liquor  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

6143.  Q.  You  are  sure  it  was  in  that  room ! 

A.  I  think  it  was  the  bar-room;  but  I  am  not  sure  of  that. 

6144.  Q.  Was  that  the  room  you  had  your  conference  in? 

A.  We  had  no  conference  there.  He  didn't  speak  to  anybody  there 
five  minutes  that  night.  Mr.  Hogan  done  all  the  talking  and  got  the 
money. 

6145.  Q.  Was  this  tall  man,  six  feet  high,  with  black  whiskers,  there 
that  night  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

6146.  Q.  Did  you  observe  the  appearance  of  his  face ! 

A.  Not  particularly.  I  don't  know  that  I  should  know  the  man  now 
if  I  should  see  him. 

6147.  Q.  Was  he  a  young  man  ? 

A.  Not  a  very  young  man.  I  guess  he  was  as  old  as  I  am;  about  35 
or  40  I  should  think.  I  did  not  notice  him  particularly,  and  did  not  have 
a  word's  conversation  with  him  myself. 


568  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

6148.  Q.  Was  he  pock-marked? 

A.  I  did  not  notice  anything  of  that  sort. 

6149.  Q.  What  is  your  weight! 
A.  I  think  about  L96. 

6150.  Q.  This  black-whiskered  man  was  as  heavy  a*  yon/ 

A.  He  might  have  been  not  quite  as  heavy.  I  think  he  was  near  By 
size.     I  could  not  judge  very  well  if  I  saw  him  now. 

6151.  Q.  Don't  you  remember  they  railed  his  name  Davis? 

A.  I  did  not  hear  his  name.  1  think  I  asked  his  name,  and  they  told 
me  they  did  not  know. 

6152.  Q.   Who  paid  the  money  over? 

A.  This  man  with  black  whiskers.  lie  paid  Mr.  Hogan  the  money, 
lie  went  one  side  for  the  purpose  of  giving  it  to  him. 

6153.  Q.   Did  you  see  any  money  that  night  \ 

A.  1  saw  #300  laid  on  the  bar  and  divided.  Hogan  had  the  money  all 
in  a  row,  and  picked  out  $75  and  handed  it  to  me. 

6154.  Q.  Bid  you  see  the  black-whiskered  man  pay  the  money! 

A.  No,  sir;  I  did  not  see  it  paid.  Hogan  went  out  with  him,  and 
came  back  and  said:  kk  I  have  got  $300,  and  I  will  give  you  $75."  And 
he  took  money  out  of  that  $300,  and  handed  it  to  the  bar-tender — enough 
to  pay  for  four  or  five  drinks.      He  handed  him  a  bill. 

6155.  Q.  How  far  from  the  bar  was  it  that  Bogan  and  the  black- 
whiskered  man  retired  when  the  black-whiskered  man  gave  Hogan  the 
money? 

A.   Probably  the  width  of  this  room;  say  60  feet. 

6156.  Q.  You  are  sure  it  was  not  between  the  bar  and  the  front  door? 
A.  No;   I  think  it  was  between  the  bar  and  the  front  door,  a  little  to 

one  side  though.  I  noticed  so  very  little  about  that,  however,  that  I  ! 
could  not  give  accurate  testimony  about  it.  I  never  was  inside  of  the  ' 
house  before  or  since. 

6157.  Q.  Do  you  know  Marshal  Murray ! 
A.  I  know  him  by  sight;  yes,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Ross: 

6158.  Q.  Do  you  know  anything  further  about  election  frauds  in  this 
city  than  what  you  have  stated! 

A.  No,  sir,  I  do  not.     I  know  that  parties  attempted  to  repeat  in  the  i 
district  where  I  was  inspector,  but  I  did  not  receive  their  votes. 

6159.  Q.  Do  you  know  for  which  party  l 

A.  1  know  one  man.  I  looked  at  his  tickets  the  second  time  he  came 
to  vote.    It  was  the  republican  ticket. 

6160.  Q.  He  was  trying  to  repeat  the  republican  ticket? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

6161.  Q.  Have  you  any  knowledge   of  your  own  with  reference  to  | 
whether  these  men  did  repeat  that  day  or  not? 

A.  I  have  not.  I  did  not  see  them  on  election  day.  They  told  me 
that  they  did. 

(Marshal  Murray  was  here  called  in.) 

6162.  Q.  Is  this  Mr.  Murray  who  is  now  present  the  Marshal  Murray  | 
of  whom  you  have  testified? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

New  York,  January  11,  1869. 
Marshal  Robert  Murray  recalled. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

6163.  Question.  Have  you  not  seen  Hiram  D.  Ferguson  ? 
Answer.  I  have  seen  the  gentleman  pointed  out  to  me  here. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  569 

6164.  Q.  State  if  you  saw  hiin  at  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel  a  week,  or 
at  any  time  shortly  before  the  last  presidential  election. 

A.  I  never  saw  him  before  in  my  life. 

6105.  Q.  Did  you  see  him  at  the  Hoffman  House  shortly  before  the 
[(residential  election  ? 

A.  As  I  have  testified  before,  I  was  not  in  the  Hoffman  House.  I 
think  the  last  time  I  was  in  there  prior  to  the  election  was  one  evening 
in  the  month  of  September.     I  am  not  in  the  habit  of  visiting*  there. 

6166.  Q.  Have  you  been  in  the  bar-room  of  the  Hoffman  House  ? 

A.  I  have  never  been  there  in  my  life  since  they  changed  the  old  bar. 
The  old  bar  was  changed  some  two  years  and  a  half  ago.  I  think  I  have 
been  in  there  half  a  dozen  times.  I  have  never  been  in  where  the  new 
bar-room  is.  The  old  bar-room  was  right  back  of  the  cigar  store,  and  I 
noticed  when  I  was  in  there  in  September  that  it  was  removed,  but  what 
part  of  the  building  it  is  removed  to  1  am  unable  to  tell,  because  I  have 
never  been  there. 

Few  York,  January  11,  1869. 
David  Hogan,  (recalled  at  his  own  request  to  explain  his  testimony.) 

To  the  Chairman  : 

6167.  I  came  back  to  rectify  a  mistake.  On  Saturday  I  testified  to 
the  best  of  my  belief  that  the  man  who  was  hurt  on  the  day  after  the 
election  was  the  man  who  challenged  me.  I  heard  he  was  a  challenger 
in  the  9th  district,  but  I  discover,  after  reflection,  that  he  was  not  the 
party  at  all,  because  he  was  not  hurt  until  after  the  second  election,  the 
December  election ;  so  that  whoever  it  was  I  don't  know.  I  think  I 
heard  one  of  these  gentlemen  who  was  writing  here  tell  somebody  else 
that'l  lived  at  833  Third  avenue.  I  live  at  830,  one  door  this  side  of 
Fifty-fifth  street. 

New  York,  January  11,  1869. 
James  Gorrey  sworn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instance  of  Mr.  Ross. ) 

To  Mr.  Eoss : 

6168.  I  live  at  165  East  Thirty-third  street.  1  was  a  canvasser  in  the 
loth  district  of  the  18th  ward  at  the  November  and  December  elections. 
I  got  my  notification  from  headquarters,  from  Mr.  Hasbrouck,  the  clerk. 
I  was  down  there  one  day  and  qualified,  and  after  I  came  down  stairs  I 
made  the  acquaintance  of  a  man  by  the  name  of  Scannel,  and  he  intro- 
duced me  to  a  man  by  the  name  of  Stanly,  who  said,  "  This  man  has  just 
been  confirmed."  Mr.  Stanly  asked  me  my  politics,  and  I  told  him  I  did 
not  hardly  think  that  was  necessary,  but  I  was  a  democrat,  and  appointed 
a  democratic  canvasser ;  and  he  said  to  me,  taking  me  one  side,  "  Do  you 
want  to  make  a  stake  V  I  said  that  depended  upon  circumstances ;  and 
he  says,  "I  guess  it  does  not  make  much  difference  to  you  who  wins  this 
race  now."  I  said,  "  It  won't  benefit  me  anyway,  that  is  certain."  He 
says,  "I  am  interested  in  the  vote  that  Grant  and  Griswold  are  going  to 
poll  in  the  18th  ward,  and  if  you  could  assist  me  any  it  might  be  worth 
a  couple  of  hundred  dollars  to  you."  I  put  up  my  hands  in  that  way, 
(illustrating,)  and  said,  aNo,  I  am  not  one  of  that  kind  of  people;  you 
must  look  to  somebody  else  for  one  to  get  anything  of  that  kind  done." 
That  is  all  I  said  to  him  then,  and  he  walked  away  with  Mr.  Scannel, 
and  I  went  up  to  my  place  of  business. 

6169.  Question.  Do  you  know  of  any  repeating  being  done  ? 
Answer.  I  heard  a  great  deal  of  talk  about  it,  but  did  not  see  any  of  it. 


570  ELECTION    FRAUDS    TN    NEW    YORK. 

New  York,  January  11,  I860. 
John  Norton  recalled,  (at  his  own  request.) 
To  Mr.  Ross : 

6170.  I  was  here  on  Thursday,  and  gave  my  name  as  James  Nichols, 
87  Mercer  street,  and  I  said  that  I  was  not  paid  for  coming  here,  or  any- 
thing of  that  kind,  which  I  was. 

6171.  Question.  State  what  your  right  name  is. 
Answer.  John  Norton. 

6172.  Q.  State  your  right  residence. 

A.  No.  42  West  Houston  street.  I  said  that  I  did  not  receive  any 
money  or  anything  of  that  kind  for  coming  here,  which  I  did;  and  that  I 
voted  seven  times,  which  I  did  not. 

6173.  Q.  You  did  not  act  as  a  repeater  ! 
A.  No,  sir. 

6174.  Q.  State  what  money  you  got  for  making  your  statement  the 
other  day,  and  from  whom  you  got  it. 

A.  I  received  $5,  in  Jersey  City. 

6175.  Q.  For  the  statement  you  made  the  other  day  f 
A.  Yes,  sir;  I  also  received  $5  here  at  this  hall. 

6176.  Q.  State  who  got  you  to  go  over  to  Jersey  City. 

A.  A  young  man  by  the  name  of  Samuel  Baker;  he  received  the 
money  from  Colonel  Wood ;  he  gave  me  $5  to  go  over  there,  and  $5  for 
giving  my  evidence  here. 

6177.  Q.  Who  is  this  Samuel  Baker ;  do  you  know  him  ? 
A.  I  have  seen  him  ;  I  don't  know  him. 

6178.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  he  holds  any  office  f 
A.  I  do  not. 

6179.  Q.  Were  the  statements  you  made  the  other  day  true  or  false? 
A.  They  were  false. 

6180.  Q.  Under  what  circumstances  were  you  induced  to  make  those 
false  statements  f 

A.  Parties  gave  me  money  for  doing  it.  I  received  $5  in  Jersey  City 
and  $5  in  this  city  for  making  the  statement. 

6181.  Q.  How  many  other  parties  were  there  that  you  know  of  having 
got  money  besides  yourself? 

A.  There  were  parties  with  me,  but  I  did  not  know  their  exact  names. 

6182.  Q.  What  number  of  them  did  you  see  get  money  % 

A.  All  I  saw  was  another  young  man  and  myself;  they  sent  two  of  us 
up  at  once. 

6183.  Q.  Who  took  your  statement  in  Jersey  City  ? 
A.  I  don't  know  what  the  party's  name  was. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

6184.  Q.  Where  is  your  true  residence  ? 

A.  Forty- two  West  Houston  street.  I  gave  my  name  as  James  Nichols, 
87  Mercer  street. 

6185.  Q.  When  you  went  over  the  river  they  did  not  ask  you  to  state 
anything  that  was  untrue  % 

A.  O,  no ;  you  stated  what  you  pleased  over  there,  and  did  not  swear 
to  it, 

6186.  Q.  Have  you  been  talking  with  some  of  the  deputy  sheriffs  on 
Saturday  or  to-day  ? 

A.  I  have  not  talked  with  any  of  them. 

6187.  Q.  Were  not  you  in  the  sheriff's  office  % 
A.  Yes,  sir. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  571 

6188.  Q.  Which  one  of  the  deputy  sheriffs  did  you  talk  with  f 
A.  I  did  not  know  their  names ;  I  did  not  know  any  of  them. 

6189.  Q.  Did  you  see  Sheriff  O'Brien  himself? 
A.  No,  sir ;  I  do  not  know  the  gentleman  at  all. 

6190.  Q.  How  long  were  you  in  the  sheriff's  office  ? 
A.  Only  a  few  minutes ;  giving  my  evidence  there. 

6191.  Q.  After  you  testified  here? 
A.  No,  sir;  before. 

6192.  Q.  Where  was  his  office  ? 
A.  In  Jersey  city. 

6193.  Q.  Were  you  over  at  the  City  Hall  building  ! 
A.  No,  sir ;  I  was  not. 

6194.  Q.  Were  you  at  the  court-house  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

6195.  Q.  Where  did  you  see  any  of  the  deputy  sheriffs  ? 
A.  I  have  not  seen  any. 

6196.  Q.  Have  you  been  drinking  this  morning  ? 
A.  I  had  one  drink  this  morning  at  Delmonico's. 

6197.  Who  was  with  you  at  Delmonico's  ? 

A.  Nobody ;  I  went  there  myself,  and  took  a  wash,  and  had  a  drink. 

6198.  Q.  Who  paid  for  it? 
A.  I  did,  sir. 

6199.  Q.  Where  did  you  get  your  money  ? 

A.  I  have  got  money  sufficient  to  carry  me  through. 

6200.  Q.  You  have  got  some  since  this  testifying  here  before,  have  you  * 
A.  No,  sir. 

6201.  Q.  Would  you  swear  to  a  statement  that  was  untrue  for  $5  ? 
A.  I  did  do  it. 

6202.  Q.  You  did  it? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

6203.  Q.  You  would  do  it  again,  then,  would  you  not? 

A.  No,  sir;  no,  sir;  I  came  here  to  repudiate  myself  this  time. 

6204.  You  have  repented  and  reformed  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  understood  that  parties  were  going  to  get  into  trouble, 
and  came  here  for  that  purpose. 

6205.  Q.  Who  told  you  that? 

A.  This  young  man  by  the  name  of  Samuel. 

5206.  Q.  When  did  you  see  him  ? 

A.  I  saw  him  this  morning  in  Crosby  street. 

6207.  Q.  Did  he  come  to  hunt  you  up  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  met  him  there  in  a  liquor  saloon. 

6208.  Q.  He  told  you  you  were  going  to  get  into  trouble  from  what 
,rou  testified? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

6209.  Q.  And  you  were  afraid  that  that  was  so  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

6210.  Q.  And  thereupon  you  have  made  the  statement  you  have  made 
o-day? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

6211.  Q.  To  avoid  any  danger  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

^6212.  Q.  How  many  times  did  you  vote  upon  the  day  of  election  ? 
A.  I  voted  once  in  the  8th  ward ;  I  don't  know  what  the  district  is ;  it 
right  between  Amity  and  Bleeker.    I  gave  the  right  name. 
6213.  Q.  Did  you  vote  the  democratic  ticket  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 


572  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

6214.  Q.  Did  you  vote  at  any  other  place  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

6215.  Q.  Did  you  register  at  any  other  place  I 
A.  No,  sir. 

6216.  Q.  Who  gave  you  the  slip  with  the  name  and  number  on  that 
day? 

A.  No  party  gave  me  no  slip  and  number. 

6217.  Q.  Could  you  point  out  this  man  that  came  to  you  at  the  liquor 
saloon  I 

A.  This  man;  certainly  I  could. 

6218.  Q.  Where  docs  he  live  I 

A.  I  don't  exactly  know  where  he  does  live,  in  fact.  I  know  him  when 
J  sec  him  round. 

6219.  Q.  What  office  does  he  hold? 

A.  He  is  not  doing  anything,  I  guess,  at  present. 

6220.  Q.  Was  that  the  first  time  any  one  said  anything  to  you  about 
your  testimony  when  that  young  man  met  you  in  the  liquor  saloon  this 
morning  I 

A.  No,  sir;   I  saw  him  yesterday  and  also  this  morning. 

6221.  Q.  Where  did  you  see  him  yesterday  \ 

A.  In  the  8th  ward,  in  Houston  street;  the  corner  of  Houston  and 
Wooster. 

6222.  Q.  In  a  liquor  store? 
A.  No,  sir;  I  met  him. 

622:>.  Q.  Did  he  tell  you  then  that  there  was  danger  of  your  getting 
into  trouble  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  he  told  me  also  this  morning. 

By  Mr.  Ross: 

6224.  Q.  Was  this  man  you  have  testified  of  one  of  the  men  that  went 
over  to  Jersey  City  with  you  % 

A.  He  was. 

6225.  Q.  And  testified  with  you  over  there  and  brought  you  here  to 
testify  1 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

6226.  Q.  The  apprehension  that  you  spoke  of  was  because  you  swore 
falsely? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

6227.  Q.  And  you  desire  now  to  swear  to  the  truth  that  you  may  not 
get  into  trouble? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

New  York,  January  11, 1869. 
Michael  Edwards  recalled,  (at  his  own  request.) 
To  Mr.  Eoss : 

6228.  I  gave  my  name  here  as  George  Nelson.  What  I  testified  to  the 
other  day  was  that  I  went  to  a  place  in  Wooster  street  and  Crosby  and 
voted  several  times,  and  it  was  an  untruth. 

6229.  Q.  What  you  swore  to  the  other  day  was  an  untruth  ? 

A.  An  untruth.  I  was  told  I  would  get  paid  for  it,  and  receive  the 
sum  of  $10— $5  for  making  a  statement  in  Jersey  City,  and  $5  for  the 
statement  here.  Seeing  that  the  papers  were  making  a  time  about  it> 
being  liable  to  arrest,  and  one  thing  and  another,  I  thought  I  would 
come  down  and  withdraw  my  statement  in  some  way  or  other,  and  do 
what  I  could  with  it  anyhow. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IX  NEW  YORK.  573 

6230.  Q.  What  reason  have  you  for  desiring  to  change  your  state- 
ments I 

A.  Nothing  more  than  I  suppose  I  am  liable  to  be  arrested  at  any 
moment  for  making  a  false  statement 

6231.  Q.  Do  you  know  who  paid  you  the  money  for  the  statements 
you  made  the  other  day  I 

A.  A  young  man  by  the  name  of  Samuel  Baker  gave  me  $5  in  Jersey 
City,  and  $5  in  New  York  eity. 

6232.  Q.  Was  the  statement  you  made  the  other  day  true  or  false  I 

A.  It  was  false.  Some  parts  of  it  were  true.  With  reference  to  going 
to  the  club.  I  was  there  two  nights,  and  that  was  all.  So  far  as  the 
voting  and  repeating  was  concerned,  there  was  nothing  true  about  that. 

6233.  Q.  Did  yon  falsely  register  I 

A.  No.  sir  :  I  only  registered  in  the  5th  ward. 

6234.  Q.  Do  you  know  who  this  Samuel  Baker  is  I 

A.  1  have  known  him  personally  for  about  six  months.  His  occupa- 
tion 1  cannot  tell.  He  stops  in  Crosby  street,  at  a  place  under  the  Metro- 
politan Shades.     He  has  no  office  that  1  am  aware  of. 

6235.  Q.  Do  you  know  what  political  party  he  belongs  to  I 
A.  No.  sir :  1  do  not. 

6236.  Q.  Did  you  see  any  money  paid  to  other  parties  that  went  over 
to  Jersey  City  for  testifying  :  and  if  so.  to  what  extent  I 

A.  1  saw  one  young  man  receive  $5,  ami  this  is  all  1  saw  paid  by  the 
man. 


By  the  CHAIRMAN  : 

6237.  Q.  What  is  your  real  name  ! 

A.  My  real  name  is  Michael  Edwards.  I  live  at  59  Laurens  street.  I 
room  at  .Mrs.  Stackpole's.     L  have  my  meals  at  the  eating-houses. 

6238.  Q.  When  did  you  last  see  Billy  Cook  I 

A.  1  don't  know  the  gentleman.  1  may  know  him  and  not  know  his 
name. 

Gl^U).  Q.  After  you  testified  before,  you  were  told  you  might  get  into 
trouble  about  it  ?  * 

A.  Only  what  1  saw  myself  in  the  papers.  I  read  the  Herald  yester- 
day, and  the  Tribune  to-day.  and  I  inferred  from  them  that  there  might 
be  some  trouble,  and  1  thought  1  might  as  well  come  down. 

6240.  Q.  You  were  afraid  there  would  be  trouble  I 
A.  1  was  not  exactly  afraid,  but  1  hail  the  idea. 

6241.  Q.  Did  not  somebody  tell  you  of  that  besides  I 
A.  No,  sir. 

G24i).  Q.  Didn't  you  talk  with  any  one  I 

A.  I  talked  with  no  one  personally  in  any  way.  shape,  or  manner. 
Nobody  talked  with  me  about  it.  What  1  did  I  did  myself:  but  1  heard 
other  people  talking  about  it,  and  what  was  in  the  newspapers. 

6243.  Q.  Where  did  you  hear  them  talking  I 

A.  At  the  saloon  in  Green  street;  the  proprietor.  lie  did  not  tell 
me  anything  about  it.  He  did  not  know  I  had  done  this  thing  :  but  he 
said  that  parties  would  get  themselves  into  trouble  by  doing  this  thing. 

G244.  Q.  He  told  you  if  you  would  go  and  correct  it  that  it  would  save 
the  trouble ! 

A.  No.  sir :  he  did  not  say  anything  at  all. 

6245.  Q,  What  made  you  think  yon  could  get  out  of  trouble  by  coming 
back  now  \ 

A.  I  thought  it  was  the  best  way  anyhow  to  come  and  make  the  correct 
statement. 


574  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

By  Mr.  Ross : 

6246.  Q.  You  thought  that  it  was  safer  to  tell  the  truth  than  a  falsehood? 
A.  I  did  to-day. 

6247.  Q.  Were  you  fearful  of  being  prosecuted  for  swearing  falsely  the 
other  day  I 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

New  York,  January  11, 1869. 
James  Strong  sworn  and  examined. 
To  the  Chairman  : 

6248.  I  live  at  49 J  Downing  street.  I  have  made  a  canvass  of  houses  in 
this  city,  to  ascertain  who  resided  there  at  the  last  presidential  election. 
I  visited  116  Varick  street.  1  found  the  only  residents  there  were 
Michael  Norton,  a  Mr.  Green,  and  James  Sherry;  only  three  residing 
there.  Michael  Norton  is  the  State  senator.  I  went  to  12  Renwick 
street.  I  found  two  residing  there — John  Cox  and  August  Needhart; 
they  were  the  only  two  that  resided  there.  I  visited  50  Vandam  street. 
There  was  a  front  and  rear  there.  I  found  eight  residing  in  the  front 
and  rear ;  three  in  the  rear,  and  five  in  the  front.  In  the  rear  house, 
James  Murphy,  Richard  Foster,  and  a  man  by  the  name  of  McClane; 
and  in  the  front  house,  Charles  Cummings,  and  the  other  names  I  can- 
not recollect.  I  also  went  to  62  Macdougal  street.  I  found  two  residing 
there — Samuel  Goodwin  and  Isaac  Robinson.  Isaac  Robinson  is  alder- 
man; democratic,  I  think;  and  also  Mr.  Cox  and  Renwick  are  alder- 
men, or  assistant  aldermen.  In  the  house  that  I  reside  in  there  were 
five  parties  registered  out  of  that,  and  neither  one  of  them  lives  there — 49J 
Downing — John  Andrews,  James  Bonney,  James  Jourdan,  George 
McLoud,  and  William  Wilson.  I  found  three  residing  at  143  West 
Houston  street — John  B.  Evarts,  Charles  E.  Bissell,  and  Mr.  Bloon. 
They  were  the  only  three  that  resided  there.  I  visited  277  Spring  street. 
There  were  eight  residing  there — Richard  Ryan,  James  Powell,  John 
Powell,  and  Robert  Powell,  I  think,  and  the  other  names  I  cannot  think 
of  at  present. 

6249.  Q.  Have  you  stated  all  the  persons  who  resided  at  the  places 
you  have  named  ? 

A.  There  may  be  two  or  three  names.    I  have  got  all  the  numbers. 

6250.  Q.  State  if  you  made  inquiry  and  search  for  persons  residing 
there  at  the  time  of  the  presidential  election  ! 

A.  I  made  inquiries  for  the  persons  residing  there  at  the  present  time, 
and  for  the  two  months  previous. 

By  Mr.  Ross : 

6251.  Q.  What  time  did  you  make  this  examination  ? 
A.  Last  week  and  the  week  before. 

6252.  Q.  How  many  stories  were  there  in  those  houses  usually? 

A.  In  some  there  were  two,  and  others  three.  A  majority  of  these 
houses  were  very  small  houses.  62  Macdougal  street  was  a  very  small 
house,  and  50  Vandam  street  was  a  very  small  house. 

6253.  Q.  Did  you  go  into  every  room  ? 
A.  I  did  not. 

6254.  Q.  Did  you  go  into  every  story  ! 
A.  I  did  not. 

6255.  Q.  Was  information  you  had  with  regard  to  the  persons  residing 
there  hearsay  testimony  derived  from  others  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  it  was  not. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  575 

6256.  Q.  How  did  you  get  it? 
A.  From  their  wives  and  servants  ;  that  is  all  I  know  about  it. 

6257.  Q.  Have  you  any  personal  knowledge  who  lived  there  ? 
A.  I  have  personal  knowledge  of  the  parties  living  there  some  time 

previous.    I  have  no  personal  knowledge  what  other  parties  lived  there, 
except  as  I  was  told. 

6258.  Q.  What  is  your  business? 
A.  I  am  a  brush-maker  by  trade.     I  worked  with  Mr.  Berriare,  252 

Pearl  street.    I  have  been  out  of  work  since  the  29th  of  November. 
Work  is  very  dull. 

6259.  Q.  In  what  business  have  you  been  engaged  since  ? 
A.  Nothing. 

6260.  Q.  Who  employed  you  to  make  this  examination? 
A.  No  one  in  particular. 

6261.  Q.  Who  asked  you  to  do  this? 
A.  A  young  friend  of  mine  by  the  name  of  Gilligan  was  making  the 

examination.    He  can  testify  substantially  as  I  have  to  all  the  examina- 
tion we  made. 

6262.  Q.  What  pay  have  you  got  for  it? 
A.  Nothing. 

6263.  Q.  What  promise  of  pay? 
A.  Nothing. 

6264.  Q.  What  political  party  do  you  act  with? 
A.  I  act  with  either  party. 

6265.  Q.  How  did  you  vote  at  the  last  presidential  election  ? 
A.  I  did  not  vote. 

6266.  Q.  Where  were  you? 
A.  I  was  conductor  on  the  Sixth  avenue  railroad  at  the  time.    I  changed 

nry  residence  about  the  time  of  the  election,  and  was  not  entitled  to  vote. 

6267.  Q.  Have  you  ever  had  any  other  name  except  James  Strong  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

6268.  Q.  Have  you  ever  been  convicted  of  any  offence? 
A.  No,  sir ;  I  never  was  arrested  in  my  life. 

6269.  Q.  What  induced  you  to  make  this  examination? 

A.  I  came  to  the  conclusion  that  such  frauds  ought  to  be  investigated 
by  every  honest  man. 

6270.  Q.  You  were  looking  at  the  good  of  the  country  at  large  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  as  I  have  done  previous  times  during  the  war.  I  was  at 
the  front  a  little  over  three  years,  and  I  went  there  for  the  good  of  the 
country,  and  I  thought  an  investigation  of  this  kind  would  also  be  bene- 
ficial to  the  country. 

New  York,  January  11, 1869. 
James  Ward  sworn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instance  of  Mr.  Eoss.) 

By  Mr.  Eoss : 

6271.  Question.  State  if  you  know  of  any  efforts  being  made  to  procure 
false  statements  in  relation  to  repeating. 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  Saturday  at  noon  I  was  taking  a  walk  around.  I  am 
at  present  out  of  employment,  and  I  thought  I  might  see  the  superintendent 
}f  the  Broadway  road,  where  I  last  worked,  and  see  if  I  could  get  work, 
ind  I  walked  from  Barclay  street  up  Broadway  to  Chambers,  and  turned 
icross  here  and  saw  the  police  standing  around,  and  I  walked  into  the 
mil  and  saw  a  friend  of  mine  by  the  name  of  John  Keating,  and  I  stood 
talking  to  him  at  the  foot  of  the  stairs  there,  and  a  gentleman  walked 
Jver  and  laid  his  hand  on  both  our  shoulders  and  says,  "  Boys,  this  is  all 


576  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

right  ;  go  ahead  and  give  your  testimony  that  yon  east  illegal  votes  for 
the  democratic  party,  and  it  will  bo  all  right,  and  here  arc  $10  to  divide 
up  between  you;"  and  he  gave  them  to  my  friend  and  ho  says,  "No  harm 
will  happen  to  you;  I  will  see  that  it  is  all  right,  and  don't  go  back  on 
me  like  the  rest  of  the  boys  did."  So  we  wont  out  and  divided  the  money. 
I  thought  it  was  given  under  a  mistake;  that  they  took  me  for  somebody 
else;  and  after  due  consideration  I  came  to  the  conclusion  that  I  might 
get  myself  into  trouble,  and  I  proposed  to  come  here  with  him  and  return 
the  money,  and  1  have  the  five  dollars  here  if  you  wish  to  take  it,  [laying 
a  five-dollar  bill  upon  the  table.]  lean  use  it  to  good  advantage,  and 
shall  be  very  glad  to  get  it,  but  1  don't  feel  disposed  to  keep  it  if  it  is 
dishonest. 

<>272.  Q.  Do  you  know  who  gave  it  to  you? 

A.  I  did  not  know  at  the  time  ;  1  afterwards  found  out  from  Keating 
that  it  was  Mr.  Wood. 

6273.  Q.  Then  you  do  not  know  Mr.  Wood  at  all  1 
A.  No,  sir. 

6274.  Was  there  a  promise  of  anything  more  after  you  got  back? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  he  said  he  would  give  us  more  when  we  came  out,  but  he 
did  not  state  how  much.     I  did  not  notice  anybody  with  him. 

6275.  Q.  Did  the  gentleman  with  you  ^t  any  money  ! 

A.  He  got  the  $10,  and  gave  me  live  when  we  went  outside  the  building. 

6276.  Q.  Do  you  know  what  Mr.  Wood's  politics  are? 

A.  1  don't  really  knowr,  sir.  Mine  is  democratic.  I  should  judge  from 
what  he  said  that  he  was  a  republican. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

6277.  Q.  You  did  not  see  Wood  yourself? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  he  stood  right  before  us,  and  placed  his  hands  on  each  of 
our  shoulders. 

0278.  Q.  Did  Wood  give  you  the  money  ? 

A.  No ;  he  gave  it  to  my  friend  in  my  presence.     1  could  not  tell  how  ; 
much  it  was  ;    I  could  see  it  was  greenbacks.     It  was  right  out  at  the 
foot  of  the  stairs,  on  Saturday. 

6279.  Q.  Did  you  go  over  the  river  on  Saturday  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

6280.  Q.  You  did  not  know  it  was  Wood? 

A.  I  did  not  know,  except  that  I  was  told  afterwards. 

6281.  Q.  Don't  you  know  that  the  man  was  a  democrat  of  this  city 
who  came  up  and  said  that  to  you  in  order  that  you  might  be  brought  in  j 
here  to  testify  in  this  way? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  don't  know  that. 

6282.  Q.  You  don't  know  who  he  was? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  don't  know  who  he  was;  I  think  I  could  identify  the  gen- 
tleman if  he  was  present. 

6283.  Q.  To  whom  did  you  make  this  statement  of  what  you  have  tes- 
tified? 

A.  To  a  friend  of  mine. 

6281.  Q.  Who  is  that  friend? 

A.  An  officer  of  one  of  the  courts,  William  Ward. 

6285.  Q.  What  office  does  he  hold? 

A.  Messenger  of  the  court,  in  the  court-house;  I  don't  knowr  what  court. 

6286.  Q.  He  came  with  you  and  asked  you  to  make  this  statement  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir;  we  were  talking  about  it  and  I  told  him  how  it  was,  and 

he  listened  to  it  and  said  I  might  make  the  statement  and  return  the  | 
money,  which  we  proposed  to  do. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW   YORK.  •  577 

G287.  Q.  Where  were  you  when  you  made  this  statement? 
A.  Up  at  the  Third  avenue. 

6288.  Q.  When  was  that? 
A.  Yesterday  afternoon. 

6289.  Q.  How  did  he  know  that  you  had  this  conversation  ? 

A.  He  was  a  particular  friend  of  mine  and  heard  me  talking  about  it. 

6290.  Q.  Do  you  hold  any  office? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  was  a  conductor  upon  the  Seventh  Avenue  and  Broad- 
way railroad.   I  am  not  now  in  any  business.   I  live  at  463  Third  avenue. 

6291.  Q.  Did  Mr.  Ward  take  down  your  statement ? 

A.  Yes,  sir  j  we  both  talked  it  over  before  him,  and  he  went  and  wrote 
it  down. 

6292.  Q.  Where  was  that? 

A.  In  the  office  of  a  livery  stable  in  Thirty -third  street. 

6293.  Q.  What  did  you  get  for  making  this  statement  ? 
A.  Nothing. 

6294.  Q.  Or  the  promise  of  anything  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

6295.  Q.  Where  did  you  vote  at  the  last  presidential  election  ? 

A.  I  voted  in  Second  avenue  between  Thirty-fourth  and  Thirty-fifth 
streets. 

6296.  Q.  Under  what  name? 
A.  Under  my  own  name. 

6297.  Q.  Did  you  vote  any  other  time  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

6298.  Q.  Are  you  sure  of  that? 
A.  Very  sure. 

6299.  Q.  How  often  did  you  register? 
A.  Once. 

6300.  Q.  Did  you  register  at  any  other  time,  or  under  any  other  name  ? 
A.  In  other  years  and  other  elections. 

6301.  Q.  Under  a  different  name  ? 
A.  No,  sir $  only  my  own  name. 

By  Mr.  Boss: 

6302.  Q.  Did  you  get  these  five  dollars  for  going  over  there  and  making 
a  false  statement  in  relation  to  voting  in  this  city  ? 

A.  That  is  what  I  got  the  money  for,  I  suppose,  but  I  did  not  do  any 
such  thing. 

6303.  Q.  I  ask  now  if  you  desire  to  return  the  money  to  Mr.  Wood 
from  whom  it  came  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  desire  to  do  so,  I  done  nothing  to  earn  it,  and  therefore 
I  don't  think  I  ought  to  keep  it. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

6304.  Q.  You  did  not  go  over  the  river  and  make  any  statement? 
A.  No,  sir. 

6305.  Q.  You  did  not  make  any  statement  to  Mr.  Wood  ? 
A.  No,  sir;  I  did  not  even  make  an  answer  to  him. 

6306.  Q.  You  have  not  been  called  as  a  witness  by  Mr.  Wood  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

6307.  Q.  Who  did  call  you  as  a  witness  ? 
A.  Nobody  in  particular. 

6308.  Q.  How  did  you  come  here  as  a  witness? 
A.  Because  I  thought  it  was  just  my  due. 

6309.  Q.  You  came  of  your  own  accord  without  being  summoned  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

37  T 


578  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

New  York,  January  11,  I860. 
N.  Jarvis,  Jr.,  recalled. 
By  the  Chairman  : 
6310.  Question.  Will  you  furnish  the  committee  a  statement  of  the 
Dumber  of  persons  naturalized  from  1850  to  1808,  inclusive,  with  the 
number  daily  in  October,  18G8,  in  the  court  of  common  pleas  I 

Answer.  I  submit  to  the  committee  the  following  statement,  which  is 
correct : 

Office  of  the  Clerk  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas 

for  the  City  and  County  of  New  York. 
In  answear  to  the  question  "How  many  persons  were  naturalized  in  the  said  court  during 
each  year,  beginning  with  the  year  1856,  to  and  including  the  year  1868,  and  how  many 
were  naturalized  during  the  month  of  October,  1868,  stating  the  number  each  day  during 
said  month,"  I  answer — 


Number  naturalized  in  1856, 


1857... 

1858... 

1859... 

1860... 

1861... 

1862... 

1863... 

1864... 

1865... 

1866... 

1867... 

1868... 

Number  naturalized  October  1. 

Do 2. 

Do 5. 


Do 
Do. 
Do. 
Do. 
Do. 
Do. 
Do. 
Do. 
Do. 
Do. 
Do. 
Do. 


l<>, 
6, 
4, 
5, 

■  8, 
8, 
1, 
', 

5, 
4, 
6, 
4, 

3, 


479 
857 
882 
546 
14-2 
935 
511 
762 
631 
154 
465 
662 
145 
104 
95 
139 


Number  naturalized  October 


Do 

7 

.  •          to 
57 

Do 

8 

..       81 

Do 

9 

91 

Do 

10 

42 

Do 

12 

.-      157 

Do 

13 

..      23! 

Do 

14 

..      149 

Do 

15 

..      116 

Do 

16 

..       85 

Do 

17 

..       21 

Do 

19 

. .      105 

Do 

20 

..        18 

Do 

21 

..       16 

Do 

22 

..       29 

Do 

23 

31 

N.  JARVIS,  Jr. 


6311.  Q.  State  whether  during  the  war  a  large  proportion  of  the 
foreigners  of  this  city  went  into  the  army  t 

A.  I  do  not  know  the  fact.     I  presume  they  did;  a  great  many  did. 

6312.  Q.  State  whether  from  your  knowledge  of  the  city,  in  addition 
to  those  who  were  killed  and  died  of  disease,  a  large  portion  of  those 
who  went  into  the  army  did  not  remain  in  other  portions  of  the  country? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

New  York,  January  11, 1869. 
John  Keating  sworn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instance  of  Mr. 
Ross.) 

By  Mr.  Boss : 

6313.  Question.  State  if  you  know  of  any  combination  or  conspiracy  in 
this  city  or  in  Brooklyn  organized  with  a  view  to  induce  persons  to  give 
false  testimony  before  this  committee  in  relation  to  repeating;  if  so 
state  what  you  know  about  it. 

Answer.  I  was  passing  by  and  I  saw  the  policemen  around,  and  I  saw 
some  excitement,  and  I  walked  in  and  I  heard  the  investigation  committee 
was  here  investigating  frauds;  and  I  was  standing  near  the  door  and 
Mr.  James  Ward  was  coming  up,  and  we  got  to  talking  about  how  dull 
the  times  was,  and  a  man  came  up  (Colonel  Wood)  and  put  his  hand 
on  our  shoulders  and  said,  "  Everything  is  right,  boys,"  and  took  us 
aside  and  he  said  for  us  to  come  in  here  and  give  testimony  that  we  re- 
peated the  democratic  ticket  on  the  3d  of  November,  and  he  said  he 
would  be  a  friend  of  ours,  and  for  us  not  to  go  back  on  him  like  the 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  579 

j  rest  of  them  did.  He  gave  me  $10 — $5  apiece — to  divide  amongst  me 
and  Mr.  Ward,  and  bid  ns  good  day;  and  Mr.  Wood  went  off  and  I  gave 
Mr.  Ward  $5,  and  here  is  the  $5  now,  sir;  I  have  got  it  in  my  pocket 
yet,  [laying  a  $5  bill  upon  the  table.] 

6314."  Q.  Where  were  you  to  go  to  make  this  false  statement? 

A.  I  was  to  come  here;  that  was  all  that  was  said.  He  asked  us  to 
come  in  here  and  swear  false,  and  give  our  testimony  that  we  voted 
illegally  on  the  3d  of  November.  On  Sunday  me  and  Mr.  Ward  had  a 
little  conversation  over  it,  and  we  went  to  a  stable  on  Thirty-third  street 
and  talked  it  over  to  Ward's  brother  and  gave  him  the  statement.  We 
came  here  voluntarily  to  make  a  statement  of  the  truth? 

6315.  Q.  And  return  the  money  to  Colonel  Wood  if  he  would  accept  it? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

6316.  Q.  Which  you  are  now  ready  to  do? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

6317.  Q.  You  have  the  money  in  your  possession  ready  for  Colonel 
Wood's  order? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

By  the  Chairman: 

6318.  Q.  Where  do  you  live? 
A.  At  GS  Cherry  street. 

6319.  Q.  Colonel  Wood  did  not  ask  you  to  go  to  any  place  except  to 
come  here  to  testify  in  this  building? 

A.  No,  sir. 

6320.  Q.  It  was  right  at  the  door  of  this  building? 

A.  No,  sir;  it  was  right  over  anenst  it;  and  he  said  everything  was 
right,  and  asked  us  to  come  and  testify. 

6321.  Q.  He  said  nothing  about  going  to  any  place  in  Jersey  City? 
A.  Nothing  that  I  know  of. 

6322.  Q.  Nothing  about  Taylor's  Hotel? 
A.  No. 

6323.  Q.  Colonel  Wood  is  a  very  tall,  slender  man? 

A.  No,  sir,  not  very  tall;  a  stout  man,  with  a  stoop  in  the  shoulders. 

6324.  Q.  With  light,  wide  whiskers. 
A.  No  whiskers  at  all. 

6325.  Q,  Had  he  a  fur  cap  on? 
A.  No,  sir;  a  tall  plug  hat. 

6326.  Q.  When  was  that? 

A.  That  was  on  Saturday,  between  half-past  3  and  4  o'clock.  A. 
quarter-past  3  on  Saturday. 

6327.  Q.  Did  you  ever  see  Colonel  Wood  before? 
A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  have  seen  him. 

6328.  Q.  Before  that  day? 
A.  Never,  sir. 

6329.  Q.  Are  you  certain  that  was  Colonel  Wood? 
A.  Yes,  sir;  I  was  told  it  was. 

6330.  Q.  Who  told  you  so? 
A.  A  man  by  the  name  of  Matchee  Moore. 

6331.  Q.  Wood  did  not  tell  you  the  name  himself? 
A.  No,  sir;  1  was  told  an  hour  before  that  it  was  Colonel  Woodl 

6332.  Q.  Then  you  had  been  in  the  building  some  time? 
A.  Not  very  long — about  an  hour. 

6333.  Q.  Then  you  did  not  come  up  and  meet  this  man  that  was  talk 
ng  with  Colonel  Wood? 

A.  No,  sir;  that  man  came  and  met  me. 


580  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

0334.  Q.  Where  did  he  come  from  ! 
A.  He  came  towards  Chatham  street  I 

6335.  Q.  What  were  you  doing  in  the  building! 

A.  I  was  taking  a  walk  around  and  I  saw  the  excitement. 

6336.  Q.  Did  you  vote  at  the  last  presidential  election? 
A.  I  registered;  I  did  not  vote. 

<>:>37.  Q.  Were  you  summoned  to  come  before  this  committee? 

A.  No,  sir;   I  came  here  voluntarily. 

6338.  Q.  Did  Ward  tell  yon  to  come  here  ? 

A.   We  had  a  little  conversation  in  Thirty-third  street. 

(>;>:>(.>.  Q.  Somebody  told  you  it  was  better  to  do  this? 

A.  We  thought  in  our  own  conscience  it  was  better  to  tell  the  truth. 

6340.  Q.  Who  took  down  the  statement  of  what  you  were  going  to 
testify  here  now  ? 

A.  A  brother  of  Ward's,  at  Thirty-third  street. 

0341.  Q.  How  did  yon  happen  to  see  him? 

A.  We  met  him  there. 

634L\  Q.   Who  sent  him  there? 

A.  I  don't  know  who  sent  him  there. 

G343.  Q.  Didn't  you  know  this  man  that  spoke  to  you  was  not  Colonel 
Wood  at  all,  but  it  was  a  man  who  made  that  statement  to  you  in  order 
that  you  might  conic  and  testify  to  it? 

A.  No,  sir;   1  am  sure  it  was  not. 

6344.  Q.  What  business  are  you  engaged  in? 
A.  I  am  a  laborer  in  Jefferson  market. 

6345.  Q.  How  often  did  you  vote  at  the  last  presidential  election? 
A.  I  did  not  vote  at  all ;  I  registered. 

6346.  Q.  Why  did  not  you  vote? 

A.  I  did  not  feel  very  much  interest  in  it  at  all. 

6347.  Q.  Where  did  you  register  f 
A.  I  registered  in  Roosevelt  street. 

6348.  Q.  What  number? 

A.  I  could  not  tell  the  number. 

6349.  Q.  What  name? 

A.  John  Keating,  68  Cherry  street. 

By  Mr.  Ross : 

6350.  Q.  Were  you  to  have  any  additional  compensation  after  you 
swore  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  we  were  to  get  $10  more. 

6351.  Q.  Five  dollars  apiece,  or  $10  apiece  more  ? 
A.  Ten  dollars  apiece  more. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

6352.  Q.  Did  he  say  anything  about  swearing  false  ? 

A.  He  told  me  to  come  here  and  give  testimony  that  I  voted  illegally 
on  election  day,  on  the  3d  of  November,  and  said  he  would  protect  me. 

6353.  Q.  Did  you  tell  him  you  would  do  it  ? 
A.  No,  sir  ;  I  did  not  say  nothing  about  it. 

6354.  Q.  Without  your  saying  anything  he  gave  you  the  $5  ? 

A.  That  is  so.  I  was  thunderstruck  when  he  came  up  and  spoke  to 
me.    I  did  not  know  who  the  man  was. 

By  Mr.  Ross : 

6355.  Q.  Have  you  any  doubt  of  his  being  Colonel  Wood  f 
A.  No,  sir. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IX    NEW    YORK. 


581 


By  the  Chairman  : 

6356.  Q.  You  never  saw  him  before  ? 
A.  Xot  until  an  hour  before  that. 

6357.  Q.  And  you  have  never  seen  him  since  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

G35S.  Q.  He  has  not  asked  you  since  to  come  and  testify  I 
A.  Xo,  sir. 


Howard  T.  Marston  recalled. 


Xew  York,  January  11,  1869. 


By  the  Chairman  : 

6359.  Question.  State  if,  under  the  direction  of  this  committee,  you  have 
made  any  examination  of  the  applications  for  naturalization  and  affidavits 
on  file  in  the  office  of  the  count v  clerk  of  naturalization  in  the  supreme 
court  of  this  State  in  the  year  1868 ! 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  I  have. 

6360.  Q.  State  what  you  have  observed. 

A.  In  making  this  examination  I  have  kept  notes.     I  have  here  the 
original  notes. 
The  witness  testified  to  the  following  statement : 

Days  on  which  witnesses  appear,  names  of  witnesses,  and  number  of  times 

each  witness  appears. 


October  8. 

October  9. 

October  10.  1  October  12. 

Patrick  McCaffrey 

14 
31 

18 

48 

38 

9 

60 

9 

24 

7 

John  Ward 

23 

John  Morgan 

19 

James  Goff 

Patrick  Goff 

37 

37 

10 

9 

8 

11 

Thomas  Selhan 

13 

Beinteau  Lachman 

2 

5 

James  McCabe 

7 

Michael  Morrow 

2 

3 

31 

14 

John  McGinness 

3 

Joseph  Moore 

2 
13 

10 

James  O'Donnell 

13 

David  Santbrd  

11 

John  McCarthy 

12 

John  Gallagher 

36 

Philip  Whiley 

n 

6361.  Q.  There  were  other 
and  whose  names  do  not  app 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  that  is  the  tri 

6362.  Q.  You  have  made  a 
A.  Yes,  sir ;  it  is  not  finis! 

6363.  Q.  State  how  you  pre 
you  made  this  statement. 

xV.  They  were  given  to  me 
from  the  place  where  they  w 
6361.  Q.  Do  you  know  wh 
A.  Xo,  sir ;  I  do  not. 

witnesses  v 
ear  so  freq 
ith  of  the  < 
partial  ex, 
led. 
cured  the  i 

by  a  man  i 
ere  kept, 
ether  he  fu 

rtiose  name 
uently  upo 
•ase. 
immation  i 

laturalizati 

n  the  coum 

rnished  all 

s  you  have 
a  those  daj 

since  that  ( 

on  papers  1 

ty  clerk's  o! 

the  papers 

not  given, 

~s? 

late  I 

rom  which 
fnce,  taken 

J? 

582  ELECTION   FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

New  York,  January  11,  1869. 
Abraham  Yoorhees  sworn  and  examined. 
To  the  Chairman  : 

63C5.  I  reside  in  Stamford,  Connecticut.  I  have  been  examining  the 
papers  from  the  1st  of  October  to  the  10th.  It  has  been  a  hereulean 
job,  and  it  has  been  impossible  yet  to  finish  it. 

To  Mr.  Ross : 

G3GG.  I  am  a  lawyer.  My  office  is  at  132  Nassau  street.  I  do  not  live 
in  this  city.  I  go  home  every  night.  I  have  been  here  since  November 
1861,  in  the  law  business.  Mr.  (llassey  asked  me  to  go  and  examine 
these  records.  Mr.  (llassey  is  a  lawyer.  I  suppose  he  is  acting  for  the 
Union  League.  I  don't  know. 
0307.  Question.  How  much  pay  do  you  getl 
Answer.   I  don't  know  exactly.     That  has  never  been  settled. 

New  York,  January  11,  1869. 
John  Wood  sworn  and  examined. 
To  the  Chairman  : 

6368.  I  reside  at  006  Water  street. 

6300.  Question.  State  if  you  voted  in  the  last  presidential  election! 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

6370.  Q.  How  often  I 

A.  I  voted  at  the  corner  of  Monroe  and  Jackson  three  times.  Then 
I  went  np  to  East  Broadway,  I  believe  68,  and  I  voted  there  twice. 
Then  I  went  over  to  the  New  Bowery  and  Madison  street,  and  I  voted 
there  twice,  and  that  is  all  I  voted.  I  voted  in  the  13th,  7th,  and  1th 
wards. 

6371.  Q.  What  ticket  did  you  vote  I 

A.  I  believe  it  was  a  democratic  ticket.  I  don't  exactly  know  the 
ticket  because  the  men  came  up  and  gave  me  the  ticket  when  I  was  half 
drunk,  when  1  was  voting.  The  names  were  given  me  on  a  slip  of  paper 
at  the  liquor  store  on  the  corner  of  Madison  and  Jackson.  A  man  came 
in  and  gave  me  names.     I  got  two  names  there. 

6372.  Q.  Can  you  remember  any  of  the  names  you  voted  on  ? 

A.  No,  sir.  A  name  was  shoved  into  my  hand  and  I  had  to  watch 
the  name  and  vote  on  it. 

6373.  Q.  State  what  you  know  of  other  persons  voting  in  that  same 
way. 

A.  There  were  11  or  12,  all  at  the  same  time. 

6374.  Q.  In  the  gang  with  you? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

6375.  Q.  Engaged  in  the  same  business  f 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

6376.  Q.  In  what  business  were  they  engaged  1 

A.  The  business  of  going  round  and  voting  as  many  times  as  we 
could,  and  getting  all  the  rum  we  wanted  to  get. 

6377.  Q.  Did  you  receive  any  compensation  f 
A.  They  promised  me,  but  I  never  received  it. 

6378.  Q.  W 'ho  promised  it  to  you  ! 

A.  Certain  parties  that  I  do  not  wish  to  name. 

6379.  Q.  State  where  the  other  men  that  were  in  your  gang  got  their 
names  and  numbers  on  which  to  vote. 

A.  They  got  them  at  the  corner  of  Madison  and  Jackson.    I  saw  two 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  583 

or  three  get  their  names  with  me.    They  all  fell  in  with  me ;  and  I  sup- 
pose the  others  got  their  names  in  the  same  way. 

To  Mr.  Eoss : 

6380.  I  live  at  696  Water  street.  I  have  lived  there  about  eight  years. 
I  am  engaged  in  hack-driving. 

6381.  Q.  What  election  did  you  vote  at? 

A.  The  presidential  election  last  year.  I  voted  the  democratic  ticket 
first,  and  the  other  tickets  I  don't  know  nothing  about. 

6382.  Q.  How  came  you  to  go  into  this  business  ? 

A.  The  night  before  that  we  were  drinking  up  at  the  porter  house, 
corner  of  Monroe  and  Jackson,  and  they  told  us  to  meet  them  between 
7  and  10  o'clock,  and  we  went  up  to  the  corner  of  Madison  and  Monroe. 

6383.  Q.  Who  asked  you  to  go  into  this  business  ? 
A.  A  young  man  j  I  do  not  wish  to  tell  his  name. 

6384.  Q.  I  desire  you  to  give  his  name.    What  was  his  name '? 
A.  I  don't  wish  to  tell  it. 

6385.  Q.  You  are  a  witness,  and  I  ask  you  to  tell  what  it  was. 
A.  No,  sir ;  I  won't  tell  it. 

Mr.  Eoss.     Mr.  Chairman,  I  insist  that  he  shall  tell  the  name. 

6386.  The  Chairman.     State  the  name. 

A.  I  said  I  was  not  going  to  state  the  man's  name.  He  is  a  friend  of 
mine,  and  I  don't  desire  to .    His  name  is  Charles  Groves. 

6387.  Q.  Charles  Groves  gave  you  the  clue  to  the  business  % 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

6388.  Q.  Where  does  Charles  Groves  live? 

A.  He  lives  in  Monroe  street.  I  cannot  state  the  number ;  between 
Jackson  and  the  next  street — a  small  narrow  street.  I  cannot  tell  the 
name  of  it. 

6389.  Q.  What  business  is  Groves  in  ! 
A.  He  drives  a  cart. 

6390.  Q.  Where  is  his  stand  ? 

A.  His  stand  is  down  town.  He  stands  at  several  places.  I  could 
not  tell  vou  all  the  places  he  stands.    God  knows  where  he  does  stand. 

6391.  Q.  What  did  Groves  tell  you  % 

A.  Groves  told  me  if  I  would  go  and  vote  as  many  times  as  I  could, 
I  would  get  a  few  dollars  on  arrangement ;  and  not  only  that,  but  he 
would  be  a  friend  of  mine  some  other  time  when  I  wanted  a  friend. 

6392.  Q.  About  how  many  times  do  you  think  you  voted  ? 

A.  I  don't  know.  I  got  pretty  drunk,  and  that  is  all  I  remember — all 
that  I  told  vou.    1  think  about  seven  times. 

6393.  You  got  pretty  drunk  ! 

A.  Yes,  sir.     1  got  drunk  before  nine. 

6394.  Q.  You  don't  know  very  well  what  you  did  do  in  the  afternoon? 
A.  No,  sir. 

6395.  Q.  Who  were  the  other  men  with  you  ? 

A.  I  cannot  say.  There  were  four  or  five  other  parties  I  know  noth- 
ing at  all  about.     They  were  from  some  other  ward. 

6396.  Q.  Did  you  see  either  of  them  vote  ! 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  at  the  corner  of  Monroe  and  Jackson. 

6397.  Q.  How  many  did  you  see  vote  ? 
A.  Two  or  three. 

6398.  Q.  How  many  times  % 

A.  I  cannot  say.    They  came  in  behind  me. 

6399.  Q.  Is  that  the  only  time  you  saw  them  vote  ? 
A.  That  is  the  onlv  time. 


584  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW   YORK 

6400.  Q.  How  much  money  did  you  get  for  this  ? 

A.  I  didn't  get  a  cent.     I  was  promised  money,  but  I  never  got  it. 

6401.  Q.  Do  you  know  what  ticket  you  voted  ? 

A.  That  is  what  I  cannot  say.  It  was  a  democratic  ticket;  that  is 
all  I  know.  Groves  said  that  it  was  a  good  democratic  ticket,  and  to  go 
and  put  it  in. 

6402.  Q.  Whom  did  you  first  tell  this  to? 

A.  I  didn't  tell  it  to  anybody  but  the  young  fellow  that  was  on  the 
corner  at  the  time. 

6403.  Q.  -What  young  fellow  was  that! 

A.  That  is  Groves.  After  I  came  out  I  told  him  I  went  in  there 
twice.     Said  he,  "  Go  right  in  again." 

6404.  Q.  Whom  have  you  told  about  it  since? 
A. 'Never  anybody. 

6405.  Q.  You  never  told  anybody  what  you  knew  about  it! 
A.  No,  sir. 

6406.  Q.  You  never  communicated  to  anybody  that  you  knew  any- 
thing about  it? 

A.  I  talked  to  a  young  fellow  to  know  how  many  times  he  voted,  and 
how  many  times  I  voted.     That  is  all.     That  was  at  the  porter  house,  a   i 
week  ago  to-day.     I  don't  know  his  name  exactly.     The  name  he  goes 
by  is  Bob.     That  is  all  I  know. 

6407.  Q.  Who  subpoenaed  you  to  come  here? 

A.  I  don't  know  who  subpoenaed  me  to  come  here. 

6408.  Q.  Were  you  subpoenaed  I 
A.  No,  sir ;  not  that  I  know  of. 

6409.  Q.  Who  brought  you  here? 

A.  A  young  man  fetched  me  here.     I  don't  know  his  name. 

6410.  Q.  What  did  he  tell  you? 

A.  You  were  doing  this,  and  the  party  you  voted  for  haven't  done 
anything  about  it.  You  might  as  well  come  up  and  make  your  state- 
ment, and  it  won't  hurt  you  or  'anybody  else ;  and  I  thought  I  would 
come  up. 

6411.  Q.  He  said  the  party  you  voted  for  had  not  done  anything  for 
you,  and  that  induced  you  to  come? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

6412.  Q.  They  had  not  paid  you? 
A.  No,  sir. 

6413.  Q.  When  did  you  have  that  talk  with  this  young  man? 
A.  About  a  week  ago. 

6414.  Q.  What  day  was  it  you  went  over  to  Jersey  City  f 
A.  On  Saturday. 

6415.  Q.  Whom  did  you  come  over  with? 

A.  The  young  man  that  told  me  to  come  here  and  make  a  statement. 
He  told  me  I  had  been  working  for  the  party,  and  the  party  never  had 
done  anything  for  me,  and  never  would  do  anything ;  and  I  went  over 
and  made  the  statement. 

6416.  Q.  How  much  did  you  get  for  that? 
A.  I  didn't  get  nothing. 

6417.  Q.  Then  they  treated  you  as  bad  as  the  other  party  ? 
A.  I  don't  know,  sir. 

6418.  Q.  How  much  did  they  promise  you? 

.  A.  They  promised  me  that  I  should  not  lose  a  day's  work  on  it.    That 
is  all  they  promised  me. 

6419.  Q.  Have  they  paid  that  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IX    NEW    YORK.  585 

6420.  Q.  Then  if  they  do  not  pay  that  you  Avill  come  out  aud  tell  the 
truth  about  it  ? 
A.  So,  sir ;  I  have  told  all  I  know — all  the  truth — to-day. 
(5421.  Q.  Who  took  your  statement  over  the  river ! 
A.  There  was  a  young  man  over  there  who  took  the  statement. 

6422.  Q.  Where  did  you  see  Colonel  Wood  that  day  ! 
A.  I  did  not  see  Colonel  Wood  at  all. 

6423.  Q.  Where  did  you  see  Marshal  Murray  ? 
A.  I  did  not  see  Marshal  Murray. 

6424.  Q.  Who  took  you  to  Marshal  Murray's  office  this  morning? 
A.  I  was  not  there  this  morning. 

6425.  Q.  Have  you  not  been  sitting  in  Marshal  Murray's  office  ? 
A.  Oh.  that  was  this  afternoon. 

6426.  Q.  Who  took  you  in  there  ! 
A.  A  young  man  took  me  in  there. 

6427.  Q.  How  many  of  you  were  taken  in  there  ? 
A.  Two. 

6428.  Q.  Were  there  not  more  than  two  ! 

A.  I  only  know  that  I  came  here  with  two  myself. 

6429.  Q.  When  did  you  come  over  ? 
A.  This  afternoon. 

6430.  Q.  From  where  f 

A.  Jersey  City.  He  told  me  to  come  over  there  and  meet  him,  and 
he  would  letch  me  over  ;  and  I  went  over  there  and  met  him.  I  gave 
my  statement  Saturday,  and  he  said  he  would  fetch  me  over  Monday. 

6431.  Q.  Did  you  see  Colonel  Wood  at  either  time  X 
A.  Xo,  sir. 

6432.  Q.  Do  you  know  Colonel  Wood? 
A.  No,  sir. 

6433.  Q.  You  do  not  know  the  man  that  took  you  into  Marshal  Mur- 
ray's office  \ 

A.  Xo,  sir. 

6434.  Q.  Did  he  tell  you  to  stay  there ! 

A.  Yes.  sir ;  he  told  me  to  stay  there,  and  I  would  be  wanted ;  and  I 
sat  down. 

6435.  Q.  There  were  two  came  with  you  ? 
A.  Yes.  sir. 

6436.  Q.  New  hands;  just  got  into  the  business? 
A.  I  don't  know  anything  about  that. 

6437.  Q.  What  did  you  tell  Marshal  Murray  about  it? 
A.  I  didn't  tell  Marshal  Murray  anything  about  it. 

6438.  Q.  How  long  have  you  been  going  by  this  name  you  have  given 
here  now  I 

A.  That  is  my  natural  name — John  Wood. 

6439.  Q.  Did  you  ever  have  any  other  name  ! 
A.  Xo.  sir. 

6440.  Q.  Have  you  ever  been  convicted  of  any  offence  in  this  country  \ 
A.  Xo.  sir. 

6441.  Q.  What  inducement  did  they  hold  out  to  you  to  go  over  there 
and  make  this  statement ! 

A.  They  didn't  hold  out  any  inducements  at  all;  but  I  was  to  go  over 
there  and  make  these  statements,  and  a  couple  of  days'  work  on  it — I 
should  be  paid  for  it — and  likewise  for  me  to  come  here  and  make  my 
statement. 

6442.  Q.  They  said  you  might  go  and  swear  you  had  committed  fraud  ? 
A.  Xo.  sir:  they  did  not  tell  me  that. 


586  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

6443.  Q.  Did  they  ask  you  to  swear  about  frauds,  and  they  would  pa  j 
you  for  it I 

A.  Xo,  sir;  they  didn't  tell  me  to  swear  about  frauds  and  they  would 
pay  me  for  it  at  all. 

0444.  Q.  Who  took  down  your  statements  over  there! 

A.  A  young  man. 

6445.  Q.  Did  they  read  it  over  to  you? 
A.  No,  sir. 

6446.  Q.  Did  they  promise  you  should  not  be  prosecuted  I 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

6447.  Q.  Should  not  be  prosecuted  for  making  this  illegal  oath!  That 
if  you  made  this  oath  you  should  not  be  prosecuted  I 

A.  That  if  I  made  an  oath  I  would  not  be  convicted  on  my  own  evi- 
dence. 

6448.  Q.  Did  they  say  they  were  authorized  by  this  committee,  or  any- 
body else,  to  state  that  you  should  be  held  harmless  I 

A.  Yes.  sir. 

(5449.  Q.  That  the  congressional  committee  said  that  the  men  who 
would  come  here  and  swear  should  not  be  prosecuted  1 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

6450.  ().  And  you  believed  the  committee  would  protect  you.  and  Con- 
gress would  protect  you.  and  General  Grant  would  protect  you.  against 
any  prosecution,  on  account  of  this  swearing  1 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

By  the  Chairman: 

G451.  Q.  Did  any  of  these  men  who  asked  you  to  make  these  state- 
ments ask  you  to  state  anything-  that  was  not  true  I 

A.  Xo,  sir:  they  did  not.  They  told  me  to  go  over  there  and  tell  my 
own  evidence,  what  I  sa>v  myself  and  what  I  had  done ;  and  that  is  all 
they  told  me. 

6452.  Q.  When  they  told  you  you  would  not  be  liable  to  be  prosecuted 
by  reason  of  any  statements  you  made  here,  did  they  say  the  law  pro- 
tected you.  or  that  the  committee  would  protect  you  I 

A.  The  committee. 

6453.  Q.  Were  you  challenged  on  the  day  you  voted  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

0454.  Q.  Were  any  of  those  engaged  in  that  business  challenged  ? 
A.  Xot  as  I  know  of,  sir. 

New  York,  January  11,  1869. 
John  Gregory  sworn  and  examined. 
To  the  Chairman  : 

6455.  I  reside  at  80  Oliver  street. 

6456.  Q.  Did  you  vote  at  the  last  presidential  election  in  this  State  I 
A.  I  could  not  say  what  ticket  I  voted.     On  the  morning  I  was  going 

to  the  polls,  and  there  was  a  lot  of  tickets  shoved  in  my  hands  by  a  party 
1  met  there,  and  if  I  woidd  vote  for  that  party  I  was  to  earn  some  money, 
and  they  would  see  me  all  right  about  it. 

6457.  Q.  With  which  party  have  you  heretofore  acted  ? 

A.  I  don't  know ;  but  I  believe  the  party  that  morning  was  the  demo- 
cratic party. 

6458.  Q.  How  often  did  you  vote  in  that  election  f 
A.  Twice  was  all. 

6459.  Q.  Under  the  name  of  Gregory  both  times  ? 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  587 

A.  No,  sir ;  not  both  times.  That  morning  I  voted  in  Oliver  street, 
between  Madison  and  Oak,  in  the  4th  ward.  The  next  time  I  voted  on 
he  corner  of  Madison  and  the  Bowery,  the  same  ward,  and  a  different 
election  district.     That  is  the  first  time  I  ever  voted  in  the  city. 

6460.  Q.  Under  what  name  did  yon  vote  the  second  time? 

A.  I  don't  know  the  name ;  this  party  with  me  seemed  to  be  the  head 
nan,  and  gave  me  the  name,  and  said  he  would  see  me  all  right;  I  conld 
lot  tell,  because  I  was  under  the  influence  of  liquor ;  he  was  at  the  polls ; 
[  met  him  there  that  morning. 

6461.  Q.  How  many  were  in  the  gang? 

A.  To  the  best  of  my  knowledge  I  should  suppose  15  or  20 ;  there  was 
liiite  a  crowd  of  them;  I 'don't  know  how  often  they  voted;  I  know  I 
roted  twice  myself;  some  of  the  parties  voted  that  was  in  the  crowd; 
md  there  was  more  that  didn't. 

6462.  Q.  In  what  business  were  they  engaged — this  gang  that  had 
his  head  man? 

A.  They  seemed  to  be  for  the  democratic  party. 

6463.  Q.  Were  they  engaged  in  voting  more  than  once? 

A.  I  don't  know ;  I  think  they  were ;  I  could  not  say,  because  the 
nen  were  strangers  to  me,  and  I  didn't  understand  anything  about  it, 
my  more  than  that  they  wanted  me  to  vote  for  this  party,  shoving  a  lot 
>f  tickets  in  my  hand,  and  I  voted  them ;  and  they  said  they  would  see 
ne  all  right. 

6464.  Q.  What  reward  did  they  promise  you? 

A.  They  said  they  would  give  me  $20  ;  I  was  told  by  coming  here  to 
>tate  this  there  would  not  be  any  trouble  about  it,  but  to  tell  just  the 
truth  and  nothing  but  the  truth ;  it  is  the  first  time  I  ever  did  vote  here 
in  the  city. 

6465.  Q.  Were  you  ever  asked  to  state  anything  but  the  truth  ? 
A.  So,  sir. 

6466.  Q.  Did  they  promise  you  anything  else  but  money  ? 

A.  They  said  if  I  wanted  any  favors  or  anything  of  that  kind  I  could 
tlways  call  upon  that  party. 

6467.  Q.  They  said  that  to  you  when  you  were  voting? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Ross : 

6468.  Q.  You  say  you  voted  twice  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

6469.  Q.  Can  you  read  and  write  ? 
A.  Xo,  sir. 

6470.  Q.  Y^ou  don't  know  what  ticket  you  did  vote  ? 

A.  I  believe  it  was  the  democratic  ticket;  I  could  not  say;  I  am 
lmost  sure  it  was ;  I  can  read  print. 

6471.  Q.  Did  you  see  O'Brien  that  day  ! 

A.  I  did  not  take  notice ;  but  I  was  run  bodily  right  up  and  told  to 
ut  these  tickets  in  by  the  party. 

6472.  Q.  Who  gave  you  these  tickets  ! 

A.  A  lot  of  men  I  met  close  to  the  polls ;  I  didn't  know  one  of  the 
arty ;  I  would  know  them  if  I  saw  them  again. 

6473.  Q.  Did  anybody  give  you  any  money? 
A.  No,  sir;  I  didn't  receive  a  cent. 

6474.  Q.  Who  promised  you  the  money  ? 

A.  This  party ;  there  seemed  to  be  one  man  who  seemed  to  have  all  to 
o  with  it ;  he  said  he  would  make  it  all  right  by  and  by ;  and  we  were 
rinking  round  after  that,  and  he  never  paid  me  a  cent. 


588  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

6475.  Q.  You  don't  know  his  name  ? 
A.  No,  sir ;  if  I  did  I  would  tell  it  in  a  minute. 

6476.  Q.  Did  you  know  you  were  doing  wrong  I 
A.  No-  sir;  1  did  not  think  it  was. 

6477.  Did  you  know  you  were  committing  an  offence  for  which  you 
could  be  prosecuted  and  indicted  I 

A.  I  didn't  think  anything  at  all  of  the  kind;  I  am  not  a  greatmanin 
politics,  and  that  is  a  thing  I  didn't  think  of. 

6478.  Q.  "What  business  do  you  follow  I 
A.  Boating,  speculating,  anything  like  that  along  shore,  buyingjunk, 

stevedore  work. 

6479.  Q.  How  long  have  you  lived  where  you  now  live  \ 
A.  I  don't  live  at  80  Oliver  street  now;  I  live  on  Mulberry  street  now; 

No.  19,  I  think,  is  the  number;  I  have  lived  there,  I  guess,  two  or  three 
weeks. 

6480.  Q.  Who  keeps  the  house  I 

A.  The  landlady  of  the  house;  her  name  is  Mrs.  Harrington,  I  believe; 
that  is  the  name  I  heard. 

6481.  Q.  What  have  you  been  doing  since  you  have  been  there? 
A.  Speculating;  buying  old  rope,  and  the  like  of  that. 

6482.  Q.  Who  first  told  you  to  go  over  to  Jersey  City  I 

A.  Well,  I  heard  a  lot  of  young  men  was  going  over,  acquaintances 
of  mine,  and  they  asked  me  if  I  would  go  there;  so  I  went  with  one  of 
them;  and  the  rest  I  don't  know  whether  they  went  there  or  not;  and 
they  wanted  me  to  state  this,  what  I  have  stated. 

6483.  Q.  AV hat  is  the  name  of  the  young  man  that  asked  you  to  go 
over  there? 

A.  That  is  more  than  I  can  tell  you ;  he  is  a  young  man  that  I  know; 
he  has  been  along  shore  with  me ;  he  is  a  'long-shore  man ;  he  has  worked 
with  me  sometimes. 

6484.  Q.  What  inducement  did  he  hold  out  to  get  you  to  go  over  there! 
A.  He  didn't  say  I  would  gain   anything  by  it;  it  was  merely  to  go 

and  state  this  there ;  he  didn't  say  I  was  doing  a  favor  to  him  or  any- 
body else,  any  more  than  to  go  there  and  tell ;  and  he  told  me  that  it 
would  not  get  me  into  any  trouble. 

6485.  Q.  Did  he  say  you  were  to  have  five  dollars  there,  and  if  you 
came  here  five  dollars  more  ? 

A.  He  didn't  speak  of  five  dollars ;  but  he  said  I  would  be  paid  for  the 
day's  work. 

6486.  Q.  He  didn't  say  bow  much? 

A.  He  said  live  dollars  for  the  day's  work. 

6487.  Q.  Was  that  to  be  paid  to  you  over  there  or  here  ? 
A.  Here. 

6488.  Q.  By  whom? 

A.  They  said  in  this  office. 

6489.  Q.  Wasn't  you  to  have  five  dollars  when  you  went  over  there, ! 
and  five  dollars  after  you  testified  here  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  didn't  have  no  understanding  to  that  effect;  I  was  here 
Saturday ;  but  I  was  not  called  on  Saturday,  and  I  was  told  to  come 
back  to-day,  and  I  was  to  get  paid  for  to-day^  and  get  paid  for  Saturday 
also. 

6490.  Q.  Five  dollars  each  day  ? 
A.  That  was  what  I  was  told. 

6491.  Q.  Then  having  been  here  two  days  you  have  a  claim  against 
the  committee  often  dollars,  as  I  understand? 

A.  For  that  matter  I  don't  care  for  the  money ;  I  merely  just  came  to 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  589 

;tate  what  I  know ;  I  am  a  poor  man,  but  I  would  not  make  a  false  state- 
nent  for  the  sake  of  five  dollars. 

0402.  Q.  How  many  went  over  with  you  to  Jersey  City  ! 

A.  There  was  only  one  man — this  'long-shore  man. 

6493.  Q.  Did  he  pay  your  bill ! 

A.  Xo,  sir ;  I  paid  it. 

6404.  Q.  Bid  this  young  man  testify  over  there  to  the  same  as  you 
lid? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

6495.  Q.  You  were  both  sworn  over  there,  were  you  ? 
A.  Our  names  were  put  down,  and  we  made  our  statements  there ; 
[hat  was  all. 
6400.  Q.  Were  you  not  sworn  to  it  ? 

A.  Xo.  sir;  he  only  asked  us  if  it  was  true,  and  I  said  yes. 
6407.  Q.  Did  they  have  it  written  out  when  you  got  there  ! 
A.  Xo,  sir. 

6405.  Q.  Do  you  know  who  did  the  writing  ! 
A.  No,  sir  ;  a  young  man  ;  quite  a  young  man. 
6400.  Q.  Do  you  know  Colonel  Wood  ! 

A.  Xo.  sir ;  I  was  showed  a  gentleman  outside  as  Colonel  Wood  while 
[  was  sitting  down. 

6500.  Q.  Did  you  see  him  over  there  ! 

A.  No,  sir ;  he  was  not  over  there. 

6301.  Q.  What  did  he  say  to  you  about  being  over  there  on  Saturday  ? 

A.  He  didn't  speak  to  me  at  all ;  I  never  spoke  to  the  man  in  my  life. 

0502.  Q.  Were  there  a  good  many  making  their  statements  over  there 
when  you  were  there  ! 

A.  I  believe  there  was  three  or  four  over  there  at  the  time. 

6503.  Q.  At  what  place  ! 
A.  Jersey  Citv. 

6504.  Q.  At  the  Taylor  House  f 
A.  Yes,  sir ;  upstairs. 

6505.  Q.  You  are  certain  they  have  not  paid  you  any  money  yet  f 
A.  Xo,  sir ;  I  have  not  received  a  cent. 

6506.  Q.  Who  brought  you  over  here  from  Jersey  City  I 
A.  I  came  over  here  myself  to-day. 

6507.  Q.  You  went  over  there  on  Saturday,  and  again  to-day  \ 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

6508.  Q.  Did  nobody  comeback  with  you  either  time? 

A.  There  were  two  or  three  men ;  I  don't  know  who  they  were  j  there 
ire  a  couple,  I  think,  outside  now. 
6500.  Q.  Waiting  outside  ! 
A.  Yes,  sir ;  they  are  strangers  to  me. 

6510.  Q.  Do  you  know  Marshal  Murray  ? 
A.  Xo,  sir ;  I  don't. 

6511.  Q.  How  long  have  you  been  in  Marshal  Murray's  office  ? 
A.  Three-quarters  of  an  hour,  I  should  think. 

6512.  Q.  How  many  of  you  were  sitting  in  that  office  ! 
A.  There  are  three  or  four  right  outside  there. 

6513.  Q.  The  first  door  to  the  left  hand  as  you  come  into  the  hall? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

6514.  Q.  Were  there  not  ten  or  a  dozen  in  there? 

A.  There  was  a  lot  of  gentlemen  going  in  and  out  ;  there  were  about 
hree  or  four  sitting  down  in  the  chairs. 

16515.  Q.  How  long  has  your  name  been  John  Gregory  ? 
A.  Ever  since  I  have  known  it. 


590  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

051G.  Q.  Have  you  ever  had  any  other  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

0517.  Q.  Were  you  ever  convicted  of  any  criminal  offence  ? 
A.  Never,  sir. 

0518.  Q.  Do  you  know  any  prominent  man  here  in  the  city  I 
A.  No,  sir:  I  never  dealt  much  in  politics. 

0519.  Q.  How  long  have  you  lived  in  the  city? 
A.  I  have  been  here  ever  since  I  know. 

0520.  Q.  Born  in  the  city? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

6521.  Q.  You  are  not  a  foreigner  ? 
A.  No,  sir ;  I  am  not  a  foreigner. 

0522.  Q.  You  never  were  convicted  of  any  offence  ? 
A.  No,  sir ;  and  I  hope  I  never  will  be. 

0523.  Q.  Did  you  know  it  was  wrong  to  vote  twice? 
A.  No,  sir;   I  did  not;    I  was  under  the  influence  of  liquor  all1  that 

day,  anyhow. 

0524.  Q.  Were  you  under  the  influence  of  liquor  when  you  went  over 
to  Jersey  City  on  Saturday  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  was  not. 

0525.  Q.  Whom  did  you  first  talk  with  about  giving  this  testimony? 
A.  The  young  man  over  there;  I  went  right  into  the  office,  and  he 

walked  to  a  table,  and  sat  down  by  the  table  and  asked  me  what  my 
name  was,  and  I  told  him  my  name  was  John  Gregory;  and  he  asked 
me  where  I  lived,  and  I  told  him  80  Oliver  street;  and  he  asked  me 
where  I  was  the  night  previous  to  the  election,  and  J  told  him  I  was  at 
home;  and  he  asked  me  if  I  made  an  agreement  with  any  parties  the 
night  previous  to  election  to  meet  the  morning  of  the  election,  and  I 
told  him  no;  and  I  told  him  I  was  going  to  the  polls  and  met  a  party 
there,  and  that  party  got  me  to  go  up  and  vote,  and  he  would  see  me  all 
right;  and  that  there  were  a  body  of  men,  and  they  were  shouting, 
"  Vote  for  this  man  f  "  Have  you  voted  yet  P  "  No,  I  haven't  voted  yet;" 
ik  Then  vote  for  this  man." 

0520.  Q.  Electioneering  for  both  parties  1 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

0527.  Q.  There  was  a  big  crowd  at  the  polls,  electioneering  as  strong 
as  they  could  for  both  parties,  and  some  asked  you  to  vote  the  demo- 
cratic ticket  ? 

A.  They  didn't  say  what  ticket ;  they  said  vote  for  this  party,  and  I 
went  and  done  it. 

New  York,  January  11,  1869. 
Lawrence  Farrell  sworn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instance 
of  Mr.  Boss.) 

By  Mr.  Boss : 

0528.  Question.  Are  you  acquainted  with  Marcus  Cicero  Stanley? 
Answer.  I  know  the   gentleman  ;  I  have  no  acquaintance  with  kirn ; 

I  know  him  when  I  Tsee  him. 

0529.  Q.  Are  you  acquainted  with  his  reputation  for  truth  and  veracity ? 
A.  No,  sir;  only  from  hearsay. 

0530.  Q.  Do  you  know  the  reputation  he  has  among  his  neighbors ! 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

0531.  Q.  What  is  it,  good  or  bad  f 

A.  I  don't  want  to  say  anything  with  regard  to  Mr.  Stanley  ;  I  don  t 
know  anything  about  him. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS.  IN   NEW   YORK.  591 

G532.  Q.  Do  you  know  any  thing  of  Davenport  and  Grinnell? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  know  Davenport  and  Grinnell  5  tliere  is  Mr.  Davenport 
jhere. 

6533.  Q.  Do  you  know  anything  about  this  case  ?  If  you  do,  state  it. 

A.  I  received  $30  from  Mr.  Glassey,  and  Mr.  Foster,  and  Mr.  Daven- 
port, on  Saturday  night  to  keep  men  until  Monday  to  furnish  evidence 
•hat  thev  had  voted  illegally  in  the  21st  ward. 

0534.  Q.  When  was  that? 

A.  In  December.  I  got  men  to  come  on  Monday  to  furnish  evidence 
hat  they  voted  illegally  in  the  21st  ward. 

6535.  Q.  Who  besides  Mr.  Davenport  was  engaged  in  that  ? 

A.  Mr.  Glassey  and  Mr.  Foster.  Mr.  Glassey  told  me  I  would  get  the 
noney  as  soon  as  Mr.  Davenport  got  back. 

6536.  Q.  What  did  you  do  in  respect  to  the  matter  ? 

A.  I  did  not  do  anything.  I  did  not  furnish  the  men.  I  asked  Mr. 
Foster  what  he  wanted  of  the  men,  and  he  stated  he  wanted  to  furnish 
evidence  against  Sheriff  O'Brien,  a  democratic  leader,  so  that  he  could 
)rosecute  him.  I  said  if  I  would  furnish  the  men  if  they  were  arrested 
vhat  protection  would  they  have,  and  Foster  told  me  that  General 
jrant,  being  elected  and  having  the  power,  he  would  furnish  the  money 
and  send  them  out  of  the  United  States,  if  they  wanted  to  go  out. 
-  6537.  Q.  Have  you  had  any  talk  with  any  other  republican  leaders  in 
reference  to  this  matter  ? 

,   A.  I  saw  John  Jay,  and  he  told  me  to  go  to  the  committee. 
•    6538.  Q.  Did  you  have  -this  conversation  with  them  in  your  right 
name,  or  under  an  assumed  name  ? 

A.  Under  the  name  of  Pierce. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

6539.  Q.  What  names  have  you  gone  under  ? 
A.  I  went  under  the  name  of  William  Pierce. 

6540.  Q.  What  other  names  have  you  had  at  different  times? 
A.  None  at  any  time,  only  Farrell. 

6541.  Q.  Was  Mr.  O'Brien  at  the  Jackson  club  all  night  before  the 
election  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

6542.  Q.  All  night? 
A.  Xo,  sir ;  not  all  night. 

6543.  Q.  How  long? 
A.  Two  or  three  hours. 

6544.  Q.  You  know  that  there  was  a  lot  of  men  there  to  be  engaged 
n  repeating  on  the  next  day  ? 

A.  Xo,  sir.  I  saw  a  lot  of  men  there.  I  do  not  know  what  they 
vere  there  for. 

6545.  Q.  Don't  you  know  that  they  were  repeating  on  the  next  day  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

6546.  Q.  Did  not  you  state  to  the  committee  that  you  kneAv  it  ? 

A.  I  have  made  different  statements.  Yes,  sir  5  I  might  make  a  hun- 
Ired  statements. 

6547.  Q.  Did  not  you  name  to  some  one  four  persons  who  voted  ille- 
gally on  the  day  of  election  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir.     I  told  them  I  could  furnish  a  thousand. 

6548.  Q.  You  told  the  truth;  did  not  you? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

6549.  Q.  At  the  last  presidential  election  ? 
A.  Y^es,  sir. 


592  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 


6550.  Q.  That  statement  was  true  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir;  that  statement  was  true. 

0551.  Q.  What  ticket  did  those  thousand  persons  vote? 

A.  I  could  not  answer  that  question.     I  do  not  know  whether  they 
voted  the  democratic  ticket  or  the  republican  ticket. 

0552.  Q.  Did  not  you  tell  some  one  that  they  had  voted  the  demo 
cratic  ticket  I 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

6563.  Q.  You  stated  that  you  could  furnish  a  thousand  who  had  voted 
the  democratic  ticket? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

6554.  Q.  A  thousand  persons  who  had  been  engaged  in  repeating  in 
the  last  November  election  \ 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

G555.  Q.  That  is  the  fact ;  that  is  so ;  is  it  not  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

6556.  Q.  State  if  you  have  examined  the  registry  books,  or  any  of 
them,  of  the  last  election. 

A.  No,  sir.    I  never  examined  any  of  them,  only  once  in  Mr.  Daven- 
port's office. 

6*557.  Q.  State  if  you  found  upon  the  books  there  a  lot  of  names  of 
persons  who  were  registered,  and  who  were  repeaters. 

A.  I  saw  some  there  that  I  thought  repeated. 

6658.  Q.  How  many  did  you  see  on  the  book  there  who  registered, 
and  were  repeaters  I 

A.  I  only  looked  at  the  14th  district  of  the  21st  ward.    I  saw  two 
there  that  I  knew. 

6559.  Q.  How  many  times,  as  a  general  rule,  did  the  men  engaged  in 
repeating  at  the  last  presidential  election  vote? 

A.  I  don't  know  how  many  times  they  voted.     I  did  not  watch  them. 

6560.  Q.  So  far  as  you  know  or  observed,  state  as  near  as  you  can. 
A.  I  could  not  say  that  they  voted  any  more  than  once. 

6561.  Q.  Do  you  know  from  what  you  observed  ? 
A.  I  know  from  what  I  saw. 

6562.  Q.  Do  you  know  from  what  you  saw  that  those  persons  whose 
names  were  on  the  book  voted  more  than  once? 

A.  I  saw  them  vote  the  republican  ticket  and  repeat,  and  the  demo- 
cratic ticket,  both. 

6563.  Q.  You  are  a  democrat  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

6564.  Q.  You  voted  the  democratic  ticket  at  the  last  election  ? 

A.  I  voted  some  of  the  democratic  and  some  of  the  republican  ticket. 

6565.  Q.  How  often  did  you  vote  at  the  last  election  ? 
A.  Once,  sir. 

6566.  Q.  Under  what  name  ? 

A.  Under  Farrel,  my  right  name. 

6567.  Q.  In  what  ward  were  those  thousand  persons  you  referred  to 
as  being  engaged  in  repeating  ? 

A.  In  different  wards,  all  over  the  city. 

6568.  Q.  In  pretty  much  all  the  wards  of  the  city  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

6569.  Q.  Was  the  fact  that  this  large  number  of  persons  were  engaged 
in  repeating  known  to  officers  in  this  city? 

A.  I  suppose  so.    I  had  no  means  of  knowing. 

6570.  Q.  Did  you  state  to  any  one  that  you  could  furnish  the  names  of 
a  hundred  or  more  persons  who  had  been  engaged  in  repeating? 


ELECTION    FEAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  593 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  stated  that  to  make  money. 

6571.  Q.  Did  you  tell  the  truth  then? 
A.  Men  don't  always  tell  the  truth  when  they  are  doing  business. 

6572.  Q.  For  whom  did  those  persons  vote! 
A.  The  republican  ticket  and  the  democratic  ticket  both. 

0573.  Q.  Did  you  say  that  you  knew  democratic  officers  engaged  in 
procuring  them  to  repeat  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir  ;  I  stated  that  for  the  purpose  of  getting  money. 

0574.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  democratic  officers  that  knew  of  it? 
A.  No,  sir ;  I  would  not  swear  so.    No,  I  am  on  my  oath  now. 

6575.  Q.  Did  you  state  that  you  knew  four  men,  whose  names  you  gave, 
that  were  engaged  in  repeating  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

6570.  Q.  By  whom  were  they  employed  to  repeat? 
A.  They  would  be  employed  by  me. 

6577.  Q.  Whom  did  you  state  they  were  employed  by? 

.    A.  I  stated  that  I  could  furnish  evidence  against  Mr.  O'Brien. 

6578.  Q.  Is  that  a  fact .? 
A.  No,  sir. 

6579.  Q.  Did  you  employ  persons  to  repeat  yourself? 
!    A.  I  decline  to  answer  that  question. 

6580.  Q.  Why? 

A.  For  certain  reasons.     I  am  not  obliged  to  answer  anything  that  will 
criminate  invself. 

6581.  Q.  Who  told  you  that? 

A.  Common  sense  tells  me  that;  I  always  knew  it. 

6582.  Q.  How  many  persons  did  you  employ  or  engage  in  repeating  on 
the  day  of  the  last  presidential  election  ? 

A.  That  is  the  same  question  over  again. 

6583.  Q.  Well,  what  is  the  number  of  persons? 
i    A.  I  might  say  one  or  a  hundred. 

6584.  Q.  How  many  did  you  employ?    . 
A.  How  main'  did  I  pay?     I  did  not  pay  anybody. 

6585.  Q.  How  many  did  you  ask  or  engage  in  the  business  yourself? 
A.  I  would  have  asked  or  engaged  anybody,  provided  I  could  have 

got  money  to  do  the  business  with. 
6580.  Q.  How  many  did  you  ask  or  engage  in  the  business? 
A.  Not  any. 

6587.  Q.  Did  you  induce  any  persons  to  engage  in  repeating! 
A.  No,  sir. 

6588.  Q.  Why  did  you  decline  to  answer  the  question  I  asked  you? 
A.  Because  I  did  not  want  to  answer  it  in  the  way  you  put  it. 

6589.  Q.  Will  you  now  answer  the  question  I  put  before  ? 

A.  You  asked  how  many  men  were  engaged  with  me  in  repeating.    I 
say  there  were  none  engaged  with  me  in  repeating  at  all. 

6590.  Q.  How  many  did  you  engage  to  go  into  the  work? 
A.  None  at  all,  sir. 

6591.  Q.  Did  not  you  just  state  that  you  employed  these  four  men? 
A.  I  had  employed  them,  yes,  from  the  arrangement  the  Union  League 

nade  with  me  to  furnish  evidence,  and  they  backed  out  because  they 
^ould  not  get  money. 

6592.  Did  not  you  state  that  you  pointed  out  four  men  upon  the  registry 
.vho  were  engaged  in  repeating? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  1  pointed  out  four,  and  could  point  out  a  thousand  if  I 
'ould  get  money  enough. 
38  t 


594  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IX  NEW  YORK. 

6593.  Q.  A  thousand  that  you  know  to  be  engaged  in  repeating  at  the 
last  presidential  election  in  this  city  I 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

6594.  Q.  All  over  the  city? 
A.   Yes,  sir. 

659o.  Q.  Is  that  paper  in  your  handwriting  ?     (Paper  shown  witness.) 

A.  X<>.  sir. 

6590.  Q.  Did  yon  write  that  I 

A.  No,  sir. 

<i.V.>7.  Q.  Did  you  send  that  to  anybody  in  this  city  ? 

A.  No.  sir. 

6598.  Are  you  sure  of  that  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

659! ).  Q.  Is  it  not  signed  William  Pearce? 

A.  I  did  not  sign  it;  I  did  not  write  it. 

6600.  Q.  Did  you  ever  see  it  before  I 
A.  No,  sir. 

6601.  Q.  Who  did  sign  it? 
A.  I  don't  know. 

6602.  Q.  Did  you  write  that?     (Another  paper  shown  witness.) 
A.  No.  sir. 

<><><>:>.  Q.  Is  your  name  signed  to  it? 
A.  No,  sir. 

6604.  (v).  Is  William  Pearce  signed  to  it? 
A.  Xo.  sir. 

6605.  Q.  Do  you  know  who  wrote  it  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

6606.  Q.  Did  you  know  of  its  being  written? 
A.  No,  sir. 

6607.  Q.  Did  you  know  of  its  being  sent? 
A.  No,  sir. 

6608.  Q.  Did  not.  you  call  on  the  persons  to  whom  these  two  notes  were 
addressed  soon  after  they  were  written  I 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  called  there  and  they  never  stated  anything  about  it  to 
me. 

6609.  Q.  Do  you  know  Mr.  Wreiss,  in  this  city? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

6610.  Q.  Do  you  know  he  delivered  these  notes? 
A.  He  never  told  me  so. 

6611.  Q.  Did  not  you  and  Weiss  go  together  to  the  Union  League  on 
Broadway  ? 

A.  Sometimes  together,  sometimes  not;  Weiss  never  knew  anything 
about  my  business. 

6612.  Q.  Has  your  testimony  been  true  so  far  as  you  have  gone  here?' 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

6613.  Q.  You  are  sure  of  that  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir;  I  am  sure  of  that. 

By  Mr.  Boss : 

6614.  Q.  I  understood  you  to  say  something  about  the  Union  League, 
or  the  republicans,  not  furnishing  you  money  as  they  agreed  to  furnish 
you  money  for  swearing  falsely  \ 

A.  Yes,  sir;  Foster  told  me  what  money  was  wanted  he  would  let  me, 
have,  and  I  left,  and  I  found  witnesses  and  advanced  $108,  and  all  that 
they  gave  me  was  830. 

6615.  Q.  If  you  had  got  the  money  you  could  have  got  the  witnesses 
to  swear  falsely? 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN   NEW    YORK.  595 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

6016.  Q.  And  you  would  have  served  the  Union  League  in  that  way 
if  they  had  furnished  you  money  f 
A.  Yes,  sir. 
6617.  Q.  Because  they  did  not  furnish  you  money,  you  did  not  bring 

rrther  proof? 
A.  No,  sir;  not  any. 
6618.  Q.  You  think  there  would  have  been  no  trouble  in  getting  men 
to  swear  falsely  if  you  had  had  the  money? 
A.  Yes,  sir;  I  could  have  furnished  a  thousand  as  well  as  one. 

6619.  Q.  That  is  what  you  mean — that  you  could  have  found  men  to 
swear  falsely  that  they  voted  illegally? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

6620.  Q.  That  for  pay  you  could  have  found  a  thousand  men  who  would 
iavecome  before  the  committee  and  testified  that  they  had  voted  illegally  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

6621.  Q.  You  would  do  it  simply  for  pay,  not  because  it  was  a  fact? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

By  the  Chairman: 

6622.  Q.  Did  not  you  say  it  was  the  fact  that  there  were  a  thousand 
persons  engaged  in  repeating  at  the  last  presidential  election ! 

A.  I  said  that  for  the  purpose  of  making  money. 

6623.  Q.  Did  not  you  testify  to  that  here? 

A.  I  testified  I  knew  a  thousand  men ;  I  did  not  say  whether  they 
voted  the  democratic  ticket  or  the  republican. 

6624.  Q.  I  did  not  ask  you  the  ticket.  Did  not  you  say  you  knew  a 
thousand  men  in  this  city  engaged  in  repeating  at  the  last  presidential 
election  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

6625.  Q.  That  is  true,  is  it  not  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

6626.  Q.  Mr.  Glassey  and  Mr.  Foster  did  not  say  that  they  wanted 
you  to  swear  falsely,  did  they? 

A.  No,  sir ;  they  did  not  say  they  wanted  me  to  swear  at  all,  because 
they  would  not  allow  me  to  do  anything  of  that  kind. 

6627.  Q.  They  did  not  say  they  wanted  to  get  anybody  else  to  swear 
?alsely  ? 

A.  They  did  not  say  either  way,  so  long  as  I  could  get  men,  and  there 
vas  the  evidence  they  wanted.  They  did  not  say  whether  they  were  to 
swear  falsely  or  swear  the  truth.  I  asked  them  what  evidence  they 
vanted.  They  wanted  to  get  evidence  against  Sheriff  O'Brien — Foster 
lid — Davenport  did  not  have  any  talk  with  me  on  that  subject,  at  all — 
;o  that  they  could  prosecute  Sheriff  O'Brien. 

[Samuel  J.  Glassey  and  John  A.  Foster  were  called  into  the  room.] 

6628.  Q.  State  if  Mr.  Glassey  and  General  Foster  are  present  in  this 
oom  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

New  York,  January  11,  18G9. 
Samuel  J.  Glassey  recalled. 
By  the  Chairman. 

6629.  Q.  State  if  you  have  just  seen  Lawrence  Farrell,  otherwise  called 
►Villiam  Pearce,  who  has  just  testified  ? 

A.  I  have  seen  him  here. 

6630.  Q.  State  what  interviews  you  had  with  him  in  relation  to  elec- 
ion  frauds — when  they  were  ? 


596  ELECTION   FRAUDS    IN   NEW   YOEK. 

A.  I  had  several  interviews  with  him  at  different  times,  in  the  latteij 
part  of  November  and  early  in  December  last,  at  No.  258  Broadway.  ] 
never  knew  him  by  the  name  of  Lawrence  Farrell.  He  stated  his  nam< 
was  William  Pearce.  He  stated  to  me  that  he  had  a  great  deal  of  knowl 
edge  with  regard  to  frauds  committed  at  the  late  election.  He  statin 
that  he  knew  a  large  number  of  persons  who  had  been  engaged  ii 
repeating  at  the  last  presidential  election  in  this  city  for  the  democratic 
party,  who  received  their  instructions  on  the  round  on  slips  of  paper 
containing  the  names  and  residences  by  which  they  were  to  vote,  froir 
Mr.  Sheriff'  O'Brien.  He  stated  that  he  had  been  at  considerable  expens* 
and  taken  great  pains  to  get  these  men  together,  and  spent  money  or 
them,  and  he  would  produce  several  hundred  men  who  had  been  engager] 
in  repeating;  that  they  would  be  unwilling  to  testify  voluntarily,  but  ii 
arrested  they  would  "squeal,"  to  use  his  expression,  and  tell  the  whole 
story;  that  he  did  not  want  to  be  connected  with  it  himself,  but  that  he 
would  indicate  the  men,  giving  their  names  and  residences,  and  if  the\ 
were  arrested  he  would  guarantee  that  they  would,  on  being  arrested. 
tell  that  they  had  repeated,  and  give  the  names  and  residences  from 
which  they  had  voted  and  would  testify  that  Sheriff  O'Brien  instructed 
them,  and  gave  them  the  names.  Be  called  upon  us  several  times  in 
succession,  telling  this  story.  We  told  him  we  would  take  no  action  in 
the  matter  unless  he  would  bring  the  men  to  our  office  so  that  we  might 
examine  them.  At  the  last  interview  I  had  with  him,  which  was  the 
third  or  fourth,  I  asked  him  what  the  men  would  swear  to.  He  said, 
"They  will  swear  to  anything  you  want."  I  said,  "  We  don't  want  men 
to  swear  to  anything  we  want.  I  want  men  that  have  a  knowledge  of 
important  facts,  and  want  them  to  swear  to  the  truth  about  it.  I  will1' 
have  nothing  to  do  with  your  witnesses.  You  must  have  your  men  here 
and  let  me  examine  them  myself,  so  that  I  may  be  satisfied  as  to  the 
truth  of  their  statements  before  I  will  have  anything  to  do  with  them." 
He  gave  me  the  names  of  four  men,  which  were  written  down  on  a  slip  of 
paper  at  the  time,  all  of  whom,  he  stated,  voted  in  some  up-town  district, 
which  I  now  forget.  Referring  to  the  registry  of  that  district  or  dis- 
tricts, because  there  was  more  than  one  district  named,  I  found  some  of 
the  names  he  gave  us  registered ;  whether  all  four  or  not,  I  do  not 
remember.  One  of  the  names  on  that  slip  of  paper  was  Lawrence  Far- 
rell. I  did  not  know  then  that  his  name  was  Lawrence  Farrell.  I  only 
knew  him  as  William  Pearce.  He  left  me,  making  an  appointment. 
This  was  shortly  before  the  charter  election.  He  appointed  the  time  to 
bring  four  of  these  men  to  the  office  and  let  me  examine  them.  None  of 
them  ever  appeared,  and  I  have  not  seen  or  heard  anything  more  of  him 
until  I  heard  he  was  a  witness  here. 

GG31.  Q.  State  if  you  ever  saw  these  papers  before  f  [Papers  shown 
witness.] 

A.  Yes,  sir;  a  man  came  to  our  office,  258  Broadway,  who  gave  tlu: 
name  Weiss,  and  brought  these  papers. 

0632.  Q.  State  whether  any  money  was  paid'? 

A.  This  man  Pearce  received  altogether  from  our  office,  I  think,  $35, 
upon  stating  that  he  had  expended  a  good  deal  of  money  in  finding  out 
these  men  and  keeping  them  together.  I  have  no  personal  knowledge 
of  the  payment  of  all  of  it.  I  think  I  handed  him  five  dollars  myself, 
and  the  balance  was  paid  him  by  some  one  in  the  office.  I  understood 
him  to  have  received  $30  besides  what  I  paid  him.  He  was  coming 
there  for  some  two  weeks  almost  every  day.  At  the  last  two  interviews 
I  had  with  him  I  declined  to  talk  with  him  at  all,  and  insisted  that  he 
should  produce  men  for  my  examination,  and  would  not,  without  las 
doing  that,  take  any  further  pains  with  it. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  597 

0633.  Q.  State  if  you  ever  said  anything  to  him  about  getting  wit- 
nesses to  testify  falsely  '? 

A.  Nothing,  except  what  I  have  stated — his  stating  to  me,  in  reply  to 
my  question,  u  What  will  your  men  testify  to?"  that  "  They  will  swear 
to  anything  you  want,"  and  my  telling  him  that  was  not  the  kind 
of  men  I  wanted  to  deal  with  ;*  and  that  I  did  not  want  men  to  swear  to 
what  I  wanted,  but  men  having  facts  bearing  upon  the  investigation, 
and  who  would  tell  the  truth  about  it. 

By  Mr.  Boss : 

6634.  Q.  Was  this  Farrell  first  employed  by  the  Union  League  ? 
A.  He  was  never  employed  by  the  Union  League  at  all. 

6635.  Q.  By  whom  was  he  employed  I 
A.  I  don't  know. 

6636.  Q.  You  do  not  know  that  he  was  employed  at  all  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

6637.  Q.  Do  you  know  anything  about  his  being  employed  by  the 
League  ! 

A.  He  was  never  employed  by  anybody  excepting  General  Foster  and 
myself.    I  have  stated  what  my  connection  with  him  was. 

6638.  Q.  Are  you  in  the  habit  of  paying  money  out  of  the  funds  of  the 
Union  League  to  men  you  do  not  employ  ? 

A.  We  have  paid  money  in  that  instance. 

6639.  Q.  Are  you  in  the  habit  of  doing  so  ? 

A.  I  think  he  was  the  only  man  who  had  any  money  from  us  who  is 
not  a  regular  employe. 

6640.  Q.  What  office  have  you? 

A.  I  am  a  counsel,  employed  by  the  Union  League  to  conduct  this 
examination. 

6641.  Q.  How  many  counsel  are  employed  with  you  ? 

A.  Only  one — Mr.  Foster.  Mr.  Wood  is  connected  with  us,  partially, 
being  a  member  of  the  committee.  Other  members  have  been  employed ; 
but  so  far  as  making  this  investigation  is  concerned,  General  Foster  and 
myself  only  are  employed  by  the  League. 

6642.  Q.  Who  drew  the  draft  for  the  payment  of  this  money  to  Pearce? 
A.  There  was  not  any  draft  drawn.    I  told  somebody  in  the  office  to 

give  him  some  money. 

6643.  Q.  Did  they  give  it  to  him  ? 

A.  I  presume  so.  He  said  that  he  had  expended  a  good  deal  of  money  in 
getting  these  men  together.  He  said  he  had  paid  over  $100.  He  was 
in  the  habit  of  coming  in  the  office,  off  and  on,  nearly  three  weeks,  and 
I  think  that  money  was  all  given  him  before  he  made  the  statement  that 
his  men  would  swear  to  anything  I  wanted. 

6644.  Q.  If  you  had  furnished  him  more  money,  he  would  have  got 
you  all  the  witnesses  you  wanted  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  whether  he  would  have  furnished  the  witnesses,  or 
kept  on  drawing  the  money  without  doing  it. 

6645.  Q.  Don't  you  think  that  witnesses  could  be  got  in  that  way  ? 

A.  From  what  I  have  been  informed  of  the  testimony  for  the  last  few 
days,  I  should  judge  it  was  quite  feasible ;  but  I  know  that  not  a  dollar  has 
been  expended  from  the  funds  of  the  Union  League  club  for  that  purpose. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

6646.  Q.  State  if  you  had  any  interview  or  communication  with  Wil- 
liam Pearce,  otherwise  called  Farrell,  after  he  made  to  you  the  state- 
ment that  he  could  get  witnesses  to  swear  to  anything! 

A.  No,  sir j  I  stated  to  him  this:  "I  do  not  want  witnesses  who  will 


598  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

swear  to  what  I  say.  I  want  witnesses  who  know  facts  bearing  upon 
this  investigation,  and  who  will  tell  the  truth;  and  before  I  pay  any 
one,  [  must  see  them  here  and  examine  them  myself,  and  satisfy  myself 
that  they  will  tell  the  truth."  He  left  me,  saying  that  lie  would  bring 
four  men,  and  I  have  never  seen  him  in  our  office  since,  nor  did  any  four 
men  ever  appear. 

o(>47.  Q.  l)id  any  of  the  counsel,  or  members  employed  by  the  Union 
League,  have  any  interviews  with  him  after  lie  made  the  statement  you 
gave  referred  tol 

A.  Not  to  my  knowledge.  My  relations  witli  the  other  gentlemen 
have  been  such  that  I  think  I  should  have  been  informed  of  it  if  it  had 
occurred. 

New  YORK,  January  11,  18G9. 
John  A.  Foster  recalled. 

By  the  Chairman: 

664S.  Question.  State  if  you  saw  the  William  Pierce,  otherwise  called 
Farrell,  who  has  just  testified. 

Answer.  What  his  name  is  I  do  not  know;  he  uever  called  himself 
Farrell.  Pierce,  I  think,  is  what  he  said  his  name  was.  I  saw  him,  1 
think,  about  a  month  ago. 

6649.  Q.   What  statements  did  he  make  to  you  about  illegal  voting? 

A.  He  stated  he  could  get  evidence  about  illegal  Noting  at  what  he 
called  Sheriff  O'Brien's  headquarters,  a  place  called  Jackson  Hall,  in 
the  21st  ward;  that  on  the  evening  prior  to  the  election  a  great  numberi 
of  men  assembled  there,  or  were  brought  there  by  various  parties,  and 
he  instanced  different  parties;  and,  among  others,  said  our  controller 
Mr.  Richard  B.  Connolly,  brought  a  large  gang  of  them  and  introduced 
them  to  Sheriff  O'Brien,  and  said,  "You  know  what  these  men  are  for, 
and  they  staid  that  night  till  the  next  morning;  and  O'Brien,  he  said, 
gave  them  slips  of  paper,  on  which  were  names  of  parties  and  residences, 
and  told  them  to  go  out  and  vote  on  those  names,  and  he  said  bethought 
that  others  did  so.  He  told  me  there  must  be  200  or  300  up  there,  and 
he  could  get  testimony  with  regard  to  them ;  and  he  offered  to  get  tes 
timony;  but  he  did  not  wish  to  be  known  in  the  case;  he  did  not  wish 
it  to  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  men,  if  possible,  how  I  had  got  the 
information.  He  told  me  that  he  would  give  me  the  names  of  those  who 
might  either  be  subpoenaed  or  arrested — if  arrested  it  would  be  better 
they  would  probably  then,  as  he  called  it,  "squeal;"  he  said  he  would 
bring  me  four  men  first  who  would  be  willing  to  give  testimony ;  then 
he  would  give  a  large  list  of  them  ;  he  said  300 ;  and  after  the  first  four 
were  to  "squeal"  as  they  were  taken  and  brought  before  the  committee, 
hearing  that  the  first  had,  these  would  also  "squeal,"  and  tell  the  whole 
account,  where  they  voted  and  under  what  names,  so  far  as  they  could; 
remember.  I  saw  him,  I  suppose,  five  or  six  times  in  relation  to  that. 
and  told  the  matter  to  Mr.  Glassey,  and  he  met  him  with  me.  I  thinki 
I  saw  him  two  or  three  times  before  Mr.  Glassey  did.  He  was  indisposed 
to  talk  with  but  one.  He  promised  to  bring  the  four  men  there,  and 
afterwards  he  told  me  he  was  sick  the  day  he  was  to  bring  them  and  he 
could  not  get  them  ;  and  he  told  me  if  I  could  get  an  order  of  arrest  tc 
have  them  arrested,  and  bring  them  down  here,  he  would  have  them  in  a 
place  where  they  would  understand  it,  and  would  allow  themselves  to  he, 
arrested  to  excuse  themselves  to  their  democratic  friends  for  giving  evij 
deuce.  I  told  him  I  did  not  know  of  any  such  process  as  that,  but  they 
could  be  subpoenaed. 


ELECTION   FEAUDS   IN   NEW   YORK.  599 

6650.  Q.  State  if  you  had  interviews  with  hiin  when  Mr.  Glassey  was 
not  present. 

A.  O,  yes;  I  suppose  in  the  majority  of  them  I  was  alone. 

6651.  Q.  What  time  were  these  interviews"? 

A.  They  were  all  of  them  within  the  past  two  months  since  the  elec- 
tion. I  could  not  say  exactly,  but  they  were  before  the  congressional 
committee  had  come  to  the  city  of  Kew  York.  A  large  portion  of  what 
I  now  state  came  to  our  knowledge  and  was  stated  in  the  memorial  that 
we  made  to  Congress. 

6652.  Q.  State  if  Davenport  was  present  at  any  of  the  interviews. 
A.  He  was  present  at  several  of  them. 

Guoo.  Q.  Whom  did  this  man  have  with  him? 

A.  A  man  he  called  Weiss.  Weiss  was  generally  after  the  first  few 
.  interviews  left  outside.  He  was  indisposed  to  have  more  witnesses 
present  than  were  necessary. 

6()o±.  Q.  Did  he  furnish  any  witnesses  to  you? 

A.  He  never  did  bring  any  of  these  witnesses. 

GC)o5.  Q.  Did  he  furnish  any  names? 

A.  He  furnished  none  of  the  names  to  me.  Yes,  he  did,  too ;  he  gave 
the  names  of  four  he  was  to  bring  down,  I  think.  I  think  he  gave  some 
other  names.  1  know  he  did  give  the  names  of  those  who  were  to  be 
the  four. 

QQoG.  Q.  At  what  time  did  you  cease  to  have  further  interviews  with 
him? 

A.  It  was  the  time  latterly  when  he  talked  about  being  paid.  He 
wanted  us  to  pay  him  so  much.  He  did  not  state  the  amount.  I  told 
him  I  would  pay  him  for  such  time  as  he  expended  and  nothing  more; 
a  fear  and  reasonable  rate  for  his  time  I  would  pay  him,  but  as  to  pay- 
ing him  in  any  other  way  I  would  not  do  it.  He  told  me  he  had  spent 
a  great  deal  of  time,  I  think  nearly  two  weeks,  in  hunting  up  and  get- 
ting these  names  and  where  the  men  lived,  and  stated  that  he  was  out 
of  pocket,  and  that  it  had  cost  him,  I  think,  for  board,  over  $10.  I  told 
him  he  ought  to  be  reimbursed  for  that. 

6657.  Q.  State  if  you  made  any  offers  to  him  of  the  payment  of 
money  to  catch  Sheriff  O'Brien. 

A.  ^No,  sir;  he  told  me  he  had  paid  810  for  some  board  bill,  and  I 
told  him  that  ought  to  be  paid,  and  instructed  that  it  should  be  paid;  I  do 
not  know  whether  it  was.  He  afterwards  wanted  some  more,  and  I  told 
him  if  he  got  $20  and  expended  $10  I  thought  he  had  got  enough,  for 
he  had  got  a  dollar  a  day,  and  I  did  not  suppose  he  had  spent  over  an 
hour. 

6658.  Q.  State  if  any  suggestion  was  ever  made  to  him  to  secure  wit- 
nesses to  testify  falsely. 

A.  On  the  contrary,  he  was  told  not  to  bring  witnesses  who  did  not 
know  the  facts,  and  I  exinained  to  him  as  well  as  I  could,  in  detail,  that 
we  were  after  the  truth,  and  that  in  all  probability  we  should  be  able  to 
detect  any  man  Avho  swore  falsely.  I  explained  to  him  that  my  experi- 
ence had  been  that,  as  a  rule,  an  experienced  lawyer  would  know  when  a 
man  lied,  and  that  if  he  brought  men  there  wdio  would  lie  to  us, 
we  would  find  it  out  immediately.  I  did  not  believe  it  was  possible  for 
a  man  to  go  through  a  rigid  examination  and  lie,  without  being  found 
out,  but  if  he  brought  the  men  down  we  could  decide  whether  their 
statements  were  true  or  not.  He  told  me  it  was  true;  he  himself  was 
a  party;  he  had  repeated,  and  had  received  his  instructions  from  Sheriff 
O'Brien,  and  all  of  these  others  had  repeated;  that  it  was  true  and  that 
it  could  not  be  broken  down.     He  also  stated  that  he  did  not  think  that 


600  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

he  had  better  be  a  witness,  because,  said  he,  "I  can  be  impeached."  I 
asked  him  in  what  way.  He  would  not  answer  directly,  but  he  sug- 
gested that  he  had  been  convicted  of  some  crime  that  would  disqualify 
him  under  our  statute.  Something  was  said  that  implied  that  he  had 
been  a  pickpocket,*  I  do  not  know  what  was  the  exact  expression  used. 

By  Mr.  Ross : 

6659.  Q.  How  long  had  you  been  in  conference  with  him  ? 
A.  I  suppose  I  saw  him  six  or  eight  times. 

6660.  Q.  Banning  through  how  long  a  time? 

A.  I  judge  it  was  about  the  middle  of  November  when  I  first  saw  him, 
and  I  do  not  think  I  have  seen  him  to  speak  to  him  since  the  congres- 
sional committee  has  been  in  the  city*  if  so,  it  must  have  been  the  first 
day;  I  think  not,  though. 

6661.  Q.  At  what  time  in  your  conferences  did  he  make  an  intimation 
to  you  from  which  you  inferred  that  he  had  been  a  pickpocket? 

A.  I  think  it  was  early  in  them,  because  I  wanted  him  to  become  a 
witness  right  off*  to  have  his  name  down  as  a  witness,  and  to  call  him 
before  the  congressional  committee. 

6662.  Q.  About  how  long  from  the  time  you  had  your  first  conference 
with  him,  did  you  retain  him  in  your  employ? 

A.  We  never  had  him  in  our  employ. 

6663.  Q.  How  long  did  you  hold  conferences  with  him  about  getting 
up  witnesses? 

A.  I  suppose  for  about  a  month,  perhaps  more. 

6664.  Q.  These  casual  conferences  about  getting  up  testimony  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir*  he  came  to  my  house  one  night;  he  did  not  stay  over  a 
minute,  for  I  told  him  I  would  not  talk  about  business  there ;  it  was  the 
only  time  I  had  to  rest. 

0065.  Q.  How  many  times  did  he  visit  the  Union  League? 

A.  They  were  all  there  except  the  one  I  have  mentioned  ;  at  the  room 
of  the  subcommittee  on  Broadway^  the  corner  of  Warren  street. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

6666.  Q.  With  which  political  party  did  the  repeaters  generally  vote? 
A.  He  said  that  they  all  voted  the  democratic  ticket  ''straight,"  as  he 

called  it.     That  is  a  common  expression  in  New  York. 

6667.  Q.  What  signification  has  the  term  "squeal"  here  in  New  York? 
A.  That  is  a  common  slang  expression  for  a  person  turning  State's 

evidence  when  cornered.     It  is  another  word  for  confessing  to  a  crime. 

6668.  Q.  Will  you  state  what  officers,  under  the  laws  of  New  York, 
canvass  or  count  the  votes  or  ballots  cast  at  an  election,  and  what  facili- 
ties they  have  for  changing  the  votes  ? 

A.  The  board  of  canvassers  is  composed  of  two  persons  in  each  election 
district  in  the  city,  appointed  by  the  police  commissioners.  They  have 
to  assist  them  two  clerks.  The  clerks  count  the  tally  of  those  who  have 
voted  during  the  day,  and  the  two  canvassers  count  the  ballots  them- 
selves. Nobody  is  allowed  to  interfere,  and  they  can  even  make  it  so 
that  nobody  can  oversee  them  except  at  a  distance.  If  they  choose  they 
can  reverse  the  piles  of  tickets,  and  what  is  apparently  a  republican  pile 
can  be  given  to  the  democrat,  and  the  democratic  pile  can  be  given  to 
the  republican,  and  if  the  two  agree  nobody  could  detect  the  fraud 
except  by  calling  the  voters  and  asking  for  whom  they  voted,  which  has 
been  done  in  some  contested  elections.  This  has  been  the  ordinary  way 
of  committing  frauds  in  elections. 

6669.  Q.  What  are  the  duties  of  the  two  clerks  ? 

A.  To  keep  the  tally  as  it  is  called  by  the  canvassers,  and  foot  up  the 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  601 

number  of  the  votes  cast ;  acting  as  clerks  for  both  boards,  the  inspectors 
and  the  canvassers,  and  upon  the  announcement  by  the  canvassers,  to 
write  down  the  total  number  of  votes  for  each  candidate.  That  is  the 
ordinary  practice,  although  the  law  does  not  require  them  to  do  it. 

6670.  Q.  Does  the  law  require  the  inspector  to  be  present  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  the  law  requires  the  room  to  be  cleared,  and  under  that 
the  construction  is  to  clear  the  room.  It  is  generally  a  small  narrow 
room. 

6671.  Q.  YThat  disposition  is  made  of  the  ballots  after  they  are  counted  ? 
A.  Very  generally  they  are  burned. 

6672.  Q.  Is  there  any  law  requiring  them  to  be  preserved  ! 

A.  The  construction  of  the  law  generally  is  that  they  are  required  to 
be  burned.  I  do  not  think  that  is  a  fair  construction,  but  it  is  the 
habitual  construction. 

6673.  Q.  You  have  spoken  of  the  republican  pile  of  ballots  becoming 
the  democratic  pile.     Are  the  ballots  kept  in  a  pile  in  the  ordinary  way  ! 

A.  The  ordinary  way  is  to  keep  them  in  a  large  pile,  except  what  are 
called  "  scratches,"  where  a  name  is  altered,  in  which  case  they  are  put 
upon  a  file;  they  are  put  upon  spikes  in  the  ordinary  way.  They  are 
put  in  a  large  pile  except  those  which  are  scratches.  The  spike  is  a  long 
sharp  wire,  placed  upon  a  piece  of  wood  at  the  bottom,  and  standing  up, 
and  upon  these  the  scratches  are  placed;  but  the  great  mass  of  the  bal- 
lots are  in  two  piles.  Ordinarily,  each  canvasser  makes  up  his  tally,  and 
passes  them  to  the  other,  and  he  counfs  the  tally,  and  if  it  is  right  they 
are  put  in  a  pile,  and  finally  these  tallies  are  counted,  and  that  is  the 
way  the  number  of  the  ballots  is  usually  decided. 

6674.  Q.  The  canvassers  are  appointed  by  the  board  of  police  com- 
missioners ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

6675.  Q.  What  is  the  political  complexion  of  the  board  of  police  com- 
missioners \ 

A.  A  tie ;  two  of  each  party. 

6676.  Q.  TVliat  is  the  result  of  that  as  to  the  politics  of  the  canvassers 
appointed  by  them ! 

A.  The  practical  result  has  been  that  in  four-fifths  of  the  districts 
one  is  republican  and  one  is  democratic,  and  in  the  other  fifth  of  the 
districts  there  are  two  democrats. 

6677.  Q.  In  those  districts  where  both  canvassers  are  democrats  what 
check  is  there  upon  fraud  by  them  in  counting  republican  votes  for 
democratic  candidates  ! 

A.  I  know  of  no  check.  They  attempt  to  have  a  check  by  instructing 
a  policeman  to  be  near  enough  to  overlook,  but  he  makes  no  pretence  to 
count  at  all;  only  looks  over  to  see  that  there  is  no  putting  in  votes 
other  than  are  taken  out  of  the  boxes. 

6678.  Q.  In  those  cases  where  there  is  one  democratic  canvasser  and 
one  republican,  if  there  should  be  corruption  or  bribery  of  either  of  the 
canvassers,  what  check  is  there  to  prevent  the  fraudulent  count  of  the 
votes  f 

A.  There  is  nothing  to  prevent  a  fraudulent  count.  There  is  a  way 
of  finding  it  out  afterwards,  if  we  will  take  the  trouble  to  ask  each  voter 
how  he  voted,  as  was  done  last  year  in  one  of  our  districts. 

6679.  Q.  Have  you  any  knowledge  of  the  competency  of  the  can- 
vassers ? 

A.  I  know  there  have  been  appointed  canvassers  that  were  incompe- 
tent to  perform  the  duties  properly. 

6680.  Q.  State  if  there  is  any  provincialism  or  expression  to  indicate 
the  practice  of  a  fraudulent  canvass  or  count  of  the  votes  in  this  city. 


602  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

A.  There  is  an  expression,  but  I  do  not  recollect  it  at  this  moment. 
They  often  speak  of  a  man  being  counted  in  or  counted  out.  That  would 
mean  fraudulently  counted  in  or  out.  There  is  another  expression  that 
is  also  used. 

By  Mr.  Koss : 

6681.  Q.  You  say  there  was  one  place  where  there  were  two  dem- 
ocrats? 

A.  I  say  there  have  been  places  where  there  have  been  more  than  one 
democrat. 

6682.  Q.  More  than  one  democratic  canvasser? 

A.  I  spoke  of  that.  In  those  places  a  republican  and  democrat  have 
been  appointed  and  both  turned  out  democrats. 

668.'>.  Q.  Do  yon  say  thai  there  is  no  check  upon  the  canvassers? 

A.  I  say  there  is  no  great  check;  because  if  they  were  honest  men  it 
would  not  affect  the  count  at  all,  and  if  they  are  dishonest  men  I  do 
not  know  how  they  can  be  prevented  from  giving  a  false  count  if  they 
choose. 

6684.  Q.  The  clerks  would  have  to  be  implicated  in  it? 

A.  Not  necessarily.  The  clerks  are  sitting  at  one  end  of  the  table 
and  are  at  work  making  their  computations,  and  that  takes  up  all  their 
time.  They  could  cheat  in  one  way  as  well  as  the  other.  They  might 
reverse  the  tickets  and  give  the  democrats  the  republican  ticket  or  the 
republicans  the  democratic  ticket;  or  they  can  take  a  handful  of  ballots 
from  one  bundle  and  put  them  upon  the  other,  or  count  them  from  one 
bundle  into  tin'  other. 

6685.  Q.  It  would  not  hurt  the  republican  party  much  to  give  them  a 
democratic  vote? 

A.  Sometimes  it  might.  I  think  to  give  the  republicans  the  demo- 
cratic vote  in  my  district  would  be  very  apt  to  elect  the  republican,  and 
that  would  not  injure  us,  if  they  had  given  it  to  our  side. 

"New  York,  January  11, 1869. 
John  I.  Davenport  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

6686.  Question.  State  what  you  know  about  these  transactions  of 
Pierce. 

Answer.  It  was  along  about  the  10th  or  12th  of  November  I  first  saw 
Mr.  Pierce,  at  258  Broadway  5  he  Avas  brought  there  by  a  young  man  by 
the  name  of  Weiss,  who  was  endeavoring  at  that  time  to  get  the  nom- 
ination for  assistant  alderman  in  the  15th  ward,  I  think.  Two  or  three 
days  after  I  first  saw  Mr.  Weiss  he  came  one  day,  and  brought  with  him 
a  man  who  gave  his  name  as  William  Pierce — the  man  who  has  been 
here  to-day.  Mr.  Pierce,  at  and  after  that  time,  had  several  interviews 
with  Mr.  Glassey  and  General  Foster — sometimes  one  and  sometimes  the 
other,  and  occasionally  with  both  of  them.  At  most  of  those  interviews 
I  was  present.  I  also  held  interviews  with  Mr.  Pierce  when  neither  of 
the  other  gentlemen  were  present ;  he  oftentimes  came  there  when  they 
were  not  in,  and  I,  being  there  all  the  time,  took  him  into  the  private 
office ;  on  those  occasions  he  generally  remained,  however,  until  they 
came.  On  the  28th  of  November,  I  see  by  a  memorandum  in  my  book, 
he  gave  the  names  of  four  men  and  their  residences,  stating  that  these 
men  were  four  out  of  some  200  or  300  that  he  could  produce ;  subse- 
quently he  said  that  he  thought  he  could  bring  down  1,400.  I  remember 
his  telling  me  on  one  occasion  that  the  greater  part  of  them  were  present 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  603 

at  the  Jackson  Club,  the  headquarters  of  Sheriff  O'Brien,  and  were  en- 
gaged  in  repeating;  that  he  himself  was  engaged  in  the  business  and 
know  the  men;  that  he  lived  in  two  or  three  places — one  of  his  resi- 
dences was  up  in  the  Third  avenue,  another  one  in  Greene  street — and 
that  these  four  men  were  willing  to  be  examined  and  testify  as  to  what 
they  knew ;  that  he  had  seen  them  and  they  had  agreed  that  they  would 

«  give  their  statements ;  but  they  desired  to  be  arrested,  in  order  to  afford 
them  some  excuse  for  testifying  relative  to  Sheriff  O'Brien  and  the  re- 
peaters in  the  uptown  wards.  If  they  were  arrested  he  desired  that  one 
should  be  examined  first ;  this  one,  he  said,  would  make  a  full  and  free 
statement ;  the  next  day  he  wanted  the  second  examined,  who,  he  said, 

:  would  tell  something,  but  not  as  much  as  the  first ;  the  third  would 
hold  out  a  day  or  two,  but  finally  would  state  his  knowledge  of  frauds ; 
and  then  the  fourth  man  would  tell  because  the  other  three  had,  unless 

i  the  democrats  came  to  his  assistance ;  this  man  would,  however,  before 
exposing  anything,  write  to  them  for  assistance,  and  if  they  refused  to 
get  him  out  he  would  tell  all  that  he  knew.  The  names  he  gave  were 
James  or  John  Story,  registered  from  309  Thirty- second  street,  in  the 
Gth  district  of  the  21st  ward;  James  Farrell,  from  326  East  Thirty-third 
street,  the  same  district  and  Avard ;  Thomas  Bradburn,  498  Third  avenue, 
14th  district,  21st  ward,  (the  right  name,  he  said,  was  Dickas;)  Lewis 

I  Bullman,  181  Third  avenue,  (his  right  name  was  William  Mulligan,)  11th 

I  district,  21st  ward.  These  names  I  took  down  in  shorthand,  and  are 
now  given  from  those  notes.  Pierce  examined  the  registers  or  copies  of 
them  in  the  office  at  the  time  with  myself.  We  looked  over  the  books 
together,  and  found  three,  if  not  four,  of  those  names  there  as  regis- 
tered and  voted. 

6687.  Q.  Did  he  give  the  names  before  you  examined  the  registry  and 
poll-fist  1 
A.  He  gave  the  names  before  we  examined  the  registry  and  poll-list. 
QGSS.  Q.  And  you  found  them  on  the  registry  and  poll-list  as  he  had 
stated? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  he  stated  that  these  men  had  not  any  money,  and  that 
he  had  loaned  them  some,  and  had  spent  his  time  in  finding  them  and 
getting  them  to  be  willing  to  testify,  because  they  were  afraid  to  do  so, 
and  he  wanted  to  be  paid  for  it.  He  had  made  this  request  on  several 
occasions,  but  never  received  anything,  to  my  knowledge.  Subsequently, 
or  about  that  time,  I  paid  Mr.  Glassey  $5,  which,  he  informed  me,  he 
had  paid  Pierce.  I  had  the  charge  of  all  the  expenditures  in  the  Union 
League  Club  committee  in  that  office.  That  night  Pierce  wanted  $50. 
We  told  him  he  could  not  have  it ;  that  we  would  give  him  $20  for  his 
time  and  trouble,  and  that  was  all  Ave  should  give.  He  said  he  would 
be  damned  if  he  would  take  $20,  and  stopped  for  some  time  in  my  office, 
during  which  time  I  paid  no  kind  of  attention  to  him ;  finally  he  said, 
well,  if  I  would  give  him  $30  he  would  go  away  and  would  not  bother 
me  any  more,  and  I  gave  him  that  amount,  and  that,  with  the  $5  before 
mentioned,  is  all  the  money  which  he  ever  received  from  the  club  com- 
mittee.   From  the  time  he  got  that  $30  he  never  was  at  the  office  but 

jonce,  and  then  came  in  company  with  Mr.  Weiss,  a  long  time  afterward, 
having  broken  his  appointment  to  bring  the  four  men  there  in  order  that 
they  might  be  examined.  We  never  knew  him  until  he  appeared  with 
Mr.  Weiss.  He  was  the  x  y  z  of  an  unknown  quantity  until  he  came  and 
stated  that  he  had  this  information,  and  if  it  was  of  ^any  value  to  us  he 
could  produce  it. 

6689.  Q.  State  if  any  suggestion  was  made  to  him  to  procure  false 
testimony. 
A.  Never,  in  any  way,  manner,  or  shape. 


604  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

By  Mr.  Ross : 

6690.  Q.  What  office  did  you  hold  in  the  League  ? 
A.  I  was  secretary  of  the  sab-committee  and  counsel  and  attorney  of 

that  committee  in  the  matter  of  investigating  the  election  frauds. 

6691.  Q.  What. time  did  you  receive  that  appointment  ? 
A.  About  the  5th  or  6th  day  of  November. 

6692.  Q.  Have  you  been  in  the  employment  of  the  Union  League  ever 
since  1 

A.  I  suppose  so,  to  a  certain  extent.    My  signs  were  taken  down,  and 
I  no  longer  acted  as  secretary,  some  three  or  four  weeks  ago. 
6093.  Q.  You  are  still  in  the  employ  of  the  League,  are  you? 
A.  I  have  never  had  any  settlement  with  them  as  yet. 

6694.  Q.  You  understand  that  you  are  still  in  their  employ? 
A.  I  understand  that  I  am,  for  certain  purposes. 

6695.  Q.  Pot  what  purposes f 

A.  For  the  purpose  of  managing  the  matter  of  getting  the  registry 
and  poll-books  compared  in  reference  to  certain  houses  and  certain  men, 
and  other  matters  of  that  kind. 

6696.  Q.  You  are  also  employed  as  clerk  of  this  congressional  com- 
mittee, are  you  not  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

New  York,  January  11,  1869. 
William  H.  Cook  sworn  and  examined. 

To  the  Chairman  : 
45697.  I  reside  in  the  6th  ward. 

6698.  Question.  "What  do  you  know  of  persons  voting  more  than  once 
in  that  ward  in  the  last  presidential  election  ? 

Answer.  I  know  nothing,  sir. 

6699.  Q.  In  what  business  are  you  engaged? 

A.  I  am  superintendent  of  wharves,  piers,  and  slips  in  the  city  of  New 
York. 

6700.  Q.  From  whom  is  your  appointment  derived  ? 
A.  From  the  street  commissioner. 

6701.  Q.  Can  you  furnish  any  means  to  enable  us  to  ascertain  whether 
repeating  was  done  in  that  ward  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

6702.  Q.  You  have  no  information  that  would  enable  us  to  ascertain! 
A.  No,  sir. 

6703.  Q.  Do  you  know  Lawrence  Farrell,  alias  William  Pierce  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  do  not  know  the  person.  I  know  a  witness  by  the  name 
of  Lawrence  Farrell,  alias  something,  who  testified  here  to-day.  I  know 
him  as  a  witness  ;  that  is  all  I  know  about  him.  I  acted  in  the  capacity 
of  a  sort  of  adjunct  to  our  democratic  friends  here,  and  therefore  I  have 
seen  him,  and  that  is  the  only  means  I  have  of  knowing. 

By  Mr.  Ross : 

6704.  Q.  If  you  know  of  any  republican  frauds  we  would  like  to  hear 
of  them. 

A.  No,  sir.    I  only  know  one  circumstance;  it  is  not  precisely  fraud, 
but  it  looks  very  much  like  it. 
[Circumstance  stated  and  excluded  as  irrelevant.J 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  G05 

New  York  January  11,  18C9. 
Francis  Murray  sworn  and  examined. 

To  the  Chairman  : 
6705.  I  reside  in  the  8th  ward,  102  Green  street. 
0706.  Question.  State  if  you  voted  at  the  last  presidential  election 
in  this  city. 
Answer.  I  believe  I  did. 

6707.  Q.  How  often  ! 

A.  I  voted  three  times,  I  believe.    I  was  pretty  full. 

6708.  Q.  What  wards? 
A.  The  7th  and  8th. 

6709.  Q.  Indifferent  districts'? 

A.  I  coidd  not  tell  yon  as  to  that.  I  was  pretty  full  of  whiskey,  to 
tell  the  truth  about  it. 

6710.  Q.  Where  did  you  procure  the  names  and  numbers  to  vote  upon'? 
A.  They  came  to  my  house,  a  party  of  them. 

6711.  Q.  Who  came  to  your  house  ? 

A.  I  could  not  give  their  names.  There  were  about  fifteen  of  them,  I 
should  think.  They  wanted  me  to  go  out  with  them.  I  was  pretty  full, 
and  went  along  with  them,  and  I  could  not  tell  you  where  it  was — 
betwixt  what  streets  I  voted — to  save  my  soul  from  the  gallows;  and  I 
don't  want  to  tell  any  lies  about  it. 

6712.  Q.  Did  this  party  vote  on  their  own  names  or  false  names  ? 
A.  That  is  something  I  could  not  tell  you. 

6713.  Q.  Did  you  vote  under  different  names  ? 
A.  No,  sir ;  I  did  not  as  I  recollect. 

6711.  Q.  What  name  did  you  vote  on? 
A.  The  name  I  gave  here. 

6715.  All  the  times? 

A.  Yes,  sir  ;  I  think  I  did,  if  I  am  not  mistaken;  I  am  not  positive, 
however. 

6716.  Q.  State  what  you  saw,  if  any  thing,  •  about  slips  of  paper  with 
names  and  numbers  on  them. 

A.  There  was  a  slip  of  paper  handed  me;  I  could  not  tell  the  name  or 
the  number ;  I  was  under  the  influence  of  liquor. 

6717.  Q.  Where  did  you  yet  it? 

A.  At  the  corner  house  where  I  live,  102  Greene  street,  right  on  the 
corner. 

6718.  State  if  any  of  these  other  persons  had  slips  of  paper  with  names 
and  numbers. 

A.  I  could  not  say  whether  they  had  or  not. 
6710.  Q.  With  which  political  party  did  you  act? 
A.  The  democratic  party. 

6720.  Q.  What  ticket  did  you  vote  ? 
A.  I  voted  the  democratic  ticket. 

6721.  Q.  What  ticket  did  those  other  men  that  were  engaged  with  you 
vote  \ 

A.  I  could  not  tell  you ;  I  did  not  look. 

6722.  Q.  One  of  the  votes  you  gave  I  suppose  was  a  legal  vote  % 
A.  Yes,  sir;  I  was  entitled  to  one  vote. 

672:3.  What  compensation  were  you  to  have  for  this  service? 
A.  I  was  to  have  some  money — five  dollars. 
6721.  Q.  Who  proposed  to  pay  that  ? 

A.  I  could  not  tell  you;  it  was  betwixt  the  party;  they  were  to  make 
it  up  betwixt  them. "  They  got  me  pretty  well  liquored  up.     That  is 


606  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

something  I  am  not  in  the  habit  of  doing;  I  am  a  poor  boy  and  have 
got  a  mother  and  two  sisters  to  support,  and  work  pretty  hard  to  support 
them. 

By  Mr.  Ross : 
6725.  Q.  You  were  pretty  drunk,  were  you? 

A.  Yes,  sir  j  I  was  pretty  full,  to  tell  the  truth  and  no  lie.  I  don't 
want  to  tell  no  lie  whatever. 

6726*.  Q.  What  time  in  the  day  did  you  get  drunk? 

A.  I  got  drunk  early  in  the  morning.     I  was  drunk  all  day. 

6727.  Q.  Were  you  so  drunk  that  you  had  no  distinct  knowledge  of 
what  you  were  doing? 

A.  Yes,  sir  j  I  do  not  recollect  the  party;  I  don't  recollect  the  names; 
I  could  not  tell  you  to  save  my  life. 

6728.  Q.  Can  you  recollect  whether  you  voted  more  than  once? 
A.  I  recollect  voting  once,  my  own  legal  vote. 

6729.  Q.  Is  thai  all  the  time  you  have  any  recollection  of  voting? 
A.  I  am  pretty  certain  I  voted  three  times. 

6730.  Q.  Still  you  were  not  sober  enough  to  know  certainly  whether  you 
did  or  not? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  would  not  swear  to  a  thing  I  am  not 'positive  of. 

6731.  Q.  Did  somebody  tell  you  you  voted  more  than  once  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

6732.  Q.  That  is  what  made  you  think  so? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  know  I  was  at  the  polls  a  second  time,  and  the  man 
gave  me  :i  ticket  ami  I  walked  up  to  the  polls  and  put  it  in  ;  I  think  I 
did  anyhow,  that  is  the  second  time. 

6733.  Q.  Were  both  times  at  the  same  place? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  in  the  8th  ward.  I  put  in  two  votes  in  the  8th  ward  and 
one  in  the  7th. 

6734.  Q.  Was  it  at  the  same  polling  place  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  think  it  was.     I  am  not  positive,  but  I  think  it  was. 

6735.  Q.  You  have  no*  distinct  recollection  of  what  transpired  that 
day,  have  you? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  but  not  a  great  deal,  to  tell  you  the  truth.  ♦ 

6736.  Q.  You  were  pretty  boozy? 

A.  I  had  been  drinking  considerable. 

6737.  Q.  You  did  not  intend  to  do  anything  wrong  ? 
A.  No,  sir ;  I  did  not. 

6738.  Q.  You  don't  know  whether  you  did  vote  more  than  once  or  not  ? 
A.  I  think  I  voted  the  second  time;  I  think  I  can  recollect  that;  but 

after  that  I  could  not  recollect  more. 

6739.  Q.  After  the  second  time  you  were  so  drunk  you  cannot  recollect 
anything  about  it  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  was  pretty  drunk. 

6740.  Q.  You  have  no  knowledge  what  ticket  you  voted? 

A.  I  voted  the  democratic  ticket.  I  would  not  vote  the  republican 
ticket,  I  never  did  and  never  would.     I  am  democratic  to  the  back-bone. 

6741.  Q.  Who  paid  you  the  $5? 
A.  That  I  could  not  tell. 

6742.  Q.  Did  you  get  the  $5? 

A.  I  did,  sir ;  it  was  made  up  betwixt  the  party,  and  a  fellow  came  and 
slipped  it  in  my  hand. 

6743.  Q.  You  took  the  $5. 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

6744.  Q.  Was  it  on  Saturday  you  went  over  to  Jersey  City? 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  607 

A.  I  went  over  to-day. 

G745.  Q.  Have  you  not  been  over  there  before  in  relation  to  giving 
your  testimony ! 
A.  No,  sir ;  not  before. 

6746.  Q.  Did  you  get  $5  before  you  started,  or  after  you  came  back  ? 
A.  No,  not  upon  this ;  I  didn't  get  anything,  not  a  cent. 

6747.  Q.  Who  got  you  to  go  over  there  ? 

Q.  I  went  over  there  of  my  own  free  goodwill ;  I  heard  about  it;  there 
was  no  man  asked  me  whatever ;  I  heard  them  talking  of  it  where  I 
lived ;  they  were  talking  about  what  was  going  on ;  that  they  were 
looking  to  get  the  men  that  voted  twice  or  three  times  to  go  over  and 
testify  about  it,  and  I  thought  I  would  take  pains  to  go  over  on  my  own 
responsibility,  and  nobody  hired  me  ;  I  would  not  be  hired  for  any  such 
thing  as  that. 

6748.  Q.  How  many  went  over  there  with  you? 
A.  I  went  over  alone. 

6749.  Q.  How  many  were  in  the  room  where  you  made  your  statements 
over  there  ! 

A.  Three,  I  think  ;  two  or  three ;  I  am  not  certain. 

6750.  Q.  About  what  time  was  it? 

A.  Betwixt  10  or  11,  or  11  and  12 ;  I  am  not  sure. 

6751.  Q.  What  promises  did  they  make  over  there  ? 
A.  They  made  no  promises  whatever. 

6752.  Q.  What  did  they  say  to  you? 

A.  Nothing,  only  they  asked  my  name  and  residence,  and  how  many 
times  I  voted,  and  I  told  them  to  the  best  of  my  knowledge. 

6753.  Q.  Did  they  promise  you  any  protection  against  prosecution? 
A.  No,  sir. 

6754.  Did'nt  they  tell  you  that  you  should  not  be  prosecuted  if  you 
would  testify  J 

A.  No,  sir ;  not  a  word  about  it. 

6755.  Q.  Did  you  see  any  money  paid  over  there  to  anybody  ? 
A.  No,  sir,  I  did  not ;  not  a  cent. 

6756.  Q.  How  long  have  you  been  here  at  the  building? 
A.  I  have  been  here  ever  since  about  1  o'clock,  I  think. 

6757.  Q.  Iu  Marshal  Murray's  room  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

6758.  Q.  How  many  of  you  were  in  there  ? 

A.  I  could  not  tell  you  how  many  there  was ;  it  was  full  most  of  the 
time,  but  I  could  not  say  whether  they  were  witnesses  or  what  they  were. 

6759.  Q.  Did  you  talk  with  Marshal  Murray  about  it  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

6760.  Q.  What  did  Colonel  Wood  say  to  you  ? 

A.  He  did'nt  say  anything  to  me;  I  did  not  speak  to  Colonel  Wood. 

6761.  Q.  Where  did  you  see  him  ? 

A.  1  saw  him  below  here,  but  I  did  not  speak  to  him  or  he  to  me. 

6762.  Q.  You  saw  him  to-day  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

6763.  Q.  Was  he  over  at  Jersey  City  when  you  wer6  there  ? 

A.  I  could  not  say  whether  he  was  over  there  or  not ;  I  don't  think  he 
was  ;  I  don't  recollect  seeing  him  there. 

6764.  Q.  Who  administered  the  oath  to  you  over  there? 
A.  I  suppose  it  was  his  clerk. 

6765.  Q.  Colonel  Wood's  clerk? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

6766.  Q.  How  long  have  you  lived  in  the  city  ? 


' 


608  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN   NEW   YORK. 

A.  Going  on  the  last  three  or  four  years  ;  pretty  much  all  the  time  i 
the  same  place. 

6767.  Q.  How  long  have  you  lived  at  102  Greene  street? 
A.  A  year  and  a  half  or  two  years. 

6768.  Q.   What  business  are  you  in? 

A.  I  work  on  the  docks  ;  anything  that  I  can  get  hold  of. 
6763.  Q.  Are  yon  married  f 
A.  No,  sir,  I  am  not ;  I  am  a  single  man  and  have  a  mother  to  sup 

port ;  I  live  with  Johnny  or  Jimmy  Shay  ;  mother  lives  there  with  me 
and  two  sisters. 

6770.  Q.  How  long  lias  Jimmy  Shay  been  living  there? 
A.  That  is  something  I  could  not  tell  you. 

6771.  Q.  Does  he  keep  the  boarding-house? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

6772.  Q.  1  )id  you  know  it  was  wrong  to  vote  more  than  once? 
A.  Well,  I  don't  know  that  I  could  say  I  knew  it  was  wrong,  because 

I  cannot  read  or  write ;  1  always  had  to  work  hard  for  what  1  got 

6773.  Were  you  willing  to  commit  a  criminal  offence  for  the  sake  of 
getting  five  dollars  I 

A.  No,  sir  :  I  would  never  have  done  it  if  I  had  not  done  it  under  the 
influence  of  Liquor. 

6771.  Q.  Have  yon  drank  any  liquor  to-day  ? 
A.   I  have  not  drank  any  liquor  today. 
677f>.  Q.  Not  a  drop? 
A.  None,  whatever. 

6776.  Q.  How  long  have  you  been  known  by  the  name  of  Francis 
Murray  I 

A.  I  have  been  known  by  that  name  a  good  while ;  it  has  always  been 
my  name. 

6777.  Q.  Were  you  ever  called  by  any  other? 
A.  No,  sir. 

6778.  Q.  What  was  that  charge  they  had  against  you  before  the  court 
here  ? 

A.  No  charge  against  me  whatever. 

6779.  Q.  Were  not  you  over  on  the  island  a  while? 

A.  No,  sir;  not  over  on  any  island  whatever.  I  was  never  convicted, 
never  arrested,  never  had  a  warrant  served  on  me  in  my  life.  I  don't 
want  to  get  into  any  scrape  whatever;  but  I  came  to  tell  the  truth,  the 
whole  truth,  and  nothing  but  the  truth.  I  never  had  a  warrant  served | 
on  me  yet. 

6780.  Q.  Whom  do  you  work  for  ? 

A.  I  work  for  anybody  I  have  to  work  for. 

6781.  Q.  Have  you  any  regular  employment  from  anybody  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

6782.  Q.  How  long  have  you  been  out  of  employment,  if  at  all? 

A.  I  could  get  work  to-day,  but  I  left  it  to  come  up  here ;  on  the  pier,  j 
47  East  river. 

6783.  Q.  What  were  you  to  have  for  your  day's  work? 

A.  I  was  to  have  two  dollars,  that  is  if  I  was  to  work  on  the  dock. 

6784.  Q.  What  were  you  to  have  for  coming  here  ? 
A.  Nothing  said  about  it. 

6785.  Q.  Nothing  said  about  five  dollars,  or  about  pay  ? 
A.  Nothing  whatever  to  me. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

6786.  Q.  Do  you  understand  that  an  oath  was  administered  to  you 
over  in  Jersey  City,  or  did  you  make  a  statement  of  what  you  knew  f 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  609 

A.  I  made  a  statement  of  what  I  knew. 

By  Mr.  Ross : 
0787.  Q.  Did  yon  swear  to  that .? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  was  not  sworn  at  all;  I  j nst  made  a  single  statement, 
and  that  was  all. 

NEW  York.  January  11,  1809. 
John  McCabe  sworn  and  examined. 

To  the  Chairman  : 
6788.  I  live  at  26  Monroe  street.  I  voted  at  the  last  presidential  elec- 
tion in  this  city,  three  times  at  Madison  street  and  in  the  Bowery;  three 
rimes  in  Centre  between  Jackson  and  Monroe  ;  and  two  or  three  times,  I 
could  not  say  which,  in  Bayard  street  and  Hester,  near  the  Bowery.  I 
voted  under  my  own  name,  not  every  time,  sometimes  under  other  names. 

0789.  Question.  How  were  you  furnished  with  names  to  vote  upon  ! 
Answer.  They  were  given  to  me  on  a  slip  of  paper.    There  was  a  party 

promised  to  meet  me  on  the  day  of  election. 

0790.  Q.  Where  were  you  the  night  before  election  \ 

A.  I  was  in  the  house.  I  came  from  working  and  went  round  to  a  few 
friends  until  10  or  11  o'clock,  and  then  went  home. 

0791.  Q.  State  what  you  know  about  other  persons  voting  more  than 
once  on  the  day  of  election  ■ 

A.  These  parties.  I  could  not  tell  you  the  names,  but  I  met  them  on 
the  corner  of  Roosevelt  and  the  new  Bowery,  four  or  live  of  them,  they 
gave  me  tickets  and  told  me  to  go  and  vote,  and  they  would  give  me  $10 
if  I  would  vote  those  tickets ;  and  they  fetched  me  round  and  gave  me 
drink,  and  I  srot  so  drunk  I  didn't  know  what  I  was  doing  after  a  while. 

6792.  Q.  How  often  did  they  vote  ? 

A.  I  could  not  sav;  they  voted  two  or  three  times  in  each  place. 

6793.  Q.  Each  one  of  the  men  ; 
A.  Yes.  sir. 

0791.  Q.  What  ticket  did  you  vote  ! 
A.  The  democratic  ticket;  it  was  supposed  to  be  democratic;  I  did 

lot  look  at  it. 

6795.  Q.  Where  were  slips  of  paper  furnished  to  you? 

A.  At  the  polls,  the  corner  of  Roosevelt  and  the  new  Bowery,  in  the 
tth  ward. 

6790.  Q.  Do  you  know  who  gave  you  the  slips'? 

A.  I  do  not. 

6797.  Q.  Do  you  remember  any  of  the  names  you  voted  upon  except 
our  own  ? 

A.  No,  sir,  I  do  not. 

By  Mr.  Ross: 
0798.  Q.  You  say  you  were  pretty  drunk  that  day  ! 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

6799.  Q.  What  time  in  the  day  did  you  get  drunk  f 
A.  About  8  o'clock  in  the  morning. 

6800.  Q.  How  drunk  were  you  ? 

A.  I  was  so  drunk  that  I  had  to  be  carried  home;  I  did  not  know 
'here  I  was  when  I  was  in  the  house. 

6801.  Q.  What  time  in  the  day  did  they  help  take  you  home  ? 

A.  I  could  not  tell,  and  I  could  not  tell  who  fetched  me  home,  or 
othing  about  it. 
39  t 


610  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

0802.  Q.  Were  you  right  drunk  all  day  J 
A.  Yes,  sir,  I  was  drunk  all  day. 

0803.  Q.  Then  you  cannot  recollect  much  of  what  did  transpire? 
A.  No,  sir.  1  cannot. 

0804.  Q.  You  do  not  know  with  any  accuracy  how  often  you  did  vote/ 
A.  No,  sir,  1  may  have  voted  30  or  40  times  for  aught  [know;  I  wsu 

too  beastly  drunk. 

6805.  (»>.   You  know  whether  you  voted  more  than  once? 

A.  Yes,  sir:  I  voted  as  many  times  as  I  have  stated;  I  am  certain 
about  that. 

0800.  Q.  Do  you  know  any  of  the  parties  that  were  with  you  I 

A.  No,  sir,  !  don't:   I  know  them  by  sight,  but  nothing  more  than  that 

6807.  Q.   How  do  you  know  what  ticket  you  voted  \ 

A.  They  gave  me  the  tickets  in  my  hand  and  told  me  they  would  give 
me  ten  dollars  to  vote  for  this  party ;  they  did  not  tell  me  what  it  was 
It  was  supposed  to  be  the  democratic  ticket  ;  they  gave  it  to  me  as  the 
democratic  ticket. 

0808.  Q.  Don't  you  know  that  the  republicans  were  getting  democrats 
drunk  that  day  and  getting  them  to  vote  their  ticket? 

A.  No,  sir,  I  don't  know  anything  about  that. 

0800.  Q.  You  are  a  democrat,  T  suppose  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

0810.  Q.  You  would  not  vote  the  republican  ticket  if  you  were  sober, 
I  suppose ! 

A.  I  don't  believe  I  would. 

0811.  Q.  You  would  be  just  as  likely  to  vote  the  republican  ticket 
when  you  were  drunk! 

A.  Yes,  if  I  was  beastly  drunk. 

0812.  Q.  As  drunk  as  you  were  that  day  '.' 

A.  Yes,  sir;  just  as  likely  to  vote  the  republican  ticket  as  any,  but  J 
don't  believe  the  parties  were  voting  the  republican  ticket  themselves, 

0813.  Q.  When  were  you  to  have  the  five  dollars  for  voting  that  day  1 
A.  It  was  ten  dollars. 

0814.  Q.  Were  you  to  have  the  five  dollars  for  going  over  to  Jerse) 
City  before  you  went  over,  or  after  you  came  back  I 

A.  I  don't  know  nothing  about  that:  I  heard  men  talking  about  it 
but  I  didn't  hear  when  I  was  to  get  it, 

0815.  Q.  Whom  did  you  talk  with  about  that  J 
A.  I  talked  with  the  clerk  over  there. 

G810.  Q.  Did  not  somebody  tell  you  that  they  were  paying  something 
to  get  men  to  swear  to  frauds? 
A.  No,  sir. 

0817.  Q.  AYhat  did  you  hear  when  you  went  over  ? 
A.  I  was  going  past  and  I  heard  men  talking  of  some  people  that  wen 

over  there  and  got  some  money,  and  I  thought  I  would  go  over  mysel 
and  see  what  it  was  about. 

0818.  Q.  It  was  trying  to  make  testimony  to  prove  frauds,  was  it? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

0819.  Q.  How  many  went  over  there  with  you? 
A.  No  one  went  over  but  myself. 

0820.  Q.  How  many  were  in  the  room  when  you  were  examined? 
A.  There  were  two  or  three. 

0821.  Q.  What  room  were  you  in  at  Jersey  City? 
A.  I  could  not  say. 

0822.  Q,  When  did  you  go  over  to  Jersey  City? 

A.  I  went  over  there  Saturday  morning;  I  staid  there  for  about 
hours. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  611 

6823.  Q.  They  did  not  pay  you  the  five  dollars  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

6824.  Q.  Did  you  go  over  again  to-day  1 
A.  No,  sir;  not  to-day. 

6825.  Q.  Where  have  you  been  to-day? 

A.  I  have  been  at  home  pretty  much  all  day;  I  was  up  at  a  wedding 
nearly  all  night  last  night,  and  I  did  not  feel  well. 

6826.  Q.  Who  was  it  that  swore  you  over  in  Jersey  City? 
A.  A  young  man ;  I  did  not  know  who  he  was. 

6827.  Q.  Did  you  see  anything  of  Colonel  Wood? 
A.  No,  sir. 

6828.  Q.  You  know  him,  don't  you? 
A.  No,  sir,  I  don't. 

6829.  Q.  Where  have  you  been  since  you  have  been  here  in  this  build- 
ing? 

A.  I  have  been  outside. 

6830.  Q.  In  the  first  room  at  the  left,  in  Marshal  Murray's  office ? 
A.  I  suppose  so ;  it  was  the  first  room  at  the  left. 

6831.  Q.  How  many  were  in  there  with  you? 
A.  Two  more. 

6832.  Q.  When  are  you  to  be  paid  for  coming  here? 

A.  I  heard  I  was  to  be  paid  to-day — over  in  Jersey  City. 

6833.  Q.  Do  you  know  who  is  to  pay  you? 
A.  No,  sir,  I  don't. 

6834.  Q;  Are  you  swearing  false  now? 
A.  No,  sir ;  I  am  not. 

6835.  Q.  How  long  has  your  name  been  McCabe  ? 
A.  It  has  been  that  ever  since  I  have  been  born. 

6836.  How  old  are  you? 

A.  Twenty- two  years  of  age. 

6837.  Q.  Where1  were  you  born  ? 
A.  New  Haven,  Connecticut. 

6838.  Q.  How  long  have  you  lived  here ! 

A.  Ever  since  I  have  been  two  years  of  age. 

6839.  Q.  How  long  have  you  lived  at  26  Monroe  street  V 
A.  Two  or  three  or  four  years,  I  could  not  say. 

6840.  Q.  Whom  do  you  live  with? 

A.  I  live  there  with  my  father ;  my  father  is  a  laborer. 

6841.  Q.  You  are  a  single  man,  are  you  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

6842.  Q.  What  have  you  been  engaged  in  lately  ? 
A.  A  printer. 

6843.  Q.  Where  have  you  been  working  ? 

A.  At  Nesbit's  printing  office,  the  corner  of  Pine  and  Pearl  streets. 

6844.  Q.  Are  you  working  there  now  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  have  not  been  working  there  these  last  couple  of  days. 

6845.  Q.  You  have  been  absent  from  your  work  for  two  days  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

New  York,  January  12,  1869. 
John  Gunn  sworn  and  examined. 

To  the  Chairman  : 
6840.  I  am  bookkeeper  for  Mr.  George  Wilkes,  editor  of  the  Spirit  of  the 
imos.  He  is  in  very  poor  health,  and  went  to  Paris  for  the  improve- 
ment of  his  health.  He  sailed  from  here  on  the  28th  of  November  last, 
•t  for  Paris,  and  was  there  on  the  18th  of  December — the  last  time 
heard  from  him. 


612  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

New  York,  January  12,  1869. 

JOSEPB  GAILLARD  sworn  and  examined. 
To  the  Chairman: 

0847.  I  do  not  know  where  William  Dorin,  a  witness  summoned  to  appea 
before  the  committee,  is  now.  I  saw  him  here  in  the  hall  last  Saturday 
he  was  standing  near  a  man  named  George  something.  Dorin  ealle< 
to  me  and  I  was  going  over  to  him  when  a  deputy  sheriff  named  Moor< 
put  his  hand  on  my  shoulder  and  shoved  me  back,  saying  that  I  eouk 
have  no  talk  with  that  man.  He  said  he  was  under  arrest.  I  went  t< 
the  United  States  marshal's  office  and  told  my  chief,  Colonel  Wood,  am 
Marshal  Murray,  that  Dorin  was  arrested.  I  saw  Deputy  Sheriff  Moon 
take  him  out  of  the  hall  and  through  the  New  City  Hall;  1  have  no 
seen  Dorin  since.  [  do  not  know  where  he  is  to  be  found.  I  went  t( 
his  house  yesterday  to  notify  him  to  come  here,  but  his  wife  told  me  h< 
was  not  there;   I  made  no  further  search  than  that. 

NEW  YORK,  January  12,  1S(M, 

James  Dennis  sworn  and  examined. 
To  the  Chairman  : 

6848.  1  was  register  and  inspector  at  the  last  presidential  election  in 
the  7th  district  of  the  21st  ward.  I  know  of  two  cases  of  fraudulent 
naturalization  papers  in  that  district.  In  one  case  the  man  (I  do  not 
know  his  name)  swore  that  he  had  been  in  the  country  only  two  years. 
had  never  appeared  in  any  court,  had  never  taken  out  any  papers,  and 
that  he  had  got  his  naturalization  paper  at  the  corner  of  Second  aveniu 
and  Thirty-second  street.  The  other  swore  that  he  got  his  paper  at  th< 
coiner  of  Twenty-fourth  street  and  Second  avenue,  and  had  never  beei 
to  any  court,  nor  made  application  for  citizenship. 

By  my  challenging  all  of  them  who  came  up,  most  of  them  backed  out 

I  believe  that  many  of  them  swore  falsely  to  their  having  taken  outthei: 
first  papers  and  to  their  residence.  1  was  very  active  in  keeping  on 
illegal  registering,  even  at  the  peril  of  my  life.  I  had  to  keep  a  revolve 
loose  in  my  pocket  all  the  time,  and  they  knew  it.  I  apprehended  peri 
from  the  gangs  of  cutthroats,  vagabonds,  and  robbers,  who  were  goinj 
around  registering;  but  1  was  regardless  of  their  threats.  The  polic« 
captain  had  to  send  policemen  home  with  me  from  the  registering  plac< 
every  night.  I  am  a  republican ;  those  who  threatened  me  acted  witl 
the  democratic  party.  On  election  morning,  when  on  my  way  to  th 
polling  place,  I  was  arrested  by  two  men  claiming  to  be  deputy  sheriffs 
They  showed  me  a  paper  purporting  to  be  a  warrant  for  my  arrest 
signed  by  Judge  Mansfield,  for  assault  and  battery  committed  on  a  mai 
the  Saturday  previous.  I  was  taken  down  to  Ludlow  street  jail  am 
locked  up  until  11  o'clock.  In  the  mean  time  a  large  number  of  m; 
friends  started  in  pursuit  of  me  with  bail,  and  I  sent  a  report  of  m; 
arrest  to  headquarters,  Fifth  avenue,  to  the  State  committee.    Abou 

II  o'clock  I  was  taken  before  Judge  Mansfield,  and  admitted  to  bail  ; 
have  never  been  prosecuted  for  the  assault;  I  demanded  of  the  judg 
to  produce  the  person  who  filed  the  affidavit  against  me;  but  he  couk 
not  do  so.  I  am  satisfied,  in  my  own  mind,  that  no  person  made  an; 
such  affidavit.  The  person  who  purported  to  have  made  it  gave  hi 
address  at  the  number  of  a  street  in  wdiich  there  was  no  such  numhei 
I  had  not  committed  any  assault,  and  no  evidence  was  produced  agains 
me.  Judge  Mansfield  denied  knowing  anything  at  all  about  the  wai 
rant,  although  it  purported  to  have  been  issued  by  him  the  Monda, 
previously. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 


(513 


To  Mr.  Koss : 

6849.  My  republican  colleague  was  Jacob  W.  Cooper,  and  my  demo- 
cratic colleagues  were  a  Mr.  Yard  and  a  Captain  Mnllaly.  I  believe  I  kept 
away  from  the  registry  over  200  illegal  votes.  They  would  come  in 
gangs  of  10  or  15,  and  when  I  would  commence  challenging  the  others 
would  back  out.  There  were  401  votes  registered  in  that  district  and 
362  votes  polled.  When  I  got  to  the  polls  on  election  day  the  illegal 
votes  which  I  had  marked  for  challenge  had  all  been  put  in.  My  repub- 
lican associate  did  not  have  the  backbone  to  challenge  them. 

To  the  Chairman  : 

6850.  The  warrant  which  I  read  charged  me,  along  with  Charles  H. 
Rogers,  with  beating  and  assaulting  this  man  on  the  31st  of  October. 
I  had  not  seen  Mr.  Rogers  for  over  a  week.  He  was  arrested  the  night 
before,  and  was  also  locked  up.  He  was  also  a  register  in  another  dis- 
trict. He  was  a  republican.  I  cannot  call  to  mind  any  person  who  has 
been  punished  in  this  city  for  illegal  voting. 

New  York,  January  12,  1869. 
Abraham  Voorhees  recalled. 
To  the  Chairman: 

6851.  I  have  examined  applications  for  naturalization  in  the  superior 
bourt  of  this  city  from  September  30,  1868,  to  October  10,  with  the 
exception  of  the  9th.  I  present  to  the  committee  a  tabular  statement, 
giving  the  number  of  times  each  day  when  the  same  witnesses  appeared 
tor  a  number  of  applications  for  naturalization.  I  also  present  to  the 
committee  a  statement  showing  the  total  number  naturalized  in  the 
superior  court  on  September  30,  October  1,  and  October  2,  showing  an 
aggregate  of  1,221,  of  which  there  were  1,006  naturalized  as  minors.  It 
is  very  difficult  to  examine  these  naturalization  papers  in  the  superior 
court  for  want  of  office  accommodation,  though  the  officers  of  the  court 
famished  us  all  the  facilities  they  could.  This  last  paper  also  shows  the 
whole  number  naturalized  in  that  court  from  October  3  to  October  10, 
both  days  inclusive,  (except  on  the  9th,  the  papers  for  which  day  I  have 
not  yet  examined.) 

The  papers  are  as  follows : 


Names  of  witnesses. 


'atrick  McCaffrey 16 

\atrick  Goff 

'ames  Goff !      2 

i.  La  Brown 

'lichael  Culligan 

^hauncey  Gray 

•>ank  Brondage 

fohn  Ward 

rohn  Gallagher 

•1  Goldstein 

'ohn  Moran 

I.  Curry 

'ohn  McGinniss 

ohn  Carpenter  

ames  Reilly 

)auiel  Dav 

Thomas  Wheeler 

lenry  Jacobs 

ames  O'Donnell 

VUliam  J.  Gorman 

'•olomon  Bertimer 

oaeph  Ferguson 


14 


18      . 

14 

14 

6 

2 

6 


:ist 


614  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

Superior  Court,  New  York  City. 
Whole  number  naturalized,  1868:  September  30,  October  1  and  2, 
1,224  j  minors,  1,006;  not  complete.  October  .'5,  781;  minors,  G52.  Oc- 
tober 5, 1,354;  minors,  1,125.  October  0,  1,317;  minors,  1,075.  October 
7,  1,321;  minors,  1,074.  October  8,  1,125;  minors,  965.  October  10. 
812;  minors,  731. 

To  Mr.  Ross : 
6852.  There  may  be  ordinary  mistakes  in  the  calculation.  There 
must  be  20,000  papers  tied  up  there,  but  they  have  kept  them  in  pretty 
good  order.  For  four  or  five  days  1  had  the  whole  run  of  Uw  office  to 
myself.  Mr.  Sweeney  told  the  clerks  to  give  me  a  desk  and  to  clear 
out;  and  even  his  deputy  was  turned  out  for  that  purpose,  [f  there  is 
any  mistake4  at  all  in  the  paper  it  is  that  there  are  not  enough  cases 
down. 

New  York,  January  12,  1869. 
Wright  BANKS  sworn  and  examined,  (called  by  Mr.  Ross.) 

To  Mr.  lioss: 
0853.  I  reside  at  White   Plains,  Westchester  county,  and  am  deputy 
county  clerk  of  the  county.      1  produce  the  book  containing  the  records, 
of  naturalization  of  that  county. 

6854.  Question.  Turn  to  the  names  of  David  Welsh,  John  Lee,  John 
Rogers,  Patrick  Haley,  Thomas  Fitzgerald,  Win.  Lawler,  Win.  King,, 
and  John  Courtney. 

Answer.  David  Welsh  was  naturalized  August  20, 1808,  his  witnesses, 
being  John  Lee  and  Hugh  Ward;  John  Lee  was  naturalized  August  20,, 
1808,  his  witnesses  being  Hugh  Ward  and  Thomas  Smith  ;  John  Roger* 
was  naturalized  August  26,  1868,  his  witnesses  being  John  Lee  and  Hugh 
Ward;  Patrick  Haley  was  naturalized  September  19,  1868,  his  wit- 
nesses being  Michael  O'Donnell  and  Thomas  Smith ;  Thomas  Fitzger- 
ald was  naturalized  October  17,  1868,  his  witness  being  Lewis  C.  Piatt; 
Win.  Lawler  was  naturalized  August  26, 1868,  his  witnesses  being  John 
Lee  and  Wm.  King ;  Wm.  King  was  naturalized  August  26,  1868,  his 
witnesses  being  John  Lee  and  Wm.  Lawler;  and  John  Courtney  was 
naturalized  September  19,  1868,  his  witnesses  being  Daniel  Daly  and 
Michael  Higgins. 

6855.  Q.  Are  all  naturalization  records  kept  in  a  book  in  that  way! 
A.  Yes.     They  are  recorded  at  the  time  of  naturalization.    Each  ap- 
plicant and  witness  has  signed  his  name  in  this  book,  or  made  his  mark. 

6856.  Q.  State  generally  what  you  know  of  any  fraudulent  naturaliza- 
tion papers  being  issued  from  that  court  or  office. 

A.  I  do  not;  not  in  a  single  instance. 

6857.  Q.  State  what  has  been  the  practice  in  that  court  on  the  sub- 
ject of  naturalization  in  reference  to  parties  appearing  in  open  court. 

A.  For  five  or  six  years,  and  up  to  the.  latter  part  of  August  last,  the 
practice  was  to  have  the  witnesses  sworn  by  the  clerk  in  the  clerk's 
office,  and  the  papers  were  always  understood  to  be  issued  on  the 
authority  of  the  judge,  though  not  in  his  presence.  In  August,  or  early 
in  September,  1868,  Judge  Cochrane,  the  present  county  judge,  directed 
that  the  clerk  should  examine  and  record  the  application  for  naturaliza- 
tion in  the  open  court-room,  in  his  presence;  and  with  the  exception  ot 
about  50  of  the  naturalizations  in  1868  all  were  examined  and  natural- 
ized in  that  way  in  open  court,  the  judge  being  present  and  judging  ot 
the  qualifications  of  each  applicant. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    INT    NEW    YORK.  615 

6858.  Q.  Had  those  50  been  naturalized  prior  to  that  order? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

0859.  Q.  And  all  .since  that  order  have  been  examined  in  open  court? 

A.   Yes. 

0800.  Q.  State  what  means  you  have  of  knowing  what  the  practice 
has  been  in  previous  years. 

A.  In  185(M51 1  was  a  clerk  in  the  clerk's  office  in  Westchester  county, 
and  had  charge  of  naturalization  as  one  of  my  perquisites.  At  that 
time  the  business  was  invariably  done  in  the  office,  with  or  without  the 
presence  of  the  judge.  I  remained  in  the  office  about  two  years.  I  had 
some  business  connected  with  the  office  again  in  18G8,  when,  I  am 
aware,  the  practice  existed;  and  again  in  1805-7GG,  up  to  the  present  time. 

6861.  Q.  You  know  of  your  own  knowledge  that  that  is  the  way  the 
business  has  been  conducted  ? 

A.  I  do. 

0802.  .Q.  When  did  this  judge  come  into  office  ? 

A.  The  1st  of  January,  1808. 

6863.  Q.  To  what  political  party  is  he  attached  I 

A.  The  democratic. 

0804.  Q.  Who  were  the  judges  previous  to  his  administration? 

A.  John  W.  Mills,  in  1850-51.  For  12  years  prior  to  the  1st  of 
January,  1808,  Judge  Wm.  H.  Robertson  was  judge  of  that  court.  He 
is  now  a  member  of  Congress.  Judge  Mills  was  a  democrat  and  Judge 
i Robertson  a  republican. 

0805.  Q.  Was  that  the  practice  under  Judge  Robertson  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

0800.  Q.  With  his  knowledge  ? 
A.  Yes. 


By  the  Chairman  : 
0807.  Q.  Between  pages  220  and  230  of  the  book  which  you  have  pro- 
duced I  find  the  record  of  naturalization  of  persons,  whose  names,  with 
date  of  naturalization  and  date  of  cancellation  of  certificate,  are  as  fol- 
lows : 


Names  of  persons  naturalized.  Date.  When  cancelled. 


Daniel  Murphy August  21,  18G8.  :  October  3,    18G3. 

Patrick  Slaven . . : do do 

Michael  Donohoe August  29,   1 H6S.    do 

Thomas  Darnely do do 

Michael  Cashman do do 

Thomas  Kelly do do 

John  Grady do do 

award  McCarty do do 

Timothy  Keily do do 

^atiick  Kiley do do 

Thomas  McCarty do ; do 

Thomas  Moran.. do ' do 

Edmund  Burke do do 

fames  Dean do do 

•lichael  Donnelly do do 


Across  the  face  of  each  one  of  these  records  of  naturalization  are 
bund  these  words :  "  Certificate  cancelled  by  order  of  the  court,  Octo 


>er  3,  18G8.     J.  M.  S.,  clerk.''     State  why  that  entry  of  cancellation  was 
nade. 


616  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

A.  I  cannot  state  why  in  all  instances.  It  was  made  on  an  order  to 
show  cause,  which  was  granted  on  the  application  of  sonic  parties,  the 
certificate  having  been  informal  or  defective  in  some  way. 

6868.  Q.  Was  not  that  done  after  the  people  had  begun  to  complain 
of  the  mode  in  which  things  were  done  in  that  court  I 

A.  1  think  not;  I  think  the  contrary. 

6861).  Q.  On  page  230  of  this  hook  I  find  a  record  made  up,  dated 
August  29,  1868,  signed  "J.  M.  Smith,  clerk,"  in  two  places,  with  the 
words  written  across  it:  "Cancelled  by  order  of  the  court,  October 3, 
1868.  J.  M.  S.,  clerk;"  and  two  erasures  where  the  blank  is  found  for 
the  signature  of  the  applicant;  nothing,  therefore,  being  left  to  indicate 
who  signed  the  name  which  1ms  apparently  been  erased.  State  why 
that  alteration  of  the  record  has  been  made. 

A.  I  did  that  myself  on  application  of  one  of  the  witnesses,  (Patrick 
Mara,)  stating  that  the  applicant  (Patrick  Kearns)  was  not  entitled  to 
be  naturalized.  I  made  the  erasures  at  Mara's  instance,  without  the 
Order  of  the  court. 

6870.  Q.  Did  you  feel  authorized  to  obliterate  the  record  of  the  court? 
A.  I  did;  1   felt  authorized  to  correct   an   error.     The  certificate  of 

naturalization  had  issued,  hut  I  destroyed  it  and  tore  it  up,  as  I  would 
any  other  paper,  and  threw  it  into  the  waste  basket. 

6871.  Q.  By  what  authority  do  you  claim  the  right  to  alter  and  oblit- 
erate the  record  of  the  court,  without  the  knowledge  or  order  of  the 
court '. 

A.  1  recognize  the  right  of  any  clerk  or  officer  to  correct  his  own  error. 
This  error  which  I  corrected  was  my  own. 

6872.  Q.  Were  these  orders  of  cancellation  written  across  there,  with 
or  without  the  knowledge  of  the  judge  I 

A.  With  the  knowledge  of  the  judge. 

6873.  Q.  Who  called  his  attention 'to  it  1 
A.  I  cannot  tell. 

6874.  Q.  Was  process  issued  against  the  parties  naturalized  ? 
A.  An  order  to  show  cause  was. 

6875.  Q.  Do  you  not  know  that  complaint  was  made  about  the  mode 
in  which  things  were  done  in  the  court  I 

A.  Not  at  this  date,  I  think. 

6876.  Q.  Who  made  the  representation  to  the  court  that  these  persons 
had  improperly  procured  certificates  of  naturalization  ? 

A.  I  am  not  positive ;  but  I  think  some  of  the  applicants  themselves. 

6877.  Q.  Because  they  felt  alarmed,  did  they? 

A.  Perhaps  they  did ;  I  cannot  say  what  induced  them. 

6878.  Q.  On  page  204  I  see  some  blanks  left;  for  what  purpose  ? 
A.  Possibly  a  mistake  in  turning  over  the  leaf. 

6879.  Q.  At  page  384  I  find  about  one-third  of  the  leaf  cut  out;  for 
what  purpose  was  that  done  ! 

A.  I  did  that  in  order  to  send  the  form  of  the  affidavits  used  to  some 
gentleman  who  applied  to  know  the  rules  and  regulations. 

6880.  Q.  I  find  the  leaves  between  pages  381  and  384  cut  out ;  for 
what  purpose  °? 

A. .  That  was  done  before  my  time. 

6881.  Q.  I  find  other  leaves  cut  out  of  the  back  of  the  book? 
A.  I  think  I  tore  out  from  both  forms. 

6882.  Q.  I  find  on  all  these  records  that  the  jurat  to  the  affidavit  says: ! 
"  Sworn  in  open  court."    Is  that  record  true  or  false  $ 

A.  In  the  instances  I  have  spoken  of  I  think  I  should  be  safe  in  say- 
ing that  it  is  true.     It  was  done  by  authority  of  the  court. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  617 

6883.  Q.  Is  it  true  in  those  cases  where  the  work  was  done  in  the 
clerk's  office,  without  the  knowledge  of  the  judge  I 

A.  I  think  it  is ;  I  think  it  is  done  in  open  court  if  the  judge  orders  it 
to  be  done  in  the  clerk's  office.  I  think  the  meaning  of  the  statute  is 
that  the  judge  shall  have  the  control  of  the  matter.  There  is  no  instance 
in  my  record  there  that  was  not  done  in  open  court  by  the  authority  of 
the  judge,  according  to  my  judgment. 

6884.  Q.  By  being  done  in  open  court  you  mean  that  naturalizations 
taken  before  the  clerk,  with  applicants  and  witnesses  sworn  before  the 
clerk,  in  a  room  where  the  judge  is  not  sitting,  and  where  he  knows 
nothing  of  them  at  all,  are  made  in  open  court? 

A.  I  think  so. 

6885.  Q.  In  those  cases  the  judge  was  not  present,  and  did  not  see  the 
applicants  or  Avitnesses  sworn  ? 

A.  There  were  very  few  such  instances  in  Mr.  Smith's  administration. 

()880.  Q.  If  Mr.  Smith  stated  that  this  work  was  done  in  the  clerk's 
office,  without  the  judge  knowing  what  persons  appeared  as  applicants 
i  and  what  persons  as  witnesses,  did  he  state  the  truth  or  not ! 

A.  As  to  some  part  of  it  he  did  ;  I  do  not  know  that  I  gave  certificates 
in  such  cases ;  I  think  I  did.  but  I  do  not  know  of  any  instance  of  it. 

6887.  Q.  Present  to  the  committee,  and  make  part  of  your  testimony, 
a  eopy  of  the  record  of  one  of  those  naturalizations  of  a  person  who 
came  to  the  United  States  after  he  was  18  years  of  age,  and  of  one  who 
made  what  is  called  a  minor's  application,  having  come  to  the  United 
States  before  he  was  18  years  of  age. 

A.  I  present  such  forms.     They  are  as  follows : 
State  of  Xew  York,   Westchester  County. 

In  the  matter  of  John  Rogers,  on  his  naturalization. 
State  of  New  York,   ^Ycstchester  County,  ss  : 

John  Lee,  Hugh  Ward,  being  severally  duly  sworn,  each  for  himself, 
say  that  they  are  well  acquainted  with  the  above  named  applicant,  and 
that  the  said  applicant  has  resided  within  the  United  States  for  the  con- 
tinued term  of  five  years,  at  least,  next  preceding  the  present  time, 
without  being  at  any  time,  during  the  said  five  years,  out  of  the  terri- 
tory of  the  United  States,  and  within  the  State  of  New  York  one  year 
at  least  immediately  preceding  this  application ;  and  that  during  that  time 
he  has  behaved  as  a  man  of  good  moral  character,  attached  to  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States,  and  well  disposed  to  the 
good  order  and  happiness  of  the  same. 

JOHN  LEE. 

HUGH  WARD. 

Sworn  in  open  court,  this  26th  day  of  August,  1868. 

J.  MALCOLM  SMITH,  Clerk. 

I,  John  Rogers,  do  solemnly  swear  that  I  will  support  the  Constitu- 
tion of  the  United  States,  and  that  I  do  absolutely  and  entirely  renounce 
and  abjure  all  allegiance  and  fidelity  to  every  foreign  prince,  potentate, 
state  or  sovereigntv,  whatever,  and  particularly  to  Victoria. 

JOHN  ROGERS. 

Sworn  in  open  court  this  26th  dav  of  August,  1868. 

J.  MALCOLM  SMITH,  Clerk. 


618-  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

STATE  oe  New  York,  Westchester  County. 

In  the  matter  of  John  Courtney,  on  his  naturalization. 
State  oe  New  York,  Westchester  County,  88  : 

John  Courtney,  thje  above-named  applicant,  being  duly  sworn, 
that  he  has  arrived  at  the  age  of  twenty-one  years;  that  he  has  resided 
in  the  United  States  three  years  next  preceding  his  arrival  at  thai  age, 
and  has  continued  to  reside  therein  to  the  present  time:  that  he  lias 
resided  live  years  within  the  United  States,  Including  the  three  years  of 
his  minority,  and  one  year  at  least  immediately  preceding  this  applica- 
tion within  the  State  of  New  York,  and  that  for  three  years  next  pre- 
ceding  this  application  it  has  been  his  bona  tide  intention  to  become  a 
citizen  of  the  United  States. 

JOHN  COURTNEY. 

Sworn  in  open  court  this  19th  day  of  September,  L868. 

P.  M.  SMITH.  Cleric. 

State  oe  New  York,  Westchester  County,  88 : 

Daniel  Dailey  and  Michael  Biggins,  being  severally  sworn,  doth,  each 
for  himself,  depose  and  say,  that  he  is  well  acquainted  with  tin;  above- 
named  applicant;  that  the  said  applicant  has  resided  in  the  United 
States  for  three  years  next  preceding  his  arrival  at  the  age  of  twenty-one 
years;  that  he  has  continued  to  reside  therein  to  the  present  time;  that 
he  has  resided  live  years  within  the  United  States,  including  the  three 
years  of  his  minority,  and  in  the  State  of  New  York  one  year  at  least 
immediately  preceding  this  application;  and  that  during  that  time  he 
lias  behaved  as  a  man  of  good  moral  character,  attached  to  the  principles 
of  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States,  and  well  disposed  to  the  good 
order  and  happiness  of  the  same-  and  deponent  verily  believes,  that  for 
three  years  next  preceding  this  application  it  has  been  the  bona  fide 
intention  of  the-  said  applicant  to  become  a  citizen  of  the  United  States. 

DANIEL  DAILEY. 

MICHAEL  +  HIGGINS. 

mark. 

Sworn  in  open  court  this  19th  day  of  September,  1868. 

J.  M.  SMITH,  Clerk. 

State  of  New  York,  Westchester  County,  ss : 

I  do  declare,  on  oath,  that  it  is  my  bona  fide  intention,  and  has  been 
for  three  years  next  preceding  this  application,  to  become  a  citizen  of  the 
United  States,  and  to  renounce  forever  all  allegiance  and  fidelity  to  any 
foreign  prince,  potentate,  state  or  sovereignty  whatever,  and  particu- 
larly to  the  Queen  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland. 

JOHN  COURTNEY. 

Sworn  in  open  court  this  19th  day  of  September,  18G8. 

J.  W.  SMITH,  Cleric. 

I  do  solemnly  swear  that  I  will  support  the  Constitution  of  the  United 
States,  and  that  I  do  absolutely  renounce  and  abjure  all  allegiance  and 
fidelity  to  any  foreign  prince,  potentate,  state  or  sovereignty  whatever, 
and  particularly  to  Victoria,  Queen  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland. 

JOHN  COURTNEY. 

Sworn  in  open  court  this  19th  day  of  September,  1868. 

J.  M.  SMITH,  Clerk. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  0*19 

0888.  Q.  State  if  you  issued  certificates  of  naturalization  in  the  mode 
you  have  described  while  you  were  a  minor. 

A.  1  did.  I  signed  the  clerk's  name  to  them  ;  not  to  a  great  many  of 
them.  At  that  time,  before  these  books  came  in  vogue,  the  papers  w  ere 
riled. 

0889.  Q.  How  many  persons  can  be  naturalized  in  an  hour,  to  do  it 
fairly  and  properly  ? 

A.  It  depends  upon  what  clerical  force  there  is;  the  principal  labor  is 
with  the  clerk  in  making  up  the  record  and  certificate.  I  think  I  could 
naturalize  10  or  11  in  an  hour. 

6890.  Q.  Can  a  judge  make  proper  examination  and  naturalize  more 
than  10  persons  in  an  hour,  doing  it  right? 

A.  If  all  the  applications  were  of  men  who  had  their  first  papers  and 
produced  them  as  evidence,  a  judge  might  naturalize  25  or  50  in  one 
group;  he  would  examine  the  papers  and  satisfy  himself  of  those  facts. 
and  the  witnesses  would  be  sworn  as  to  the  five  years'  residence. 

0891.  Q.  Should  not  the  witnesses  identify  each  applicant  % 
A.  They  do  that  invariably. 

0892.  Q.  Can  a  judge  naturalize  more  than  10  or  a  dozen  in  au  hour, 
examining  each  witness  as  to  the  identity  of  the  applicant  1 

A.  One  man  may  be  witness  for  a  dozen;  the  questions  can  be  asked 
and  answered  very  rapidly. 

0893.  Q.  How  many  can  a  judge  properly  naturalize  in  an  hour  of  per- 
sons who  had  not  their  first  papers  f 

A.  I  should  think  not  more  than  10  or  12  or  15. 

By  Mr.  Ross: 

0894.  Q.  Those  sheets  of  paper  which  the  chairman  called  your  atten- 
tion to  as  having  been  cut  out  of  the  book,  was  anything  written  on 
them  ? 

A.  Nothing  at  all.  I  may  have  filled  the  forms  in  pencil  for  the  infor- 
mation of  some  gentleman  who  wrote  to  us  to  ascertain  the  form  of  natu- 
ralization ;  I  probably  did. 

0895.  Q.  It  was  no  naturalization  paper  that  you  cut  out? 
A.  No,  sir. 

New  York,  January  12,  1809. 
John  M.  Rowel  sworn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instance  of  Mr. 

Ross.) 

To  Mr.  Ross: 
1  reside  at  White  Plains,  Westchester  county,  New  York.    1  am  clerk 
in  the  county  treasurer's  office.     T  have  been  deputy  county  clerk  in  the 
county  of  Westchester  for  eight  and  a  half  years,  from  ±859  to  July. 
1867.     I  had  charge  of  the  business  of  naturalization. 

0890.  Question.  State  what  was  the  practice  of  the  court  during  that 
time,  in  the  naturalization  of  foreigners,  in  reference  to  the  parties  being 
in  open  court. 

Answer.  When  I  first  took  possession  we  used  to  bring  the  parties  in 
open  court ;  that  was  in  1859-*60.  But  the  numbers  became  so  great  that. 
under  the  direction  of  the  court,  (both  the  supreme  court  judge  and  the 
county  judge,)  we  took  the  persons  into  the  county  clerk's  office,  which 
was  most  convenient.  We  took  them  there  in  consequence  of  the  noise 
and  confusion  which  they  created  in  court.  It  was  very  rarely,  after  that, 
that  we  naturalized  in  the  court-room  proper ;  I  do  not  recollect  a  single 
case  of  the  kind ;  all  of  it  was  done,  under  the  direction  of  the  court,  in 
another  room. 


620  ELECTION  ERAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

6897.  Q.  Under  direction  of  what  judges  was  this  business  done  in 
that  way? 

A.  I  cannot  tell  exactly  the  judges  who  were  holding  terms  of  court 
at  that  time.  Judge  William  H.  Robertson  was  the  only  judge  under 
whom  I  naturalized  any  person. 

6898.  Q.  Was  it  done  in  that  way  under  his  direction  and  authority! 
A.  It  was.     He  even  gave  us  more  latitude  than  that;  he  directed  us 

that  the  county  court  was  open  for  the  purpose  of  naturalization,  he  not 
being  present  himself. 

6899.  Q.  Were  naturalizations  made  in  his  absence,  in  that  way,  under 
his  directions? 

A.  They  were. 

6900.  Q.   For  how  many  years  I 

A.  Four  or  five  years.  I  should  think — up  to  the  time  when  he  ran  for 
Congress.  At  that  time,  under  the  influence  of  some  outside  parties,  he 
countermanded  his  order;  this  was  while  he  was  running  for  Congress. 
After  he  countermanded  the  order  we  did  not  naturalize  unless  he  was 
present. 

6901.  Q.  How  long  was  that  before  he  left  the  bench  1 

A.  About  five  or  six  months,  1  should  say  :  it  was  while  he  was  can- 
didate for  Congress.  lie  was  elected  in  November,  and  his  term  of  office 
as  judge  expired  the  following  January,  lie  continued  to  hold  the  office 
of  judge  up  to  the  1st  of  January,  1868. 

6902.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  fraudulent  naturalization  papers  being 
issued  from  your  office  last  fall? 

A.  I  do  not. 

0903.  Q.  State  if  there  were  any  precautions  taken  to  prevent  frauds. 
A.  There  were. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

0904.  Q.  With  what  political  party  do  you  act? 
A.  The  democratic. 

0905.  Q.  With  what  political  party  did  the  clerk  in  office  prior  to  the 
time  of  Smith  act ! 

A   The  democratic 


New  York,  January  12,  1809. 
James  Smith  sworn  and  examined. 

To  the  Chairman  : 
0900.  I  reside  at  103  Greene  street,  New  York.  I  voted  often  at  the 
last  presidential  election.  I  voted  twice  in  Greene  street,  near  Spring; 
once  in  Prince  street,  between  Greene  and  Wooster;  and  twice  in  Bay- 
ard street,  between  Elizabeth  street  and  Bowery.  I  got  intoxicated 
afterwards  and  do  not  recollect  what  I  did. 

0907.  Q.  What  ticket  did  you  vote  f 

A.  The  democratic  ticket,  as  I  understood. 

0908.  Q.  Did  you  vote  in  your  own  name  ? 

A.  I  voted  on  my  own  name  once.  I  do  not  recollect  the  other  name 
on  which  I  voted.  Slips  were  furnished  to  me  near  the  polls,  containing 
the  name  and  residence  of  the  persons  on  whose  name  I  was  to  vote. 
There  were  eight  or  ten  in  the  gang  at  first,  but  when  we  got  in  front  of 
the  Atlantic  Garden  we  got  quite  a  crowd,  and  we  then  went  together. 
I  knew  some  of  the  persons  by  sight,  but  not  by  name.  I  was  promised 
a  reward  for  voting,  but  did  not  get  any.  I  was  promised  ten  or  fifteen 
dollars.     I  do  not  know  the  name  of  the  person  who  promised  it  to  me. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  621 

To  Mr.  Ross : 

6909.  I  have  been  living  about  eight  months  at  163  Greene  street.  1 
used  to  live  at  Go  Spring  street,  about  two  and  a  half  years  ago.  I 
drive  a  coach  for  Morgan  L.  Phillips,  of  94  Mercer  street.  I  have  been 
driving  for  him,  off  and  on,  about  four  years — probably  little  over  two 
years  in  all.  I  am  at  work  for  him  now.  I  have  lived  in  the  city  all  my 
life  time.  I  never  went  by  any  other  name  than  my  own.  I  never  was 
convicted  of  any  criminal  offence.  I  always  worked  for  a  living.  I  am  a 
married  man.  I  can  read  and  write.  I  did  not  take  notice  what  tickets 
I  voted  j  we  were  rather  in  a  hurry  and  did  not  pay  much  attention  to 
the  tickets,  but  I  am  very  well  aware  that  it  was  the  tlemocratic  ticket. 
I  never  could  find  the  man  who  promised  me  money  for  voting.  I  gave  my 
statement  in  Jersey  City  last  Saturday;  I  went  over  there  alone  and 
paid  my  own  passage ;  £  went  to  Taylor's  Hotel,  the  other  side  of  the 
ferry  5  there  were  two  other  men  with  me  in  the  room ;  1  do  not  know 
them ;  they  gave  their  statements  ahead  of  me,  and  I  gave  mine  after- 
wards ;  I  was  paid  nothing  for  it,  and  do  not  know  that  I  am  to  be  paid 
anything.     I  do  not  know  Colonel  Bliss  nor  Mr.  Baker. 

0910.  Who  administered  the  oath  to  you  ? 

A.  A  young  man  sitting  at  a  table  wrote  out  my  statement.  I  did 
not  kiss  the  book  or  take  any  oath,  that  I  saw.  I  came  over  from  Jersey 
City  alone,  about  live  minutes  after  I  had  made  my  statement.  I  have 
been  waiting  here  to-day  and  yesterday  in  the  marshal's  office. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

6911.  Q.  Were  you  challenged  on  the  day  of  election  at  any  time  ! 
A.  2so,  sir. 

6912.  Q.  Who  furnished  the  drinks  that  day  : 

A.  That  I  cannot  say.  I  did  not  see  any  money  paid.  We  would 
merely  go  into  a  place  and  one  of  the  gang  would  mention  the  name  of 
some  one  who  would  make  the  thing  good. 

New  York,  January  12,  1869. 
Charles  Ferguson  sworn  and  examined. 
To  the  Chairman  : 

6913.  I  live  at  16  Eldridge  street.  I  voted  at  the  last  presidential 
election  14  or  15  times,  to  the  best  of  my  knowledge.  I  cannot  say  what 
ticket  I  voted,  but  I  suppose  it  was  the  democratic  ticket.  I  voted  in 
Bayard  street  three  times ;  twice  in  Hester  street,  near  Forsyth,  and 
seven  or  eight  times,  I  guess,  in  the  8th  ward. 

6914.  Q.  Were  you  challenged  at  any  time  ? 

A.  No,  sir.  We  were  furnished  with  slips  of  paper  containing  the 
name  and  residence  of  the  person  on  whose  name  we  were  to  vote.  1  do 
not  know  the  name  of  the  person  who  furnished  them.  I  cannot  recol- 
lect any  of  the  names  I  voted  on.  There  were  between  20  and  25  in  the 
gang.  We  had  plenty  of  drink.  There  was  a  leader  in  the  gang  who 
"put  up"  everything. 

To  Mr.  ROSS : 

6915.  I  can  read  and  write.  I  did  not  notice  what  ticket  I  voted.  I 
suppose  the  rest  of  the  party  voted  the  same  ticket  that  I  did ;  but  I  do 
nofc  know  what  that  ticket  was.  I  have  been  in  the  city  seven  or  eight 
years.  I  am  a  cabinetmaker.  I  am  not  at  work  at  present.  I  have 
been  out  of  work  since  before  Christmas.  I  had  sufficient  funds  to  sup- 
port me  since  then.  I  last  worked  for  a  man  named  Taylor,  on  Eighth 
avenue,  near  Thirty-second  street.     He  is  in  the  furniture  business.     I 


622  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

first  made  this  statement  yesterday  morning  in  Jersey  City,  i  did  not 
get  anything  for  it,  and  was  not  promised  anything.  I  am  25  years  of 
age.  I  have  been  living  at  1G  Eldridge  street  since  September  last. 
The  woman  who  keeps  the  house  is  Mrs.  Lehman.  She  keeps  furnished 
rooms  and  a  few  boarders.  I  attended  bar  at  111  Spring  street  last 
winter  for  a  man  named  flames  Alfred.  There  was  no  promise  whatever 
made  to  me  for  making  this  statement  abont  voting  the  democratic 
ticket.  A  young  man  took  me  over  to  Jersey  City  yesterday  morning. 
He  said  to  me,  "If  you  want  to  get  square  with  them  come  with  me  to 
Jersey  City."  We  had  been  promised  pay  for  repeating, but  did  not  get 
it.  The  idea  was  to  have  satisfaction.  I  was  promised  $20  for  repeat- 
ing, and  the  money  was  shown  to  me;  but  after  it  was  all  through  with 
.1  did  not  o;vA  a  cent.  There  were  others  with  me  in  Jersey  City.  I  sup- 
pose they  were  repeaters.  I  suppose  they  were  got  together  for  the 
purpose  of  testifying  before  the  committee.  I  do  not  know  that  any  of 
them  were  paid.  I  did  not  see  anything  paid.  Nothing  was  promised 
to  me.  It  was  said  that  we  should  be  protected  for  coming  over  to  tes- 
tify, that  there  would  be  no  Legal  proceedings  taken  against  us  for  illegal 
voting. 

6916.  Q.  Did  they  give  you  any  written  paper  on  that? 
A.   1  believe  it  was  written  on  paper;  I  do  not  know. 

New  York,  January  12,  1809. 
JOHN  HUGHES  sworn  and  examined. 
To  the  Chairman  : 

6917.  I  voted  at  the  last  presidential  election  in  this  city,  three  times 
atone  place,  three  times  at  another,  and  twice  at  another;  I  do  not 
know  what  ticket  I  voted;  I  got  the  ballots  and  put  them  in. 

6918.  Q.  With  what  political  party  do  you  act  ? 
A.  1  do  not  know. 

G919.  Q.  You  know  what  party  you  act  with? 
A.  No,  sir. 

6920.  Q.  Did  you  vote  on  your  own  name0? 

A.  Yes,  on  my  own  name;  I  voted  on  other  names  after  that;  I  was 
intoxicated;  there  were  20  or  25  others  voting  in  the  same  way;  I  got 
the  tickets  and  the  slips  of  names  from  men  whom  I  met  at  the  polls ; 
all  hands  were  drinking;  a  man  who  was  with  us  furnished  the  drink;  | 
I  do  not  know  him  by  name  ;  I  might  know  him  if  I  saw  him. 

6921.  Q.  Were  you  challenged! 
A.  No,  sir. 

To  Mr.  Ross : 

6922.  I  do  not  know  what  ticket  I  voted,  or  the  others  voted  ;  I  do  not 
know  how  many  times  they  voted;  l.was  to  get  $20  or  $25  for  it;  I  got  about  j 
$10,  I  guess,  from  the  man  who  had  the  party ;  I  do  not  know  his  name, 
and  never  heard  it ;  I  never  saw  him  after  that ;  I  got  so  intoxicated  that  I 
did  not  know  what  I  was  doing ;  I  got  intoxicated  about  3  o'clock ;  I  was 
drinking  all  the  time,  but  after  that  1  do  not  recollect ;  I  have  been  in  the  | 
city  about  five  years ;  I  have  been  engaged  in  butchering ;  the  last  place  1 
worked  was  in  the  Third  avenue,  No.  228,  with  Mr.  Campbell ;  I  worked 
there  six  months ;  I  worked  for  a  spell  in  Brooklyn ;  I  have  been  out  of 
the  city  for  a  month  or  two  at  a  time,  and  was  working  in  Brooklyn  for 
19  months,  as  a  laborer  in  the  ship-carpentering  shop  in  the  navy  yard; 
I  worked  in  the  navy  yard  under  my  own  name ;  I  first  made  this  state 
ment  yesterday  in  Jersey  City ;  no  inducement  was  offered  to  me  to  make 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  623 

it ;  I  met  a  man  at  the  dock  (I  knew  him  by  sight  but  not  by  name)  who 
asked  me  to  take  a  drink,  and  who  said  I  would  do  a  favor  for  a  friend 
of  his  if  I  would  make  a  statement  to  that  effect ;  he  did  not  say  who 
his  friend  was ;  this  man  had  never  done  me  any  favor  that  I  know  of; 
I  was  under  no  obligation  to  him ;  he  did  not  go  over  to  Jersey  City  with 
me. 
0923.  Q.  Are  you  of  an  accommodating  disposition  in  that  respect  f 
A.  When  I  can  do  a  man  a  favor  I  do  it ;  I  do  not  expect  any  practi- 
cal benefit  to  follow ;  I  live  at  25  Elizabeth  street,  and  board  in  the 
i  nearest  saloons  ;  Mrs.  Williams  keeps  the  house ;  it  is  a  private  house  ; 
[  she  furnishes  lodgings  for  gentlemen  ;  I  have  lodged  there  for  the  last 
I  three  or  four  months  ;  I  did  not  know  exactly  that  it  was  wrong  to  vote 
:  as  I  did  on  election  day ;  I  suppose  it  was  wrong ;  I  had  no  special 
interest  in  the  election  any  more  than  that  I  was  to  be  paid  for  what  I 
did ;  I  was  not  particular  which  of  the  parties  succeeded  ;  I  am  a  native 
of  this  country  ;  I  got  no  pay  for  going  to  Jersey  City  or  coming  here. 

New  York,  January  12,  1809. 

John  Kagle  sworn  and  examined. 
To  the  Chairman  : 

6924.  I  live  at  6  Pike  street ;  I  voted  four  times  at  the  last  presiden- 
tial election,  twice  at  the  corner  of  Canal  and  Ludlow,  and  twice  at  the 
corner  of  Market  street  and  East  Broadway  ;  I  forget  the  names  I  voted 
on ;  I  was  under  the  influence  of  liquor ;  I  voted  the  democratic  ticket 
all  through ;  there  were  about  25  of  us  altogether ;  they  were  repeating ; 
I  was  not  challenged ;  I  cannot  say  that  any  of  our  party  was ;  I  do 
not  know  who  furnished  me  with  the  names ;  I  am  a  native  of  this 
country. 

To  Mr.  ROSS : 
C925.  I  am  sure  it  was  the  democratic  ticket  I  voted  ;  I  was  told  so ; 
that  is  all  I  know  about  it ;   I  have  not  been  in  the  habit  of  repeating 
at  other  elections ;  that  was  the  first  time  I  went  into  it ;  a  young  man 
whom  I  associated  with  got  me  into  it. 

6926.  Q.  What  kind  of  men  do  you  associate  with  ? 

A.  I  suppose  they  are  gentlemen ;  they  pretend  to  be  so. 

6927.  Q.  Do  "  gentlemen  "  here  follow  repeating  f 
A.  They  did  then. 

6928.  Q.  "  Gentlemen  »  of  high  standing  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

6929.  Q.  Of  moral  integrity  and  worth  ? 
A.  They  are  supposed  to  be. 

€930.  Q.  How  many  of  that  class  of  men  were  engaged  in  repeating? 
A.  About  25  or  30. 

6931.  Q.  Give  me  the  names  of  those  men  who  were  with  you. 
A.  I  do  not  know  any  of  their  names. 

6932.  Q.  Not  a  single  one  of  them? 

A.  Not  one,  except  a  man  named  Johnson,  who  follows  the  sea  for  a 
living. 

6933.  Q.  And  still  you  say  you  know  them  all  to  be  gentlemen  of  good 
moral  standing  and  character  ? 

A.  They  pretend  to  be  so ;  they  look  well. 

6934.  Q.  Did  the  whole  of  them  get  drunk  ! 

A.  Yes ;  they  all  got  drunk.     I  commenced  voting  about  half-past  10, 

I  got  drunk  about  2  o'clock,  so  drunk  that  I  left  and  went  home ;  I 

am  a  carman,  and  drive  a  horse  and  cart  5  my  stand  is  62  and  64  Rutger's 


624  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

slip;  I  drive  for  the  firm  of  A.  J.  Briggs,  who  lives  in  Henry  street;  I 
am  not  at  work  now;  I  have  been  ill  for  three  months;  I  have  been 
rather  "hard  up/'  and  have  been  living  on  the  bounty  of  relatives — aunts 
and  uncles  ;  I  have  had  no  other  name  besides  John  Kagle  ;  I  am  li  ving 
with  my  wife  and  child  at  my  uncle's  (Frederick  Smith)  at  6  Pike  street; 
I  was  never  convicted  or  prosecuted  for  any  criminal  offence ;  I  first  made 
the  statement  about  repeating  last  Saturday,  in  Jersey  City;  I  went 
there  in  order  to  retaliate;  I  wanted  to  get  square  for  the  way  I  was 
used;  some  of  the  repeaters  gol  something,  but  I  got  nothing,  and 
expected  the  same  chances  as  the  rest. 

6935.  Q.  Are  there  many  men  in  this  city  who  can  be  got  to  swear 
almost  anything  for  pay  '. 

A.  That  I  cannot  say. 

6936.  Q.  Are  yon  in  the  habit  of  attending  gambling  places  I 
A.   I  go  to  them  once  in  a  while;  1  am  generally  lucky. 

New  York.  January  12,  1807. 

ROBERT  OOSTELLO  sworn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instance  of 

Mr.  Ross.) 

To  Mr.  Ross: 

6937.  1  reside  in  219  Sullivan  street.     I  voted  at  the  last  presidential 
election  seven  or  eight  times.     I  voted  the  Grant  and  (Iriswold  ticket.  I 
1  voted  at  the  8th   district.  L5th  ward.     There  was  a  whole  crowd  of  us  | 
going  around — about  20.     They  all  voted   the  same  ticket.     They  voted 
about  as  many  times  as    I  did.     A  man  asked    me  to  go  with  him,  and 
said  he  would  pay  me  $10. 

To  the  Chairman  : 
0938.  I  do  not  know  who  the  man  was;  I  never  saw  him  before.  I 
was  pretty  drunk  that  day.  I  cannot  think  of  the  names  of  the  men  I 
was  with,  or  of  any  of  them.  I  have  lived  at  21)  Sullivan  street  about 
10  years.  lama  harness-maker.  I  used  to  work  at  Trainor's,  corner 
of  Broadway  and  White  streets.  It  is  four  years  since  1  worked  there. 
1  am  not  working  now.  I  drove  a  car  on  the  Broadway  railroad  for  four 
months.  1  left  that  work  about  three  months  ago.  Nobody  asked  ine 
to  come  here  and  testify.  1  was  not  summoned ;  I  came  voluntarily. 
Nobody  asked  me  to  come  here  and  testify.  I  never  went  by  any  other 
name  than  that  I  now  go  by. 

New  York,  January  12,  18G9. 
John  Clark  sworn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instance  of  Mr.  Koss.)| 
To  Mr.  Boss : 

6939.  I  live  at  99  West  Houston  street.  I  voted  at  the  last  presiden- 
tial election.  I  voted  for  Grant  and  Griswold.  I  voted  five  times  at; 
least  in  the  several  districts  of  the  8th  ward.  I  was  short  of  money  at 
the  time  and  could  not  find  any  easier  way  of  getting  money.  I  was 
with  a  gang  of  seven  or  eight.  They  voted  as  I  did.  I  cannot  tell  how 
many  times  they  voted.  1  voted  in  Greene  street,  Thompson  street,] 
and  Eenwick  street.  A  man  whom  they  called  Charlie  furnished  us( 
with  slips  containing  the  name  and  residence  of  the  person  on  whose] 
name  we  were  to  vote. 

To  the  Chairman  : 

6940.  I  looked  at  the  tickets  which  I  voted.  J  voted  the  republican  ticket 
right  through.  I  was  paid  five  dollars  every  time  I  voted.  I  never  saw 
the  man  before  or  since.    A  man  of  the  name  of  Glennon  voted  in  this 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  (j'25 

gang.  1  cannot  tell  where  he  can  be  found.  I  cannot  tell  any  name 
that  I  voted  on.  I  do  not  know  the  number  of  any  district  where  1 
voted.  I  know  where  they  are  situated.  I  was  not  summoned  here.  I 
saw  in  the  papers  that  they  were  taking  evidence  here.  I  have  always 
been  a  republican.  I  have  been  doing  nothing' since  I  came  from  sea 
last  August. 

New  York,  January  12,  1809. 
John  Glennon  sworn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instance  of  Mr. 
Ross.) 

To  Mr.  Boss : 
0911.  I  voted  at  the  last  presidential  election.  I  voted  the  republican 
ticket.  Several  of  my  friends  came  around  saying-  that  money  could  be 
made  easy,  and  that  no  one  would  know  anything  about  it.  I  voted  in 
the  15th,  9th,  and  lCth  wards.  I  do  not  know  how  many  times  I  voted 
— eight  or  nine  times.  There  were  about  a  dozen  in  the  party  with  me. 
I  only  know  one  of  them  ;  I  think  his  name  is  Frost.  He  handed  me 
the  republican  ticket  to  use. 
To  the  Chairman  : 

6942.  I  am  a  cabinet-maker.  I  am  not  working  at  my  trade  now  ;  I 
am  bar-tender  at  1 82  Bleeker  street.  I  have  been  seven  months  there 
at  that  business.  Prior  to  that  I  worked  at  cabinet-making  at  Yonkers. 
I  did  not  go  by  the  name  of  Evans.  I  do  not  know  the  names  I  used  on 
election  day.  I  voted  in  the  2d  precinct  of  the  15th  ward.  A  man  of  the 
name  of  John  Burtis  was  with  me  voting ;  I  do  not  know  his  residence  ; 
also  Jacob  Borne;  he  lives  in  Mercer  street,  near  Spring;  he  keeps  a  bar- 
room and  dance  place  ;  I  do  not  know  his  politics.  My  feelings  are  with 
the  republican  party.  I  was  not  summoned  to  come  here.  I  was  asked 
to  come  here  by  a  man  named  Greene,  who  owns  the  bar-room  in  the 
opera  house  on  14th  street ;  I  do  not  know  his  politics.  The  paper  now 
produced  to  me  containing  my  statement,  was  written  in  a  little  office 
across  the  street,  close  by  the  sheriff's  office.  It  was  written  about  two 
hours  ago.  Jacob  Borne  was  there.  I  do  not  know  anything  about 
Cook.    I  got  nothing  for  going  there,  and  no  promise  of  anything. 

The  chairman  offered  to  prove  the  hand-writing  of  the  memorandum. 
Mr.  Boss  objected,  and  withdrew  the  memorandum  saying  that  it  was 
his  private  paper  and  that  he  had  only  shown  it  through  courtesy. 

New  York,  January  12, 1869. 
Jacob  Bome  sworn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instance  of  Mr.  Boss.) 
To  Mr.  BOSS : 

6943.  I  live  at  87  Mercer  street;  I  voted  at  the  last  presidential  elec- 
tion nine  or  ten  times,  in  the  8th  and  15th  wards ;  I  voted  the  republi- 
can ticket ;  I  voted  on  different  names  5  they  were  furnished  on  slips 
of  paper  5  I  do  not  know  who  gave  them  to  me.  There  were  some  15  or 
20  in  the  party.  I  cannot  say  how  many  times  they  voted.  I  suppose 
they  voted  as  often  as  I  did ;  perhaps  more.  It  was  the  republican  party 
that  we  were  trying  to  help.  I  do  not  recollect  any  of  the  names  that 
1  voted  on. 

To  the  Chairman  : 

6944.  I  did  not  tell  anybody  that  I  knew  about  repeating.  I  never 
spoke  to  anybody  about  it.  1  do  not  know  where  the  memorandum  was 
written  that  Mr.  Boss  had  in  his  hand  when  he  was  examining  me.  I 
am  bar-tender  at  87  Mercer  street.    I  have  been  there  about  four  months. 

40  t 


626  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

Before  that  I  worked  at  gas-fitting  for  Mr.  Young,  of  112  Prince  street, 
and  at  silversmith ing  for  Mr.  Hughes,  104  Fulton  street.  I  am  a  native 
of  New  York.  I  do  not  know  John  Burtes,  nor  John  Glennon,  nor  a 
man  named  Evans.  I  was  not  promised  anything  for  coming  here.  1 
am  28  years  of  age. 

New  York,Janvary  12,  1869. 
Edward  ClAEK  sworn  and  examined. 
To  the  Chairman: 

6945.  J  live  at  40  Essex  street,  witli  George  Ilyam,  a  soap  manufac- 
turer. My  business  is  card-writing.  I  voted  at  the  last  election  L5  or 
18  times.  I  voted  in  the  10th  and  lltli  wards,  and  in  different  wards 
afterwards.  I  voted  the  democratic  ticket — the  Seymour  ticket.  The 
evening  previous  to  the  election  I  was  met  by  two  men,  who  asked  me 
if  I  wanted  to  make  a  few  dollars.  They  said  there  was  no  risk  in  it. 
They  furnished  drjnk,  and  liquor,  and  cigars.  I  put  in  my  first  vote 
next  morning  at  the  barber's  shop  in  Christie  street,  near  Broome.  I 
voted  in  the  name  of  Karsch.  Between  Christie  and  Forsyth  streets  1 
put  in  a  vote  by  the  name  of  John  ('utter.  We  had  drinks  between 
each  voting.  I  put  in  two  votes  at  the  next  place, changing  my  hat  and 
coat  after  all  the  rest  had  voted.  Then  we  came  to  Bast  Broadway, and 
I  put  one  vote  in  there.  They  promised  to  give  me  $10  for  each  vote; 
but  they  got  me  so  drunk  that  I  did  not  know  what  1  was  about,  I 
found  them  next  morning  in  the  bar-room  of  the  New  England  Hotel, 
and  asked  why  they  did  not  pay  me.  They  said,  u  You  have  put  in  28 
votes,  and  we  have  paid  you  $28.  I  am  a  native  of  Prussia.  1  cannot 
tell  the  names  of  any  of  the  gang.  1  know  one  or  two  by  sight.  There 
were  five  besides  myself  engaged  in  voting. 

To  Mr.  Boss: 

6946.  I  have  lived  at  my  present  place  of  residence  over  a  year.  I 
have  no  family.  When  I  asked  for  the  money  for  voting  they  licked 
me.  That  is  the  reason  I  make  this  statement.  I  want  satisfaction.  1 
got  nothing  for  repeating  except  what  1  had  to  eat  and  drink.  My 
politics  are  republican.  I  do  not  like  the  democrats  much..  I  have  got 
a  grudge  against  them.  I  have  been  in  the  army,  and  fought  for  a  differ- 
ent party  altogether  than  the  party  I  voted  for.  I  made  this  statement 
this  morning  in  Jersey  City.  A  young  man,  who  peddles  cigars,  told 
me  to  go  over  there.  I  do  not  know  his  name.  I  wrote  a  dozen  or  25 
cards  for  him  some  time  ago,  but  I  have  forgotten  his  name.  I  was  not 
to  have  anything  for  going  to  Jersey  City.  I  did  not  vote  at  all  in  my 
own  name ;  and  yet  I  am  a  good  republican.  I  did  not  vote  because  1 
was  not  registered.  I  have  been  naturalized.  I  would  not  have  voted 
the  democratic  ticket  only  for  the  money  that  was  promised  me. 

New  York,  January  12,  i860. 

Edward  Cobb  sworn  and  examined. 
To  the  Chairman  : 

G947.  I  live  at  19  Hester  street;  I  voted  at  the  last  presidential 
election  between  15  and  16  times  at  least;  I  voted  the  democratic 
ticket;  the  night  before  the  election  some  gentlemen  picked  me  up  and 
got  to  talking  to  me,  and  treated  me;  and  in  the  morning  they  gave  me 
names  to  vote,  and  said  that  after  I  was  done  voting  they  would  give  me 
$30 ;  I  voted  in  the  8th  ward,  in  Ben  wick  street,  eight  or  nine  times ;  in  i 
the  4th  ward  four  times ;  and  in  the  6th  ward,  in  Bayard  street  at  a 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  G27 

barber's  shop,  near  Bowery ;  I  voted  there  by  the  name  of  Edward  Wil- 
son, 30£  Bowery,  (the  New  England  Hotel;)  they  gave  me  considerable 
drink ;  there  were  20  in  the  party,  and  they  ail  repeated  at  the  same 
time ;  I  saw  Alderman  Cuddy  eight  or  nine  times  that  day ;  he  had  a 
gang  with  him — repeating,  I  suppose ;  I  saw  W.  H.  Cook  on  election 
day ;  he  gave  me  a  slip  to  vote  on  at  Bayard  street,  in  the  name  of 
Edward  Wilson ;  he  was  with  Cuddy  that  day ;  I  saw  Cuddy  all  the  day ; 
he  was  leading  a  gang  of  repeaters  around ;  Cook  and  Cuddy  act  with 
the  democratic  party,  I  believe. 
To  Mr.  Boss : 
0948.  I  cannot  recollect  voting  more  than  15  or  10  times ;  I  voted 
between  eight  and  nine  times  in  succession  at  the  one  place  in  Renwick 
street,  near  Spring;  1  put  them  all  in  between  15  and  20  minutes;  I 
recollect  only  one  name  that  I  voted  on — the  name  of  Edward  Wilson ; 
1  am  a  jeweller  by  trade,  and  have  been  working,  until  within  the  last 

1  two  weeks,  at  Ball  &  Black's,  Broadway ;  I  had  no  recollection  next 
morning  of  what  I  had  done  till  I  was  told  by  different  parties;  1  know 
it  was  the  democratic  ticket  I  voted,  for  I  was  with  democrats  all  the 
day ;  I  first  made  my  statement  in  Jersey  City ;  I  did  so  for  satisfaction 
because  I  had  been  promised  $30  for  voting  and  got  nothing;  I  had 
always  voted  the  republican  ticket  until  that  day ;  my  father  is  an  old 
republican,  and  I  always  follow  his  ways ;  I  have  been  always  a  repub- 
lican in  principle ;  I  voted  once  that  day  in  my  own  name  at  No.  11 

'  Suffolk  street,  in  the  12th  district  of  the  11th  ward;  I  live  near  there  at 
19  Hester  street;  I  voted  the  republican  ticket. 

To  the  Chairman  : 

C919.  I  was  not  challenged  at  any  of  the  polls  that  I  can  recollect ; 
there  were  a  great  many  others  repeating  that  day ;  I  saw  between  eight 
and  nine  that  day ;  there  were  10,  15,  20,  8,  3  and  4  in  the  various 
gangs ;  I  did  not  know  of  any  republicans  repeating  that  day;  I  got  no 
pay. 

To  Mr.  Boss : 

G950.  1  have  a  pretty  bitter  spirit  against  the  democrats ;  I  never 
voted  the  democratic  ticket  before ;  my  father  is  a  deacon  in  the  Presby- 
terian church  ;  I  was  very  strictly  brought  up ;  I  sustain  a  good  reputa- 
tion. 

New  York,  January  12,  1809. 

John  H.  McCunn  recalled. 
By  Mr.  Boss : 

0950.  Question.  Do  vou  know  whv  the  population  of  the  0th  ward 
decreased  from  1800  to"lSG5? 

Answer.  That  is  easily  explained ;  the  reason  why  the  population  of 
the  lower  wards  of  the  city,  including  the  0th,  decreased  is  this  :  Stores 
have  crept  in  where  the  tenement  houses  were  before;  in  fact,  the  tene- 
ment houses  have  nearly  all  been  pulled»  down  and  stores  erected  on  their 
sites ;  with  the  exception  of  the  porters  who  stay  in  the  stores  at  night, 
and  some  clerks,  there  are  no  persons  residing  in  those  stores;  these 
men  of  course  vote  from  those  places ;  one  of  these  wards  with  a  popula- 
tion of  say  18,000  may  in  this  way  have  4,000  voters — very  few  families 
"ving  there  ;  a  much  larger  proportion  of  the  population,  therefore,  has 

right  to  vote  than  in  the  up-town  wards  where  families  live. 

6951.  Q.  Can  you  approximate  the  relative  strength  of  the  foreign  and 
f  the  native  population  ? 


G28  ELECTION    FRACDS    IX    NEW    YOKE. 

A.  I  could  do  80  b\  examining  the  statistics;  the  foreign  populatio 
very  Largely  predominates;  not  only  that,  but  the  Irish  part  of  it  undei 
stands  politics  better  than  any  other  class  of  people  that  comes  here 
Consequently  they  devote  more  attention  to  politics. 

6052.  ().  State  how  many  men  the  city  of  New  York  sent  to  the  wai 

A.  I  find  from  a  ^report  of  the  special  committee  on  volunteering ii 
the  county  of  New  York."  signed  by  Orison  Blunt,  Win.  M.  Tweed  ani 
Win.  lv.  Stewart,  that  the  whole  number  of  men  furnished  from  first  ti 
last,  during  the  rebellion,  by  the  city  and  county  of  New  York  wa 
148,(>7(>;  [furnished  1,600  Irishmen  to  the  37th  New  York  volunteers 
and  never  received  one  cent  from  the  government,  city.  State  or  federal 
that  was  my  contribution  to  the  war,  and  I  challenge  its  equal  in  tin 
city. 

<;!>,->:;.  Q.  State  some  facts  in  relation  to  the  right  of  citizenship  givei 
by  enlistment. 

A.  The  fact  of  enlist nieiit.  if  the  men  were  only  a  day  in  the  servici 
and  were  honorably  discharged,  entitled  them  to  vote  if  they  had  onh 
lived  here  a  year;  the  law  shows  that  :  the  men  who  went  into  the  armjj 
from  the  city  were  principally  foreigners;  a  very  large  number  of  thos( 
who  were  naturalized  last  fall  were  soldiers,  and  men  who  had  taken  oui 
their  first  papers;  the  naturalizing  of  such  persons  occupied  only  two  oj 
three  seconds,  because  they  had  certificates  of  previous  declaration  oi 
intentions,  or  of  an  honorable  discharge  from  the  army. 

New  York,  January  12,  1809. 
The  following  named  witnesses  were  sworn  and  examined  as  to  the 
character  for  truth  and  veracity  of  Henry  Lyle,  one  of  the  witnesses  pre 
viously  examined,  viz:  Samuel  Watson,  his  brother-in-law,  who  testified 
as  to  the  dissipated  habits  of  Lyle,  which  he  said  made  him  ready  to  do 
almost  anything;  Henry  K.  Murray,  deputy  collector  of  the  port  of  New 
York,  who  testified  as  to  Lyle  having  been  a  clerk  in  the  New  York  cus- 
tom-house and  having  been  dismissed  on  account  of  repeated  absences 
from  his  desk,  but  that  he  knew  nothing  of  him  which  would  make  him 
disbelieve  him  under  oath  ;  John  Horner,  cashier,  and  Moses  S.  Kobertsj 
chief  book-keeper  of  the  Western  Union  Telegraph  Company,  in  which 
office  Lyle  had  been  employed  as  clerk,  and  whose  testimony  was  to  the 
same  general  effect ;  and  Cornelia  A.  Lyle,  his  sister,  who  testified  to. 
her  brother's  habits  of  dissipation,  which  had  been  increased  since  her 
mother's  death  last  spring,  though  he  had  promised  her  on  her  death 
bed  to  reform,  but  who  knew  no  reason  why  he  should  not  be  believed 
The  last  witness  also  testified  to  Judge  McCunn  having  been  at  her  house 
inquiring  for  her  brother  Henry,  and  for  her  brother-in  law  Samuel  Wat- 
son. John  Horner  and  Moses  S.  Koberts  testified,  also,  that  a  telegram 
purporting  to  have  been  sent  from  Xew  York,  1st  July,  I860,  to  Dan 
Noble,  in  Elmira,  (signed  William  P.  Wood,)  in  these  words,  "  That  will, 
do.  Come  on  at  once,"  was  written  on  the  regular  blanks  used  by  the, 
company,  but  they  could  not  otherwise  identify  it. 

New  York,  January  13,  1SG9. 
John  Mullaly  sworn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instance  of  Mr. 

Ross.) 

To  Mr.  ROSS: 
(i(J54.  I  was  inspector  of  registry  and  election  last  fall  in  the  7th  (lis 
trict  of  the  21st  ward.     I  do  not  know  of  any  fraudulent  registry  or 
voting  at  that  precint.     Native-born  citizens  were  registered  without 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  629 

question.  Naturalized  citizens  had  to  produce  their  papers,  and  some 
of  them  were  rejected  when  then'  was  a  suspicion  on  the  part  of  the  board. 
My  republican  colleague,  Mr.  Dennis,  was  put  under  arrest  on  election 
day  on  account  of  some  charge  that  was  preferred  against  him.  He 
made  his  appearance  about  12  or  1  o'clock. 

6955.  Q.  State  if  you  and  your  other  two  colleagues  used  the  same 
precautions  while  Mr.  Dennis  was  absent  that  you  did  while  he  was  there. 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

6956.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  illegal  votes  that  were  given? 
A.   Not  one. 

0U57.  Q.  State  if  many  were  sworn  either  at  registry  or  voting. 

A.  A  great  number  were  sworn  at  the  registry. 

6958.  Q.  How  was  it  at  the  voting/ 

A.  Any  who  were  challenged  at  the  polls  were  sworn  5  but  went  gen- 
erally according  to  tin-  registry. 

0059.  Q.  State  whether  any  violence  was  used  to  Mr.  Dennis,  or  any 
threats  of  violence. 

A.  Not  that  J  know.  Mr.  Dennis  was  a  very  obstinate1  man,  and  he 
ntunidated  persons  who  were  legal  voters  by  his  questioning  and  cross- 
jiiestioning  them.  I  do  not  know  that  any  were  rejected  who  were 
5  worn. 

6960.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  Mr.  Dennis  keeping  out  200  illegal  voters  I 

A.  I  know  that  he  did  nothing  of  the  kind.  He  would  question  voters 
is  to  tin-  names  of  persons  boarding  or  living  in  the  same  house;  and  1 
liought  that  some  of  the  questions  were  uncalled  for.  One  man  who 
lad  lived  in  the  same  house  with  me  for  12  months  did  not  know  me, 
ilthough  I  was  an  inspector.  There  are  a  great  many  persons  constantly 
•oming  into  the  21st  ward  and  living  there,  but  who  are  often  absent 
mating  and  working. 

til.  Q.   Is  it  not  true  that  in  the  city  men  often  live  in  the  same 

onse  without  knowing  each  other  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir:  men  live  in  tin*  same  house  who  never  get  acquainted. 

6962.  Q.  Do  von  know  of  any  gangs  of  10  or  15  repeaters  trying  to 
otel 

A.  Not  in  that  district. 

6963.  Q.  State  whether  Mr.  Dennis,  by  his  challenging  and  cross-ques- 
oning  so  many,  kept  honest  and  legal  voters  from  voting  ! 

A.  I  cannot  say  actually:  but  I  have  not  the  slightest  doubt  of  it. 
here  were  about  00  votes  that  were  registered,  but  not  polled. 

To  the  Chairman: 

6964.  I  act  with  the  democratic  party.     All  who  were  registered  and 
10  came  t:>  vote  on  election  day  had  an  opportunity  to  do  so. 

New  York,  January  13,  1869. 
fiie  following  statement  was  directed  to  be  placed  on  the  record: 
rhe  New  York   Directory  for  the  year  ending  May  1,  1869,  contains 
name  of  John  Moran  at  the  following  residences,  and  the  following 
1  "Upations  are  given,  as  also  their  places  of  business: 

John  Mohan: 
House  .S(J  Cannon. 

Agent,  Eleventh  West  Twenty-third;  house  Madison  avenue, corner 
1  st  Fiftieth. 
Boilermaker,  house  635  Bast  Twelfth  street. 
Boilermaker,  house  394  Eight  street. 


630  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

5.  Carpenter,  118  East  Forty-first  street. 

6.  Carpenter,  house  124  Tenth  avenue. 

7.  Driver,  house  302  West  Tenth  street. 

8.  Laborer,  house  404  Cherry  street. 

9.  Laborer,  house  336  Hast  Twenty-fourth  street 

10.  Laborer,  house  352  Bast  Thirty-second  street. 

11.  Laborer,  house  73  Goerck  street. 

12.  Laborer,  house  397  Madison  street. 

13.  Laborer,  house  81  Sullivan  street. 

14.  Laborer,  house  8  Yando  water  street. 

15.  Laborer,  house  431  West  Eighteenth  street. 

16.  Laborer,  house  213  West  Fifty-first  street. 

17.  Marbler,  130  West  Thirty-eighth  street;  house  221  West  Thirty-sixth 

stre<  *  t 
lcS.   Plasterer,  house  002  West  Thirtieth  street. 
10.   Plasterer,  house  245  West  Thirty-third  street. 

20.  Poliee,  house  39  Clarkson  street. 

21.  Seaman,  house  131  Leroy  street. 

New  York,  January  13,  1869. 
.Jacob  W.  Cooper  sworn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instance  of  Mr. 

Koss.) 

To  Mr.  Ross: 

0905.  1  was  inspector  of  registry  and  election  in  the  7th  district  of  the 
21st  ward.  Mr.  Dennis  was  one  of  the  registers  ;  he  was  absent  nearly 
the  whole  of  election  day. 

0900.  Q.  Did  you  and  his  colleagues,  during  his  absence,  try  to  prevent 
illegal  votes'? 

A.  We  had  no  means  of  knowing  who  were  not  entitled  to  vote;  I 
do  not  know  that  there1  were  any  persons  sworn;  I  am  not  aware  that 
any  were  challenged. 

0907.  Q.  If  anybody  was  challenged  you  would  swear  him? 
A.  I  suppose  so. 

0908.  Did  you  see  any  disposition  evinced  by  any  of  the  board  to  get 
in  illegal  votes  ? 

A.  I  cannot  say  that  I  did  any  further  than  there  not  being  any  chal- 
lenged ;  anybody  had  a  right  to  challenge  if  lie  was  willing  to  take  the 
risk,  which  I  was  not.  All  the  voters  had  time  to  vote,  and  a  number 
voted  after  the  time  for  closing  the  polls,  which  I  protested  against. 
After  the  time  to  close  the  polls  there  was  a  party  of  four  or  five  or  more 
entering  the  door.  I  ordered  the  chairman  to  close  the  polls,  but  he 
being  somewhat  intoxicated,  let  them  in  and  let  them  vote.  I  protested, 
against  it,  and  so  marked  it  on  myT  book. 

Kew  York,  January  13,  1869. 
John  Fox  sworn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instance  of  Mr.  Ross.) 

To  Mr.  Eoss : 

69G9.  I  voted  four  or  five  times  at  the  last  presidential  election,  in  the 
8th,  9th,  and  15th  wards;  I  believe  I  voted  the  republican  ticket;  I  do  not 
know  the  names  that  I  voted  on.  I  got  the  name  and  address  on  a  slip 
of  paper.  There  was  a  crowd  with  me,  but  I  cannot  say  whether  they 
voted  or  not. 

To  the  Chairman  : 
G970.  I  did  not  make  the  statement  to  any  one  before  now  ;  I  did  not 
know  the  gentleman  who  employed  me  to  vote  more  than  once;  I  never 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  631 

saw  him  before  or  sinee.  He  gave  me,  I  guess,  about  $10.  I  did  not 
hear  of  anybody  else  voting-  more  than  once  that  day.  I  am  a  paper- 
hanger  by  trade  ;  I  am  not  working  at  it  now,  nor  since  last  May.  I  do* 
not  gamble;  I  was  not  summoned  to  come  here;  I  saw  it  in  the  papers 
and  thought  I  was  in  duty  bound  to  come  here  and  give  testimony.  1 
did  not  tell  anybody  what  I  knew ;  nobody  knew  that  I  was  coming 
here;  I  do  not- know  Sheriff  O'Brien  or  any  of  his  deputies  ;  I  have  been. 
at  81  Mercer  street  about  three  years. 

New  York,  January  13,  1869. 
Charles  McCarthy  sworn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instance  of 
Mr.  Ross.) 

To  Mr.  Ross : 
G971.  I  live  at  57  Grand  street;  1  voted  at  the  last  presidential  elec- 
tion in  this  city  between  seven  and  eight  times;  1  voted  the  republican 
ticket.  There  were  as  many  as  a  dozen  with  me ;  they  all  voted  the 
same  ticket ;  I  voted  in  the  4th  district  of  the  8th  ward,  in  the  1st  dis- 
trict, and  in  fact  in  pretty  nearly  all  the  districts  of  the  ward.  I  voted 
once  on  my  own  name,  once  in  the  name  of  Jeremiah  Sullivan,  once  in 
the  name  of  Charles  O'Coimer ;  the  other  names  I  do  not  recollect. 
They  were  furnished  on  slips  of  paper. 

To  the  Chairman  : 
6972.  I  gave  no  information  of  what  1  knew  to  anybody  ;  1  saw  in  the 
;  papers  what  was  going  on,  and  thought  I  might  as  well   come  down.-    I 
am  a  piano-forte  maker ;  I  have  not  worked  at  my  trade  since   about 
a  year  ago.     I  was  driving  an  ice  wagon  all  last  summer  for  the  Com- 
mercial Ice  Company.     I  was  born  in  the  house  where   I  live,  and  have 
:  been  living  there  all  the  while — 22  years. 

New  York,  January  13,  1869. 
Paul  Volmer  sworn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instance  of  Mr. 

Koss.) 

To  Mr.  Ross  : 
0973.  1  live  at  121  Bleecker  street ;  I  voted  four  times  at  the  last  pres- 
idential election,  in  the  15th  ward ;  1  do  not  recollect  the  places.  I  voted 
the  republican  ticket ;  I  got  $10  for  it ;  I  was  intoxicated  at  the  time  ;  I 
do  not  recollect  any  conference  on  the  subject  with  any  leading  republi- 
can. There  were  about  ten  of  us  in  company  ;  they  all  voted  the  repub- 
lican ticket;  the  others  voted  as  often  as  I  did,  and  perhaps  oftener. 

To  the  Chairman  : 

6974.  I  have  lived  a  year  and  a  half  at  the  place  where  I  now  live  ;  1 
was  a  conductor  on  the  Broadway  railroad — the  Greene  street  line — till 
two  days  before  New  Year  ;  I  had  been  there  for  five  months.  I  told 
nobody  about  what  I  knew  ;  I  saw  an  advertisement  in  the  papers  and 
came  down. 

6975.  Q.  What  paper  did  you  see  the  advertisement  in  f 
A.  In  the  Herald. 

6976.  Q.  What  did  it  state  ? 
A.  I  saw  an  advertisement  about  illegal  voting. 

6977.  Q.  How  long  ago? 
A.  A  couple  of  days  after  the  election. 


632  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

Nkw  York,  January  13,  18(>9. 

Peter  Loftus  sworn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instance  of  Mr 

Ross.) 

To  Mr.  Ross : 
0078.  I  live  at  108  Thompson  street.  I  voted  three  times  at  the 
presidential  election;  I  voted  the  republican  ticket;  there  may  have 
been  five  or  six  in  the  gang;  they  were  all  repeaters;  they  voted  tin 
same  ticket  that  I  did;  1  voted  in  the  4th  district  of  the  8th  ward,  in 
Grand  street:  that  is  my  proper  district;  I  voted  in  the  1st  district,  hi 
Greene  street,  and  in  the  6th,  in  Prince  street.  The  names  were  fur- 
nished to  me  through  other  hands ;  I  cannot  recollect  the  names.  I  wae 
paid  $8;  I  cannot  say  who  paid  it  to  me. 

To  the  Chairman  : 

0979.  1  do  not  know  any  prominent  republican  that  was  engaged  in 
repeating  or  that  knew  of  repeating.  I  did  not  talk  with  any  republican 
about  it.  1  voted  for  Grant  and  Griswold  and  also  for  Robinson.  I  was 
not  summoned  to  come  here;  1  felt  it  my  duty  to  come;  I  came  with  a 
friend  of  mine,  who  came  to  state  the  same  thing;  his  name  is  Charles.: 
McCarthy;  he  lives  in  Grand  street.  I  lived  at  my  present  place  of  resi 
dence  two  weeks;  before  that  I  lived  at  o'l  Grand  street;  I  follow  the 
seafaring  business;  I  was  at  sea  about  a  month  ago. 

New  York,  January  13,  1869. 

James  Allen  sworn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instance4  of  Mr 
Ross.) 

To  Mr.  Ross : 

0980.  I  live  at  669  Hudson  street ;  1  was  engaged  last  presidential 
election  in  repeating  in  flu4  interest  of  the  republican  party ;  there  were 
four  or  five  in  the  company;  they  were  all  repeaters ;  they  repeated  four] 
or  five  times;  I  only  repeated  three  times  myself;  J  cannot  tell  the 
names  I  voted  under;  slips,  with  name  and  residence,  were  furnished; 
I  knew  by  sight  the  men  who  were  voting  with  me;  I  did  not  know 
their  names;  I  have  not  seen  them  since  the  election;  a  man  named] 
Frost  paid  me  $5;  I  do  not  know  where  he  lives;  I  never  saw  him  be-i 
fore  or  since;  I  have  been  living  at  my  present  residence  10  or  11  years ;| 
I  was  in  the  butchering  business;  I  have  been  out  of  it  since  January 
last;  I  was  not  summoned  here  as  a  witness;  I  came  of  my  own  accord^ 

New  York,  January  13,  1869 

Cornelius  Doherty  sworn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instance  of 

Mr.  Ross.) 

To  Mr.  Ross : 
6981.  I  live  at  87  Mercer  street;  I  voted  eight  or  nine  times  at  the 
last  presidential  election ;  I  voted  in  Perry  street,  Washington  street, 
Hudson  street,  twice  in  Prince  street,  in  Fourth  street,  near  Jay,  in 
Crosby  street,  Greene  street,  and  Spring  street;  I  voted  for  Griswold;] 
I  voted  the  full  republican  ticket;  I  guess  there  were  20  or  22  in  the 
gang;  they  all  voted  the  same  ticket;  some  of  them  voted  18  or  20 
times;  I  left  in  the  afternoon  at  2  o'clock;  I  voted  once  under  the  name 
of  Williams;  that  is  the  only  name  I  can  recollect;  I  was  promised  $25 
for  voting,  but  I  did  not  get  it. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  633 

To  the  Chairman: 

6982.  I  was  not  summoned  to  come  here;  I  came  of  my  own  accord; 
I  saw  in  the  Herald  that  the  committee  was  sitting  here  ;  I  cannot  name 
any  prominent  republican  who  knew  that  repeating  was  going  on ;  I  am 
an  iron  moulder  by  trade,  but  I  have  been  out  of  business  since  last 
winter;  I  have  attended  bar  since  then  for  Jacob  Eome,  87  Mercer 
street;  he  has  been  sergeant-at-arms  for  the  common  council  of  this 
I  city;  he  will  not  speak  to  me  because  I  acted  with  the  republican  party. 

6983.  Q.  Is  not  Rome  a  democrat? 

A.  So  they  say;  but  he  has  got  a  brother-in-law  a  republican.  I  know 
1  that  Eome  voted  the  republican  ticket  lor  sheriff  last  year.  There  are 
girls  at  his  place.     He  keeps  a  dance-house.     I  live  there  with  a  girl. 

6984.  Q.  Is  she  a  prostitute? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

6985.  Q.  You  are  one  of  that  sort  of  men? 
A.  I  live  with  her  for  my  pleasure. 

6986.  Q.  Rome  was  sergeant-at-arms  for  the  city  council? 
A.  He  is  now,  I  believe. 

6987.  Q.  And  the  members  of  the  common  council  are  democrats, 
re  they  not  ? 

A.  A  great  part  of  them  are. 

New  York,  January  13,  1869. 
Henry  A.  Gumbleton  sworn  and  examined. 
To  the  Chairman  : 

6988.  I  am  assistant  deputy  county  clerk  in  the  county  clerk's  office 
in  this  city.  The  county  clerk  is  also  the  clerk  for  the  supreme  court. 
I  have  been  in  the  office  nearly  four  years. 

6989.  Question.  Who  signed  the  name  "Charles  E.  Loew,  clerk,"  to 
the  certificates  of  naturalization  issued  from  that  court  during  the  year 
1868? 

Answer.  I  suppose  that  John  B.  McKean  signed  them. 

6990.  Q.  Who  signed  the  name  of  Charles  E.  Loewr  to  the  applications 
ind  affidavits  of  witnesses  and  applicants  ? 

A.  John  B.  McKean,  Joseph  Coach,  Edward  H.  Kent,  Isaac  Heymann, 
Daniel  Scully,  and,  in  a  few  instances,  myself. 

6991.  Q.  In  what  room  was  the  name  of  Charles  E.  Loew  signed  to 
he  certificates  of  naturalization  ? 

A.  In  the  court-room  proper,  where  the  witnesses  appeared.  They 
vere  not  signed  until  the  applications  were  endorsed  by  the  court;  then 
he  clerk  issued  the  certificates  of  naturalization. 

6992.  Q.  Where  was  the  name  of  Charles  E.  Loew  signed  to  the  appli- 
ations  and  affidavits  ? 

A.  I  should  say  in  the  large  room  of  the  county  clerk's  office.  It  is  in 
nother  building  from  that  where  the  court-room  is. 

0993.  Q.  Will  you  furnish  to  the  committee  a  copy  of  the  appointment 
[1  deputy  county  clerk  ? 

A.  I  will  when  I  am  able  to  find  it ;  I  have  not  yet  been  able  to  find  it. 

6994.  Q.  Bo  you  know  that  there  was  a  written  appointment  ? 
A.  I  do. 

6995.  Q.  Who  is  the  deputy  county  clerk  ? 
A.  Edward  V.  Loew. 

6996.  Q.  Is  there  a  special  deputy  county  clerk  under  the  law  resu- 
lting special  deputies  ? 

A.  There  is  not. 


634  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK, 

6997.  Q.  Does  the  law  authorize  the  appointment  of  a  special  deputy 
A.  So  I  understand  the  law. 

6998.  Q.  Has  any  appointment  of  special  deputy  been  made  I 
A.  There  has  not  been,  to  the  best  of  my  knowledge. 

6999.  Q.  Do  the  other  clerks  have  any  written  appointments  \ 

A.  Some  of  them  have.  Others,  like  myself,  hold  over  from  the  jm 
vious  county  clerk. 

7000.  Q.  What  is  Edward  V.  Loew's  business  I 
A.  Deputy  county  clerk. 

7001.  Q.  How  much  time  has  he  devoted  to  the  business  of  the  offic 
for  the  last  three  months  I 

A.  I  can  state  that  he  has  been  there,  but  as  to  the  length  of  time  h 
devoted  to  the  office  I  cannot  say. 

7002.  Q.    Has  he  any  other  business  .' 
A.   Yes;   he  is  a  real  estate  agent,  I  believe. 

7003.  Q.  Has  he  devoted  any  considerable  time  to  the  clerk's  offic< 
or  has  his  time  been  mainly  devoted  to  the  real  estate  business  \ 

A.  I  cannot  state  as  to  the  latter  part  of  the  question,  but  as  to  tli 
former,  he  has  devoted  not  an  inconsiderable  portion  of  his  time  to  th 
county  clerk's  office. 

New  York,  January  13,  1869. 
John  Kennhi.l  sworn  and  examined. 

To  the  Chairman  : 

7004.  I  live  at  57  Vesey  street  ;  I  am  one  of  the  firm  of  Hall  &  Ken 
nell,  hatters;  L  was  inspector  of  election  in  the  2d  district  of  the 3< 
ward;  there  were  some  290  odd  votes  registered  there,  and  some  260  o 
270  polled. 

700.~>.  Q.  Do  you  know  Barney  Aaron  f 

A.  I  have  seen  him. 

7000.  Q.  What  is  he? 

A.  He  is  one  of  the  great  prize  fighters. 

7007.  Q.  Did  you  see  him  on  election  day  ' 
A.  I  think  I  did.     I  saw  him  in  the  ward  somewhere;  where  1  camic 

state. 

7008.  Q.  Did  he  vote  at  your  poll  \ 
A.  1  cannot  swear  that.     His  name  is  not  recorded  on  our  poll-list  a 

having  voted.  If  I  am  not  mistaken  I  saw  him  in  front  of  our  poll-ho> 
There  were  some  25  men  with  him.  I  cannot  say  that  any  of  them  vote 
there. 

7009.  Q.  With  what  political  party  do  you  act .? 
A.  With  none,  I  guess. 

7010.  Q.  What  ticket  did  you  vote  I 
A.  I  voted  a  split  ticket. 

7011.  For  whom  did  you  vote  for  President? 
A.  For  U.  S.  Grant  for  President,  and  for  John  T.  Hoffman  for  govei 

nor.  I  do  not  know  as  to  the  balance  of  the  ticket.  I  believe  I  vote- 
che  straight  democratic  ticket.  I  was  appointed  school  trustee  last  yea 
by  Mayor  Hoffman. 

7012.  Q.  Do  you  know  Barney  Aaron's  reputed  politics  8 

A.  If  you  offer  him  five  dollars  to  vote  the  democratic  ticket  an« 
another  person  offers  him  ten  dollars  to  vote  the  republican  ticket  h 
will  vote  the  republican  ticket.  That  is  his  politics.  I  do  not  believ 
that  a  man  like  him  has  got  any  principle  at  all. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  635 

To  Mr.  Ross : 

7013.  So  far  as  I  know,  the  inspectors  of  registry  and  election  tried  to 
do  what  was  right.  There  were  very  few  who  came  there  to  be  registered 
who  were  not  challenged.  They  all  swore  in.  When  a  man  swears  in 
he  must  he  registered. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

7014.  State  whether,  toward  the  close  of  the  polls,  a  crowd  of  persons 
came  there  and  voted  on  the  unappropriated  names  9 

A.  That  was  not  allowed.  The  clerk  had  charge  of  the  unappropri- 
ated names. 

By  Mr.  Boss : 

7015.  Q.  It  was  not  the  intention  to  have  it  done  ? 
A.  Xo,  sir. 

701(3.  Q.  And  was  not  done,  so  far  as  you  know? 
A.  No,  sir. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

7017.  Q.  Can  you  state  if  there  were  men  going  about  in  gangs  on  the 
day  of  the  presidential  election  $ 

A.  I  saw  one  gang.  That  was  with  Barney  Aaron  and  some  friends 
of  his.  There  were  20  or  25  of  them.  Where  they  were  going  or  what 
they  were  doing  I  do  not  know. 

New  York,  January  13,  1869. 
Charles  H.  Rogers  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

7018.  Question.  What  office  did  you  hold  at  the  last  election? 
Answer.  I  was  inspector  of  registry  and  election,  in  the  8th  district  of 

the  21st  ward. 

7019.  Q.  Were  you  present  all  day  on  election  day  ? 

A.  Not  all  day.  1  was  arrested  the  night  before  and  did  not  get 
released  until  12  o'clock  that  day. 

7020.  Q.  For  what  were  you  arrested? 

A.  It  was  said  that  a  man  swore  that  Mr.  Dennis  and  I  knocked  him 
down  and  kicked  him  in  the  head.  Mr.  Dennis  and  I  had  not  seen  each 
other  for  ten  days  before :  and  I  had  made  no  assault  upon  anybody. 
The  charge  was  wholly  groundless. 

7021.  Q.  Why  were  you  kept  so  long  in  custody  ? 

A.  I  can  only  conjecture  as  to  that.  As  soon  as  1  was  arrested 
I  demanded  to  be  taken  before  Justice  Kelly.  The  officers  said  they 
would  take  me  there.  But  as  soon  as  they  got  me  100  feet  from  the 
house  they  both  grabbed  me  and  took  me  to  the  Second  avenue  cars  and 
to  the  Eldridge  street  jail,  and  there  I  was  locked  up.  About  10  o'clock 
next  morning  I  was  taken  before  Judge  Mansfield.  He  asked  us  what 
we  had  to  say  to  the  charge.  We  told  him  it  was  wholly  groundless 
and  he  let  us  go  on  our  recognizances  to  procure  bail.  I  went  and  pro- 
cured bail  and  gave  it  and  went  to  the  election. 

7022.  Q.  What  are  your  politics  ? 
A.  Republican. 

7023.  Q.  Who  arrested  you? 

A.  I  do  not  know ;  they  claimed  to  be  deputy  sheriffs. 

7021.  Q.  State  to  what  extent  you  had  made  challenges  Avhile  the 
registration  was  going  on  ? 

A.  I  challenged  quite  a  number.  When  these  new  naturalization 
papers  came  in  the  democratic  inspectors  generally  turned  them  over  to 
me,  saying  that  if  I  was  satisfied  they  were.     T  questioned  them  and  if 


636  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 


I  considered  them  too  doubtful  I.  challenged  them.  Some  of  them  swore 
in,  and  some  of  them  would  not  swear  at  all. 

7025.  Q.  What  do  you  know  of  threats  being  made  against  republican 
inspectors'? 

A.  I  received  an  anonymous  letter  that  I  must  look  out  or  I  would  be 
arrested. 

7020.  Q.  What  business  are  you  engaged  in  I 

A.  I  am  inspector  of  sewers  at  present. 

7027.  Q.  Do  you  know  anything  of  persons  being  arrested  for  illegal 
voting? 

A.  Not  at  the  last  presidential  election.  I  challenged  a  man  who 
came  to  vote  under  the  name  of  Elijah  Baker.  I  told  the  young  man  he 
was  not  Elijah  Baker;  as  1  was  acquainted  with  Elijah  Baker,  who  lived 
in  the  same  house  with  me.  lie  persisted  in  voting,  and  he  was  sworn 
in  and  voted.  Then  I  made  out  a  warrant  for  his  arrest  and  the  demo- 
cratic inspectors  would  not  sign  it;  it  therefore  fell  to  the  ground. 
Another  young  man  came  to  vote  in  the  name  of  Frederick  Fevers,  of 
483  Third  avenue,  whom  I  also  knew.  I  told  the  young  man  that  I  was 
acquainted  with  Frederick  Eevers.  He  persisted  that  he  was  the  person; 
but  I  cannot  really  say  whether  he  voted  or  not. 

7028.  Q.  State  what  you  know  of  men  going  about  in  gangs  on  elec- 
tion day  I 

A.  There  were  a  number  of  gangs.  About  12  o'clock  there  was  quite 
a  rush.  There  had  not  been  any  considerable  number  of  votes  polled 
for  some  time,  but  there  came  in  then  at  once  25  or  30  men.  1  chal- 
lenged some  of  them.  Some  of  them  would  not  swear  their  votes  in; 
others  did.  In  the  afternoon  there  was  another  rush  ;  and  then,  about 
three  minutes  before  the  polls  closed,  there  was  a  large  rush — so  many 
that  only  two  or  three  got  their  votes  in,  because  there  was  not  time. 

7029.  Q.  Can  you  state  what  ticket  the  men  composing  these  gangs 
voted? 

A.  By  the  endorsement  on  the  tickets,  they  were  mostly  democratic. 
I  do  not  recollect  taking  a  republican  ticket  from  one  of  these  gangs.  1 
may  have  done  it. 

By  Mr.  Boss : 

7030.  Q.  Have  you  any  knowledge  of  any  illegal  votes  having  heen 
given  at  your  polling  place  ? 

A.  Only  that  one  given  in  the  name  of  Elijah  Baker,  of  242  Fast 
Thirty-fifth  street — the  house  where  I  live.  I  saw  Elijah  Baker  after 
election,  and  he  told  me  he  did  not  vote  that  day.  I  cannot  swear  that 
there  were  any  other  illegal  A'otes  cast.  Most  of  the  voting  was  done 
before  I  got  there.  All  the  names  that  I  had  checked  on  my  register 
as  doubtful  (10  or  15)  had  been  voted  before  I  got  there. 

7031.  Q.  How  many  persons  were  at  the  polls  when  they  were  closed 
who  could  not  get  in  their  votes? 

A.  In  the  last  rush  that  came  I  should  think  there  were  from  10  to 
20.     It  wanted  about  three  minutes  of  the  time  to  close  the  polls,  and  1 
think  that  only  about  six  or  eight  voted.     There  may  have  been  10  or  . 
12  who  could  not  get  their  votes  in. 

New  York,  January  13,  1869. 
Adam  Gillespie  recalled. 
To  the  Chairman: 

7032.  I  am  assistant  naturalization  clerk  in  the  superior  court.  Joseph 
Meeks  is  the  deputy  clerk.     I  am  not  aware  that  there  is  any  special 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  637 

leputy  clerk.     There  are  six  of  us  altogether.    Thompson  and  I  are 
tssistaut  naturalization  clerks.    The  others  are  docket  clerks. 

7033.  Q.  Who  signed  the  name  of  James  M.  Sweeney,  clerk,  to  the 
;ertincates  of  naturalization  issued  from  the  superior  court  during  the 
ear  1868? 

A.  I  was  in  the  habit  of  signing  them  up  to  about  the  1st  of  October. 
?rom  the  1st  of  October  to  the  23d  of  October  Joseph  Meeks  signed  them. 
)n  ordinary  occasions  it  is  Thompson's  business  and  mine  to  sign  them. 
\t  present  we  do  so,  under  the  authority  of  Mr.  Sweeney. 
'  7034.  Q.  Did  Meeks  sign  any  certificates  of  naturalization  till  the  first 
.f  October? 

I  A.  I  rather  think  not. 

!  7035.  Q.  In  what  room  did  Meeks  sign  the  name  of  Sweeney  to  the 
1  ertificates  ? 

A.  There  were  several  rooms — first,  the  chamber  of  the  board  of 
Mermen ;  next,  the  chamber  of  the  board  of  councilmen  ;  and  next,  in 
riiat  is  called  the  old  sheriff's  office.  The  court  was  not  held  in  any  of 
Uese  rooms. 

7036.  Q.  State  if  you  signed  any  certificates  of  naturalization  in  the 
om  where  the  court  was  held. 

A.  Not  during  the  month  of  October.  Prior  to  that  we  signed  them 
room  18,  City  Hall ;  not  in  the  room  where  the  court  was  held. 

7037.  Q.  Who  signed  the  name  of  James  M.  Sweeney,  clerk,  to  the 
pplications  of  naturalization  f 

A.  They  were  signed  by  six  or  eight  of  us — by  Syl.  Nolan,  Tom.  Ben- 
iett,  John  A.  Thompson,  O.  E.  McNearney,  Edward  Keeffe,  and  myself: 

7038.  Q.  In  what  room  were  they  signed? 

A.  Generally  in  room  18 ;  and  in  the  evenings  we  all  assembled  together 
u  the  chamber  of  the  board  of  aldermen,  and  signed  them. 

7039.  Q.  None  of  them  were  signed  in  the  room  occupied  by  the  court  % 
A.  No,  sir. 

New  York,  January  13,  1869. 

7040.  William  Ward,  called  by  Mr.  Ross,  being  sworn,  testified  that 
e  had  inquired  for  John  Hughes,  at  25  Elizabeth  street ;  for  Edward 
)lark,  at  46  Essex  street ;  for  John  Kagle,  at  6  Pike  street ;  for  Charles 
erguson,  at  16  Elizabeth  street;  and  for  James  Smith,  at  163  Greene 
ireet,  (the  persons  named  having  been  witnesses  to  prove  repeating  and 
aving  given  those  addresses  as  their  respective  residences,)  and  that  no 
rch  persons  resided  or  were  known  at  any  of  the  places  indicated. 

7041.  Witness,  in  reply  to  the  chairman,  stated  that  he  was  an  officer 
f  the  superior  court,  appointed  by  the  four  judges  of  that  court.  None 
I  the  judges  had  talked  with  him  about  this  matter.  He  had  been 
ierely  sent  as  a  messenger. 

New  York,  January  13,  1869. 
John  Heath  sworn  and  examined. 

To  the  Chairman  : 

7042.  I  live  at  34  Gouverneur  street.  I  voted  the  democratic  ticket  at 
ie  last  presidential  election,  at  68  East  Broadway,  and  in  Canal  street 
nee.  There  were  about  25  in  the  party,  and  they  all  voted,  I  suppose, 
couple  of  times. 

To  Mr.  Eoss: 

7043.  I  voted  four  times.  I  met  the  party  about  11  o'clock,  and  got 
unk  about  3  o'clock.     I  voted  on  slips  given  to  me.     I  do  not  know  the 


638  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

man  who  gave  them  to  me.  I  suppose  he  was  a  democrat.  The  whol 
crowd  was  drunk.  Two  or  three  of  them  were  "fighting  drunk."  I  ai 
22  years  of  age.  I  was  bora  in  this  country.  I  never  "repeated"  before 
I  was  promised  money  or  I  would  not  have  done  it.  I  got  no  monej 
My  father  is  a  republican.  If  I  had  not  been  drunk  I  would  have  votei 
the  republican  ticket.  I  have  been  over  to  Jersey  City  and  mack1  ; 
statement.  I  got  nothing  for  it,  and  do  not  .expect  to  get  anything. 
have  been  living  at  34  Gouverneur  street  for  two  years.  1  am  a  printei 
I  am  not  working  at  present.  I  worked  lr.st  at  41  Centre  street,  wit! 
Mr.  Studolf.  I  have  never  been  convicted  of  any  criminal  otfence. 
do  not  make  a  regular  practice  of  gambling.  I  never  made  anything b; 
gambling,  and  never  bad  much  to  lose.  1  worked  in  Studolf's  printmj 
office  IS  months. 


New  York,  January  18,  1869. 
William  K.  W.  Chambers  sworn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instant 
of  Mr.  Boss.) 

By  Mr.  Koss: 

7044.  Question.  Are  you  acquainted  with  M.  K.  Leverson,  who  \va> 
been  a  witness  before  this  committee  ? 

Answer.  1  have  known  him  for  some  time  back.  1  was  employed 
in  the  city  inspector's  department,  and  he  used  to  be  in  and  out  of  the 
office.     1  always  knew  him  as  Lawyer  Leverson. 

7045.  Q.  Do  you  know  his  general  reputation  for  truth  and  veracity 
A,  Yes;  his  general  reputation  is  bad. 

7046.  Q.  From  that  general  reputation  would  vou  believe  him  nude 
oath  ? 

A.  No,  sir;   I  would  not. 

By  the  Chairman: 

7047.  Q.  With  what  political  party  do  you  act  ! 
A.  The  democratic. 

7048.  Q.  How  long  have  you  known  Mr.  Leverson  f 

A.  I  was  in  the  city  inspector's  department  11  years,  in  one  position 
and  he  was  in  the  habit  of  coming  in,  two  or  three  years  prior  to  th< 
abolition  of  the  department,  which  was  in  1866.  I  have  known  him  fiv< 
years  by  general  reputation.  I  never  had  any  personal  conversation 
with  him.  1  never  heard  anybody  outside  of  the  city  inspector's  depart 
ment  speak  of  his  reputation  for  truth.  We  used  to  call  him  u shyster 
there.  I  am  in  Sheriff  O'Brien's  office  as  clerk.  I  have  been  then 
about  five  days.  The  sheriff  never  spoke  a  word  to  me  on  the  subjec 
of  this  testimony. 

7049.  Q.  Do  you  know  Mr.  Leverson's  handwriting  f 
A.  No,  sir;  I  never  saw  it  to  my  knowledge. 

7050.  Q.  Do  you  know  that  Mr." Leverson  is  a  scientific  gentleman,  U 
whom  a  book  has  been  dedicated  in  these  words:  "A  Montague  Eichan 
Leverson,  au  courageux  defenseur  du  droit,  Je  proscrit;  a  lliommc  loya 
et  genereux  ;  Vami  au  pensenr  libre.     UAateur? 

(Question  objected  to  by  Mr.  Ross;  objection  overruled.) 
A.  I  do  not  know  Mr.  Leverson  in  connection  with  any  book. 

7051.  Q,  How  long  back  have  you  known  Mr.  Leverson  J 

A.  About  a  year  before  the  city  inspector's  office  was  abolished.  Thai 
was  in  1866. 

7052.  Q.  Are  you  sure  you  knew  him  in  the  year  1865? 
A.  Yes,  sir ;  he  was  in  and  out  of  the  office  in  1865. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  G39 

7053.  Q.  Do  you  not  know  that  lie  was  in  England  during  the  whole 
of  1865  ? 

A.    No,  sir  ;  I  do  not  know  anything  about  it. 

7054.  Q.  Do  you  not  know  that  Charles  Francis  Adams,  our  minister 
to  England,  employed  him  in  the  service  of  the  Union  cause  during  the 
whole  of  1805? 

,    A.  I  do  not. 

New  York,  January  14,  18G9. 
Marcus  C.  Stanley  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

7055.  Question.  Where  do  you  reside  f 
Answer.  No.  226  West  Thirty-ninth  street. 

7050.  Q.  State  if  you  had  any  interview  with  Marshal  Murray  at  the 
Fifth  Avenue  Hotel  with  David  Hogan,  John  Jones,  Hiram  B.  Ferguson, 
or  either  of  them,  a  week  or  two  before  the  last  presidential  election  in 
:1iis  city,  or  about  that  time  ? 

A.  I  have  not  spoken  to  Marshal  Murray  since  he  sent  me  to  Fort 
Lafayette,  in  1804  or  1865,  nor  have  I  had  any  communication  with  him, 
directly  or  indirectly,  upon  any  subject  whatever.  I  have  no  recollection 
:>f  those  other  names,  and  I  have  had  no  interview  with  such  persons  to 
my  knowledge.     1  certainly  never  had  any  business  with  them. 

7057.  Q.  State  if  you  were  at  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel  with  George 
Wilkes,  editor  of  the  Spirit  of  the  Times,  about  that  time  ? 

A.  I  saw  Mr.  Wilkes  several  times  at  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel,  but 
er  in  company  with  either  of  those  persons  or  with  Marshal  Murray. 

7058.  Q.  State  if  any  arrangement  was  made,  to  your  knowledge,  at 
the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel,  or  at  the  Hoffman  House,  by  you,  or  Marshal 
Murray,  or  George  Wilkes,  or  either  of  you,  with  any  of  those  persons 
named,  or  with  any  other  person,  in  reference  to  " repeating,"  as  it  is 
termed  ? 

A.  Never. 

7059.  Q.  State  if  you  saw  any  money  paid  at  the  Hoffman  House,  or 
if  you  know  of  any  money  having  been  paid  by  a  man  with  black  whis- 
kers, or  by  any  other  man,  to  Hogan,  Jones,  or  Ferguson,  or  to  any  other 
person,  prior  to  the  last  presidential  election  in  connection  with,  or  about 
lie  business  of  repeating  l 

A.  Never. 

7000.  Q.  What  was  the  condition  of  the  health  of  George  Wilkes 
>rior  to  the  presidential  election  ? 

A.  Some  two  weeks  previous  to  the  election  Mr.  WTilkes  was  seized 
vitli  violent  vertigo.  He  consulted  Dr.  Mott  and  Dr.  Flint  as  to  his 
nental  and  physical  condition  and  .was  prohibited  from  all  excitement, 
ven  from  reading  the  newspapers.  I  saw  him  daily.  Frequently  when 
i  called  he  was  not  in  a  condition  to  converse  with  me  upon  matters 
elating  even  to  his  own  private  affairs. 

7001.  Q.  Do  you  know  to  what  extent  he  went  out  during  the  day,  or 
it  night,  after  he  was  attacked  with  this  disease? 

A.  We  rode  every  fine  da}'  in  the  park,  but  he  went  out  very  rarely 
>f  an  evening. 

7002.  Q.  Where  is  he  now  I 
A.  On  the  28th  of  December  he  was  in  Paris. 
~0G3.  Q.  Did  you  see  any  money  paid  to  David  Hogan  at  the  Hoffman 

Souse,  or  at  any  other  place,  prior  to  the  presidential  election  ? 
A.  I  did  not.     I  do  not  know  any  such  person. 


640  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

7064.  Q.  State  whether  you  hud  any  conversation  with  any  of  thes 
persons  upon  the  subject  of  repeating  prior  to  the  presidential  election. 

A.  J  had  no  conversation  with  these  persons  upon  that  subject. 

7065.  Q.  With  which  political  party  have  you  been  generally  in  th« 
habit  of  acting ! 

A.  I  belong  to  no  political  party,  to  no  association  or  ward  committee 
I  have  not  been  to  a  political  meeting  for  11  years. 

By  Mr.  Ross : 

7066.  Q.  You  say  you  are  not  much  of  a  party  man  '! 

A.  Not  by  any  means;  I  vote  for  a  democrat,  if  1  like  him.  I  vote< 
for  John  T.  Hoffman  last  election,  and  I  voted  for  A.  Oakey  Hall,  botl 
democrats,  and  I  voted  for  the  republican  electors. 

7067.  Q.  What  connection  have  you  with  the  republican  organizatjioi 
in  this  city  I 

A.   None  whatever. 

706S.  Q.  What  was  it  that  .Marshal  Murray  had  you  in  prison  for? 

A.  The  charge  was  that  I  was  causing  soldiers  to  be  mustered  Iron 
one  regiment  into  another  to  the  detriment  of  the  public  service.  I  have 
never  seen  the  affidavit  upon  which  my  arrest  was  based.  All  I  know 
is  that  I  was  sent  to  Fort  Lafayette  and  was  discharged  after  the  exam- 
ination, and  had  a  letter  from  Mr.  Seward  regretting  the  mistake  thatl 
he  had  made  in  tapping  his  little  bell. 

7061).  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  Marshal  Murray  had  any  authority 
to  arrest  you  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  that  he  had;  I  guess  that  he  is  in  the  habit  of  exer 
cising  a  little  authority  ;  I  sought  to  learn,  but  was  never  able  to  ascer 
tain. 

7070.  Q.  'How  long  did  he  keep  you  there  .; 
A.  Nine  days. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

7071.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  republicans  who  were  engaged  in  repeat 
ing  at  the  last  presidential  election  ! 

A.  I  do  not. 

7072.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  person  being  employed,  authorized  oi 
requested  to  repeat  at  the  last  presidential  election  by  a  republican  f 

A.  No,  sir;  nor  by  a  democrat  either. 

7073.  Q.  State  if  you  are  acquainted  with  James  Gorrey,  a  canvassei 
in  the  15th  district  of  the  18th  Avard. 

A.  I  think  I  was  introduced  to  a  man  of  that  name  at  the  police  head 
quarters  in  Mulberry  street  by  Scannel  previous  to  the  election. 

7074.  Q.  State  if  you  asked  him  his  politics. 
A.  I  did  not. 

7075.  Q.  State  if  you  said  anything  to  him  about  making  a  mistake  in 
counting  up  the  votes. 

A.  My  conversation  wras  not  upon  that  subject  at  all. 

7076.  Q.  State  what  offers  of  money  you  made  to  him. 
A.  I  made  no  offers  to  him ;  lie  asked  a  favor  from  me. 

7077.  Q.  State  if  at  any  time  you  made  a  request  of  Florence  Scanne] 
that  he  should  register  names  for  republicans  to  vote  on? 

A.  No,  sir. 

7078.  Q.  State  if  Scannel  made  any  request  about  getting  canvassers 
appointed  in  his  interest  T 

A.  He  handed  me  two  names  upon  a  paper,  one  of  which,  I  believe, 
was  Gorrey.     I  took  the  names  and  went  to  Mr.  Mannierre,  one  of  the 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  641 

police  commissioners.  These  men  were  not  appointed.  Scannel  gave 
me  these  two  names  upon  a  paper,  and  requested  that  I  wonld  have 
them  appointed  as  canvassers,  with  a  promise  that  if  I  did  so  a  number 
of  men  whom  he  had  registered  should  not  vote.  I  asked  him  his 
object.  He  said  he  wanted  the  canvassers  for  his  election  in  De- 
i  cember  as  assistant  alderman.  He  wanted  the  Tammany  Hall 
nomination,  which  had  been  refused  him,  and  then  he  wanted  to 
ran  on  an  independent  ticket.  I  presented  those  names  to  Mr.  Man- 
merre.  He  declined  to  appoint  them,  upon  the  ground  that  they  were 
indicted  in  Philadelphia,  having  been  carried  there  by  Scannel  to  vote 
at  the  October  election.  I  returned  to  Scannel  with  that  message  from 
Mr.  Mannierre,  and  he  said,  in  his  familiar  way:  "Boss,  you  must  get 
me  out  of  this  thing,  because  I  have  got  to  go  to  Philadelphia  every 
spring  to  buy  horses.' 

By  Mr.  Ross: 

7079.  Q.  What  benefit  was  to  accrue  to  the  republican  party  from  this 
(arrangement  ? 

A.  He  was  to  vote  for  the  republican  assemblyman  in  that  district, 
to  beat  Jim  Irwin,  whom  he  had  previously  shot  in  a  bar-room  fight. 

7080.  Q.  Was  he,  or  not,  to  vote  the  entire  republican  ticket? 
A.  No,  sir ;  I  had  no  such  understanding  with  him.     I  was  simply 

obliging  him,  as  I  have  frequently  done  upon  many  other  occasions. 

7081.  Q.  Whom  did  you  vote  for  for  President  ? 
A.  I  voted  for  the  republican  electors. 

7082.  Q.  Did  you  promise  this  man  that  you  would  try  and  get  such 
canvassers  as  he  suggested  appointed? 

A.  The  best  evidence  that  I  did  so  is  that  I  took  the  names  that  he 
offered  me  and  went  and  solicited  their  appointment. 

7683.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  his  having  any  conference  with  any  other 
republicans  to  have  canvassers  appointed  in  his  interest,  or  in  the  inter- 
est of  the  republican  party  ? 

A.  I  have  never  been  present  at  any  interview  between  Scannel  and 
)ther  republicans.  I  have  seen  him  speaking  to  republicans  at  the 
ftfth  Avenue  Hotel,  but  I  do  not  know  the  subject  of  the  conversation. 

7084.  Q.  Was  he  not  running  at  that  time  with  the  republicans,  as 
igainst  the  regular  Tammany  nominee,  the  republicans  supporting  him! 

A.  No,  sir:  lie  was  supporting  the  democratic  nominee,  but  his  per-' 
ional  hostility  to  Irwin,  and  the  refusal  of  the  democratic  party  to  give 
iim  canvassers  that  he  thought  he  was  entitled  to  as  a  councilman,  made 
iim  hostile. 

7085.  Q.  Were  the  republicans  sympathizing  with  and  aiding  him1? 
A.  They  were  willing  to  do  so. 

708G.  Q.  State  whether  you  saw  him  in  frequent  conferences  with  lead- 
ug  republicans. 

A.  I  do  not  think  I  did :  I  have  seen  him  in  a  miscellaneous  crowd  in 
ntl  around  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel. 

7087.  Q.  Were  you  at  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel  an  evening  or  two  before 
he  election,  when  the  registry  books  were  brought  in  and  examined? 

A.  I  was  there  almost  every  evening. 

7088.  Q.  Do  you  recollect  the  night  when  the  registry  books  were 
rough t  in  ? 

A.  There  whs  a  room  appointed  for  that  purpose,  but  not  being  an 
ispector  or  canvasser,  I  do  not  know  anything  about  it. 

7089.  Q.  Did  you  get  to  see  these  registrv  books  at  the  Fifth  Avenue 
totel  ? 

41  T 


G42  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

A.  I  never  examined  any  books  there. 

7090.  Q.  Do  you  know  they  wore  there  I 

A.  I  know  that  what  purported  to  be  copies  of  the  registry  were 
there;  my  impression  is  that  the  originals  were  left  at  police  headquar- 
ters; I  went  there  to  examine  them. 

701)1.  Q.  Were  they  not  also  at  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel! 

A.  Not  that  I  am  aware  of;   I  understood  those  to  be  copies. 

New  York,  January  14,  1869. 

Henry  E.  SWEETZEB  recalled. 
By  .Mr.  Ross: 

701)2.  Question.  State  whether  you  have  examined  those  tables  made  by 
General  Foster  which  I  presented  to  yon. 

Answer.  Yes,  I  have  examined  them.  They  seem  to  be  accurate  so 
far  as  the  calculation  goes.  I  fail  to  see  that  they  prove  anything  what 
ever. 

7093.  ().  State  if  you  know  of  any  cause  why  there  should  be  a  very 
considerable  increase  in  the  vote  of  the  city  of  New  York  at  the  last 
presidential  election  i 

A.  Yes,  sir;  two  causes.  One  is  a  very  large  influx  of  people  from 
the  south,  which  is  estimated  at  from  10,000  to  30,000 ;  it  might  be 
20,000,  I  have  no  means  of  knowing  accurately;  and  the  other  is  the 
large  number  of  people  entitled  to  naturalization  since  the  war,  people 
who  had  not  been  naturalized  during  the  war  on  account  of  their  liability 
to  be  drafted. 

7004.  (}.  How  was  it  in  regard  to  those  people  who  had  come  here 
under  18  years  of  age;  did  they  postpone  naturalization  on  account  of 
the  war J 

A.  That  I  do  not  know.  I  know  that  a  great  many  failed  in  being 
naturalized  during  the  war  on  account  of  their  liability  to  be  drafted; 
and  when  the  war  was  over,  of  course  there  was  an  end  to  that  appre- 
hension. 

New   York,  January  14,  1869. 
John  J.  Mullen  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

7095.  Question.  Where  do  you  reside? 
Answer.  iSTo.  G7  Grand  street. 

7096.  Q.  State  what  you  know  of  persons  registering  on  false  names 
prior  to  the  last  presidential  election  in  this  city. 

A.  On  the  first  registering  day  I  was  going  down  Cortlandt  street,  near 
the  corner  of  Washington,  when  I  met  a  young  man,  whom  I  recognized 
as  Matthew  Strip;  he  keeps  a  grocery  store  in  Albany  street.  He  rej 
quested  me  to  go  in  and  register.  I  stated  that  I  did  not  belong  to  thati 
district.  He  said  it  made  no  difference.  I  went  in  and  registered  under 
the  name  of  J.  J.  Mullen,  of  156  Greenwich  street.  The  registering 
clerk  knew  me,  and  knew  that  I  did  not  reside  there.  He  gave  me  a 
wink  that  it  was  all  right.  His  name  is  Michael  Loftus.  He  keeps  a 
livery  stable  in  Washington  street,  between  Liberty  and  Cedar.  While 
I  was  in  there,  some  18  or  20  persons  came  in  with  papers  and  regis 
tered  from  41  Vesey  street.  The  other  clerk,  who  was  opposed  to  it. 
passed  an  insinuation  that  it-must  be  a  very  large  house,  as  some  40  had 
already  registered  from  there.  I  came  out  from  there  about  6  o'clock  nj 
the  evening,  and  was  requested  to  go  down  to  Washington  street,  neai 
Albany,  where  thev  were  registering.     There  I  registered  again.     I  met 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  643 

Strip  again  there,  and  Dennis  Hogan,  brother  of  the  Police  Justice 
Edward  Hogan ;  they  asked  me  if  I  had  registered  there  yet.  I  told 
them  no ;  they  told  me  to  go  in.  I  asked  what  number  I  would  give ; 
they  told  me  to  give  117  Washington  street.  I  went  in  and  registered, 
and  then  Hogan  said  it  was  all  right.  I  made  a  mistake  and  gave  the 
number  as  115  Washington  street,  and  Strip  went  in  and  told  the  land- 
lord there.  From  there  I  went  with  Strip  and  Hogan  to  34  Greenwich 
street  and  registered  there,  giving  my  residence  as  No.  12  Washington 
(.street.  Then  1  went  to  Patrick  Moore's,  brother  to  Alderman  John 
Moore,  and  had  a  drink.  1  had  to  write  there  the  names  and  places  that 
I  had  registered  under,  and  gave  the  memorandum  to  the  bartender  and 
he  put  it  behind  the  bar  for  future  reference.  Then  I  started  up  town, 
and  informed  Captain  Pettit,  of  the  fifth  precinct,  that  Alderman  Moore 
was  issuing  naturalization  papers,  and  requested  him  to  send  Detective 
Field  to  seize  them.  Alderman  Moore  in  my  presence  issued  out,  I  sup- 
pose, over  200  naturalization  papers,  taking  them  two  by  twro  out  of  a 
cigar  box.  He  would  draw  the  men  aside  and  instruct  them,  and  told 
them  that  the  judge  (meaning  Judge  Hogan)  was  there  to  protect  them, 
and  that  they  could  get  into  no  trouble.  Hogan  saw  me  registering  there, 
although  he  knew  that  I  lived  in  the  8th  ward.  He  saw  me  regis- 
tering again  at  99  Greenwich  street,  and  he  said  nothing. 

7097.  Q.  How  many  persons  were  engaged  in  registering  at  the  time 
you  speak  of? 

A.  The  street  was  crowded  with  men  waiting  for  their  turn  to  come 
in,  long-shore  men,  steamboat  men,  farmers  and  greenhorns.  They  got 
a  few  glasses  of  drink  and  were  instructed  that  on  election  day  they 
were  to  get  $2  apiece  for  every  time  they  voted. 

7098.  Q.  Where  were  the  headquarters  of  the  gang  that  you  belonged 
to? 

A.  There  were  two  headquarters ;  one  at  Morris  Power's,  in  Albany 
street,  between  Greenwich  and  Washington;  and  the  other,  I  think, 
was  at  57  Greenwich  street,  Alderman  Moore's  place.  Power  is  married 
to  the  alderman's  sister. 

7099.  Q.  Howr  many  gangs  were  there  at  these  headquarters? 

A.  I  went  in  one  gang  of  ten,  in  another  of  seven,  and  in  another  of 
four  or  five.  The  alderman  told  me  two  places  in  the  2d  ward  where 
1  could  register.  I  told  him  I  did  not  know  the  names  or  numbers,  and 
he  said  he  would  fix  that  for  me.  They  would  go  into  a  building  where 
they  knew  anybody,  and  would  tell  the  people  there  to  say  that  so-and 
so  boarded  with  them  ;  and  when  an  officer  went  to  inquire  whether  a 
person  who  had  registered  did  reside  there,  they  would  always  answer 
yes.  I  registered  twice  under  the  name  of  Miller,  and  twice  under  the 
name  of  Mullen.  I  registered  altogether  ten  times.  The  names  I  do  not 
recollect,  but  they  were  written  down  and  sworn  to  at  police  headquar- 
ters. I  registered  under  the  names  of  Murphy,  Morgan,  Moran,  Gannon 
and  Gray.  I  went  with  a  gang  of  18  from  Allen's  place*  up  to  the  15th 
ward  to  register.  We  all  registered  from  a  hotel  up  there.  I  took  one 
man's  name  who  had  registered  from  the  same  place  last  year,  and  the 
clerk  looked  at  the  registry  book  and  said:  ''that  man  voted  last  year  ; 
it  is  all  right;"  no  questions  were  asked;  I  went  back  to  the  hotel  and 
had  some  more  drinks,  and  I  gave  the  bartender  there  also  the  list  of 
our  names.  Then  I  registered  in  King  street,  No.  7,  near  Sullivan, 
giving  the  name  of  J.  J.  Mullen,  and  giving  my  residence  as  59  Sullivan 
street,  which  is  a  lager-beer  saloon.  John  O'Neill  was  the  clerk  there. 
He  know  me,  and  knew  that  1  did  not  reside  there.  The  other  clerk  was 
Oharlos  Fahohild.  1  gave  this  statement  to  Inspector  Wallen  at  police 
headquarters.     Mr.  Marsh,  the  stenographer,  wrote  it  out. 


644  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

7100.  Q.  What  are  the  politics  of  Matthew  Strip,  Dennis  Hogan,  Polio 
Justice  Hogan,  Patrick  Moore,  and  Alderman  Moore? 

A.  They  are  democrats. 

7101.  In  the  interest  of  which  political  party  was  this  registration 

being  made  .; 
A.  The,  democratic  party. 

7102.  Q.  State  if  any  violence  has  been  threatened  to  yon  by  reason  of 
your  having  communicated  these  facts  to  police  headquarters? 

A.  Not  many  nights  ago  my  wife  and  I  were  walking  along  near  Sulli- 
van street,  in  Broome  street,  and  1  got  a  blow  that  knocked  me  senseless. 
I  heard  a  voice  singing  out:  "That  is  the  son  of  a  bitch  who  sold  us! 
kill  him  !  kill  him!"  My  wife  screeched  "  murder ! v  two  colored  women 
threw  themselves  on  the  top  of  me,  and  two  colored  boys  shouted  "  mur- 
der r  I  do  not  know  where  tin'  police  were.  When  I  came  to  I  ran  to 
the  station  house.  My  wife  lost  her  hat  and  cloak.  They  knocked  her 
down  for  howling,  and  it  appeared  that  these  colored  women  were  the 
only  persons  to  save  me.  1  went  up  in  the  morning  and  inade  a  com- 
plaint against  Higgins  and  his  brother,  and  several  other  persons  whose 
faces  I  recognized.  I  thought  J  saw  a  knife,  but  1  have  been  since 
informed  it  was  a  revolver.  I  know  there  is  a  hole  in  my  hat;  but 
whether  it  was  made  by  a  bullet,  or  by  a  knife,  1  do  not  know.  1  went 
to  Police  .Justice  Dodge  in  the  morning,  and  stated  the  case  to  hirajust 
as  it  occurred.  lie  told  me  to  go  to  Judge  Dowling,  at  the  Tombs,  as  I 
lived  in  the  5th  precinct.  I  went  to  Judge  Dowling,  and  he  told  me  to 
to  clear  out. 

7103.  Q.   What  are  his  politics? 

A.   He  is  a  democrat;  so  is  Dodge.     Then  1  went  down  to  the  district 
attorney's  office.     There  were  two  clerks  in  there  and  Mr.  Gunning  S. 
Bedford,  now  city  judge.     I  stated  the  case  to  them,  and  they  told  me 
that  if  Dodge  cS:   Dowling  took  no  notice  of  it  they  would  not.     1  told 
them  I  would  appeal  to  the  public  for  protection.     I  came  up  and  went 
into  the  ^Newsomce  to  have  a  statement  written  out,  but  they  would  not 
publish  it,  and  Avould  not  have  anything  to  do  with  it.     I  am  registered! 
at  90  Amity  street;  as  James  Gannon  at  245  Thompson  street;  at  321 
Grand  street  as  J.  J.  Mullen,  residing  at  403  Canal  street;  I  am  regis-! 
tered  in  Prince  street,  between  Wooster  and  Greene,  in  the  name  of  Jas.i 
Gray,  residing  at  90  Prince/street,  and  other  places  I  forget;  but  the 
list  of  them  is  up  at  police  headquarters. 

7104.  Q.  State  if  any  of  those  men  engaged  in  this  false  registration 
have  been  indicted  or  punished,  to  your  knowledge? 

A.  I  do  not  know  that  any  of  them  have  been. 
By  Mr.  Boss : 

7105.  Q.  How  long  have  you  been  living  at  67  Grand  street  ? 

A.  A  week  yesterday ;  I  have  had  to  move  three  times  from  those; 
parties  who  followed  me. 

710G.  Where  did  you  live  before  that? 
A.  At  No.  4  Varick  street. 

7107.  Q.  What  is  your  business? 
A.  I  am  a  canvasser  for  Mr.  Purrington,  28  Barclay  street,  for  a  patent 

carpet  sweeper. 

7108.  Q.  Have  you  ever  been  engaged  in  any  other  business? 

A.  Yes;  I  have  been  a  canvasser  for  another  company.  1  have  lived 
in  this  city  28  years.  I  was  born  in  Ireland.  I  never  have  been  natur- 
alized.   I  never  voted  but  once.    I  did  not  vote  last  election  at  all. 

7109.  Q.  Did  you  know  it  was  unlawful  to  register  in  that  way? 
A.  Yes. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  645 

7110.  Q.  What  made  you  do  it? 

A.  To  get  in  with  these  parties,  and  to  find  out  what  kind  of  a  swindle 
was  going  on,  in  order  that  I  might  expose  them. 

7111.  Q.  Who  put  you  up  to  do  this? 

A.  Superintendent  of  police  John  A.  Kennedy;  he  told  me  to  find  out 
all  that  I  could. 

7112.  Q.'  When  did  Kennedy  tell  you  this? 

A.  He  told  me  on  Sunday  morning  before  election ;  it  was  too  late 
then  to  capture  those  papers. 

7113.  Q.  Did  you  see  Kennedy  the  second  time  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  was  five  hours  in  the  building,  while  they  were  taking 
my  statement. 

7114.  Q.  What  did  Kennedy  tell  you  to  do? 

A.  He  gave  Inspector  Walling  instructions  to  take  me  in  hand,  and 
furnish  me  with  money  to  go  and  obtain  those  papers  from  those  parties. 
I  went  into  a  house  in  Hudson  street,  Mitchell's  place,  where  I  under- 
stood papers  were  being  given  out.  Whether  the  parties  suspected 
something  or  not,  I  do  not  know;  but  they  said  I  had  been  registered 
often  enough,  and  that  they  did  not  want  me  any  more.  They  said  I  had 
put  in  10  votes,  and  that  I  would  realize  $20  on  it.  I  got  from  Inspector 
Walling,  at  police  headquarters,  $10  to  spend  with  these  parties  and  to 
get  all  the  information  I  could.  I  told  Walling  that  if  I  had  some 
money  I  could  procure  information  where  there  were  400  or  500  of  those 
naturalization  papers  stored  away;  that  I  could  get  those  parties  tight 
and  sift  it  out,  and  that  he  could  send  down  a  force  and  seize  upon  the 
papers. 

7115.  Q.  Was  that  the  first  conference  you  had  with  Kennedy  ? 
A.  No ;  it  was  the  second. 

7116.  Q.  When  had  you  the  first  ? 

A.  On  Sunday  morning  before  the  election ;  I  had  the  second  the  next 
day. 

7117.  Q.  Where  did  you  see  him  that  day  ? 
A.  At  police  headquarters. 

7118.  Q.  Did  he  send  for  you  ! 

A.  No;  I  was  ordered  to  come  up  next  morning.  I  did  not  spend  10 
minutes  with  Kennedy  at  that  time ;  he  sent  me  up  stairs  in  the  report- 
er's room. 

7119.  Q.  What  other  money  did  you  get? 
A.  Not  a  cent. 

7120.  Q.  How  much  were  you  to  have  ? 

A.  I  was  not  to  have  anything;  I  was  never  offered  anything.  I  asked 
for  the  loan  of  $5  up  there,  and  they  would  not  give  it  to  me. 

7121.  Q.  Which  other  republicans  did  you  have  a  talk  with  in  regard 
to  this  matter  ? 

A.  I  never  had  a  talk  with  anybody. 

7122.  Q.  How  did  you  come  here  ? 

A .  I  read  an  account  in  the  New  York  Herald  the  other  day  about  the 
investigation  of  this  committee,  and  I  came  to  Marshal  Murray  and 
asked  him  if  he  did  not  recollect  when  I  came  to  him  and  offered  to  work 
this  thing  up  for  a  little  money.  As  I  was  a  canvasser  I  could  get  into 
the  confidence  of  'long-shore  men  by  giving  them  a  few  glasses  of  rot- 
gut,  and  could  coax  them  and  ascertain  where  the  papers  were. 

7123.  Q.  Did  Marshal  Murray  recollect  the  talk  you  had  with  him  ? 
A.  He  did. 

7124.  Q.  Did  he  recollect  giving  you  money  ? 

A.  He  did  not  give  me  any.     That  conversation  was  four  or  five  days 


646  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

after  the  election,     lie  said  lie  bad  no  money  appropriated  from  Wash- 
ington. 

7125.  Q.  What  did  he  say  about  the  prospect  of  getting  some  ? 

A.  I  do  not  recollect  that  he  said  anything.  He  said  he  had  been, 
enough  out  of  pocket  already,  and  he  would  not  be  any  more  out  of 
pocket.  He  said  if  the  authorities  would  not  give  him  money  to  inves- 
tigate this  thing,  he  was  not  going  to  investigate  it  out  of  his  own  pocket 

7126.  Q.  What  encouragement  did  lie  give  you  about  getting  monej 
in  future  1 

A.  He  did  not  give  me  any.  1  dropped  the  subject  and  never  went 
near  him  until  yesterday.  He  asked  me  why  1  was  not  here  before,  and 
told  me  to  go  up  to  police  headquarters  and  see  Inspector  Walling.  I 
saw  Inspector  Walling  last  night,  and  met  him  down  here  this  morning. 

7127.  Q.  Did  you  have  any  talk  with  the  marshal  this  morning  1 

A.  No,  sir.  The  inspector  instructed  me  not  to  tell  anything  but  the 
plain  facts,  so  that  there  could  be  no  contradiction.  He  told  me  to  be 
very  careful  and  very  cautious,  and  to  tell  nothing  but  the  truth,  but  to 
take  my  time  and  deliberate  upon  it,  so  that  I  would  not  make  any  mis- 
take. 

7128.  Q.   Who  told  you  that  this  morning  I 
A.   Inspector  Walling. 

7129.  Q.  Did  you  have  any  talk  with  Mr.  Kennedy  today  I 
A.  No,  sir. 

7130.  Q.  Or  with  Marshal  Murray  ) 

A.  No,  sir.  He  called  me  in  this  morning,  and  told  me  to  sit  down  and 
wait,  as  the  inspector  would  be  down  very  soon.  1  sat  down  in  the  pub- 
lic room. 

7131.  Q.  How  long  have  you  been  known  by  the  name  of  Mullen! 
A.  1  never  had  any  other  name  that  I  know  of. 

7132.  Q.  How  many  times  have  you  been  convicted  of  criminal  offence? 
A.  I  have  been  convicted  twice  ;  that  is  all  I  recollect. 

7333.  Q.  No  more  than  twice  I 

A.  I  have  been  convicted  twice  for  assault  and  battery  and  twice  for 
petty  larceny. 

7134.  Q.  What  was  the  punishment  for  the  assault  and  battery ! 

A.  One  month  in  the  Tombs  the  first  time,  and  two  months  the  second 
time. 

7135.  Q.  When  were  you  convicted  first  of  larceny  ? 
A.  In  1866. 

7136.  Q.  What -did  you  steal  that  time? 

A.  I  did  not  steal  anything.  I  wa  i  a  city  messenger,  and  got  a  package; 
to  deliver  ;  I  lost  my  receipt-book,  and  got  intoxicated,  and  was  brought 
to  the  Tombs.  They  tried  me  seven  different  times  in  the  court,  and  each 
time  remanded  me.  I  told  the  judge  at  last  that  if  I  was  innocent  he 
should  discharge  me,  and  if  I  was  guilty  he  should  punish  me,  and  he! 
gave  me  six  months  in  the  penitentiary  for  my  impudence. 

7137.  Q.  What  did  you  steal  the  other  time  f 

A.  There  was  a  poor  girl  in  Hudson  street  living  a  life  of  prostitution, 
and  she  applied  to  me  to  get  her  clothes  from  the  washwoman  to  go  hoine.< 
When  I  went  for  them  the  washwoman  was  out ;  and  I  shoved  the  dodr 
in  and  took  the  girl's  clothes  and  went  and  pawned  them,  and  then 
started  with  my  wife  to  give  the  girl  the  $2  I  had  raised  in  the  pawn 
office.  It  was  for  stealing  these  clothes  I  was  convicted ;  it  was  the 
wrong  clothes  I  took.  My  wife  was  arrested  for  it,  and  I  went  up  and 
said  it  was  I  who  took  the  goods,  and  they  let  my  wife  go  and  held  on  to  me. 

7138.  Q.  You  were  convicted  of  larceny  at  that  time  ? 


ELECTION    FKAI/PS    IN    NEW    YORK.  047 

A.   Yes. 

7139.  You  were  tried  by  a  jury  ! 

A.  Yes. 

7140.  Q.  And  found  guilty  ! 
A.  Yes;  of  petty  larceny. 

7141.  Q.  What  was  your  sentence  \ 

A.  Six  months'  imprisonment,  and  8100  tine. 

7142.  Q.  Did  von  serve  out  your  six  months  ! 
A.  Yes. 

714.S.  Q.   How  long  have  yon  been  in  the  penitentiary  altogether  I 
A.  About  two  years. 

7144.  Q.  And  how  long  at  the  Tomb-  ! 
A.  I  suppose  about  three  months. 

7145.  Q.  Are  these  the  only  times  yon  have  been  arrested  I 
A.  The  only  times. 

7140.  Q.  You  have  been  engaged  in  a  good  many  such  things  ! 

A.  Xo.  sir:   I  have  always  borne  a  good  reputation. 

7147.  Q.  Yon  now  sustain  a  good  reputation  in  the  city  of  Xew  York  t 

A.  Yes.  sir:  and  1  hope  to  continue  so. 

714S.  Q.  Are  yon  moving  in  the  best  society  I 

A.  Xo.  sir. 

7149.  Q.  But  von  have  a  good  reputation  ? 
A.  Yes. 

7150.  Q.  An  unblemished  one  .' 
A.  Yes. 

7151.  Q.  Yon  did  not  think  there  was  anything  particularly  wrong 
about  registering  I 

A.  Yes;  1  knew  it  was  wrong,  but  my  intentions  were  good.  I  did 
not  intend  to  vote. 

7152.  Q.  Who  induced  you  to  go  into  registering  I 
A.  The  first  who  induced  me  was  Strip. 

7153.  Q.  Did  Strip  give  vou  anything  tor  it  \ 
A.  Xo.  sir. 

7154.  Q,   How  long  have  you  known  Strip! 
A.  Since  1  was  a  baby. 

7155.  Q.  You  and  Strip  are  old  cronies  ! 
A.  Yes. 

7156.  Q.  Was  Strip  ever  in  the  penitentiary  with  you  I 

A.  Xo.  sir.  He  was  always  an  honest,  hard-working  boy.  and  lie 
maintains  a  good  reputation. 

7157.  Q.  Had  he  ever  doue  anything  tor  vou  ? 
A.  Xo. 

7158.  Q.   How  came  you  to  be  accommodating  to  Strip  I 
A.  1  did  it  so  as  to  get  into  the  secrets  of  the  parties. 
7150.  Q.  Do  you  know  what  party  Strip  belongs  to  ! 

A.  Yes:  he  belongs  to  the  democratic  party. 

7100.  Q.  What  party  do  you  belong  to  ! 

A.  I  do  not  belong  to  any  that  I  know  of.  I  hardly  know  the  differ- 
ence between  a  democrat  and  a  republican. 

7161.  Q.  That  is  the  only  inducement  you  had  I 

A.  Dennis  Hogan  induced  me,  and  so  did  his  brother:  and  dames 
Dolan.  who  keeps  a  large  liquor  store  on  the  corner  of  Thompson  and 
Amity  streets,  came  with  me.  and  gave  me  a  name  and  number,  and 
took  me  to  the  place  and  had  me  registered  in  Amity  street.  Eighteen 
of  that  gang  were  all  registered.  James  Dolan  is  a  notorious  character 
and  a  professional  thief. 


648  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

7162.  Q.  Do  you  associate  with  men  of  that  character  \ 

A.  No,  sir. 

716,'$.  Q.  You  feel  above  that? 

A.  Yes. 

7164.  Q.  What  kind  of  a  thief  are  you? 

A.  I  am  no  thief.  I  never  stole  the  worth  of  that  paper  that  I  low 
of.  When  I  get  intoxicated  I  am  unconscious  of  what  I  am  doingj  an 
I  do  anything. 

7105.  Q.  A  man  who  only  steals  a  few  times  is  not  a  professional  thi( 
in  New  York  l 

A.  A  man  who  does  not  make  a  living  by  it  is  not  a  professional  thie 

7160.  Q.  Do  yon  really  think  that  anybody  should  pay  attention  t 
what  yon  Bay  I 

A.   I  give  my  affidavit  and  run  the  risk,  and  no  man  can  contradict  i1 

By  the  Chairman  : 
7107.  Q.   After  yon  had  been  registered  in  the  way  yon  have  stated 
von  saw  Superintendent  Kennedy  \ 
A.  Yes. 

7168.  Q.   How  did  yon  happen  to  see  him  after  yon  registered  "I 
A.  I  went  fust  to  the  5th  ward  station-house,  and  told  Captain  Petty 

how  these  parties  were  working.     He  told  me  to  wait  till  Detective  Fiel< 
would  come  in,  and   he  would  send  him  with  me.     J  waited  for  a  whol< 
day,  but  Field  did  not  come.     Then  I  went  to  the  3d  ward  station-hou 
and  notified  Captain  Ullmann.     He   told  me  I   had  better  start  up 
police  headquarters,  and  notify  Superintendent  Kennedy.     Then  I  wen 
to  police  headquarters.     1  started  down  to  Moore's  and  had  a  drink  there 
While  I  was  in  there,  Alderman  Moore,  brother  to  Patrick  Moore,  cam; 
running  in  and  said,  uSome  God  damned  son  of  a  bitch  has  been 
and  told  Captain  Ullmann  that  we  were  issuing  papers  by  the  hnnd 
to  all  who  came  along."    The  alderman  then  rushed  in  behind  the  to 
and  grabbed  hold  of  a  cigar  box  where  the  papers  were  kept.    I  was  sitting 
at  a  round  table  in  the  back  room,  where  I  suppose  there  were  over  206 
of  us.     He  upset  a  table  in  his  haste  to  get  up  stairs  with  these  natural 
ization  papers,  and  ran  up  stairs,  and  I  immediately  sneaked.    The 
alderman's  brother  said,  "If  I  knew  the  son  of  a  bitch  who  did  that  lie 
would  not  leave  the  ward  with  his  life."    I  knew  then  it  was  Captain 
Ullmann  who  gave  me  away.     I  went  up  to  accuse  him  to  his  face 
said  to  the  officers  there,  "  He  has  been  down  there  and  betrayed  the 
whole  secret,  and  1  am  going  up  to  police  headquarters  to  make  a  com-j 
plaint  against  him."    I  started  to  the  8th  ward  station-house,  but  I  could ; 
get  nobody  to  assist  me.     I  then  went  up  to  police  headquarters  and 
saw  Superintendent  Kennedy,  and  a  reporter  wrote  down  my  statement, ; 
and  I  swore  to  it. 

7169.  Q.  Then  you  had  no  communication  with  Superintendent  Ken- 
nedy until  after  the  registry"? 

A.  No,  sir. 

New  York,  January  14,  1869. 
John  H.  White  recalled. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

7170.  Question.  State  if  you  know  Larry  Farrell,  alias  Wm,  Pierce. 
Answer.  I  do. 

7171.  Q.  What  interviews  have  you  had  with  him  recently  \ 

A.  I  have  had  quite  a  number  of  interviews  with  him  within  the  last 
month ;  not  any,  however,  within  the  last  two  weeks.     He  called  upon 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  G49 

me  at  my  office,  first  in  company  with  a  young  man  named  West.  West 
I  had  known  some  few  weeks,  but  this  man,  Pierce  or  Farrell,  I  had  never 
known  previously  to  that  time.  He  desired  to  inform  me  that  lie  was 
privy  to  election  frauds ;  that  he  knew  of  parties  who  had  been  called 
u  repeaters  f  that  they  had  procured  their  tickets  and  their  names  at  a 
!  certain  headquarters;  and  he  wrent  on  and  gave  an  explanation  of  what 
flie  knew.  He  said  he  had  four  men  under  his  charge  who  were  repeaters, 
and  that  he  could  prove  by  them  that  they  procured  their  fictitious 
inames  from  Sheriff  O'Brien ;  that  he  was  present  when  O'Brien  gave  the 

i names  to  be  registered  upon  at  Jackson  Hall ;  that,  although  these  parties 
were  not  willing  voluntarily  to  be  witnesses,  still,  if  I  would  have  them 
arrested,  they  would,  using  his  own  term,  "  squeal,"  and  tell  all  about 
it.  I  told  him  I  would  take  the  matter  into  consideration.  I  think 
[he  called  upon  me  as  many  as  ten  times  after  that,  at  my  office,  at  my 
ihouse,  and  at  various  other  places,  wanting  to  make  the  arrangement, 
but  desiring  to  be  paid  a  certain  sum  of  money,  I  think  $150,  as  he  said, 
Ito  cover  his  time  and  expenses.  I  made  inquiries,  then,  into  the  char- 
acter of  the  man,  and  I  found  that  lie  was  a  disreputable  person,  and  had 
ja  bad  reputation,  and  I  told  the  gentlemen  who  were  acting  with  me  not  to 
have  anything  to  do  with  him,  and  I  dismissed  him  myself.  That  is, 
substantially,  all  that  transpired  with  this  man  Farrell.  He  stated  that 
'he  had  actually  expended  for  the  board  of  those  persons  some  $25  or 
130,  and  as  he  had  been  kept  in  abeyance  somewhat  by  my  own  action, 
I  thought  it  was  not  improper  that  he  should  be  reimbursed. 

7172.  Q.  You  have  testified  in  relation  to  an  alleged  interview  between 
you  and  Gilford  &  Darling,  on  the  sidewalk,  near  the  Union  League  club 
house,  in  this  city,  which  interview  is  alleged  by  them  to  have  taken 
place  two  weeks  ago  last  Tuesday  night.  State  where  you  were  that 
night  at  the  time  of  the  alleged  interview. 

A.  Two  weeks  ago  last  Tuesday,  in  the  afternoon,  I  had  a  meeting  of 
New  York  merchants,  creditors  of  a  party,  avIio  met  respecting  a  failure. 
[  should  think  there  were  at  least  40  gentlemen  present  at  3  o'clock  in 
:he  afternoon.  The  interview  continued  until  it  was  so  dark  that  they 
idjourned  in  consequence  of  the  darkness.  It  was  held  at  my  office,  169 
Broadway,  corner  of  Cortlandt  street.  After  the  meeting  had  substan- 
ially  adjourned,  two  or  three  of  the  party  remained  talkingover  the  events 
)f  the  afternoon,  and  it  was  not  until  near  8  o'clock  that  1  left  my  office  to 
£0  up  town  to  my  home.  I  think  that  about  one-quarter  before  8  o'clock  I 
ook  a  Sixth  avenue  car  at  the  Astor  House,  and  went  to  my  house,  32 
*Vest  Thirty-fifth  street.  I  reached  there,  I  should  think,  about  20  minutes 
)ast  8  o'clock,  and  did  not  leave  my  house  that  night.  I  have  not  been  at 
he  Union  League  club  rooms  but  twice  since  Christmas.  A  week  ago 
ast  Tuesday  evening,  about  7  J  or  8  o'clock,  I  went  to  the  Union  League 
lub  rooms  from  the  direction  of  Fifth  avenue,  crossing  along  the  Park 
ind  Madison  avenue.     As  I  got  about  midway  across  Madison  avenue 

overtook  Sheriff  O'Brien  and  bid  him  good  evening,  and  he  returned 
he  salutation.  We  passed  on  to  the  front  of  the  Union  League 
ntrance,  on  Twenty-sixth  street.  I  said,  "  Well,  sheriff,  you  had  better 
ome  in  here,  and  we  will  make  a  good  republican  of  you."  He  remarked 
hat  it  was  too  late.  I  said  to  him  in  badinage,  "  You  had  better  come 
n."  He  said  he  guessed  not  to-night.  We  bid  each  other  good  night, 
nd  he  passed  on,  and  I  went  to  the  club.  I  have  not  been  there  since 
hat  time.  He  was  the  only  man  whom  I  ever  met  outside  of  the  club- 
ooms,  to  my  knowledge. 

7173.  Q.  What  disposition  is  made,  by  law  and  usage,  of  the  registry 
ooks  after  they  are  made  out  ? 


650  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

A.  During  the  time  that  the  registration  is  taking  place  each  registra 
keeps  his  own  book  ;  and  an  extra  copy,  if  the  law  be  strictly  carrie 
out,  should  be  made  for  the  purpose  of  being  hung  up  in  the  room  f< 
public  inspection.  The  registrars  keep  their  books,  and,  on  electio 
day,  use  them — becoming  then  inspectors.  Then  there  is  a  poU-lis 
made  out  with  the  names  of  the  voters  taken  down  on  another  boo 
by  the  poll  clerk;  and  these  books  are  given,  one  copy  to  the  metropo 
itan  poliee,  and  another  copy  filed  with  the  county  clerk,  or  with  th 
board  of  supervisors — depending  upon  whether  the  office  for  which  th 
election  was  held  is  a  city  or  a  county  Office. 

7174.  Q.  Then  certain  of  the  copies  are  kept  by  the  registrars  then, 
selves  I 

A.   Yes,  sir. 

7175.  Q.  Do  they  permit  persons  to  see  theni  I 
A.  The  whole  object  is  that  they  may  be  examined  by  any  one.  tha 

all  citizens  nmy  have  access  to  them  to  see  what  names  are  registered 
and  to  verify  the  correctness  of  it  if  they  desire  to  do  SO. 

By  Mr.  Ross: 

7170.  Q.  Does  the  law  require  any  of  these  registry  books  to  be  depos 
ited  at  the  Union  League  headquarters  1 
A.  No,  sir. 

7177.  Q.   By  what  authority  are  they  deposited  there? 

A.  The  registry  books  were  not  there.  We  had  books  there  whicl 
we  had  made  up  ourselves.     I  had  charge  of  that  matter. 

7178.  Q.  What  time  did  you  have  the  meeting  when  the  hackmai 
took  a  load  of  books  to  the  Union  League  headquarters  for  inspectio 
and  examination? 

A.  There  never  were  any  registry  books  examined  there. 

7179.  Q.  What  connection  have  you  had  with  the  republican  party 
during  the  past  year  in  an  official  capacity"? 

A.  I  hold  no  official  position ;  I  have  been  a  member  of  what  we  ca 
the  republican  general  committee. 

7180.  Q.  Have  you  been  in  the  employment  of  the  party  f 
A.  No,  sir ;  any  more  than  other  citizens. 

7181.  Q.  Have  you  been  acting  as  attorney  for  it  I 
A.  No,  sir. 

7182.  Q.  Have  you  got  any  pay  from  it  ? 
A.  Not  a  dollar. 

7183.  Q.  State  if  you  did  not  try  to  get  Farrell  to  trump  up  testimony 
A.  No,  sir ;  any  statement  of  that  kind  is  utterly  false.     He  propose 

to  furnish  testimony  and  I  would  not  have  it. 

7184.  Q.  Have  you  not  been  engaged  in  sending  those  thieves  an 
pickpockets  over  to  Jersey  City  to  manufacture  testimony  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

7185.  Q.  Do  you  know  who  has  done  it  f 
A.  No,  sir  j  I  have  had  nothing  whatever,  directly  or  indirectly,  to  d 

with  it. 

7186.  Q.  Do  you  know  that  Col.  Wood  has  been  doing  it ! 
A.  I  do  not  know  Colonel  Wood. 

7187.  Q.  Do  you  know  this  man  Dan  Noble  to  whom  Wood  tel< 
graphed  to  come  to  Elmira  and  help  hunt  up  this  case  ? 

A.  I  know  Dan  Noble  by  reputation. 

7188.  Q.  What  is  his  reputation  ! 
A.  I  think  it  is  bad. 

7189.  Q.  Is  he  a  suitable  man  for  the  republican  party  to  call  to  i1 
aid  I 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  651 

A.  He  is  known  as  a  very  strong  democrat  in  his  operations  here. 

7190.  Q.  Do  yon  know  of  his  having  been  sent  for  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

7191.  Q.  Was  it  with  your  advice  or  consent  ? 
A.  No,  sir ;  I  never  heard  he  was  sent  for. 

7192.  Q.  Bo  you  know  that  there  has  been  a  string  of  thieves  and 
cut-throats  in  here  f 

A.  I  understand  that  there  have  been  some  of  those  u  repeaters"  exam- 
ined. 

7193.  Q.  Do  vou  not  know  that  they  are  thieves  and  pickpockets  gener- 
ally? 

A.  I  do  not  know  them  per  son  ally ;  I  know  that  generally  men  who 
will  perpetrate  frauds  on  the  elective  franchise  may  not  be  regarded  as 
very  honorable  men. 

7194.  Q.  You  are  at  the  head  of  the  republican  party  in  this  city  ? 
A.  No,  sir ;  I  have  not  any  such  honor. 

7195.  Q.  How  many  attorneys  has  the  party  got  employed  to  work  up 
this  case  % 

A.  All  who  have  been  employed  I  employed  myself. 

7196.  Q.  Who  are  they! 

A.  I  employed  Mr.  John  A.  Foster  and  Mr.  Samuel  J.  Glassey. 

7197.  Q.  As  attorneys  for  the  Union  League  ? 

A.  No,  sir  ;  to  assist  me  in  this  matter ;  I  had  not  the  time. 

7198.  Q.  You  feel  yourself  responsible  for  the  prosecution  of  this  mat- 
ter before  the  committee  ? 

A.  No,  sir  ;  I  have  had  very  little  to  do  with  it. 

7199.  Q.  You  hired  these  men  because  you  had  not  time  to  attend  to 
it  yourself? 

A.  I  selected  these  gentlemen  because  1  had  not  time  to  give  the  mat- 
ter my  personal  attention. 

7200.  Q.  And  they  are  acting  as  attorneys  f 
A.  They  are  assistants,  anyway. 

7201.  Q.  In  whose  employment  are  they  1 
A.  I  employed  them. 

7202.  Q.  For  whom  % 

A.  I  employed  them  because  I  was  authorized  by  the  committee  that 
J  was  appointed  to  investigate  these  naturalization  frauds.  The  commit- 
I  tee  consists  of  William  E.  Dodge,  Moses  H.  Grinnell,  John  Jay,  Horace 

Greeley,  Isaac  H.  Bailey,  Marshall  O.  Roberts,  Legrand  Cannon,  Isaac 

Sherman,  and  myself. 

7203.  Q.  For  what  salary  are  these  attorneys  working  % 

A.  They  are  not  under  any  salary  at  all;  it  is  a  matter  entirely  for 
future  consideration. 

7204.  Q.  Was  it  a  part  of  the  duties  of  these  men  when  you  employed 
them  that  they  should  testify  as  well  as  work  ! 

A.  No,  sir;  it  was  not  their  duty  to  testify  unless  they  had  some  infor- 
mation to  communicate  ;  unless  it  was  necessary  and  became  their  duty. 

7205.  Q.  It  was  not  a  part  of  their  duty  that  they  should  be  witnesses 
as  well  as  lawyers  % 

A.  Not  unless  they  had  information  which  they  thought  would  be  im- 
portant. I  selected  these  men  because  they  have  as  high  a  reputation,, 
as  young  men,  as  any  in  the  city  and  county  of  New  York. 

7206.  Q.  Is  not  that  generally  the  case  with  members  of  the  republi- 
can party  ? 

A.  I  think  they  compare  favorably  with  members  of  the  democratic 
party,  as  a  general  thing. 


652  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK 

New  York,  January  14,  18G9. 
Adam  Gillespie  recalled. 

To  the  Chairman  : 
7207.  I  now  produce,  as  directed  by  the  committee,  a  statement  oi 
the  number  of  persons  naturalised  in  the  superior  court  of  the  city  oi 
New  York,  from  1856  to  1868  inclusive.     It  is  as  follows: 

Year.  Number. 

1856 6,014 

L857 2,134 

1858 1.SS7 

1859 2,090 

I860 5,414 

18G1 968 

L862 903 


Year.  Number 

L863 871 

1864 G,54C 

1865 3,274' 

L866 G,55g; 

1867 10,814| 

1808 27,897] 

JOSEPH  MEEKS, 

Deputy  Clerk  Superior  Court 


New  York,  January  14.  1869. 
John  JJ.  Brady  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  Chairman: 
7207J.  Question.   What  oflfice  do  you  hold  in  this  city  \ 
Answer.  Judge  of  the  court  of  common  pleas. 

7208.  Q.  How  long  have  you  held  that  position  \ 

A.  For  13  or  14  years:   I  think  1  was  elected  in  1866. 

7209.  Q.  What  has  been  the  mode  of  naturalization  in  your  court? 
A.  The  process  has  been  to  liave  parties  appear  before  the  judge  in 

open  court.  He  examines  the  witness,  and  sometimes  the  applicant; 
sometimes  more  than  one  witness,  as  the  case  may  be;  of  course,  it 
varies  in  different  cases. 

7210.  Q.  Is  the  examination  oral! 

A.  The  examination  is  always  oral.  The  witness  is  asked  from  the 
bench  the  necessary  questions;  to  see  that  he  understands  the  oath 
that  he  is  to  take,  and  that  he  has  the  necessary  information  or  know- 
ledge to  justify  him  in  taking  the  oath.  Sometimes,  when  I  have  enter- 
tained a  doubt  about  the  age,  as  stated  by  the  party,  I  have  had  the! 
party  inspected  by  bystanders,  and  have  asked  them  to  give  their  opin- 
ion upon  the  subject.  Sometimes  I  have  held  cases  for  reflection  for 
half  an  hour,  or  an  hour,  or  an  hour  and  a  half. 

7211.  Q.  What  is  the  practice  as  to  requiring  evidence  of  the  identity 
of  persons  applying  to  be  naturalized? 

A.  Nothing  more  than  the  question  to  the  witness:  aDo  you  know 
this  to  be  the  person  f 

7212.  Q.  What  has  been  your  practice  as  to  naturalizing  persons  in 
gangs  or  batches — more  persons  than  one  at  a  time? 

A.  I  never  did  it ;  I  never  knew  it  to  be  done  in  the  court  of  common 
pleas. 

7213.  Q.  Can  more  than  one  person  be  naturalized  at  the  same  time, 
so  as  to  comply  with  the  requirements  of  the  law? 

A.  In  my  opinion,  decidedly  not. 

7214.  Q.  What  length  of  time  will  it  require,  fairly  and  properly,  to 
naturalize  an  applicant? 

A.  The  time  employed  depends  very  much  upon  the  intelligence  of 
the  witness.     Sometimes  it  has  been  done  in  from  three  to  five  minutes; 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  653 

sometimes  it  will  take  more,  because  it  involves  the  examination  of  the 
applicant  and  the  witness,  and  perhaps  a  re- examination  of  them,  to  see 
if  the  two  stories  are  harmonious.  It  might  be  done,  in  some  cases,  in 
two  minutes,  if  the  witness  is  intelligent.  I  should  say  it  might  be 
done,  on  the  average,  in  from  three  to  live  minutes;  I  can  probably  run 
through  the  process  by  my  watch  and  give  you  an  idea  of  it.  (After  a 
calculation  by  his  watch.)  I  should  think  from  three  to  five  minutes; 
[  cannot  give  a  closer  estimate:  it  might  exceed  that;  it  depends  so 
much  upon  the  intelligence  of  the  parties.  This  is  in  the  naturalizing 
of  the  persons  who  have  come  here  under  the  age  of  18  years.  In  refer- 
ence to  applicants  whose  application  is  founded  upon  declaration  of 
intention,  it  takes  a  little  loss  time,  but  it  also  depends  very  much  upon 
the  intelligence  of  the  witness.  Sometimes  the  answers  of  the  witness 
arc  not  satisfactory,  or  the  answers  of  the  party  are  in  conflict  with 
those  of  the  witness,  and  sometimes  it  involves  an  examination  and 
re-examination  of  both  the  Avitness  and  the  party,  to  satisfy  the  court 
that  the  application  is  proper.  As  to  the  class  of  soldier  applications, 
I  should  say  it  occupies  about  the  same  time  on  the  average.  Some- 
times they  present  a  certificate  of  a  counsel,  declaring  that  the  papers 
have  been  sent  to  Washington,  in  order  to  procure  the  man  a  pension.  I 
think  the  average  would  be  from  three  to  live  minutes.    ■ 

By  Mr.  Koss: 

7215.  Q.  How  many  questions  do  you  usually  have  to  ask  a  witness 
tor  naturalizing.' 

A.  I  ask  him  sometimes-:  "What  is  your  name  I  Are  you  a  citizen  of 
the  United  States.'**  (this  I  do  not  do  in  all  cases.)  --How  long  have 
you  been  in  the  country?  How  long  have  you  known  the  applicant? 
Do  you  know  him  to  be  so  and  so?  How  long  has  he  resided  in  the 
United  States  ?"  The  Avitness  may  give  an  answer  that  may  lead  to 
these  questions:  "Where  has  the  applicant  resided  for  the  last  year? 
How  do  you*  know  that  ?" 

7210.  Q.  Upon  an  average,  how  many  questions  do  you  ask  ? 

A.  I  should  think  about  six  questions. 

7217.  Q.  How  many  answers  would  that  involve  ? 
A.  Certainly  six  answers. 

7218.  Q.  Computing  by  seconds,  how  long  do  you  think  it  would  take 
to  ask  a  question  ? 

A.  (After  computing  by  his  watch.)     About  four  or  live  seconds. 

7219.  Q.  And  it  would  take  about  the  same  length  of  time  to  answer. 
A.  If  the  answer  is  direct,  it  may  be  answered  in  the  same  time;  but 

hat  rarely  occurs. 

7220.  Q.  According  to  your  computation,  then,  it  would  take  18 
seconds  to  ask  six  questions  and  to  have  them  answered? 

A.  Oh,  no;  I  say  it  would  take  about  four  seconds,  according  to  my 
vatch,  to  ask  one  question;  and  I  say  that,  if  the  question  is  answered 
lirectly.  it  can  be  answered  in  the  same  time ;  but  that  is  rarely  the 
*ase.  Sometimes  questions  have  to  be  repeated,  and  sometimes  addi- 
ional  questions  have  to  be  asked  in  reference  to  the  same  subject- 
natter. 

7221.  Q.  If  you  have  a  reasonably  intelligent  class  of  witnesses  and 
ipplicants,  and  if  the  business  is  pressing,  and  you  are  very  desirous  of 
naturalizing  people  as  rapidly  as  you  can,  how  long  do  you  think  it 
vould  take  you  to  naturalize  a  man  and  do  it  fairly  ? 

A.  If  you  should  come  in  to  me,  and  I  should  ask  you  the  same  ques- 
ions,  1  suppose  I  might  naturalize  you  in  a  minute. 

7222.  (}.  <«>uld  you  not  do  it  in  half  a  minute? 


654  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

A.  Yes,  I  could,  under  those  circumstances ;  and  I  suppose  I  havi 
naturalized  persons  in  half  a  minute.  I  have  had  sometimes  a  lawyer 
whom  I  knew  to  be  a  gentleman,  come  in  with  his  paper  signed,  contain 
ing  the  necessary  statement  to  justify  naturalization,  and  I  have  simph 
said  to  the  witness:  "Ton  know  this  gentleman  ?  Yon  have  read  thit 
affidavit!  It  is  correct  T  and  I  would  order  the  oath  to  be  administered 
It  could  be  done  in  half  a  minute  and  be  done  properly. 

7223.  Q.  Yon  think  that  when  a  judge  desires  to  do  it  as  rapidly  as 
he  can,  and  1ms  intelligent  witnesses,  he  may  get  them  through  as  fast 
as  two  a  minute  I 

A.  I  would  not  like  to  say  that;  I  should  say  one  in  a  minute. 

7224.  Q.  It  is  not  necessary  to  delay  the  court  to  swear  the  witnesses 
after  they  have  been  examined? 

A.  No,  sir;  that  is  done  by  the  clerk.  It  would  not  create  any  dela.y 
whatever. 

7225.  Q.  The  parties  can  then  pass  right  on  and  others  come  ml 

A.  Yes;  they  are  naturalized  sometimes  in  this  way  :  The  applicant 
and  the  witness  are  before  the  court,  the  applicant  standing  a  little  hack, 
and  the  witness  being  examined  by  the  judge,  and  there  is  another  per 
son  waiting  to  take  his  place  the  instant  the  order  is  signed  directing 
him  to  be  made  a  citizen  of  the  United  States.  The  other  person  is  then; 
called  to  take  his  place,  and  so  the  examination  goes  on  from  one  to1 
another. 

722(1.  Q.  What  would  be  the  objection  to  swearing  half  a  dozen  appli  j 
cants  and  half  a  dozen  witnesses  together,  provided  they  are  examined 
separately? 

A.  I  cannot  see  any  objection  to  that. 

7227.  Q.  The  oath  is  the  same  to  all :  "  you  shall  true  answers  make 
to  such  questions  as  may  be  demanded  of  yon  P 

A.  Oh,  yes;  fifty  might  be  sworn  at  a  time,  if  they  could  put  their 
hands  on  the  book. 

7228.  Q.  And  it  would  be  a  legal,  good  swearing? 

A.  Oh,  yes,  certainly  ;  I  do  not  think  it  is  the  best  practice,  but  such 
a  thing  might  be  done,  and  done  lawfully;  if  it  is  done  in  such  a  way  as 
that  each  person  understands  the  oath  that  is  taken,  I  do  not  see  any, 
illegality  in  it. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

7229.  Q.  In  your  estimate  of  time  for  naturalizing,  do  you  include 
the  time  occupied  by  administering  the  final  oath  of  allegiance? 

A.  No,  sir. 

7230.  Q.  In  naturalizing  a  person  who  came  to  the  United  State? 
under  18  years  of  age,  state  if  the  applicant  is  also  sworn  to  certain 
facts  in  addition  to  the  witness. 

A.  Yes,  sir  ;  the  applicant  makes  oath  that  he  has  arrived  at  the  age 
of  21  years ;  that  he  has  been  in  the  country  live  years ;  and  that  for 
three  years  he  has  had  the  bona  fide  intention  to  become  a  citizen  of  the 
United  States,  and  has  resided  in  the  State  for  one  year. 

7231.  Q.  He  is  examined  orally  as  to  these  facts  ? 

A.  Yes  ;  except  as  to  his  intention  to  become  a  citizen  of  the  United 
States ;  that  I  have  rarely  examined  about. 
By  Mr.  Ross : 

7232.  Q.  Are  not  the  questions  to  the  witness  these :  "  Do  you  know 
this  man ;  howT  long,  have  you  known  him ;  do  you  know  that  he  has 
expressed  his  intention  to  become  a  citizen  of  the  United  States?" 

A.  I  very  rarely  ask  the  latter  question  ;  nor  do  we  ask,  as  a  general 
thing,  about  his  moral  character. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  655 

New  York,  January  14,  18G9. 
William  Ward  recalled. 
By  Mr.  Ross : 

7233.  Question.  State  if  you  made  an  examination  at  34  Gouverneur 
street  for  John  Heath. 

Answer.  Yes ;  I  went  there  and  inquired  in  the  liquor  store.  They  did 
iiiot  know  him,  and  they  referred  me  upstairs.  I  went  upstairs  and  found 
that  there  were  four  families  living  in  the  house ;  I  went  all  through 
and  inquired  of  all  of  them ;  none  of  them  knew  such  a  man. 

7234.  Q.  Have  you  been  observing  the  witnesses  here,  who  testified 
about  repeating,  as  they  went  in  and  out? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

723.").  Q.  State  what  you  know  in  regard  to  their  character  and  stand- 
ing. 

A.  lam  not  personally  acquainted  with  any  of  them;  but  on  Mon- 
day afternoon,  at  5 J  o'clock,  I  saw  the  sergeant-at-arms  of  this  com- 
mittee go  to  the  marshal's  room  and  fetch  two  young  men  down  here. 
Two  policemen  stood  at  the  door,  and,  as  the  witnesses  passed  them, 
they  hung  their  heads  down. 

7236.  Q.  Do  you  know  anything  about  our  sergeant-at-arms  having 
kept  those  men  upstairs  % 

A.  I  have  seen  him  fetch  witnesses  from  the  marshal's  office  here. 

7237.  Q.  State  whether  he  has  or  has  not  been  keeping  the  witnesses 
who  were  summoned  here  by  the  majority  of  the  committee,  in  Marshal 

ay's  office. 

Yes,  sir ;  there  have  been  men  kept  there  every  day. 
.  Q.  By  our  sergeant-at-arms,  Mr.  Le  Barnes  h 
I  do  not  know  who  put  them  there  ;  but  I  have  seen  him  take 
them  out. 

New  York,  January  14,  1869. 
M.  Eichard  Leverson  recalled. 

By  the  Chairman  : 
7239.  Question.  When  did  you  come  to  the  United  States? 
Answer.  In  January,  1807. 

7210.  Q.  Are  you  acquainted  with  W.  R.  Wr.  Chambers  ! 

A.  I  never  heard  the  name,  and  have  no  idea  of  the  person. 

7211.  Q.  State  wiiether  you  had  any  interview  or  business  with  him 
in  the  office  of  the  city  inspector's  department. 

A.  I  never  heard  of  the  city  inspector's  department  till  this  day. 

7212.  Q.  Did  you  have  any  business  in  the  city  inspector's  department! 
A.  Never. 

By  Mr.  Ross : 

7213.  Q.  You  have  been  a  practicing  lawyer  here  a  good  while  ? 
A.  No,  sir;    I  was  only  admitted  to  the  United  States  bar  in  the 

nonth  of  May  last. 
7211.  Q.  Since  that  time  you  have  been  practicing  lawyer  for  the 
nion  League  ? 

A.  No,  sir.     I  have  had  a  little  business  in  the  United  States  court, 
had  no  business  of  importance  until  I  was  retained  by  the  citizens' 
ommittee  of  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel.     I  have  had  no  business  at  all 
or  the  Union  League, 


IT 


f)56  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

New  York,  January  14,  1869. 
John  Norton,  Jr.,  Victor   Bishop,  and  M.  J.  Newmark,  were 
severally  sworn,  and  testified  to  the  faet  that  the  last  witness,  M.  Rich- 
ard Leverson,  did  not  come  to  this  country  till  January,  1<S(J7. 

New  York,  January  14,  1869. 
William  Davison  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

7245.  Question.  Where  do  you  reside  I 

Answer.  No.  187  Spring  street. 

7240.  Q.  State  what  was  said  to  you  last  evening  about  testifying 
before  this  committee. 

A.  1  went  down  last  evening  to  get  something  to  eat  in  a  basement 
in  Thompson  street,  between  Spring  and  Prince.  There  came  down 
there  a  party  of  about  six.  One  of  them  was  Charles  McCarthy,  and 
another  Pete  Loftus.  One  of  them  came  to  me,  and  said  he:  "Scotty, 
do  you  want  to  make  five  dollars?"  (That  is  a  kind  of  name  that  1  am 
known  by  among  them.)  Said  I:  "What  with  V7  Said  he:  "Go  before 
the  committee  to-morrow,  and  I  will  get  live  dollars  into  your  hand." 
Said  1:  "What  have  1  got  to  say  V  Said  he:  "All  you  have  got  to  do 
is  to  go  before  the  committee  and  tell  them  how  many  times  you  repeated 
last  election  for  the  republican  party,  that  you  voted  five  or  six  times 
lor  Grant,  and  that  you  got  five  dollars  each  time;  that  is  all  you  have 
got  to  do."  1  said  I  could  not  say  that.  McCarthy,  I  believe,  was  here 
yesterday  afternoon,  and  so  was  Pete  Loftus.  and  1  believe  they  got 
rive  dollars  apiece. 

7247.  Q.  Did  they  tell  you  that  I 

A.  Yes,  sir.  They  got  rive  dollars  apiece.  They  said  it  was  a  gift, 
in  their  strange  way  of  talking. 

7248.  Q.  Did  they  tell  you  what  they  testified  to? 
A.  They  testified  to  the  same  thing. 

7249.  Q.  Did  they  say  whether  what  they  had  told  was  true  or  not  t 
A.  They  did  not,  on  account  of  my  not  wishing  to  interfere  with  them. 

7250.  Q.  Has  Pete  Loftus  any  other  name  ? 

A.  That  is  the  only  name  1  know  him  by.  I  believe  he  had  got  down 
Alfred. 

7251.  Q.  Has  Charles  McCarthy  any  other  name  ? 
A.  Not  that  1  know  of. 

7252.  Q.  What  are  these  men  called? 

A.  They  have  nicknames ;  one  of  them  is  Skid,  and  another  is  Slips. 
They  have  a  good  many  nicknames.  We  never  think  of  hearing  right 
names  anywhere. 

7253.  Q.  Has  McCarthy  got  a  nickname  ? 
A.  Not  that  I  know  of. 

7254.  Q.  What  is  the  character  of  these  men  ? 

A.  When  they  get  any  work,  they  work  ;  I  know  them  to  run  around 
from  one  night  to  the  other,  loafing  here  and  there. 

By  Mr.  ROSS: 

7255.  Q.  How  many  names  have  you  got'? 
A.  They  call  me  Scotty. 

7256.  Q.  Are  you  known  as  well  by  the  name  of  Scotty  as  by  that  of 
Davison  ? 

A.  Among  a  kind  of  a  class  of  people. 

7257.  Q.  Do  those  whom  you  associate  with  call  you  Scotty? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IX  NEW  YORK  657 

7258.  Q.  Is  that  the  only  other  name  you  have  J 
,.    A.  That  is  all. 

7259.  Q.  What  is  your  business  ? 

A.  I  am  a  boatman,  and  I  sometimes  go  to  sea. 
7200.  Q.  How  long  have  you  lived  in  this  city  ! 
A.  I  eame  here  about  three  years  ago. 

7261.  Q.  How  long  is  it  since  you  went  to  sea  ? 
A.  I  quit  going  to  sea  two  years  ago. 

7262.  Q.  What  have  you  been  doing  since  ! 
\   A.  I  had  the  chills  and  fever  last  summer. 

7263.  Q.  Is  that  all  you  have  been  doing  I 

A.  I  have  been  attending  bar  once  in  awhile  in  the  4th  ward  for  Ed. 
Flynn.  He  keeps  a  sailors'  boarding-house.  I  attended  bar  for  him 
about  18  months. 

7204.  Q.  What  wages  did  you  get  ? 

A.  I  got  my  board  and  clothes. 

7265.  Q.  How  many  times  have  you  been  convicted  ! 

A.  Never  in  my  life ;  I  am  certain  of  that.  I  do  not  gamble  any.  I 
Lave  got  a  wife,  but  no  children.  She  lives  Avith  me  at  187  Spring  street. 
We  keep  house  there. 

7266.  Q.  You  do  not  know  anything  against  McCarthy  or  Loft  us  S 
A.  No,  sir. 

72G7.  Q.  They  are  men  of  good  character,  so  far  as  you  know  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 
I  72G8.  Q.  Of  good  reputation  for  truth  and  veracity  I 
!  A.  Yes,  so  far  as  I  hear. 

I  7269.  Q.  From  their  reputation,  would  you  believe  them  under  oath  ? 
I  A.  I  cannot  say.     All  that  I  know  of  them  is  that  they  run  around  at 
bight,  and  people  give  them  a  pretty  bad  name. 
I  7270.  Q.  Do  yon  run  around  with  them  ? 

A.  I  do  not. 

7271.  Q.  Who  brought  you  in  here  to  impeach  these  witnesses  ? 

1  A.  I  came  myself.     I  told  a  friend  who  got  licked  the  other  night,  and 
e  told  me  to  come  up  here. 

7272.  Q.  State  whether  you  do  not  make  your  living  by  stealing. 
A.  I  do  not. 

7273.  Q.  Would  you  be  willing  that  the  police  should  see  you  and  say. 
ii ether  you  are  a  thief  or  not  ? 

I  A.  Yes,  sir. 

New  York,  January  14,  1869. 
j  George  F.  Hall  am,  (called  by  Mr.  Boss,)  was  sworn,  and  testified 
lat  he  had  made  inquiries  for  J.  J.  Mullen  at  67  Grand  street,  and  that 
o  such  person  lived  there. 

In  answer  to  a  question  by  the  Chalr,  witness  said  that  he  was  a  mes- 
?nger  in  Judge  McOunn's  court. 

New  York,  January  14,  1869. 
Terence  Foley  was  sworn,  and  testified  that  he  inquired  at  157 
aurens  street  for  Michael  Edwards  and  for  George  Thompson,  and  that 
either  of  those  persons  lived  there. 

In  reply  to  a  question  by  Mr.  Boss,  witness  stated  that  Colonel  Wood 
ad  sent  him  up  there. 

New  York,  January  14,  1869. 
Wm.  H.  Bogart  was  recalled  and  testified  that  he  had  taken  sub- 
enas  to  serve  upon  Cornelius  Dougherty,  87  Mercer  street,  and  James 
42  t 


G58  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

Allen,  G59  Hudson  street,  and  that  no  such  persons  lived  at  either  of 
those  places. 

Id  answer  to  a  question  by  Mr.  Ross,  witness  stated  that  he  was  in 
employment  of  the  Union  League  committee,  as  writer  and  messenger. 

New  York,  January  14,  1869. 

P.  F.  Tupper  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

7274.  Question.  What  is  your  occupation1? 

Answer.  I  am  a  stenographer. 

727.").  Q.  state  if  you  took  down  the  statements  of  persons  who  appeared 
recently  at  Taylor's  Hotel,  Jersey  City,  and  if  so,  what  precaution  you 
used  to  have  the  statements  made  truly. 

A.  I  did  take  down  most  of  those  statements.  As  to  the  precaution 
that  was  used,  that  was  a  matter  for  Colonel  Wood  more  than  for  me. 
I  know  that  Colonel  Wood  said  to  several  of  them  in  my  hearing  that 
he  wished  them  to  tell  nothing  but  the  truth.  He  said  furthermore,  that 
he  did  not  wish  any  bribing;  but  that,  of  course,  he  would  pay  those  men 
for  the  time  they  lost  in  attending  to  this  matter.  I  took  the  statements 
of  58  or  59  persons  as  to  repeating.  I  think  there  were  about  15  state- 
ments taken  besides.  Those  statements  were  all  taken  between  a  week 
ago  Monday  and  to-day. 

To  Mr.  Ross: 

I  am  engaged  in  the  office  of  Warburton,  Bonynge  &  Devine,  sten- 
ographers. They  do  business  at  39  Park  Row.  Mr.  Warburton  brought 
me  over  to  the  marshal's  office  and  introduced  me  to  Colonel  Wood.  I 
was  not  told  at  the  time  what  the  business  was,  only  that  it  was  a  mat- 
ter to  be  kept  secret.  Colonel  Wood  told  me  that.  I  do  not  know 
whether  that  was  in  the  presence  of  Marshal  Murray.  1  think  Mr.  War- 
burton told  me  the  same  thing  before  going  into  the  marshal's  office. 
Colonel  Wood  was  in  the  marshal's  office  when  I  went  there  with  Mr. 
Warburton.  Wood  and  Murray  were  talking  together.  Nothing  what- 
ever was  said  about  this  matter.  Mr.  Warburton  simply  introduced  me 
as  a  stenographer  who  would  do  the  work  that  was  to  be  done.  There 
was  nothing  whatever  said  about  the  work  they  wanted  done. 

7270.  Q.  Why  did  they  say  they  wanted  it  kept  secret? 

A.  Colonel  Wood  did  not  give  me  any  reason  for  it.  He  told  me  that 
before  he  told  me  what  the  business  was. 

7277.  Q.  Did  he  not  tell  you  afterwards  that  he  wanted  it  kept  secret? 
A.  I  think  he  repeated  his  instructions  afterwards. 

7278.  Q.  Was  Colonel  Wood  over  at  Taylor's  Hotel  when  you  took 
those  statements? 

A.  He  was,  part  of  the  time.  I  think  he  was  in  the  room  when  I  was 
taking  the  first  five  or  six  statements,  and  occasionally  after  that  he 
Avould  come  in  when  I  was  taking  the  statements  of  other  witnesses. 

7279.  Q.  What  part  did  he  take  in  the  matter? 

A.  At  first  he  put  the  questions  to  the  witnesses, in  order  to  get  their 
statements  in  the  shape  in  which  he  wanted  them,  and  after  I  got  familiar 
with  the  mode  of  putting  the  questions  he  directed  me  to  put  them. 

7280.  Q.  How  did  you  manage  to  get  witnesses  before  you? 
A.  I  had  nothing  to  do  with  that. 

7281.  Q.  Did  you  pay  the  witnesses? 

A.  I  had  nothing  to  do  with  anything  of  that  kind. 

7282.  Q.  Do  you  know  who  did  pay  them? 

A.  I  do  not  know  that  they  were  paid.    Colonel  Wood  said  in  my 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW   YORK.  659 

•  presence  once  or  twice  that  lie  would  pay  them  for  their  time,  but  that 
he  <lid  not  wish  any  bribery.     He  was  very  particular  about  that. 
7283.  Q.  Do  you  know  how  they  were  paid  and  who  paid  them  I 
A.  I  know  nothiug  further  than  what  I  have  stated  about  that. 
7i>s4.  Q.  Did  Colonel  Wood  tell  you  who  was  to  act  as  paymaster  ! 
A.  No,  sir. 

7285.  Q.  What  was  the  class  of  witnesses  you  had  before  you! 
A.  I  can  give  you  my  opinion  about  it. 

The  Chairman.  You  need  not  state  your  opinion. 
By  Mr.  Eoss : 

7286.  Q.  State  the  character   of  the  witnesses,  from   their   appear- 
ance, as  they  appeared  before  you  to  give  their  statements. 

(Objected  to.  and  objection  sustained. 

7287.  Q.  What  was  the  appearance  of  the  men  before  you. 
A.  Some  of  them  were  rough -looking  men  :  others  appeared  pretty 

respectable — one  or  two  in  particular. 

71*88.  Q.  Were  any  of  them  under  the  influence  of  liquor? 

A.  That  is  a  question  I  lind  it  difficult  to  answer.     I  do  not  think 
that  any  men  whose  statements  I  took  were  intoxicated. 

7289.  Q.  Did  you  swear  them ! 

A.  X<>.  sir  :  they  were  not  sworn. 

7290.  Q.  Did  you  not  know  at  the  time  that  you  were  taking  the 
statements  of  a  lot  of  thieves  and  pickpockets  \ 

A.  I  have  no  personal  knowledge  that  any  of  them  were  thieves. 
7201.  Q.  State,  if  you  know,  the  general  reputation  of  any  of  them. 
A.  I  do  not.     I  do  not  know  that  I  ever  saw  any  of  them  before, 
or  heard  of  one  of  them  before. 

7292.  Q.  Was  there  not  quite  a  number  of  them  pointed  out,  at  the 
time  you  took  their  statements,  as  thieves  and  pickpockets  ! 

A.  No,  sir. 

7293.  Q.  What  other  persons  connected  with  the  republican  party 
visited  your  office  while  you  were  over  there  ? 

A.  Marshal  Murray  was  there  once.  He  was  there  on  Tuesday  or 
Wednesday  last  week.  I  think. 

7294.  Q.1  What  was  he  doing  there  ? 

A.  He  was  in  the  room  where  I  had  been  taking  statements,  and 
«~kere  I  was  writing  out  my  notes. 

7295.  Q.  Who  came  with  Marshal  Murray  ? 

A.  1  do  not  recollect  that  any  one  came  with  him.  I  think  Colonel 
Wood  was  there,  and  perhaps  came  over  with  him. 

720(3.  Q.  Were  Colonel  Wood  and  he  in  the  room  in  conference 
Together  ? 

A.  Yes.  they  were  talking-  about  this  business. 

7U07.  Q.  What  did  Marshal  Murray  say  about  it ! 

A.  I  do  not  recollect  what  he  said. 

7298.  Q.  State  any  remark  that  was  made  between  them  in  refer- 
ence to  this  business. 

A.  I  do  not  recollect  anything  that  I  could  state  positively.  There 
vas  something  said  about  naturalization  frauds. 

7200.  Q.  How  long  did  Marshal  Murray  stay  there  I 

A.  Fifteen  or  twenty  minutes,  perhaps. 

7300.  Q.  Who  was  in  the  room  at  the  time  besides  Wood  and  Murray  .* 
A.  No  one.  I  think.     Perhaps  one  of  the  operators  in  the  secret  ser- 

ice  came  in  at  the  time :  it  is  not  at  all  unlikely. 

7301.  Q.  Is  that  the  only  time  you  saw  Marshal  Murray  over  there  }. 
A.  Yes. 


GGO  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

7302.  Q.  Do  you  recollect  anv  other  republicans  over  there? 
A.  No. 

7303.  Q.  You  said  something  about  the  secret  service  that  Colonel 
Wood  is  engaged  in — what  is  it  I 

A.  He  is  chief  in  the  secret  service  division  of  the  United  States. 

7304.  Q.  Where  does  he  hold  his  office? 

A.  In  Washington ;  he  has  a  room  at  Taylor's  Hotel.  I  think  he  also 
stops  there. 

7305.  Q.  Do  you  know  why  these  witnesses  were  taken  over  there! 
A.  I  suppose  it  was  because  Colonel  Wood's  headquarters  were  there. 

1  do  not  know  any  other  reason.  There  are  two  or  three  others  stop- 
ping at  the  same  hotel,  who  are  operators  in  the  secret  service  division, 
and  who  are  under  his  orders,  I  suppose. 

730G.  Q.   Who  examined  the  witnesses  over  there? 

A.  I  examined  most  of  them. 

7307.  Q.  What  instructions  did  von  have  to  make  their  testimony  bear 
in  a  particular  direction  \ 

A.  I  had  no  instructions  of  that  kind.  Colonel  Wood  told  me  several 
times  that  he  wished  me  to  impress  upon  these  men,  if  I  could,  that  lie 
wished  the  truth,  and  nothing  but  the  truth. 

7308.  Q.  Did  any  of  them  state  to  you  that  they  were  thieves  and 
pickpockets  \ 

A.  One  man,  in  answer  to  a  question  of  Colonel  Wood,  as  to  what 
his  occupation  was,  said,  u  I  steal  for  a  living  when  I  get  a  chance." 
7300.  Q.  Was  his  statement  taken  ! 
A.  His  statement  was  taken. 

7310.  Q.  And  forwarded  over  here  '. 
A.   I  suppose  so.     The  name  lie  gave  was  Harris. 

7311.  Q.  Colonel  Wood  made  no  objection  to  taking  his  testimony? 
A.  JSTo,  sir. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

7312.  Q.  Was  that  fact  put  down  on  his  statement  ? 

A.  No,  sir.  This  question  was  not  put  as  a  regular  question  to  the 
witness. 

Neav  York,  January  14, 1809. 
James  Collins  sworn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instance  of  Mr.| 
Boss.) 

By  Mr.  Koss: 

7313.  Question.  State  if  you  know  anything  about  fraudulent  natu 
ralization  papers. 

Answer.  Only  in  this  way:  I  had  been  ''knocking  around"  the  Cit) 
Hall,  off  and  on.  I  got  a  situation  there  once  in  a  while.  At  the  tinu 
these  naturalization  papers  were  coming  up  Councilman  Gilmore  camd 
and  asked  me  if  I  would  naturalize  men  for  him.  I  said  I  would  do  so — tin 
same  as  the  rest  of  the  men  were  doing.  He  asked  me  how  that  was. 
told  him  to  fetch  me  the  men  and  I  would  get  them  naturalized  for  tw< 
dollars  apiece.  I  said,  "  If  you  get  the  witnesses,  I  will  make  the  appli 
cation."  He  said,  "  I  have  got  no  witnesses ;  I  want  you  to  go  witness. 
Next  day  he  came  to  me,  and  I  told  him  I  would  naturalize  for  all  thai 
he  wanted.  I  have  naturalized  from  500  to  700 ;  that  is,  I  said  I  knev 
the  men  so  long.  Some  I  had  never  seen  before j  some  I  had.  That 
all  that  1  did  in  the  naturalization  business. 

7314.  Q.  For  what  political  party  did  you  do  this? 
A.  The  republican. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  G61 

To  the  Chairman  : 

7315.  I  liave  lived  at  122  Prince  street  two  months.     I  do  business  in 
[Washington  Market. 

7316.  Q.  You  were  a  witness  for  500  applicants  for  naturalization? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

7317.  Q.  In  what  court  ? 
A.  In  the  supreme  court,  the  superior  court,  and  the  court  of  common 

pleas. 

7318.  Q.  In  what  month? 
A.  It  was  while  the  naturalization  business  was  going  on.    I  do  not 

know  what  month.     I  think  it  was  November. 

7319.  Q.  You  are  sure  of  that,  are  you  1 
A.  Yes. 

7320.  Q.  How  many  times  did  you  appear  as  a  witness  before  Judge 
McCunn? 

A.  Not  a  great  many  times. 

7321.  Q.  Two  hundred  times? 
A.  I  suppose  so. 

7322.  Q.  Two  hundred  times  in  the  month  of  November  ? 
A.  The  naturalization  business  was  only  going  on  for  three  or  four 

weeks? 

7323.  Q.  Was  not  that  in  November? 
A.  I  do  not  know  when  it  was. 

7324.  Q.  Were  you  a  witness  some  200  times  before  Judge  McGunn? 
A.  Not  before  Judge  McCunn  alone.     There  were  McCunn,  Garvin, 

and  Jones.     I  have  been  in  that  court,  I  guess,  200  times. 

7325.  Q.  Did  the  three  judges  all  sit  together  when  they  were  natur- 
alizing? 

A.     Sometimes  two  would  sit,  and  sometimes  one  judge  would  sit. 

7326.  Q.  Which  one  of  the  judges  naturalized  most  while  you  were  a 
witness  in  the  superior  court? 

A.  Judge  McCunn. 

7327.  Q.  How  many  times  did  you  appear  as  a  witness  before  Judge 
McCunn? 

A.  I  should  say  over  100. 

7328.  Q.  Are  you  sure  of  that  many? 
A.  Yes. 

7329.  Q.  What  other  judges  did  you  appear  before? 
A.  Garvin  and  Jones. 

7330.  Q.  How  many  times  before  Judge  Garvin? 

A.  Seventy-five  or  eighty,  or  may  be  more.     I  am  sure  of  80  anyhow. 

7331.  Q.  For  how  many  persons  were  you  a  witness  before  Judge 
Jones  ? 

I    A.  Not  a  great  many.    I  guess  75  or  100. 

7332.  Q.  You  are  sure  of  75? 
A.  Yes. 

7333.  Q.  What  other  judges  did  you  appear  before? 
A.  Judge  Barnard. 

7334.  Q.  How  many  times  before  him  ? 
A.  I  cannot  count. 

7335.  Q.  About  how  many? 
A.  Between  200  and  300. 

7336.  Q.  Did  you  sign  the  affidavits  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

7337.  Q.  Did  you  sign  any  affidavits  at  all? 
A.  No,  sir,  except  blanks. 


662  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

7338.  Q.  Where  did  you  sign  the  applications  for  naturalization? 

A.  In  the  court  where  we  used  to  get  them. 

7331).  Q.  How  did  you  sign  your  name  I 

A.  Sometimes  as  Mara,  and  sometimes  as  Collins. 

7340.  Q.  Always  one  or  the  other .' 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

7341.  Q.  No  other  name? 

A.  No,  sir;  Michael  Mara  or  James  Collins. 

7342.  Q.  Did  yon  know  that  you  swore  falsely  I 

A.  Certainly;  I  had  to  do  so.  Some  of  the  men  I  did  not  know; 
some  1  did  know. 

7343.  Q.  And  you  swore  falsely  ? 
A.  Yes. 

7344.  Q.  And  you  sit  here  now  and  acknowledge  that  you  committed 
perjury  \ 

A.  Yes. 

734.*>.  Q.  And  you  think  that  people  believe  your  oath  here  now? 
A.  No,  sir.    I  caine  here  to  tell  the  truth.     I  went  into  court  to  make 
a  living.     I  had  nothing  else  to  do  at  that  time. 

7346.  Q.  Bo  yon  know  Judge  McCunn  ! 
A.  Only  by  sight. 

7347.  Q.  Does  he  know  yon  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

7348.  Q.  You  signed  your  name  as  a  witness  in  all  these  cases  in  the 
court  itself,  did  youl 

A.  No,  sir. 

7350.  Q.  Where? 

A.  At  No.  1  Centre  street,  in  the  basement.  I  think  they  gave  me 
the  papers  over  there.  I  signed  some  in  the  City  Hall  and  some  there; 
I  guess  they  were  about  equal. 

7351.  Q.  What  room  in  the  City  Hall  I 

A.  In  the  basement,  where  the  old  sheriffs  office  was.  (Witness,  by 
direction  of  the  chairman,  wrote  the  two  names,  Michael  Mara  and 
James  Collins.) 

7352.  Q.  Whom  did  you  know  at  No.  1  Centre  street? 

A.  I  did  not  know  any  one,  except  one  by  eyesight.  I  heard  people 
call  him  Judge  Gale.  I  believe  he  had  charge  of  the  office.  I  was  in 
there  every  day — in  and  out. 

7353.  Q.  Did  he  see  you  there  signing  papers  as  a  witness  ! 

A.  No ;  I  do  not  think  he  did.    His  clerks  attended  to  the  business. 

7354.  Q.  Did  Gales's  clerks  take  the  papers  to  the  court  ? 
A.  No,  sir  ;  we  took  them  to  the  court  ourselves. 

7355.  Q.  Did  you  know  anything  about  the  men  for  whom  you  were 
a  witness  "I 

A.  No,  sir ;  only  what  Councilman  Gillmore  told  me.  He  said  they 
were  old  citizens  who  never  took  out  their  papers. 

7356.  Q.  You  knew  nothing  about  their  politics? 

A.  Only  what  Councilman  Gillmore  said  at  No.  1  Centre  street,  or  at 
the  basement  in  the  City  Hall.     He  worked  very  hard  at  those  places. 

7357.  Q.  Did  he  devote  a  good  deal  of  his  time  at  those  places  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir ;  he  used  to  be  there  before  I  got  there. 

7358.  Q.  How  long  had  you  known  Councilman  Gillmore  ! 

A.  Two  or  three  years.     He  was  councilman  in  the  20th  ward. 

7359.  Q.  You  got  acquainted  with  him  two  years  ago? 

A.  Not  so  thoroughly  acquainted  as  to  go  up  and  speak  to  him. 
73G0.  Q.  When  did  you  first  get  acquainted  with  him  well  enough  to 
speak  to  him  ? 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  663 

A.  Just  before  the  election  for  governor. 

7361.  Q.    How  many  days  before? 
A.  Three  or  four  days. 

7362.  Q.  Did  you  ever  speak  to  Councilman  Gillmore  about  naturali 
nation  business  till  three  or  four  days  before  the  election  for  governor  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

7363.  Q.  You  are  certain  of  that  fact,  are  you  ? 
A.  Yes. 

7364.  Q.  Did  you  ever  have  any  conversation  with  Councilman  Gill- 
nore  until  two  or  three  days  before  the  presidential  election  ? 

j,   A.  No,  sir ;  not  to  my  knowledge. 

7365.  Q.  Did  you  use  red  tickets? 

A.  Yes.  Councilman  Gillmore  furnished  the  tickets.  He  sometimes 
ave  me  white  tickets  and  sometimes  red. 

7366.  Q.  Most  generally  red? 
A.  About  equal,  I  guess. 

7367.  Q.  Have  you  spoken  to  Councilman  Gillmore  since  the  presiden- 
tial election  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

7368.  Q.  What  business  are  you  engaged  in  now  ? 
A.  None  at  present. 

7369.  Q.  How  long  is  it  since  you  have  been  engaged  in  any  business  ? 
A.  About  a  month,  I  guess.    I  was  then  a  conductor  on  the  Tenth 

avenue  railroad.  I  was  in  that  situation  four  months,  I  guess.  Before 
that  I  kept  a  stand  in  Washington  Market.  I  was  in  the  produce  busi- 
ness, potatoes  and  vegetables.  I  was  there  14  or  15  years  continuously. 
I  was  in  the  street  department  after  I  left  Washington  Market,  working 
in  the  streets. 

7370.  Q.  Were  you  in  the  street  department  the  whole  five  years 
between  your  leaving  Washington  Market  and  getting  a  position  as  con- 
ductor ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

7371.  Q.  What  were  you  doing  that  whole  five  years  % 
A.  Living  off'  my  money. 

7372.  Q.  How  long  were  yon  in  the  street  department  ? 
A.  Four  or  five  months,  I  should  think. 

7373.  Q.  What  time  was  that? 
A.  In  1866— in  the  summer  of  1866. 

7374.  Q.  What  were  your  wages  ? 

A.  Two  dollars  and  fifty  cents  a  day. 

7375.  Q.  What  were  you  engaged  at  for  the  balance  of  the  five  years  ? 
A.  I  was  on  the  Bleecker  street  railroad  as  conductor.    I  worked  there 

ibout  four  or  five  months.  For  three  or  four  months  I  did  not  have 
anything  to  do. 

7376.  Q.  Do  you  know  that  if  you  should  swear  falsely  about  what 
3ouncilman  Gillmore  said  to  you,  you  would  be  liable  to  indictment  for 
perjury? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  but  I  did  not  come  here  to  swear  falsely. 

7377.  Q.  Did  you  not  go  into  court  to  swear  falsely  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

7378.  Q.  Did  you  not  do  it  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

7379.  Q.  Did  you  not  swear  that  you  knew  men  whom  you  did  not 
know  i 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

7380.  Q.  You  swore  falsely  there,  did  you  not  ? 
A.  Yes. 


664  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

7381 .  Q.  And  you  went  there  to  do  that,  did  you  not? 
A.  Yes. 

7382.  Q.  When  you  worked  on  the  Tenth  avenue  railroad  what  Iiotirs 
did  you  work  I 

A.  I  used  to  go  to  work  about  5  o'clock  in  the  morning  and  stay  at 
work  till  half-past  9. 

7383.  Q.  Did  you  stop  for  any  length  of  time  between  those  hours? 
A.  Xo,  sir:  except  for  half  an  hour  two  or  three  times  a  day. 

7384.  Q.  When  you  got  the  red  tickets  at  No.  1  Centre  street  and  in 
the  basement  of  the  City  Hall  in  the  old  sheriffs  office,  did  you  give 
them  to  the  officers  of  the  court  .' 

A.  No,  sir  ;  we  gave  them  to  the  men  who  had  the  papers.  Eed  tick- 
ets were  mostly  used. 

7385.  Q.   Did  you  vote  ;it  the  last  presidential  election  I 

A.  Yes;  in  Green  street  near  Spring.  I  did  not  vote  myself.  They 
did  not  let  me  vote;  somebody  voted  for  me. 

7380.  Q.  Then  when  you  said  just  now  that  you  voted,  you  did  not 
state  the  fad  \ 

A.  I  did  not  get  there  in  time  to  vote.  When  I  got  there  somebody 
had  voted  for  me.  I  think  it  was  in  the  2d  district  of  the  8th 
ward  that  I  registered  my  name.  It  was  near  Spring  street  in  Green. 
I  registered  as  .James  Collins,  122  Prince  street.  I  have  a  wife;  1  have 
been  married  some  three  years  and  have  been  living  with  my  wife  all 
the  time. 

7387.  Q.  You  were  acquainted  but  with  very  few  of  the  men  whom 
you  appeared  as  a  witness  for  .' 

A.  Very  tew. 

7388.  Q.  Do  you  know  anything  about  their  politics? 
A.  ^No,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Boss: 

7389.  Q.  State  if  it  was  for  republicans  and  in  the  interest  of  republi- 
cans that  these  certificates  of  naturalization  were  got  I 

A.  I  suppose  so.  I  suppose  Mr.  Gillmore  would  not  be  working  the 
other  way. 

7390.  Q.  Is  he  a  republican  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

7391.  Q.  You  got  in  such  men  as  he  wanted  ? 
A.  Yes. 

7392.  Q.  How  did  it  happen  that  you  used  the  red  ticket  of  the 
democrats  I     Did  you  commit  a  fraud  upon  them  by  getting  their  tickets  ! 

A.  I  do  not  know  about  that. 

7393.  Q.  You  could  not  get  them  without  getting  them  fraudulently  by 
pretending  that  the  persons  to  be  naturalized  were  foreigners  ? 

A.  I  never  asked  how  they  got  them.  This  republican  gave  them  to 
me.    Part  of  them  were  red  tickets  and  part  white. 

New  York,  January  14,  18G9. 

Edward  Hogan  svrorn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instance  of  Mr. 
Ttoss.) 

By  Mr.  Eoss : 

7391.  Question.  What  is  your  official  position  ? 

Answer.  I  am  a  police  justice  in  this  city. 

7395.  Q.  Do  you  know  John  J.  Mullen  % 

A.  There  was  a  John  J.  Mullen  who  was  in  controversy  some  time 
since  wTith  the  commissioner  of  public  charities  and  correction,  this  man 
charging  the  commissioners  with  bad  treatment  of  prisoners  on  Black- 
well's  island. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  G65 

7396.  Q.  State  whether  you  know  of  any  person  registering  illegally 
in  this  city  ? 

A.  I  do  not. 

7397.  Q.  Were  you  present  at  the  registry  at  34  or  95  Greenwich 
street. 

A.  I  have  no  doubt  that  I  was  in  both  places. 

7398.  Q.  Did  you  see  any  man  register  there  who  you  knew  did  not 
live  in  the  precinct  ? 

A.  I  did  not. 

7399.  Q.  Did  you  see  John  J.  Mullen  register  at  34  or  95  Greenwich 
street  ? 

A.  I  did  not. 

7400.  Q.  Or  at  any  other  place  ? 

A.  I  did  not.  The  man  whom  I  refer  to  is  a  professional  thief.  He 
^vas  committed  by  me,  I  think,  three  or  four  times  within  four  or  five 
rears. 

7401.  Q.  You  did  not  see  him  register  anywhere? 
A.  I  did  not. 

7402.  Q.  Did  you  give  him  any  encouragement  to  register  illegally 
mywhere  ? 

'   A.  I  have  never  spoken  to  him  outside  of  the  court-room  to  my 
knowledge. 

i   7403.  Q.  Did  vou  give  encouragement  to   any  person  to  register 
llegally ! 
A.  I  did  not. 

7404.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  your  brother  Dennis  Hogan  was  going 
iround  with  a  company,  including  this  Mullen,  and  registering  illegally  f 

A.  I  cannot  say  of  my  own  knowledge,  but  I  should  say  not.  I  would 
iot  expect  to  see  him  in  such  company. 

7405.  Q.  Do  vou  know  Patrick  Moore  ? 
A.  I  do. 

i  7406.  Q.  And  Alderman  Moore? 
A.  Yes. 

7407.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  they  were  engaged  in  illegal  regis- 
ering  \ 

A.  I  never  heard  it  so  stated. 

7408.  Q.  State  what  you  know  in  reference  to  this  Mullen? 

A.  I  can  only  say  that  I  know  him  as  a  professional  thief  for  four  or 
ve  years. 

7409.  Q.  Are  you  acquainted  with  his  general  reputation? 
A.  I  should  say  that  I  am. 

7410.  Q.  Do  you  know  what  his  general  reputation  is  for  truth  and 
(eracity  \ 

A.  It  is  bad. 

7411.  Q.  From  that  general  reputation  would  you  believe  him  under 
ath  ? 

A.  I  would  not. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

7412.  Q.  Did  you  ever  hear  anybody  speak  of  his  reputation  for  truth  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

7413.  Q.  Who? 

A.  Isaac  Bell,  junior. 

7414.  (,).  What  did  he  say? 

A.  He  said  he  was  an  infernal  liar. 

7415.  Q.  When  was  that  \ 

A.  Sometime  between  two  and  three  years  ago. 


666  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

7416.  Q.  Do  you  know  the  witness  who  has  just  left  the  room — Janie;< 
Collins  I 

A.  I  do. 

7417.  Q.  How  long  have  you  known  him  ? 
A.  About  three  years. 

7418.  Q.  Where? 
A.  About  the  City  Hall. 

7319.  Q.  What  is  his  reputation  for  truth? 
A.  I  never  heard  it  questioned. 

7320.  Q.  What  is  his  character? 
A.  I  know  nothing  about  it. 

By  Mr.  Boss : 

7321.  Q.  Was  this  man,  Mullen,  ever  brought  before  you  for  any 
criminal  offence? 

A.  My  best  recollection  now  is  that  he  was  brought  before  me  four  oi 
five  times  for  stealing,  and  for  assaulting  his  wife  at  a  house  of  prosti 
tution  ;  she  being  the  complainant.  He  beat  her  there  because  she  woulc 
not  give  him  the  money  which  she  earned  by  prostituting  her  person 
That  was  the  charge. 

The  committee  here  adjourned  its  sittings  at  New  York. 
The  following  testimony  was  taken  before  a  sub-committee  consisting 
of  Mr.  Dickey : 

I  'eekskill,  Westchester  County, 

January  12, 1869. 
Hugh  McKee  sworn  and  examined. 


By  Mr.  Dickey: 
I  reside  in  Centre  street,  in  Peekskill. 

7322.  Q.  Please  tell  us  what  you  know  about  naturalization  at  the  lasi 
election  ? 

A.  All  that  I  knew  about  it  was  that  I  got  the  papers  from  Timothy 
Dwyer;  I  went  to  his  house  for  them. 

7323.  Q.  Were  you  in  any  court  to  get  them  ? 
A.  No,  sir  ;  I  never  left  the  work. 

7324.  Q.  Have  you  got  those  papers  with  you? 
A.  No,  sir ;  they  are  in  New  York ;  I  was  examined  in  New  York  j 

was  examined  before  the  election  before  Marshal  Murray. 

7325.  Q.  Did  you  ever  take  any  oath  of  allegiance  ? 
A.  No,  sir;  I  never  took  an  oath  in  my  life,  but  this  one  and  the  oik 

in  New  York. 

7326.  Q.  How  long  have  you  been  in  the  United  States  ? 
A.  I  guess  I  have  been  here  now  about  18  months. 

7327.  Q.  You  gave  that  paper  he  gave  you  to  Marshal  Murray  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

7328.  Q.  Where  does  Dwyer  live  ? 
A.  I  cannot  tell  the  name  of  the  street ;  he  lives  in  this  town. 

7329.  Q.  Did  you  register  on  that  paper  ! 
A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  got  registered ;  but  I  thought  I  was  not  entitled  to  vot< 

and  did  not  do  it. 

7330.  Q.  You  registered  under  the  advice  of  some  of  these  people  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

7331.  Q.  Under  whose  advice  did  you  register  ? 
A.  I  came  along  with  Mr.  Dwyer,  who  was  entitled  he  told  me  t< 

furnish  papers  j  I  did  not  know  at  the  time  but  the  papers  were  all  right 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  667 

Peekskill,  January  12,  1869. 
Timothy  Dwyee  sworn  and  examined. 
By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

7332.  Question.  Where  do  you  live  ? 
Answer.  I  live  in  this  village — Peekskill. 

7333.  Q.  Did  you  deliver  a  naturalization  paper,  preceding  the  last 
election,  to  Hugh  McKee  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

7334.  Q.  Where  did  you  get  it? 

A.  I  got  it  at  the  Peekskill  democratic  club-room. 

7335.  Q.  Who  gave  it  to  you? 

A.  Well,  if  I  was  on  my  oath  at  the  present  time  I  could  not  tell 
whether  it  was  Elias  Coffin  or  Mr.  Laird  ;  it  was  one  or  the  other. 

7336.  Q.  Had  you  given  them  the  name  of  McKee  before  ! 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  never  knew  anything  about  his  papers  until  there  was 
such  a  crowd  around  the  table,  and  somebody  asked  if  anybody  knew 
Hugh  McKee ;  I  said  I  did,  because  I  worked  with  hiin  in  the  flour 
works. 

7337.  Q.  Were  there  any  other  papers  given  out  at  that  time  I 

A.  I  expect  there  was ;  I  didn't  see  no  more  given  out ;  because  him 
and  me  worked  together  and  I  took  his  papers  down  to  the  house  with 
myself;  and  I  came  to  him  to-morrow  and  told  him  I  got  the  papers 
from  the  club-room. 

7338.  Q.  You  had  your  papers  regularly  ? 

I   A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  got  my  first  papers  two  years  before  that ;  and  I  got 
my  papers  in  the  house  this  night — in  the  democratic  club-room. 

7339.  Q.  You  g"ot  your  lirst  papers  in  court  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  got  my  first  papers  in  the  city  of  Leavenworth,  Kansas. 

7310.  Q.  Did  you  go  to  a  court  to  get  your  second  papers  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  didn't  go  to  court  at  all;  they  were  handed  to  me  in  the 
dub-room ;  I  had  given  my  name  about  six  months  before. 

7341.  Q.  Whom  did  you  give  your  name  to u? 

A.  I  cannot  say  for  certain  which  one  took  down  my  name. 
!   7312.  Q.  You  never  took  any  oath  with  the  last  papers"? 
I  A.  No,  sir ;  I  never  did  ;  I  never  took  any  oath  for  them  or  went  into 
I  he  court  for  them. 
!   7313.  Q.  What  court  were  they  from  ? 

A.  The  supreme  court  in  the  city  of  New  York,  in  the  State  and  county 
>f  New  York. 

7311.  Q.  You  gave  McKee  his  papers  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  it  was  after  a  day's  work,  after  going  home. 

7315.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  other  cases  of  your  own  knowledge  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

Peekskill,  January  12,  1869. 
William  Coul  sworn  and  examined. 
By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

7316.  Question.  Where  do  yon  reside  ? 
Answer.  In  Peekskill. 

7317.  Q.  What  is  your  occupation  1 
A.  A  tailor. 

7318.  Q.  Please  state  what  you  know  about  naturalization  papers 
►eing  obtained  and  distributed  here  last  fall. 

A.  I  don't  know  but  very  little  about  where  they  came  from ;  Thomas 


668  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

Harrington  came  to  me  and  asked  if  I  wanted  my  papers,  and  I  told  him 
yes;  he  gave  them  tome  some  days  afterwards — ten  days  for  aught  I 
know;  I  didn't  keep  them — not  ten  hours;  it  was  before  the  election;  I 
am  pretty  sure  it  was  in  October;  I  did  not  register  on  them. 

7349.  Q.  Whom  did  you  return  them  fcof 
A.  I  burned  them. 

7350.  Q.  Where  did  they  purport  to  be  issued  from? 
A.  The  supreme  court  of  New  York. 

7351.  Q.  Of  the  city  and  county  of  New  York  f 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

7352.  Q.  How  long  have  you  been  in  the  country? 
A.  Eighteen  years  next  June. 

7353.  Q.  Did  you  ever  file  your  first  papers  ? 
A.  No,  sir;  I  have  a  soldier's  discharge. 

7354.  Q.  You  never  made  any  application  to  any  court  for  the  papers? 
A.  No,  sir. 

7355.  Q.  You  never  took  any  oath  in  court  to  get  the  papers? 
A.  No,  sir. 

Peekskill,  Westchester  County, 

January  13,  1869. 
Mitchell  Laird  sworn  and  examined. 

Calvin  Frost,  attorney  and  counsellor-at-law,  appeared  before  the 
committee,  at  the  request  of  Mr.  Ross,  for  the  purpose  of  suggesting  ques- 
tions. 

To  Mr.  Dickey  : 

7356.  I  reside  in  Peekskill.     I  acted  with  the  committee  in  this  town. 
I  took  about  60  or  70  men  to  New  York  city  to  get  their  naturalization 
papers.     I  took  them  down  in  the  steamboat  in  the  morning,  and  took 
them  to  the  City  Hall.    1  had  their  papers  properly  made  out.    Another 
gentleman,  whom  I  did  not  know,  took  charge  of  them.     That  gentle- 
man told  me  it  was  unnecessary  to  bring  the  men  down  in  the  present 
state  of  'things ;  that  they  could  procure  the  papers  without.     On  that 
a  list  of  names  was  furnished,  and  I  delivered  them  to  a  person  whom  1 1 
did  not  know.     This  gentleman,  who  spoke  to  me  about  it,  told  me  to 
send  the  names;  which  I  dill  of  about — well,  I  think,  somewhere  near  i 
150  names.     Then  as  I  Avas  passing  in  the  street  one  evening  another  j 
person,  different  from  the  one  I  handed  the  names  to,  one  I  had  never 
seen  before,  a  stranger  to  me,  came  up  to  me  and  handed  me  a  roll  of  j 
papers  done  up  in  brown  paper,  addressed  to  me.     I  took  it  to  my  office  j 
and  opened  it,  and  it  was  these  naturalization  papers.     On  these  men 
calling  for  them,  I  took  them  to  the  club-room,  and  there  they  were  dis- 
tributed  by  several  parties.    I  might  have  handed  out  a  few  of  them 
myself. 

7357.  Q.  Did  the  first  60  or  70  whom  you  took  down  go  into  court 
to  get  their  papers  ? 

A.  This  party  I  gave  in  charge  of  this  man.  I  don't  know  what 
he  did  with  them.  He  took  them  and  I  handed  them  these  papers.  He 
said  he  would  attend  to  them,  and  I  went  off.  r 

7358.  Q.  Was  he  connected  with  any  naturalization  committee  in  New 
York? 

A.  That  I  do  not  know.  He  was  a  stranger  to  me.  I  met  him  on  the 
steps  of  the  City  Hall.     He  came  up  to  me  and  spoke  to  me. 

7359.  Q.  He  knew  you? 

A.  ~No-,  only  he  saw  me  come  down  with  these  men. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  669 

17360.  Q.  When  these  150  additional  names  were  sent  down,  were  any 
witnesses  sent  down  as  vouchers,  or  only  the  names  of  the  persons  to 
be  naturalized  ? 
A.  Just  the  names  of  the  persons  and  their  residence. 

7361.  Q.  Were  they  all  got  from  Peekskill  or  its  vicinity? 

A.  I  think  from  this  vicinity.  The  names  were  furnished  me  by  other 
people. 

7362.  Q.  To  you,  as  chairman  of  your  naturalization  committee  here  ? 
A.  Yes. 

7363.  Q.  The  democratic  naturalization  committee? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

7364.  Q.  Did  you  send  down  the  150  names  to  a  committee  or  to  an 
individual? 

A.  It  was  in  a  list,  and  I  handed  that  to  an  individual. 

7365.  Q.  You  went  down  again  then? 

A.  Yes,  I  don't  know  his  name,  and  never  saw  him  after  that. 

7366.  Q.  What  court  did  these  papers  purport  to  be  issued  from? 
A.  They  purported  to  be  issued  with  the  seal  of  the  supreme  court. 

7367.  Q.  Was  it  the  same  man  that  you  first  saw  that  got  these  parties 
through  that  you  gave  the  names  to  the  second  time  ? 

A.  The  man  I  gave  the  papers  to  was  the  same,  but  the  man  who 
handed  me  the  papers  was  a  different  man.  They  ascertained  my  name 
from  the  fact  that  I  took  down  those  names,  in  some  way.  I  never  knew 
(either  of  the  men. 

7368.  Q.  These  150  papers  were  taken  to  the  club-room  and  distrib- 
uted to  the  parties  there  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

7369.  Q.  I  suppose  a  majority  of  those  men  registered  but  did  not 
vote  on  these  papers? 

A.  I  don't  know  any  of  them  that  voted.  When  I  found  out  that 
these  papers  were  illegal,  I  took  a  good  deal  of  pains  to  go  to  a  good 
many  of  these  men,  when  I'knew  personally  their  names,  and  told  them 
the  papers  were  fraudulent,  or  I  understood  they  were  said  to  be  so,  and 
they  had  better  not  vote  on  them;  and  they  did  not.  They  had  regis- 
tered but  did  not  vote. 

7370.  Q.  There  were  arrests  made  about  that  time  previous  to  the 
3lection  ? 

A.  Yes ;  but  I  advised  a  good  many  of  these  men  before  any  arrests 
were  made.  I  advised,  I  think  this  man  McKee,  who  told  me  he  had 
lot  been  in  the  country  but  four  years. 

7371.  Q.  He  testified  he  had  been  here  but  18  months? 
A.  Then  it  was  some  other  man,  who  had  been  here  only  four  years. 

Ee  asked  me  if  he  had  a  right  to  vote,  and  I  told  him  I  presumed  not. 

7372.  Q.  Were  these  names  furnished  to  you  personally  or  left  at  the 
ilub-room  ? 

A.  Some  of  them  were  furnished  by  men  who  came  to  the  club-room 
hemselves  and  gave  their  names  there ;  others  by  men  sending  them  in. 

7373.  Q.  Do  you  know  anything  of  the  number  of  similar  papers  pro- 
ured  for  residents  of  this  town  ? 

A.  I  have  no  personal  knowledge ;  but  on  information  and  belief  I 
hould  say  there  were  about  100  more. 

7374.  Q.  Furnished  in  the  same  way' the  same  kind  of  papers  ? 
A.  Yes. 

7375.  Q.  They  did  not  pass  through  your  hands  ? 
A.  Through  the  hands  of  other  parties. 


670  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

Peekskill,  January  13,  1869. 
Charles  Snyder  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Dickey: 

7370.  I  live  at  Verplank's  Point  j  I  work  in  the  cove  now,  in  the  brisk 

yard. 

7377.  Q.   Did  you  get  a  naturalization  paper  last  fall? 

A.  I  had  one,  but  1  heard  it  was  not  good,  and  gave  it  to  the  childrei 
to  play. 

7:>7S.  (c).  Who  gave  it  to  you? 

A.  An  old  man  at  Verplank's  Point ;  Barney  is  his  first  name ;  I  don't 
know  the  second  name. 

7379.  ().   Were  you  ever  in  court  before  a  judge  I 
A.  No. 

7380.  Q.   Did  you  ever  take  any  oath? 
A.   No.  sir;   1  never  was  in  court. 

7381.  Q.  This  paper  was  handed  to  you  at  Verplank's  Point? 
A.    Yes. 

7382.  Q.  Did  you  votel 
A.   I  heard  rigid  away  it  was  not  good,  and  I   would  not  vote  with  it. 

1  am  long  enough  in  this  country. 

7:5s:;.  Q.  Did  you  ever  get  your  first  paper  ? 

A.  No;  I  never  had  my  first  paper,  hut  the  men  told  me  I  could  go 
down  and  get  the  first  and  second  together.  I  would  not  go;  it  would 
he  lost  time.  Every  working  day  is  so  much  money,  and  the  little  money 
1  needed;   I  had  a  big  family. 

7384.  ().   Bow  long  have  you  been  in  this  country? 

A.  Nearly  seventeen  years. 

Peekskill,  January  13,  1809. 
Adam  IIorsfelt  sworn  and  examined. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 
7386.  Q.  Where  do  you  live  I 
A.  At  Verplanck's  Point. 

7386.  Q.  Did  you  get  citizen  papers  last  fall  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

7387.  Q.  Who  gave  them  to  you? 

A.  They  were  given  to  me  on  the  Point,  in  Barney  Skelly's. 

7388.  Q.  Was  it  Barney  Skelly  that  gave  them  to  you? 
A.  No ;  I  know  the  man,  but  I  don't  know  his  name. 

7389.  Q.  Was  it  in  Barney  Skelly's  place? 
A.  Yes. 

7390.  Q.  Were  you  ever  in  court  before  a  judge,  to  be  sworn? 
A.  No. 

7391.  Q.  How  long  have  you  been  in  the  country  ? 
A.  I  am  something  over  live  years  in  the  country. 

7392.  Q.  Did  you  ever  file  your  first  papers  ? 
A.  No;  none. 

7393.  Q.  What  did  you  do  with  the  citizen  paper? 
A.  I  guess  I  have  it  at  home  yet. 

7391.  Q.  What  court  does  it  come  from? 

A.  I  don't  know ;  1  can't  read  it.     I  can't  read  any  English. 

7395.  Q.  Did  you  vote? 
A.  No. 

7396.  Q.  Did  you  register  it? 

A.  No ;  we  went  up  here  to  Peekskill  to  register,  and  they  said  the 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  671 

papers  were  of  no  use  because  we  didn't  get  the  papers  ourselves,  and 
so  we  went  home  again.  We  couldn't  swear  that  we  had  got  the  papers 
ourselves,  and  so  we  went  home. 

7.*>97.  Q.  Verplanck's  Point  is  in  the  same  town? 

A.  Yes. 

Peekskill,  January  13,  18G9. 
Bernard  Skelly  sworn  and  examined. 
By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

7398.  Question.  Where  do  you  reside  ? 

Answer.  At  Verplanck's  Point,  in  Westchester  county. 

7399.  Q.  Please  to  state  all  that  you  know  about  any  naturalization 
papers  being  brought  to  your  neighborhood  without  the  parties  going  to 
New  York  for  them  ;  and  how  many  you  know  of  ? 

A.  I  could  not  exactly  state  how  many  I  know  of;  I  know  there  were 
papers  sent  to  my  house,  but  to  say  whether  they  went  for  them  or  didn't, 
I  could  not  say. 

7400.  Q.  About  how  many  papers  were  sent  to  your  house,  to  the 
b?st  of  your  judgment. 

A.  I  suppose  there  was  between  50  and  100. 

7401.  Q.  Where  were  they  sent  from  to  your  house? 
A.  I  cannot  tell,  sir. 

7402.  Q.  Who  brought  them  there? 

A.  I  don't  know ;  but  they  were  sent  directly  to  my  care. 

7403.  Were  they  sent  by  mail  ? 

A.  Xo,  sir ;  they  were  not  sent  in  my  mail ;  they  were  sent  in  a  pack- 
age to  me  with  my  name  outside  on  it,  and  then  there  was  a  bit  of  a  note 
left  to  deliver  those  papers  to  the  owners. 

Q.  You  gave  them  to  such  persons  as  had  their  names  upon  them  ? 

A.  Xo,  sir  ;  I  gave  them  to  no  one  person.  I  only  opened  the  pack- 
age and  seen  such  and  such  names  on  them,  and  the  men  that  I  knew  I 
told  them  their  papers  were  there  at  niy  house,  and  to  go  for  them. 

7101.  Q.  They  went  there  for  them  ? 

A.  I  don't  know ;  I  suppose  they  did. 

7105.  Q.  Are  there  any  there  yet? 

A.  Xo,  sir  ;  they  must  be  taken  away. 

7100.  Q.  Did  you  hear  any  one  state  at  Verplanck's  Point  that  if  these 
men  would  give  their  names  to  send  them  to  Xew  York  they  might  get 
their  papers  ? 

A.  Xo,  sir ;  a  gentleman  came  there  and  we  held  a  meeting  one  night 
there,  and  we  called  a  meeting  for  any  man  that  was  entitled  to  papers 
to  go  to  Xew  York  and  get  them,  and  every  man  put  down  his  name ; 
and  these  gentlemen  called  on  every  man  that  came  and  was  entitled  to 
liis  paper,  according  as  some  said  they  were  in  the  army  and  had  got 
i  lawful  discharge,  and  wanted  to  know  whether  they  could  vote  on  that 
iischarge,  and  he  said  no  ;  he  said  the  law  would  not  remedy  that,  but 
lie  was  entitled  to  his  papers,  and  to  put  down  his  name  ;  and  a  man  10 
>r  15  years  in  the  country  was  entitled  to  his  papers ;  1  seen  some  coni- 
ng up  that  had  been  here  20  years  ;  and  I  seen  some  that  was  not  five 
v  ears  in  the  country  ;  and  I  seen  that  man  object  to  that  and  said  they 
•ould  not  vote  and  could  not  get  their  papers  ;  and  that  is  all  I  have 
my  knowledge  of  in  the  world. 

7407.  Q.  Did  the  same  men  who  gave  their  names  at  the  time  that 
Joftin  addressed  the  meeting,  come  to  your  house  for  papers  ? 

A.  Some  of  them  was,  I  think ;  and  some  of  them  was  not. 


672  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

7408.  Q.  Where  did  the  papers  come  from  \ 
A.  New  York ;  the  City  Hall,  New  York,  I  think. 

7409.  Q.  From  the  supreme  court,  or  the  superior  court  I 
A.  J  cannot  exactly  tell;  I  think  it  was. 

7410.  Q.  Did  you  ask  anybody  yourself  whether  they  did  not  wai 
papers \ 

A.  Well,  I  might ;  I  don't  know  whether  I  did  or  no ;  I  might  do  i 

7411.  Q.  Do  you  recollect  asking  any  persons  if  they  did  not  wai 
their  papers  ? 

A.  I  really  cannot  say  whether  I  did  or  not,  I  say  so  much  I  coul 
not  account  tor  half  what  I  say. 

7412.  Q.  Did  you  give  out  any  of  these  papers  yourself? 
A.  Not  of  my  knowledge. 

7414.  Q.  Who  was  left  in  charge  of  your  house  to  give  them  out? 
A.  No  one  was  left  in  charge  of  my  house  hut  my  wife. 

7413.  Your  wife  gave  them  out  ? 
A.  I  do'nt  think  she  could  read  the  names;  every  man  got  their  ow 

papers,  I  guess. 

7415.  Did  you  see  any  taken  away  I 
A.  I  cannot  say;   1   might. 
71KJ.  Q.   Did  you  see  a  German  by  the  name  of  Adam  Horsfelt,  win 

worked  in  the  brickyard  there,  take  away  his  papers  from  your  house 
A.  lie  might  have;   I  know  the  man  ;  a  good  many  men  called  at  mj 
house  that  1  did'nl  know  at  all. 

7417.  <L>.  Called  for  their  papers  I 
A.  I  don't  know  ;  they  had  other  business  with  me  besides  that. 

7418.  Q.  Were  you  in  any  public  business  I 
A.  No,  sir;  we  "had  a  little  association  of  our  own  and  they  made  m 

president;  it  was  the  benevolent  association  to  support  the  sick  an 
bury  the  dead.  We  called  it  the  Laborers'  Association.  Many  a  ina; 
called  on  me  on  a  little  business  he  wanted  to  know. 

7410.  Q.  You  think  there  were  not  more  than  50  or  100  of  these  paper 
delivered  to  you. 

A.  To  the  best  of  my  opinion  j  there  might  be  more  and  there  migb 
be  less. 

7420.  Q.  Haven't  you  stated  that  there  were  as  many  as  250  sent  t 
you  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  not  of  my  own  knowledge,  I  didn't. 

7421.  Q.  Do  you  know  who  these  papers  came  from  ? 
A.  No,  sir  ;  I  know  nothing  about  the  papers  ? 

7422.  Q.  No  one  told  you  they  were  going  to  send  them  to  you  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

7423.  Q.  No  one  told  you  they  had  sent  them  to  you  ? 
A.  No,  sir,  not  a  word ;  all  I  heard  was  in  the  public  meeting,  for  ever 

man  to  go  down  and  get  his  papers  that  was  entitled  to  them. 
.    7424.  Q.  At  what  meeting  did  you  hear  that  ? 

A.  At  a  meeting  we  called  for  the  purpose  of  those  gentlemen  tha 
were  entitled  to  their  papers  to  get  them. 

7425.  Q.  Calling  upon  men  to  be  naturalized? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

7426.  Q.  At  your  club  in  your  town?    In  your  political  club  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

7427.  Q.  Were  you  connected  with  that? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

7428.  Q.  Were  you  president  of  that  also  ? 
A.  I  don't  know.    I  suppose  I  was. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  673 

7420.  Q.  What  kind  of  a  political  club  ?     What  party  ? 

A.  Well,  democratic.    We  were  all  democratic.  That  was  our  principle. 

7430.  Q.  Did  these  parties  to  whom  these  papers  were  delivered 
belong  to  the  same  club  of  which  you  were  president? 

A.  That  I  don't  know.     Some  of  them  did,  and  some  of  them  did  not. 

7431.  Q.  Were  these  papers  sent  to  you  as  president  of  the  democratic 
club,  or  as  president  of  the  Laborer's  Association? 

A.  Xo,  sir;  there  was  no  such  thing  mentioned  on  the  papers  at  all. 

7432.  Q.  Were  they  left  at  your  house  when  you  were  away  from 
home  ? 

A.  Yes.  sir;  and  that  little  note  inside. 

7433.  Q.  Who  sent  that  note  ? 

A.  I  cannot  tell.     There  was  no  name  to  it. 

Kingston,  Ulster  County,  January  13,  18C9. 
Andrew  E.  Jansen  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Dickey: 

7434.  1  reside  in  Kingston.  I  cannot  give  names  or  dates,  but 
during  the  naturalization  this  last  fall,  I  have  been  in  the  county  clerk's 
office  and  seen  them  naturalizing  persons  there. 

7435.  Q.  Xo  judge  there  \ 

A.  No,  sir.     I  have  seen  the  county  clerk  there  and  his  deputy. 

7430.  Q.  Swearing  in  parties  and  granting  naturalizations  ! 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

7437.  Q.  Have  you  any  idea  of  the  number  ? 

A.  Really  I  cannot  tell.  I  have  been  there  on  different  days,  and 
seen  probably  four  or  five  each  day. 

743S.  Q.  Did  you  ever  see  the  judge  there  at  all  ? 

A.  Xo.  sir.  I  will  further  state  that  I  was  one  of  the  board  of  registry 
here,  and  the  papers  were  signed  by  the  deputy  clerk ;  I  think  nearly  all 
of  them. 

7430.  Q.  What  name  did  he  sign  ? 

A.  J.  Bostwick,  deputy  clerk. 

Kingston,  Ulster  County,  January  13,  18G9. 
Reuben  Bernard  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Dickey: 

7440.  I  reside  in  Kingston.  I  am  a  lawyer.  My  office  adjoins  the 
Jerk's  office.  I  was  in  the  clerk's  office  every  day,  usually  from  five  to 
;en  times  a  day.  Nearly  every  day  for  a  number  of  days  preceding  the 
lection  they  were  engaged  in  naturalizing  foreigners,  and  the  business 
ippeared  to  be  conducted  by  the  clerk  and  deputy;  principally  I  should 
hink  by  James  Bostwick,  the  deputy.  I  have  no  recollection  of  ever 
eeing  the  county  judge  present  at  anytime  during  which  naturalization 
\as  being  made. 

7441.  Q.  Where  is  the  county  court  ordinarily  held? 

A.  The  county  court,  when  in  session,  is  ordinarily  held  in  the  court- 
louse,  which  is  probably  300  yards  from  the  clerk's  office.  The  seal 
»f  the  court  is  kept  by  the  clerk. 

Kingston,  Ulster.  County,  January  13, 1869. 
Ji3iEs  L.  Bostwick  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Dickey: 

7442.  My  residence  is  Kingston,  St.  James  street;  my  occupation  is 
eputy  clerk  for  the  county  of  Ulster. 

43  T 


G74  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

7443.  Q.  Will  you  please  to  describe,  as  near  as  you  can  recollect,  the 
method  by  which  parties  were  naturalized  in  this  county  preceding  the 
last  presidential  election,  and  the  number  of  naturalizations? 

A.  I  presume  there  were  somewhere  about  six  hundred,  perhaps 
over  and  perhaps  less.  They  were  brought  to  the  office,  the  most  part 
of  them.  Some  were  taken  to  the  court-house;  when  the  court  was  in 
session  they  were  taken  to  the  court-house;  when  it  was  not,  the  judge, 
as  a  general  thing,  came  round  mornings  to  the  office,  and  they  were 
naturalized  there. 

7444.  Q.  Were  they  examined  by  the  judge,  or  by  you! 

A.  When  the  judge  was  present  he  examined  them;  when  he  was  not, 
they  were  either  examined  by  me  or  by  the  clerk. 

7445.  Q.  What  proportion  of  them  were  examined  by  you  and  the  clerk, 
and  what  proportion  by  the  judge  }. 

A.  That  would  be  rather  difficult  for  me  to  state. 
744().  Q.  Which  did  the  most  of  it! 
A.  The  clerk  did  the  most  of  it. 

7447.  Q.  Did  the  court  sit  any  particular  hours  for  this  purpose,  or  did 
you  do  it  as  part  of  the  current  business  of  the  office  I 

A.  There  was  no  particular  hour  set  for  it. 

7448.  Q.  It  was  done  whenever  parties  applied  at  the  clerk's  office,  the 
same  as  you  would  any  other  current  business? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

7440.  Q.  What  proportion  of  these  cases  did  a  man  by  the  name  of 
Haggerty  act  as  a  witness  upon ? 
A.  A  considerable  amount  of  them. 

7450.  Q.  About  how  many,  by  hundreds  % 

A.  I  should  think  between  one  and  two  hundred.     I  should  judge  so. 

7451.  Q.  Did  these  parties  that  came  forward  pay  for  their  own  papers, 
or  were  they  paid  for  by  the  political  parties? 

A.  A  portion  of  them  paid  for  them  themselves,  and  a  portion  were 
paid  for  by  the  political  parties. 

7452.  Q.  Both  parties? 

A.  A  political  party,  I  should  have  said. 

7453.  Q.  What  political  party? 
A.  The  democratic  party. 

7454.  Q.  Was  the  judge  at  the  clerk's  office  every  day  on  which  theyi 
were  naturalized  ? 


A.  I  do  not  think  he  was. 

7455.  Q.  Some  days  he  was  not  there  at  all  ? 


A.  No,  sir. 

7456.  Q.  When  he  did  come  round,  how  long  would  he  remain  ? 
A.  Sometimes  he  would  stay  an  hour,  and  sometimes  longer. 

7457.  Q.  In  making  out  these  naturalizations,  did  you  examine  the 
party  and  the  witnesses,  or  did  they  simply  subscribe  the  printed  affi- 
davits according  to  the  printed  form? 

A.  I  usually  examined  them.    I  asked  the  regular  questions. 

7458.  Q.  What  questions  did  you  ask  ? 

A.  They  were  asked  how  long  they  had  been  in  the  country,  and  when 
they  had  procured  their  former  papers — that  is,  if  they  had  not  their 
papers,  and  made  their  affidavit  they  had  not  the  papers.  They  were 
asked  how  long  they  had  the  first  papers,  and  different  questions  that 
would  arise ;  I  cannot  state  the  questions  exactly  now. 

7450.  Q.  When  a  party  appeared  without  his  first  papers  what  did 
you  require? 

A.  We  required  the  affidavit  of  himT  and  a  witness  that  he  had  had! 
his  papers. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  675 

74G0.  Q.  Then  you  granted  naturalizations  upon  the  affidavit  of  the 
party,  and  a  witness  that  he  had  had  previous  papers0? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

7401.  Q.  You  did  not  require  any  certified  copy  of  the  former  paper  ? 

A.  ^o,  sir. 

740:2.  Q.  What  proportion  of  these  papers  were  issued  or  lost,  or 
alleged  lost,  papers  I 

A.  I  should  presume  probably  a  hundred  of  them  that  were  granted, 
and  probably  more,  on  papers  stated  to  be  lost. 

7403.  Q.  Without  the  production  of  any  record,  or  any  duplicate  of 
such  certificate  i 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

7404.  Q.  To  what  political  party  does  this  man  Haggerty  belong  ? 

A.  That  would  be  a  hard  matter  to  state.  I  think  it  very  likely  any 
party  could  get  him  that  would  pay  for  it.  I  have  been  told  so.  I  do 
not  know  it  of  my  own  knowledge. 

7405.  Q.  To  what  political  party  do  you  belong  ? 
A.  I  have  always  belonged  to  the  democratic  party. 

7400.  Q.  When  you  granted  a  certificate  of  naturalization,  by  whom 
was  the  paper  signed  ? 
A.  All  that  I  signed,  I  signed  my  own  name  to. 

7407.  Q.  As  deputy  clerk  .; 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

7408.  Q.  You  granted  naturalizations  yourself  when  the  clerk  was 
absent  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

7400.  Q.  WThat  proportion  were  granted  by  vou,  in  the  absence  of  the 
clerk  1 

A.  As  nearly  as  I  could  judge  I  should  think  one-third  of  them; 
probably  not  so  many ;  maybe  more. 

7470.  Q.  What  proportion  of  them  were  taken  into  court  ? 

A.  There  were  considerable  many  papers  taken  into  court.  I  could 
not  tell  you  what  proportion.  Every  court  that  sat  last  season  there 
were  more  or  less  papers  taken  into  court.  Probably  one-third  of  them 
were  granted  at  the  court,  and  two-thirds  out  of  court.  That  is  a  mere 
matter  of  judgment,  I  mean. 

Rondout,  Ulster  County,  January  14,  1809. 
Patrick  M.  Haggerty  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Dickey  : 

7471.  I  reside  in  Rondout.     I  am  an  officer — a  constable. 

7472.  Q.  State  whether  you  were  present  at  any  naturalizations  at 
(Kingston  last  fall. 

A.  I  was. 

7473.  Q.  Who  did  the  business  of  naturalizing  ? 
A.  The  clerk  and  deputy  clerk. 

7474.  Q,  State  in  how  many  cases  you  were  present,  as  near  as  you 
can. 

A.  Wrell,  it  wras  over  a  hundred;  I  could  not  be  positive  now  without 
counting.  I  was  there  several  days,  occasionally  once  a  day,'  sometimes 
twice  a  day,  and  sometimes  there  would  be  probably  from  ten  to  fifteen, 
twenty,  twenty-five ;  I  do  not  think  there  were  any  more  naturalized  at 
one  time  in  my  presence. 

7475.  Q.  For  how  many  parties  Avere  you  witness  $ 

A.  I  would  not  be  positive,  but  quite  a  number ;  1  would  not  like  to 
say  without  looking  over  the  clerk's  records. 


C)1G  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

7470.  Q.  We  will  take  the  best  of  your  judgment. 

A.  In  the  neighborhood  of  a  hundred,  more  or  less,  probably ;  1  would 
not  be  right  positive  whether  more  or  less. 

7477.  Q.  What  proportion  of  those  that  you  know  of  being  naturalized 
on  lost  papers  I 

A.  The  principal  part  of  them  were  naturalized  on  the  affidavit  of 
losing  their  first  papers  l 

747S.  (}.  With  what  party  were  yon  associated  or  connected,  politically! 

A.  I  always  sided  with  the  democratic  party, except  on  two  occasions. 
I  believe  the  only  (wo  occasions  that  I  ever  voted  for  republicans  was 
for  one  supervisor  last  spring,  and  for  Thomas  Cornell  last  fall. 

7470.  Q.  You  voted  the  democratic  State  and  national  tickets? 

A.  I  did,  sir.  I  always  have  identified  myself  with  the  democratic 
party. 

7  ISO.  Q.  In  what  month  were  the  naturalizations  that  you  spoke  of 
made  ! 

A.  The  principal  pari  of  them  were  in  October.  Some  in  November; 
September  and  October. 

7481.  Q.  In  these  cases,  when  they  were  naturalized  by  the  clerk  and 
deputy  clerk,  was  there  any  court — any  judge  present  I 

A.  I  saw  a  judge  there  on  some  occasions.  He  might  have  been  there 
every  day  for  aught  I  know.  I  saw  him  there  (nice  when  the  naturaliza- 
tion was  going  on  ;   I  saw  him  there  one  morning. 

Troy,  New  York,  January  14, 1809. 
George  R.  Olney  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Dickey.  : 

7482.  I  am  studying  law  at  Catskill,  Green  county. 

7483.  Q.  Were  you  one  of  the  clerks  or  deputy  clerks  of  that  county 
during  any  portion  of  the  past  year  J 

A.  Yes,  sir;  from  the  1st  of  January  until  about  the  middle  of 
November. 

7484.  Q.  Are  you  familiar  with  the  mode  in  which  naturalization  was 
conducted  in  that  county  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  had  a  little  experience.  The  parties  to  be  naturalized 
appeared  before  the  clerk  at  the  court-house — at  his  office  in  the  court- 
house— and  the  clerk  would  inquire  if  he  had  any  witnesses  with  him  ; 
whether  he  was  a" discharged  soldier,  and  if  so  he  would  show  his  discharge 
paper,  and  on  that  he  would  be  granted  his  papers,  having  been  over 
one  year  in  the  State. 

7485.  Q.  Without  a  witness  ! 

A.  I  would  not  say  as  to  that,  because  there  were  only  two  or  three 
cases  where  they  were  naturalized  on  these  papers ;  but  in  other  cases 
he  would  appear  with  two  witnesses ;  he  would  swear  that  he  had  been 
in  the  country  so  long,  if  he  did  not  show  his  first  papers,  and  that  he  was 
over  the  age  of  21  years. 

748G.  Q.  In  case  he  did  not  show  his  first  papers,  they  took  affidavits 
to  supply  them  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir  ^  they  took  affidavits  of  these  men,  the  witnesses. 

7487.  Q.  Was  there  any  judge  present  in  these  naturalizations? 
A.  Not  that  I  remember. 

7488.  Q.  It  was  not  done  in  open  court  then  f 
A.  No,  sir ;  it  was  in  the  clerk's  office. 

7489.  Q-  Did  the  clerk  attest  the  papers  % 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IX    NEW    YORK.  Gil 

A.  I  don't  know  that  I  ever  read  over  these  blanks;  he  had  blank 
forms,  and  he  would  fill  them  up. 

741M).  Q.  What  are  your  polities  ! 

A.  I  have  always  professed  to  be  a  democrat;  it  would  have  been 
impossible,  I  presume,  to  get  the  position  of  deputy  clerk  if  I  were  not. 

74H1.  Q.  The  fact  is  that  you  are  a  democrat  I 

A.  Yes.  sir. 

7402.  Q.  Was  any  oath  administered  to  the  applicants  except  the  oath 
of  allegiance  ? 

A.  I  think  they  had  to  take  an  oath  that  they  had  been  in  the  country 
so  long. 

7493.  Q.  There  was  no  other  examination  except  what  was  contained 
in  the  printed  affidavit  ? 

A.  X<>.  sir :  the  form  of  the  oath  was  taken  from  Hull's  Treatise;  the 
form  is  laid  down  there,  and  the  oath  put  to  the  witnesses  was  taken 
from  the  same. 

74D4.  Q.  Have  you  ever  naturalized  any  yourself  as  deputy  clerk  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

74<.».").  Q.  In  the  absence  of  the  clerk  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Troy,  Xew  York,  January  14,  1869. 

Oliver  Burke  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Dickey  : 

7400.  I  reside  at  Cat  skill,  Green  county  ;  by  occupation  I  am  a  post- 
master at  present;  I  was  present  there  acting-  as  witness  for  some 
few  that  were  naturalized ;  it  was  done  in  the  manner  which  my  friend, 
3Ir.  Gluey,  states;  there  was  no  judge  present ;  it  was  done  in  the  clerk's 
office  by  the  clerk  ;  nobody  present,  I  think,  but  the  clerk  at  the  time. 

Troy,  Xew  York,  January  14,  1869. 

Irving  Hyyner  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Dickey  : 

7407.  I  am  a  lawyer  ;  my  residence  is  in  this  city — Troy,  Xew  York ; 
I  was  present  at  two  or  three  different  times  at  the  justice's  court,  in  the 
city  of  Troy,  prior  to  the  last  election;  I  saw  applicants  for  naturaliza- 
tion brought  in  there  in  squads  or  schools  of  10,  15,  and  20  at  a  time; 
the  clerk  of  the  court  was  usually  present  with  the  book  of  oaths,  as  it 
is  called;  the  book  of  preliminary  declarations,  signed  by  those  who 
testified  that  they  came  to  this  country  under  18  years  of  age;  they 
would  start  a  file  along,  each  party  would  sign  his  name  or  make  his 
mark  in  the  book  of  preliminary  oaths,  and  pass  along  in  that  way  until 
the  whole  squad  had  signed  their  names;  the  clerk  would  then  tell  them 
to  hold  up  their  right  hands,  and  mumble  over  some  kind  of  oath  ;  some 
of  the  men.  most  of  them,  perhaps,  would  hold  up  their  hands;  some 
would  not :  just  as  it  happened ;  the  clerk  would  pay  no  attention 
whether  they  observed  the  formula  or  not ;  he  would  then  make  out  a 
list  of  names  from  the  book  and  hand  it  to  some  democrat  in  attendance 
there  who  seemed  to  be  overseer  of  the  naturalizations  ;  he  would  bring 
the  squads  there,  coming  from  different  portions  of  the  country  or  adjoin- 
ing counties,  make  out  a  list  of  names,  and  the  leader  would  take  it  to> 
the  justice  of  the  court;  the  justice  would  sometimes  be  in  his  office,. 
south  of  the  court-house,  in  a  separate  buildingfrom  the  court-room,  and 
sometimes  in  some  of  the  saloons  adjoining  the  court-house — in  there 


678  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK 

with  his  friends  drinking;  the  party  would  take  the  list  of  the  names 
and  march  the  candidates  out;  the  justice  would  tell  them  to  hold  up 
their  right  hands,  and  administer  the  oath  without  examining  the  parties 
or  questioning  them  in  his  office  or  in  the  saloon,  as  the  case  might  he; 
I  have  no  doubt  that  one-half  or  two-thirds  of  all  the  naturalizations 
were  done  in  that  way — that  is,  in  the  manner  of  swearing  by  the  justice* 
the  justice's  court-room  is  in  the  basement  of  the  court-house. 

7498.  Q.  After  administering  the  oath,  what  became  of  these  parties 
and  the  list  ? 

A.  They  would  go  out  to  the  street,  on  the  right  hand  of  the  court- 
house, and  the  clerk,  as  soon  as  he  had  time,  would  take  the  list  from  the 
leader  who  marched  them  over,  and  the  clerk  would  take  the  names  and 
make  out  the  certificates,  and  the  leader  of  the  squad  would  take  the 
certificates  and  distribute  them  among  the  men. 

7499.  Q.  Were  the  applications  bound  in  a  book! 

A.  Yes,  sir;  they  are  the  records  of  the  court;  the  clerk  would  not 
fill  up  the  blanks  at  the  time,  or  before  the  oath  was  administered  ;  all 
the  writing  in  the  blanks  would  be  the  name  of  the  alien,  ami  sometimes 
the  country  from  which  they  came,  Canada  or  Ireland,  as  the  case  might  be. 

7500.  Q.  The  oath,  attestation,  &c,  was  tilled  up  afterwards! 

A.  Yes,  sir;  all  that  was  left  blank  at  the  time,  and  probably  a  couple 
of  hundred  pages  of  that  book  were  not  filled  up  until  a  week  or  two 
after  election  day  ;  I  was  present  in  court  from  day  to  day,  and  saw  the 
clerk  filling  up  these  blanks  for  a  couple  of  weeks  after  the  election. 

7501.  Q.  Then  the  dates  could  only  be  ascertained  from  memory? 

A.  From  memory  or  memoranda  made  in  the  naturalization  book, 
where  they  entered  the  dates  of  naturalization  certificates,  &c. 

7502.  Q.  Bid  the  judge,  when  he  handed  back  these  lists  of  names 
sent  to  him  by  the  clerk,  make  any  endorsement  upon  it  to  show  that  he 
had  administered  the  oath? 

A.  He  would  usually  put  the  initials  of  his  name  on. 

7503.  Q.  On  the  whole  paper,  or  on  each  name? 

A.  On  the  whole  paper.     Several  of  these  papers  were  brought  in 
and  thrown  upon  the  floor  of  the  court-room.    I  have  looked  at  them,  | 
but  did  not  preserve  any  of  them. 

7504.  Q.  How  many  were  naturalized  in  this  court, and  in  what  time?  | 
A.  The  whole  number  naturalized  by  the  Troy  justices'  court  during ' 

the  year  1868  was  2,358.    I  should  think  during  the  months  of  Septem- 1 
ber  and  October  two-thirds  of  them — three-fourths  probably — and,  per- 
haps,  a  larger  proportion.     Out  of  this  number,  the  number  naturalized  ! 
who  swore  that  they  came  to  this  country  under  the  age  of  18  years  j 
was  2,002.     The  number  who  made  previous  declaration — two  years; 
previous — and  those  who  were  soldiers  of  the  United  States  army  and 
were  honorably  discharged  after  one  year's  service,  was  356 j  of  that 
number  perhaps  one-third  were  soldiers.    I  saw  men  who  had  the  appear- 
ance of  being  50  or  60  years  old  swear  that  they  came  here  as  minors. 
Perhaps  along  about  the  20th  or  23d  of  October  they  would  come  from  ! 
Washington  county  and  Columbia  county,  in  squads  of  30  or  40,  and 
perhaps  more,  whose  names  would  appear  on  the  naturalization  book, 
one  following  the  other,  for  pages,  all  swearing,  without  exception,  that 
they  came  here  under  the  age  of  18  years.    As  a  rule,  all  these  squads 
that  came  on  such  days  swore,  without  exception,  that  they  came  under  j 
the  age  of  18  years. 

7505.  Q.  How  many  were  naturalized  from  adjoining  counties  ? 

A.  The  number  from  Washington  county  naturalized  under  18  was 
257  :  over  18,  10,  who  were  soldiers.    From  Columbia  county,  under  18, 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  679 

1 08 ;  over  18,  3,  and  I  think  one  of  them  was  a  soldier.  From  Cohoes, 
under  18, 160  j  over  18, 21.  I  examined  the  records  to  find  how  many  of 
the  aliens  who  were  naturalized  were  witnesses  for  each  other.  I  find 
there  were  595  and  upwards  ;  for  some  cases,  of  course,  I  missed  in  the 
examination,  for  it  is  pretty  difficult  to  examine  such  a  long  list  to  see 
who  are  witnesses  for  each  other  and  aliens.  There  are  a  few  cases 
where  one  of  the  judges  was  a  witness,  and  some  cases  where  the  clerk 
was  a  witness  in  a  case  where  he  issued  the  paper  himself.  The  names 
of  those  who  were  witnesses  for  each  other  appear  on  the  naturalization 
book,  following  one  right  after  the  other  in  succession,  showing  that  it 
was  all  done  at  the  same  time.  All  the  party  would  sign  the  book  of 
preliminary  oaths,  and  the  clerk  would  enter  in  the  naturalization  book 
the  name  of  a  principal  and  ask  him,  "  who  is  your  witness, "  and  he 
would  mention  some  party  right  at  hand  under  the  heading  of  witnesses. 
He  then  asked  the  next  party  "  who  is  your  witness,"  and  he  would  give 
him  the  name  of  one  of  the  same  party  to  be  naturalized;  and  thus  the 
names  would  be  mentioned  right  along,  one  being  witness  for  another, 
and  then  the  whole  batch  would  be  sent  to  the  judges  and  all  swear 
together. 

7506.  Q.  What  portion  of  the  time,  while  you  were  present,  was  the 
judge  in  the  clerk's  office  when  the  naturalizations  were  going  on  ? 

A.  I  never  saw  the  judge  there  more  than  two  or  three  times  while  I 
was  in  the  court  from  time  to  time.  It  was  seldom  that  he  remained 
there  while  the  naturalizations  were  going  on.  I  kept  no  memorandum 
of  the  names ;  but  1  saw  the  clerk  engaged  in  having  aliens  sign  the 
books,  administering  oaths,  and  making  out  the  papers,  and  that  was 
done  frequently  when  there  was  no  justice  present  in  the  court.  I  have 
i  seen  the  memorandums  of  names  by  the  clerk  handed  to  Darius  Allen, 
chairman  of  the  naturalization  committee  here,  perhaps  oftener  than  to 
anybody  else.  He  was  the  main  man  apparently  that  conducted  the 
naturalization  process.  He  would  take  the  parties,  march  them  out 
from  the  court-room,  up  to  the  office  where  the  justice  was,  and  there  the 
oath  was  administered  and  the  initials  of  the  judge  marked  on  the  slips. 
Sometimes  those  slips  would  be  brought  back  and  thrown  on  the  floor, 
and  I  have  looked  at  some  of  them.  The  clerk  would  usually  write  the 
name  of  the  alien,  and  write  u  app.,"  meaning  applicant,  I  suppose,  and 
they  would  have  upon  them  the  initials  "W.  D."  or  "  T.  N.,"  signifying 
to  the  clerk,  I  suppose,  that  they  had  been  sworn. 

7507.  Q.  In  what  room  was  the  clerk  when  these  naturalizations  were 
going  on  1 

A .  I  have  seen  him  in  both  rooms.  The  justice's  court  is  in  the  base- 
ment of  the  court-house.  There  are  two  rooms,  one  adjoining  the  other. 
One  is  occupied  as  a  court-room,  and  the  other  is  a  record  room  and 
clerk's  room.  The  rooms  communicate  with  each  other  by  two  doors  on 
opposite  sides.  I  have  seen  the  clerk  making  out  naturalization  papers 
in  the  court-room  proper  and  in  the  clerk's  room,  both  in  the  absence  of 
any  justice. 

7508.  Q.  Is  the  justice's  room  in  the  same  building  that  they  took 
them  to  to  be  sworn  ? 

A.  Xo,  sir ;  that  is  a  separate  building.  There  is  a  vacant  lot  between  ; 
it  is  his  private  office.  I  have  seen  these  parties  sworn  in  the  justice's 
room  by  the  justice  when  he  happened  not  to  be  in  the  court-room.  I 
have  seen  them  in  one  or  two  instances,  perhaps  more,  sworn  in  Neary's 
private  office,  across  the  way. 

7509.  Q.  Did  the  parties  thus  sworn  by  the  justice  receive  naturaliza- 
tion papers? 


680  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

A.  From  my  personal  knowledge  J  cannot  say,  but  I  saw  the  same 
parties  come  back  afterwards  and  saw  the  chairman  of  the  committee 
give  back  the  paper  containing  the  list  of  names  and  go  back  into  the 
court-room. 

7510.  Q.  Were  those  parties  yon  saw  go  with  Allen  with  the  list  of 
names  the  same  parties  who  were  afterwards  sworn  in  your  presence  and 
signed  their  names  in  the  book  I 

A.  Yes,  sir;  some  of  them  were.  Some  of  them  would  remain  out- 
side and  others  would  go  into  the  court-room  and  sit  down  and  wait 
there,  or  stay  around  in  the  clerk's  room  until  the  papers  were  ready. 

Toll.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  these  parties  had  been  previously  sworn 
in  the   justice's  court-room  by  the  justice  himself  1 

A.  There  were  parties  who  would  swear  that  were  not  sworn  in  the 
justice's  court-room  previously;  men  whom  I  saw  sign  their  names  to 
the  books  and  go  out  with  Allen,  or  other  party  under  whose  leadership 
they  were,  and  would  shortly  afterwards  come  back;  sometimes  the 
whole  batch  of  papers  would  be  given  to  Allen;  in  some  cases  to  the 
applicants  themselves.  They  were  men  I  noticed  particularly;  I  could 
not  mention  their  names,  but  from  curiosity  I  kept  track  of  some  of 
them;  I  should  judge  there  were  between  one  and  two  hundred  pagesof  | 
tin-  book  of  oatiis  at  the  time  I  examined  it,  page  after  page,  where  all 
the  writing  in  these  blanks  was  the  name  of  the  applicant — either  his 
name  or  a  cross — and  the  name  of  the  country  of  his  nationality,  either 
from  Canada  or  Ireland.  [Witness  produced  a  slip  of  paper  containing 
names  of  applicants,  handed  him  by  J.  and  13.  Smith,  and  referred  to 
by  him  in  his  testimony  subsequently.] 

7512.  Q.  (Suggested  by  Mr.  Smith.)  Is  it  not  the  practice  when  per- 
sons are  naturalized  for  the  party  to  stand  up,  and  the  witnesses  to  stand 
up  opposite,  and  for  the  clerk  to  write  down  the  name  of  the  party  and 
the  names  of  the  witnesses,  ranging  them  in  order  round  where  the  clerk 
sat,  and  then  to  swear  each  one  in  the  order  in  which  they  came,  the 
witnesses  and  the  parties'?  And  did  they  not  make  such  slips  of  paper 
for  the  purpose  of  arranging  them  so  that  they  could  go  through  the 
ceremony  with  accuracy  and  despatch'? 

A.  If  that  has  been  the  custom  my  observation  has  never  convinced 
me  of  it. 

7513.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  it  was  the  habit  to  range  the  parties 
in  line,  each  applicant  and  the  witnesses,  and  furnish  him  with  a  ticket, 
so  that  the  names  would  be  properly  called  I 

A.  I  should  think  not. 

7514.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  anything  of  that  kind? 
A.  In  some  cases  I  know  it  was  not. 

7515.  Q.  In  any  case  did  you  know  it  to  be  done  in  that  way  ? 

A.  Yes;  in  individual  cases.    They  were  furnished  with  a  ticket,  but  it  j 
was  the  custom  when  a  squad  was  marched  in  for  the  leader  of  it  to 
take  the  list  of  names  on  one  paper  and  march  them  out.    By  individual 
cases  I  mean  when  there  was  but  one  and  his  witnesses  appeared;  I  ! 
would  not  swear  that  a  list  was  taken  in  all  cases. 

751 G.  Q.  You  have  stated  that  you  find  from  the  books  that  upon  the 
same  day  when  many  persons  were  naturalized  they  were  witnesses  for 
others  to  be  naturalized  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  have  the  names  here  of  595  parties  who  were  witnesses 
for  each  other  and  aliens;  that  is,  for  about  two  months,  from  August 
15th  to  October  24th.  There  was  a  case  that  came  under  my  observa- 
tion showing  the  laxity  of  doing  business;  I  find  that  on  October  23d 
a  squad  came  up  purporting  to  be  from  Columbia  county;  I  stood  by  the 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  68 1 

desk  and  saw  the  apparent  leader  of  that  squad  sign  his  name  to  the 
book  of  preliminary  oaths;  it  was  John  M.  O'Shaughnessy,  I  think.  He 
then  went  back  and  sat  down  in  the  court-room,  and  staid  there  a  little 
while,  and  when  there  were  two  or  three  around  the  desk,  he  came  round 
to  the  front  of  the  desk  and  asked  the  clerk  for  his  naturalization  papers. 
The  clerk  looked  at  him  and  asked  him  if  he  had  been  in  this  country 
live  years,  and  he  said  no;  whether  he  came  here  under  the  age  of  21 
years,  and  he  said  no.  The  clerk  told  him  that  he  was  not  entitled  to 
liis  papers.  He  stood  round  a  few  moments  and  then  went  out  of  the 
court-house.  I  found  on  inspection  of  the  records  that  papers  were 
issued  to  him  that  same  day.  Mr.  O'Shaughnessy  was  not  sworn  by  the 
clerk  while  I  was  in  the  court-room,  that  I  saw.  He  signed  his  name 
and  skulked  off  back  in  the  court-room  and  sat  there. 

7517.  Q.  Was  there  more  than  one  clerk  to  this  court  ? 
A.  No,  sir;  no  deputy. 

7518.  Q.  Are  you  sure  that  the  O'Shaughnessy  who  received  the  papers 
was  the  same  man? 

A.  I  did  not  see  the  papers  granted ;  I  only  knew  it  was  the  same 
name  and  on  the  same  day.  If  I  remember  right,  on  the  book  of  oaths 
it  is  tilled  up  that  he  came  to  this  country  a  minor  under  the  age  of  18 

rears. 
7519.  Q.  Were  there  a  large  number  of  persons  naturalized  on  that  day  ? 
A.  Yes;  there  was  a  large  squad  that  came  up  from  Columbia  county, 
and  he  appeared  to  be  the  leader;  I  could  not  swear  as  to  the  number  of 
the  squad,  but  probably  there  were  15  or  20,  and  perhaps  more. 

7520.  Q.  How  many  in  all  were  naturalized  on  that  day,  as  near  as 
you  can  recollect  % 

A.  I  did  not  count  the  number  on  any  particular  day,  but  probably 
ithere  were  as  many  or  more  on  the  23d  and  21th  of  October  than  ou 
previous  days. 

Troy,  New  York,  January  14,  1869. 
James  P.  Butler  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Dickey: 

7521.  I  reside  at  Saratoga  Springs.  I  am  attoruey-at-law.  On  the 
p3d  of  October,  prior  to  the  election,  Pat  Brannegan  was  arrested  for 
obtaining  fraudulent  naturalization  papers  at  Troy.  A  list  appeared  of 
about  25  who  had  put  in  their  first  declaration  at  Ballstown,  at  the 
county  court  of  Saratoga  county,  and  then  within  two  years  had  come 
town  here,  the  large  body  of  them,  and  had  all  been  naturalized  here. 
This  Pat  Brannegan  was  among  those;  and  he,  among  others,  was 
|irrested.  He  had  his  name  registered,  and  voted,  and  swore  in  his  vote. 
[  was  not  present  at  the  time  he  swore  in  his  vote,  but  I  was  counsel  at 
:he  time  of  the  trial,  and  the  records  of  the  justices'  court  here  were 
)roduced  by  James  J.  Jennings,  the  clerk.  On  inspecting  those  records 
[  found  from  page  1  to  page  338  of  the  book  of  aliens'  declarations,  No. 
L0,  witli  three  declarations  on  a  page,  were  then  filled  up.  The  blanks 
•vere  all  filled  up  complete.  It  extends  from  the  7th  of  October  to  the 
:7th  of  October,  1868.  From  page  339  to  page  480,  all  the  declarations, 
it  the  time  of  the  trial,  were  left  blank,  except  Pat  Brannegan's  and  one 
>r  two  others.  He  was  naturalized,  according  to  the  record,  on  the  23d 
>f  October,  1868,  and  the  blank  had  written  in  these  words:  "that  I 
anded  in  the  United  States  a  minor  under  the  age  of  18  years." 

7522.  Q.  Did  it  appear,  from  the  other  blanks,  whether  the  appli- 
cants were  minors  or  not  ? 


682  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

A.  I  could  not  observe  anything  to  intimate  what  their  condition  wa; 
whether  minors,  soldiers,  or  otherwise.  On  the  other  book,  the  book  < 
naturalization,  I  think  there  were  about  1,682  names. 

752:$.  Q.  Did  those  names  correspond  with  the  blank  applications! 

A.  As  I  estimated  them  there  were  134  more  naturalized  than  thei 
were  oaths  or  declarations  on  that  book  ;  but  I  suppose  it  wasaccounte 
for  by  those  that  had  put  in  declarations  at  other  places.  Most  of  thei 
that  1  saw,  however,  were  tilled  up  that  they  had  arrived  here  befoi 
they  were  18  years  of  age. 

Troy,  New  York,  January  14,  1869. 
Jonx  D.  B.  Smith  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Dickey: 

7524.  I  reside  in  Troy.  1  have  been  a  member  of  the  capitol  polic 
force,  and  lately  have  been  employed  as  detective  by  the  republica 
central  committee. 

7525.  Q.  Go  on  and  state,  without  being  specially  interrogated  thereto 
any  knowledge  you  have  of  any  frauds  or  irregularities  in  reference  t< 
naturalization  in  this  county,  preceding  the  last  presidential  election 

A.  The  information  that  I  have  is  information  from  those  that  hav< 
been  arrested.  1  was  looking  for  the  paper,  [produced  by  Mr.  Hay 
ner,  a  previous  witness;]  it  was  a  man  that  was  naturalized  in  the  Tro 
justices'  court.  The  clerk  gave  the  man  this  small  piece  of  paper  wit 
the  name  of  the  applicant — O'Brien,  I  think  his  name  was — which  wa 
marked  soldier,  and  the  name  of  the  witness,  and  he  went  out.  Ther 
was  no  justice  in  the  court  at  the  time.  He  came  back  and  handed  it  t 
the  clerk,  and  the  clerk  gave  him  the  naturalization  papers  on  tha* 
There  was  no  application  oath  in  the  court,  except  by  the  clerk. 

7526.  Q.  The  clerk  administered  the  oath  on  his  application,  andgav 
him  the  paper  with  the  names  of  himself  and  the  witnesses  upon  it,  an 
he  took  that  away,  and  brought  it  back,  and  the  clerk  gave  him  hi 
naturalization  papers  i 

A.  Yes,  sir :  I  wTas  present,  and  wras  there  for  the  purpose  of  noticing 
I  picked  up  this  paper  and  gave  it  to  Mr.  Hayner. 

7527.  Q.  Were  you  dismissed  from  the  police  force? 
A.  I  wras  not.     I  oifered  my  resignation,  and  it  Avas  accepted  j  at  m 

own  suggestion. 

Troy,  New  York,  January  14,  1869. 
Thomas  Neany  swTorn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  instance  of  M 
Smith,  who  was  present  at  the  request  of  Mr.  Eoss.) 
To  Mr.  Dickey  : 

7528.  I  reside  in  Troy.  I  was  born  here.  I  am  police  justice  an 
one  of  the  justices  of  the  justices'  court  of  the  city  of  Troy.  I  have  hel 
that  position  for  the  last  four  years.  1  had  previously  been  clerk  of  tk 
justices'  court  for  six  years. 

7529.  Q.  State  the  practice  in  granting  naturalizations  preceding  tli 
last  presidential  election,  and  make  any  explanation  that  you  desiii 
with  regard  to  previous  years. 

A.  The  practice  has  been  in  said  court  for  the  applicant  to  sign  tl) 
book  of  declarations,  and  make  his  declaration  by  oath  either  before  tl; 
justice,  if  the  clerk  was  not  present,  or  the  clerk  if  present.  Then  h 
name,  with  the  witnesses,  were  inserted  on  the  book  of  naturalizatio; 
records,  and  the  witnesses  were  sworn  by  the  justice  together  with  tl) 
final  oath  being  administered  by  the  justice  to  the  applicant.    This  In 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  683 

been  done  sometimes  in  the  justices'  court-room,  the  room  adjoining,  the 

•  police  courtroom  up  stairs  in  the  court-house,  and  in  the  office  of  the 

justice  adjoining  the  court-house.    If  the  justice  was  not  present  in  the 

court-room,  the  clerk  would  send  the  name  of  the  applicant,  together 

with  the  names  of  the  witnesses,  to  the  office  of  the  justice  adjoining  the 

court-house,  with  the  request  that  the  said  justice  administer  the  oath  to 

the  parties.    That  is  the  proper  oath  for  naturalization.     The  justice 

.  after  administering  the  oath  would  mark  the  word  "sworn,"  with  his 

initials,  on  the  slip  of  paper — it  made  no  difference  which  side — and 

returned  it  by  the  messenger  to  the  clerk,  who  would  proceed  to  enter 

1  the  names  in  the  naturalization  book,  and  deliver  to  the  applicant  his 

final  papers  of  naturalization.     The  form  of  the  oath  to  the  witnesses  is 

as  follows : 

You  do  swear  that  you  have  known  John  Doe  (or  whatever  the  name  may  be)  to  reside 

■  within  the  limits  and  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  United  States  for  the  five  years  last  past, 

the  last  year  within  the  State  of  New  York,  and  during  all  that  time  he  has  behaved  as  a 

man  of  good  moral  character,  attach-d  to  the  principles  of  the  Constitution  of  the  United 

States,  and  well  disposed  to  the  good  order  and  happiness  of  the  same. 

7530.  Q.  Did  you  repeat  the  oath  to  the  parties,  or  did  they  merely 
sign  it  ? 

A.  I  repeated  the  oath  in  all  cases.  I  required  the  parties  to  hold  up 
their  right  bauds,  and  I  repeated  the  oath  in  these  words.  I  then  admin- 
istered to  the  applicant  himself  the  oath  prescribed  by  the  act  of  Con- 
gress. I  wish  to  say  that  this  has  been  the  practice  for  years  in  our 
court,  and  also  in  the  county  court  of  this  county. 

7531.  Q.  It  has  been  stated  here  in  evidence  that  the  clerk  did  not  fill 
up  the  character  of  the  applicant,  the  date  of  the  application,  and  the 
jurat,  in  the  application  book  at  the  time  of  the  application,  but  did  so 
afterwards  at  his  leisure  ? 

A.  Yes;  I  know  that  to  be  a  fact.  He  administered  the  oath,  though, 
and  for  the  minors  he  made  a  memorandum  upon  the  book.  He  inserted 
the  word  "  minor"  in  the  blank  at  the  time,  so  that  he  would  know  which 
were  minors.  That  was  the  rule  always.  [Corrected  subsequently.] 
There  got  to  be  such  a  crowd  that  it  took  a  week  or  two  afterwards  to 
fill  up  all  the  blanks. 

7532.  Q.  What  was  the  proportion  of  naturalizations  this  year  com- 
pared with  previous  years? 

A.  I  do  not  think  the  increase  is  200,  compared  with  the  presidential 
elections  of  previous  years.  We  do  not  commence  the  naturalization 
business  until  about  the  first  of  October.  We  have  naturalized  1,200  or 
1,300  frequently  heretofore  during  campaigns — every  presidential  term. 
The  greatest  number  is  always  naturalized  at  that  time. 

7533.  Q.  You  think  the  increased  number  of  citizens  naturalized,  and 
of  minors  naturalized,  was  owing  to  the  reluctance  to  being  naturalized 
from  the  liability  to  the  draft  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  know  of  my  own  knowledge  that  large  numbers  of 
minors  and  others  refused  to  be  naturalized  on  that  account  during  the 
war. 

7534.  Q.  Can  you  give  me  any  reason  why  large  numbers  should  come 
here  from  Washington,  and  Columbia,  and  Saratoga  counties,  to  be  nat- 
uralized, their  courts  being  in  session  at  the  same  time  ? 

A.  As  I  understand  it,  the  reason  they  came  here  was  that  they  could 
get  naturalized  more  readily,  and  it  was  more  convenient  for  them  to 
come.  It  has  been  our  practice  for  ten  years  to  naturalize  large  num- 
bers from  those  counties  at  every  fall  election. 

7535.  Q.  How  long  did  it  take  the  clerk  to  fill  up  these  blanks,  and 
why  did  it  take  him  so  long  ? 


684  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

A.  It  took  him  several  weeks  to  write  up  these  declaration  blank 
and  this  was  for  the  reason  that  his  time  in  a  great  measure  is  occupy 
in  court  with  other  business,  and  he  had  been  subpoenaed  in  nnmeroi 
eases  throughout  Washington  county  and  Saratoga  county,  with  h 
records,  and  was  not  allowed  time  to  write  them  out.  He  could  Inn 
written  them  up  in  less  than  a  week;  yes,  he  could  have  written  the 
up  in  three  days  if  he  had  occupied  the  whole  time.  He  is  a  very  fai 
writer;  the  fastest  in  the  country. 

7536.  Q.  How  long  was  it  after  the  election  that  he  commenced  1 
write  them  up? 

A.  Bight  away,  lie  commenced  the  next  morning,  some,  but  had  1 
do  it  oil"  hours.     It  would  not  do  for  any  other  person  to  till  the  records  ii] 

7537.  Q.  Will  you  state  the  practice  of  the  county  court  during  th 
vacations! 

A.  It  is  the  practice  of  the  county  court  to  naturalize  at  all  time 
whether  the  court  is  in  session  or  not.  It  is  done  by  the  clerk  administe 
ing  the  preliminary  oath,  and  writing  the  name  of  the  applicant  and  th 
witnesses  on  a  slip  of  paper,  ami  sending  the  applicant  to  the  judge  t 
be  sworn,  and  he  returns  the  paper  to  the  clerk  with  his  initials,  tb 
same  as  we  do  in  our  court.  The  county  judge  for  the  last  12  years  ha 
been  in  the  habit  of  practicing  in  the  same  manner.  Judge  Uobertsoi 
lias  held  the  office  for  the  last  12  years,  ami  he  has  been  a  leading  repub 
lican  in  this  county  and  chairman  of  the  republican  central  committee 
He  was  formerly  one  of  the  justices  of  the  Troy  justices'  court,  and  hel< 
the  position  of  police  justice  which  I  now  occupy. 

7538.  Q.  When  did  you  see  this  book  of  oaths,  in  which  the  wor< 
"  minor"  was  written  in  .' 

A.  I  saw  it  every  day. 

7539.  Q.  Was  it  the  uniform  practice  to  write  in  the  word  " minor?" 
A.  Not  uniform.     It  was  indicated  either  by  that  or  by  some  remar 

written  in,  some  little  check-mark,  or  simply  a  tick,  I  think,  the  cler 
had,  or  some  scratch  of  the  pen. 

7540.  Q.  Was  there  anything  to  indicate  the  date  of  the  naturalization 
A.  Yes,  sir;  he  would  start  for  the  day  with  dating  the  first  declan 

tion,  and  he  would  date  no  others  until  the  next  day. 

7541.  Q.  The  several  justices  of  this  court  were  each  by  the  law  coir 
petent  to  hold  a  separate  court! 

A.  A  separate  court. 

7542.  Q.  Could  they  run  three  courts  at  one  time  % 
A.  No,  sir. 

7543.  Q.  But  one  of  them  could  hold  a  court  at  the  same  time  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir.  We  took  turns  by  a  private  understanding.  One  woul 
stay  until  he  got  tired  and  call  somebody  else  in. 

7544.  [Book  No.  10,  containing  the  naturalizations  last  fall,  produce' 
by  witness,  and  after  examining  the  book  and  consulting  with  the  cler! 
the  witness  stated  that  he  did  not  know  how  the  minors  were  designate' 
by  the  clerk. 

The  explanation  of  the  clerk  is  that  in  filling  the  blanks  wherever  th 
name  of  the  country  of  the  applicant  appeared  in  the  concluding  part 
his  application,  he  was  not  a  minor.     In  all  other  cases  he  filled  them  u 
as  minors.] 

7545.  The  blank  form  is  as  follows : 

State  of  New  York,  Rennselaer  County,    ?  Ar     ,    ,    ,OM,n 
r      •      ,         ,    /•  Ii      -t      r  n<  >  Alien  s  declaration. 

Justices   court  oj  the  city  of  lroy,  ss  :  ) 

Be  it  remembered,  That  on  the  —  day  of ,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  186—,  I,  — 

,  a  native  of ,  appeared  in  the  justices'  court  of  the  city  of  Troy,  the  said  coui 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  685 

being  a  court  of  record  having-  common  law  jurisdiction  and  a  clerk  and  seal,  and  made  oath 
in  open  court  that  it  was  bonn  Jidc  my  intention  to  become  a  citizen  of  the  Uuited  States,  and 
to  renounce  forever  all  allegiance  and  fidelity  to  every  foreign  prince,  potentate,  state  or 

sovereignty  whatsoever,  and  more  particularly  to  the of . 

;    Sworn  to  before  me  this  —  day  of ,  186-. 

Kochester,  New  York,  January  15, 1869. 
Joseph  L.  Luckey  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  DiCKEYr: 

7546.  A.  I  am  attorney  and  counsellor,  and  reside  in  Eocliester.  I 
made  a  count  yesterday  of  the  number  actually  recorded  as  naturalized 
Ifrom  January  1,  1868,  to  January  1,  1869.  This  count  was  made  from 
the  book  kept  in  the  clerk's  office,  in  which  the  names  were  recorded  as 
they  were  naturalized  or  supposed  to  be.  The  whole  number  is  1,256.  I 
lid  not  make  an  actual  count,  but  probably  1,200  of  these  were  natural- 
ized during  the  campaign,  after  about  the  20th  of  September;  1  think 
there  were  none  after  the  3d  of  November.  I  was  only  present  in  the 
■curt  on  two  occasions  when  they  were  naturalizing  in  open  court.  At 
:hat  time  they  were  holding*  the  court  in  what  is  called  the  judge's 
•kambers,  across  the  hall  here,  (in  the  court-house,)  and  the  court  was 
jonducted  by  the  county  judge,  Judge  Fuller,  and  one  of  the  session 
astices.  On  one  of  these  occasions  the  county  judge  asked  two  or  three 
liiestions,  and  the  sessions  justice  asked  two  or  three,  I  think.  On  the 
jther  occasion  I  think  there  were  no  questions  asked  at  all. 

7547.  Q.  Was  the  party  sworn  to  the  preliminary  affidavits? 

.  A.  They  were  sworn  by  Mr.  Foster,  I  believe.  He  is  a  deputy  county 
clerk. 

7548.  Q.  By  whom  was  the  final  oath  of  allegiance  administered? 
A.  My  imjnession  now  is  that  it  was  by  Judge  Fuller,  but  I  could  not 

say  positively  as  to  that.  I  have  seen  them  naturalizing  in  the  county 
?lerk's  office  several  times  during  the  campaign ;  the  exact  times  are  not 
n  my  memory.  I  have  seen  men  come  in  there  and  swear  before  Mr. 
Bardoe  or  Mr.  Foster,  the  deputy  clerks;  no  judge  there  and  no  court; 
simply  in  the  clerk's  office.  They  have  been  in  the  habit  of  doing  it. 
That  has  been  the  habit,  1  think,  for  several  years. 

7549.  Q.  Is  it  the  practice  in  your  State  to  do  judicial  acts  without  a 
udge  ? 

A.  Those  judicial  acts,  in  this  county.  It  has  been  the  practice,  I  believe, 
?or  three  or  four  years,  to  some  extent.  I  had  occasion,  as  clerk  of  the 
jounty  central  committee,  to  examine  the  naturalization  papers  after 
key  were  filed,  in  making  out  a  list  of  naturalizations,  which  was  pub- 
istaed  in  the  papers. 

7550.  Q.  What  proportion  of  these  naturalizations  were  minors,  what 
>roportion  were  soldiers,  and  what  proportion  had  declared  their  inten- 
■ions? 

A.  My  examinations  in  that  respect  were  confined  almost  entirely  to 
hose  who  had  been  naturalized  under  democratic  auspices.  The  papers 
m  the  other  hide  I  did  not  examine.  My  impression  is  that  considerably 
nore  than  half  were  upon  papers  declaring  that  they  arrived  in  this 
'ountry  under  18;  and  I  should  think  perhaps  an  eighth  or  a  tenth  were 
lischarged  soldiers. 

7551.  Q.  Was  the  record  of  these  naturalizations,  whether  done  in  the 
lerk's  office  or  the  court,  completed  at  the  time  the  party  received  his 
■ertifiea  te  ! 

A.  Of  those  papers  that  I  examined  I  do  not  think  one-fifth  were  com- 
peted—in  fact  I  doubt  very  much  whether  a  tenth  of  them  were;  that  is, 
completed  as  far  as  the  jurat  and  signatures  of  the  clerk  to  the  order 


686  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

were  concerned.  For  some  three  weeks,  while  these  examinations  were 
going  on,  it  was  impossible  for  tlie  clerk  to  sign  them,  because  he  was 
sick.  Some  of  them,  however,  were  signed  by  the  deputy  clerk.  They 
were  signed  by  31  r.  Bardoe,  who  is  an  assistant  deputy  clerk.  Neither 
of  these  men  are  what  they  call  clerks  to  the  court.  The  clerk  appoints 
what  he  calls  special  assistant  deputy  clerks  for  the  courts,  of  which  Mr. 
Benjamin  is  one  and  Mr.  Knabit  is  one.  Messrs.  Bardoe,  Cutler,  and 
Foster  are  assistant  deputy  clerks  in  the  office. 

7552.  Q.  At  the  time  these  assistant  deputies  transacted  the  business  I 
was  the  clerk  or  his  deputy  in  the  office? 

A.  The  clerk  was  not,  but  I  suppose  the  deputy  was.  From  Palmyra, 
in  Wayne  county,  we  found  two  papers  issued  to  Timothy  Cosgrove  on 
the  same  day.  One  of  them  we  found  was  issued  on  a  declaration  that 
lie  came  to  this  country  under  the  age  of  IS  years,  and  the  other  on  the 
first  paper  of  a  man  by  the  name  of  Ryan,  I  think.  So  Mr.  Cosgrove 
had  two  papers. 

7553.  Q.  Were  these  aliens  witnesses  for  each  other? 

A.  Yes.  There  are  numerous  instances  of  that  kind.  I  am  copying  a 
paper  now,  of  names  from  Avon,  in  which  there  are  numerous  instances 
of  that  character;  and  I  will  produce  it. 

Rochester,  N.  Y.,  January  15, 1869. 
Jerome  Fuller  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Dickey  : 

7554.  Q.  I  reside  at  Rockport,  in  this  county.  I  have  been  acting  as 
county  judge  since  the  1st  day  of  January  a  year  ago. 

7555.  Q.  Please  to  state  the  mode  in  which  naturalizations  have  been 
granted  in  your  court  during  the  past  year. 

A.  I  think  I  naturalized  one  or  two  men  last  spring",  (I  do  not  recol- 
lect the  time,)  in  my  chambers.  By  the  statute  of  this  State,  the  county 
court  is  always  open,  except  for  business  where  notice  is  required.  I  did 
nothing  in  relation  to  the  naturalization  of  any  person  after  that  until  . 
the  8th  day  of  October  last.  I  had  a  consultation  with  some  one  of  my 
associates  on  the  criminal  side  of  the  county  court,  who  is  also  a 
member  of  the  court  above  ;  and  he  told  me  they  were  naturalizing  in 
the  clerk's  office  below.  I  had  heard  rumors  of  that  kind  before;  and  ; 
Judge  Smith  had  had  his  attention  called  to  it.  I  advised  him  to  go 
down  and  tell  them  it  was  all  wrong,  and  should  be  stopped,  and  was 
afterwards  informed  by  him  that  he  did  so.  Then  to  relieve  the  pressure 
on  the  circuit  court  above  I  opened  my  court  on  the  following  day,  which  . 
was  the  8th,  for  the  purpose  of  naturalization.  I  kept  it  open  for  that 
purpose  most  of  the  time  (I  missed  one  or  two  days)  until  and  including 
the  24th  of  October,  which  was  the  last  day  on  which  they  could  he 
naturalized  and  vote  at  the  coming  election.  When  I  commenced  I  was 
wholly  unacquainted  with  the  business  of  naturalization,  and  never  had 
read  the  statutes  on  that  subject;  and  I  had  to  spend  a  considerable  part 
of  the  time,  for  the  first  day  or  twTo,  in  looking  up  the  law  and  becoming 
familiar  with  that.  During  that  time  a  considerable  number  of  persons 
were  naturalized;  and  it  was  done,  I  presume,  rather  loosely.  I  am 
informed  that  in  one  or  two  cases  papers  got  by  without  sufficient 
scrutiny ;  and  we  passed,  without  discovering  it,  one  or  two  when  the 
declarations  of  intention  had  been  made  less  than  two  years,  having  a  ! 
few  days  yet  to  run.  There  was  considerable  pressure  on  the  court.  • 
They  came  in  in  schools,  and  the  room  was  frequently  crowded.  Most 
of  the  naturalizations  took  place  the  first  hour  in  the  morning  after  the 
court  was  opened,  at  11  o'clock.     Sometimes  there  would  be  15  or  20 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW   YORK.  687 

waiting  for  their  turns,  with  all  their  witnesses,  which  filled  the  room 
up.  It  was  difficult,  therefore,  to  give  the  papers  that  scrutiny  which 
was  required,  in  every  case;  but  we  aimed  to  scrutinize  them.  I  called 
to  my  assistance  the  associate  justices  in  the  court  of  sessions.  I  had 
other  judicial  duties  pressing  upon  me  to  be  performed  at  the  same  time; 
and  when  there  was  considerable  pressure  on  the  court  one  of  these  would, 
ordinarily,  look  over  the  papers  and  hand  them  to  me  and  say  whether 
they  were  right  or  not ;  and  the  clerk  would  swear  the  witnesses,  and  I 
would  examine  them  while  they  were  looking  over  the  papers.  We  facil- 
itated the  business  in  that  way  ;  and  when  I  Avas  engaged  in  other  busi- 
ness my  associates  examined  the  papers  and  questioned  the  witnesses 
also. 

7556.  Q.  Are  they  associates  of  this  court  for  naturalization  purposes  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  they  are  not  on  the  civil  side  of  the  court;  they  are  justi- 
ces of  the  sessions  on  the  criminal  side  of  the  court.  When  naturaliza- 
tions took  place,  I  opened  my  court  at  11  o'clock  in  the  morning.  A 
good  deal  of  naturalization  was  done  before  my  court  was  open  in  the 
, morning;  there  the  same  course  was  pursued.  Judge  Smith  would 
not  stop  his  business  to  attend  to  it ;  and  the  justices  of  the  sessions 
attended  to  it  there.  The  court  of  sessions  had  been  adjourned,  not  from 
one  day  to  the  next,  but  a  day  or  two  later;  and  when  the  day  of  adjourn- 
ment came  round  I  kept  it  open.  My  opinion  is,  as  a  judge  and  a  law- 
yer, that  the  court  of  sessions  has  as  much  power  to  naturalize  as  the 
county  court.  The  county  court  has  no  original  common-law  jurisdic- 
tion whatever;  none  but  appellate.  The  court  of  sessions  has  original 
common-law  jurisdisction  over  all  crimes  where  the  punishment  is  less 
than  death  or  imprisonment  for  life;  and  the  court  of  sessions  has  civil 
jurisdiction  in  some  cases.  There  is  a  class  of  quasi  criminal  cases,  which 
are  really  civil  cases,  as  in  the  case  of  bastardy,  in  which  it  has  jurisdic- 
tion. Had  I  not  been  aided  by  my  associates  I  should  either  have  had 
to  neglect  the  naturalization  business  or  my  other  judicial  duties. 

7557.  Q.  In  your  court  were  the  parties  and  witnesses  subjected  to  a 
preliminary  examination?  If  so,  what  was  the  character  of  that  exam- 
ination % 

A.  There  wrere  three  classes  of  persons  offering  themselves  to  be  nat- 
uralized. One  class  comprised  those  who  claimed  to  have  migrated  to 
this  country  before  they  were  18  years  old ;  another  class  claimed  to  be 
naturalized  on  a  previous  declaration  of  intentions ;  the  third  class  were 
discharged  soldiers,  who  had,  or  claimed  to  have,  honorable  discharges. 
In  the  first  class  the  first  thing  which  was  done  was  to  administer  the 
preliminary  oath,  and  examine  the  applicant  as  to  his  age,  and  as  to  the 
time  of  his  migration  to  this  country ;  and  after  the  first  day  I  think  we 
made  that  examination  a  rigid  one.  A  large  majority  of  those  who 
3ffered  themselves  for  naturalization  claimed  to  have  migrated  to  this 
ountry  before  they  were  18  years  old.  The  naturalizations  upon  previ- 
ous declarations  of  intentions  were  comparatively  very  few.  There  was 
i  considerable  number  of  discharged  soldiers.  If  we  were  satisfied  from 
She  examination,  in  the  first  class,  that  the  applicant  had  migrated  to 
this  country  before  he  was  18,  we  then  allowed  his  witnesses  to  be  sworn 
is  to  his  five  years'  residence,  and  one  year's  residence  in  the  State  of 
New  York,  and  we  then  examined  them,  except  in  all  cases  where  the 
lischarge  from  the  army  showed  that  they  had  been  discharged  more 
:han  a  year,  as  they  did  in  all  cases.  We  were  not  very  particular  about 
t  then,  because  we  considered  the  discharge  itself  evidence  that  they 
♦vere  in  the  country  more  than  a  year  before.  If  satisfied  as  to  the  resi- 
lence,  we  allowed  the  oath  to  be  administered. 

7558.  Q.  What  proportion  of  those  that  applied  were  rejected,  if  any  1 


G88  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 


A.  I  could  not  tell  you  the  proportion,  because  we  kept  no  record 
those  that  were  rejected.  We  rejected  a  good  many  because  we 
satisfied,  although  they  had  made  an  affidavit  to  that  effect,  that  the 
did  not  migrate  to  this  country  before  they  were  IS.  A  large  propo; 
tion  of  those  that  we  rejected  were  of  that  class.  We  were  satisfied  tha 
a  good  deal  of  fraud  was  being  committed  in  that  way,  and  we  wei 
more  particular  and  rigid  in  the  examination  in  relation  to  that  tha 
anything  else. 

Q.  So  far  as  you  could  reach  it,  you  rejected  them  I 

A.  Yes,  sir;  and  I  would  say  further  that  it  struck  me  very  forcibl 
that  the  applicant's  oath  on  that  subject  was  a  very  loose  way  of  \)vo\ 
ing  his  age  and  time  of  migration  to  this  country,  and  that  it  opened  th 
door  to  an  immense  amount  of  fraud  which  there  was  no  possible  mean 
of  detecting.     In  a  number  of  instances  1  rejected  them  on  view  ;   I  coul 
see  for  myself  that  they  must  be  either  swearing  falsely  or  mistaken, 
am  informed  that   the   business  of  naturalization,  before   I  came  hit 
office,  had  chiefly  been  done  in  the  clerk's  office,  and  when  it  was  stoppec 
in  the  way  I  have  described,  there  was  a  good  deal  of  criticism  becaus 
it  was  not  allowed  to  he  done  in  the  same  way  that  it  had  been  before 
The  papers  were  drawn  before  they  came  into  court.     There  were  verj 
rarely  any  papers  drawn  in  the  court.     I  paid  no  attention  to  the  record,1 
or  form  of  record,  or  anything  of  that  kind.     I  allowed  the  clerics  or  law 
vers  to  do  that  to  suit  themselves.     I   know  that   the  clerk  signed  tin 
jurats  in  the  court,  but  the  matter  of  making  np  the  record  and  giving 
the  certificates  of  naturalization  1  paid  no  attention  to.     The  clerk  in  thij 
county  has  a  deputy,  Mr.  Cutler.     He  has  a  special  deputy,  Colonel  Beiii 
jamin,  whose  whole  business  it  is  to  attend  on   the  courts.     lie  attendr 
as  a  clerk  to  the  courts.     Neither  Mr.  Cutler  nor  Colonel  Powers  evel 
attends  the  court  as  clerk  there.     That  is  the  whole  business  of  Colonel 
Benjamin,  and  he  attends  on  the  courts  as  deputy  clerk,  and  has  a]1! 
assistant,  Mr.  Knabit.     The  first  day  Air.  Knabit  was  sent  down  afte 
I  opened  court,  but  we  concluded  that  on  tin1  whole  that  would  hardl; 
be  sufficient.     He  officiated  the  first  day,  but  after  that  he  officiated  n 
more.    After  that,  so  long  as  the  circuit  court  was  in  session,  they  sent  uj 
an  assistant  deputy  from  the  clerk's  office  below.     Sometimes  it  was  Mi 
Foster  and  sometimes  it  was  Mr.  Bardoe.     We  had  considerable  troubl 
to  get  a  clerk,  and  a  good  deal  of  the  time  we  had  to  wait.     In  on 
instance,  I  recollect,  I  went  down  into  the  clerk's  office,  because  we  coul 
not  get  a  clerk  up  there.     After  Judge  Smith  adjourned  his  court  u\ 
stairs,  winch  was  during  the  last  week,  Colonel  Benjamin  officiated  a 
the  special  deputy  to  attend  upon  the  courts. 

7559.  Q.  Has  it  been  the  practice  for  county  judges  in  this  county  t 
naturalize  at  chambers  f 

A.  My  impression  is  that  the  practice  in  this  county  was  to  naturaliz 
in  the  clerk's  office,  without  going  to  chambers  at  all;  but  in  one  or  tw 
instances  I  naturalized  at  chambers  last  spring.  In  three  instances  tha 
came  under  my  observation,  certificates  of  declaration  were  presente 
which  had  been  altered,  and  the  time  of  the  declaration  changed,  hi  th 
first  instance  I  discovered  that  a  six  had  been  changed  to  a  cipher.  Th 
last  day  of  naturalization  was  the  24th  of  October,  and  the  date  Octobe 
2b",  two  years  before,  had  been  changed  to  October  20.  I  discovered  tha 
myself,  and  rejected  it;  but  I  was  not  smart  enough  in  that  case  to  kee 
the  paper.  In  the  next  case  I  do  not  recollect  what  figure  had  bee 
changed.  I  examined  the  man  very  closely.  He  denied  being  able  t 
read,  and  denied  knowing  that  it  had  been  altered  at  all,  or  anythin 
about  it.     I  kept  the  paper,  and  rejected  the  application. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 


G89 


Kochester,  New  York,  January  15,  1869. 

Joseph  L.  Luckey  recalled. 
To  Mr.  Dickey  : 

7560.  I  have  copied  the  names  and  dates  of  persons  naturalized  from 
the  town  of  Avon,  Livingston  county,  and  of  the  witnesses,  from  the 
papers  themselves,  as  they  appear  in  the  records  in  the  county  clerk's 
office  of  Monroe  county.  On  examination  of  the  record,  I  find  that  there 
were  475  persons  naturalized  in  this  county  from  the  1st  of  September  to 
the  28th  of  October. 

The  witness  produced  the  copy  above  referred  to,  which  is  as  follows: 

List  of  persons  naturalized  from  Avon,  Livingston  county,  in  the  Monroe 

county  clerks  office. 


Date. 


Sept.  26 


Oct. 


Names  of  parties. 


10 


Biser,  Anthony 

Dowd,  Michael  — 
O'Brien,  Michael  .. 

Rook,  Michael 

Sooney,  John 

Duffy, Thomas  .... 

Coyne,  Peter 

Kelly,  John 

McCarley,  James  . . 
McAvoy,  Edward- . 
McAvoy,  Patrick  J . 

Tigbe,John 

Torpy,  Richard 

Murtha,  John 

Wall,  Richard 

Agan,  John 

Boyle,  Francis 

Agan,  James 

Cullins,  John 

Kelly,  Michael 

Kelly,  James 

Leary,  Andrew 

McGraw,  John 

Mooney,  Thomas  .. 

Rourk ,  Thomas 

Sheridan,  Thomas.. 

Tully,  Bradley 

Watson,  Alexander 
Welch,  Thomas. .. 

Welch,  John 

Burke,  Peter  G.... 
Garvey,  Edward  . . . 

Haynes,  James 

Hannatz,  Pette 

Kelly,  Thomas 

Landers,  Jerry 

McMara,  John . 

McGrath,  William  . 
Givens,  Thomas  ... 

Darby,  Thomas 

Grany,  William 

Collins,  Michael  . . . 

Kelly,  Andrew 

Careny,  Edward  . . . 
Dickson,  William.. 

44  T 


Names  of  witnesses. 


William  E.  Pattee  and  Michael  O'Brien. 
William  E.  Pattee,  other  name  not  legible. 
William  E.  Pattee  and  Michael  Dowd. 
William  E.  Pattee  and  Michael  Dowd. 
William  E.  Pattee  and  Michael  O'Brien. 
James  Kearny  and  M.  Kearny. 
John  Tighe  and  Richard  Torpey. 
Peter  Coyne  and  Richard  Torpey. 
Edward  McAvoy  and  P.  J.  McAvoy. 
P.  J.  McAvoy  and  James  McCarly. 
Edward  McAvoy  and  James  McCarly. 
William  E.  Pattee  and  Richard  Torpey. 
William  E.  Pattee  and  John  Tighe. 
Thomas  Murphy  and  Barney  Goggins. 
William  E.  Pattee  and  John  Tighe. 
William  E.  Pattee  and  Thomas  Duffy. 
Thomas  Duffy  and  John  Boylan. 
Thomas  McHugh  and  Andrew  Leary. 
Thomas  McHugh  and  John  Agan. 
John  McGraw  and  Thomas  Looney. 
Thomas  Duffy  and  John  McGraw. 
John  Agan  and  Thomas  Duffy. 
Thomas  McHugh  and  Thomas  Mooney. 
William  E.  Pattee  and  John  Welch. 
Thomas  Duffy  and  Thomas  McHugh. 
Thomas  Duffy  and  Bradley  Tully. 
William  E.  Pattee  and  Thomas  McHugh. 
William  E.  Pattee  and  Thomas  Looney. 
William  E.  Pattee  and  John  Agan. 
William  E.  Pattee  and  Thomas  Rouch. 
John  Coffee  and  Edw.  Mahan. 
Lovel  Hamlin  and  J.  H.  Yerkes. 
Barney  Goggins  and  Daniel  Sullivan. 
John  McGraw  and  Thomas  Looney. 
William  E.  Pattee  and  Thomas  Duffy. 
William  E.  Pattee  and  Thomas  Duffy. 
William  E.  Pattee  and  John  O'Connor. 
William  E.  Pattee  and  Thomas  Duffy. 
William  E.  Pattee  and  Thomas  Duffy. 
William  E.  Pattee  and  P.  Curran. 
Patrick  Leahy  and  Charles  Chustie. 
William  Brown  and  Andrew  Kelly. 
Christopher  Rockafellow  and  Edw.  Mclntyre. 
William  E.  Pattee  ond  Michael  Rook. 
William  E.  Pattee  and  Michael  O'Brien. 


090  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IX  NEW  YORK. 

Rochester,  New  York,  January  15, 1869! 

Calvin  Knowl.es  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Dickey  : 

7561.  I  ;ui)  an  attorney  practicing  law  and  farmer;  I  reside  in  Avon, 
Livingston  county:  I  was  inspector  of  elections  <>f  the  2d  election  dis- 
trict of  the  town  or  Avon,  and  one  of  the  registrars  at  the  election  last 
fall. 

7562.  Q.  State  anything  yon  know  of  the  registry  of  illegal  voters 
or  fraudulent  naturalization  papers  in  your  town. 

A.  I  can  state  what  persons  who  were  challenged  swore  to.  Bradley 
Tulley  swore,  u  I  am  35  years  of  age;  1  have  been  in  this  country  about 

14  years;  this  is  my  first  set  of  papers."  Thomas  Mooney  swore,  "I 
suppose  I  am  40  or  41  years  of  age;  I  have  lived  in  this  country  20 
years;  I  was  born  in  Ireland;  this  is  my  first  set  of  papers;  I  have 
never  been  in  the  service  of  the  United  States,  cither  army  or  navy." 
Michael  Dowd  sworn,  says,  "  I  am  about  45  years  of  age;  I  was  born  in 
Ireland;  I  have  been  in  the  United  States  25  years."  1  do  not  think  he 
stated  that  was  his  first  set  of  papers,  but  from,  the  published  list  in  our 
town — I  did  not  examine  the  record  myself — I  have  no  doubt  of  it; 
William  Dixon  sworn,  says,  ^  I  was  born  in  Ireland;  Iain  about  40  years 
of  age;  I  cannot  give  my  exact  age ;   I  have  been  in  the  United  States 

15  years  and  no  longer;  this  is  my  second  set  of  papers;  I  made  my 
application  at  (leneseo  about  eight  years  ago."  There  were  several  per- 
sons who  offered  to  register  who  were  not  entitled  to  from  their  papers. 

7563.  Q.  From  whom  did  those  papers  purport  to  be  issued? 
A.  From  the  clerk  of  the  court  of  Monroe  comity. 

756*4.  Q.  Which  is  the  most  convenient  place  to  register  from  xVvon— 
the  county  town  of  Livingston  county  or  Rochester'! 

A.  It  is  10  miles  to  (leneseo  by  railroad,  and  it  is  18  miles  to  the  city 
of  Rochester. 

7565.  Q.  Please  look  at  this  list  [produced  by  Mr.  Luckey,  the  pre- 
vious witness,]  and  say  whether  any  of  the  parties  you  have  named  are 
on  that  list. 

A.  There  are  three  election  districts  in  the  town ;  part  of  the  names  on 
this  list  voted  in  the  election  district  of  which  I  was  inspector ;  probably 
about  20  of  them  registered,  and  15  of  them  voted. 

7566.  Q.  State  whether  the  same  parties  Avere  witnesses  and  appli 
cants,  aliens  being  reciprocally  applicants  and  witnesses  for  one  another 

A.  Yes,  sir;  they  stated  that  their  papers  were  all  made  out  together 
at  the  clerk's  office,  and  they  were  all  sworn  and  naturalized  at  the  same 
time. 

Rochester,  New  York,  January  15, 1869. 
Anthony  Biser  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Dickey  : 

7567.  I  live  in  Avon,  Livingston  county ;  I  work  by  the  day. 

7568.  Q.  Did  you  come  to  Rochester  last  fall  to  be  naturalized? 
A.  Yes. 

7569.  Q.  How  many  came  with  you  ? 
A.  I  don't  know ;  about  seven  or  eight. 

7570.  Q.  Where  did  you  go  to  when  you  first  came  here  ? 
A.  I  go  with  the  rest  of  them  to  an  office — a  lawyer's  office ;  I  don't 

know  where  it  was. 

7571.  Q.  What  did  you  do  when  you  got  there  % 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IX    NEW    YORK.  691 

A.  Taking-  my  paper  out. 

7572.  Q.  Was  Michael  Dowd  one  of  the  party  1 
A.  Yes. 

7573.  Q.  Michael  O'Brien,  Michael  Rook,  John  Tooney?  [Reading 
names  from  the  Avon  list,  September  20.] 

A.  Yes ;  that  was  all  I  guess ;  I  showed  my  first  paper,  and  he  made 
out  a  paper  for  me  and  I  thought  it  was  all  right;  he  asked  me  some 
questions,  but  I  did  not  understand  what  he  said. 

7574.  Q.  Where  did  you  go  to  then  ! 

A.  I  came  up  here,  I  suppose ;  [  to  the  court-house  ;]  down  stairs. 

7575.  Q.  Who  went  witness  lor  you J? 

A.  I  suppose  Michael  O'Brien  and  Billy  Pattee  did. 
7570.  Q.  O'Brien  was  naturalized  and  got  his  papers  at  the  same  time 
vou  got  yours  ? 
A.  Yes. 

7577.  Q.  Were  the  papers  read  over  to  you ! 
A.  He  read  over,  but  I  could  not  understand  what  they  speak. 
7578    Q.  How  long  had  you  had  your  first  paper  ? 
A.  Just  a  year. 

7579.  Q.  How  long  had  you  been  in  the  country  % 
A.  About  17  years. 

7580.  Q.  Did  you  give  up  your  first  paper  ? 

A   Yes :  I  gave  it  to  the  clerk  and  he  gave  it  to  me  back,  and  I  took 

ft  along  home. 
7581.  Q.  You  were  naturalized  because  you  came  here  before  you  was 
18, 1  suppose  \ 
A.  I  don't  know  whether  he  asked  that  or  not. 

7582.  Q.  He  gave  back  your  first  paper  ? 
A.  Yes  ;  and  made  out  another  one. 

7583.  Q.  How  old  were  you  when  you  came  to  this  country  .; 
A.  O,  I  was  old—  about  42,  I  guess. 

Rochester,  New  York,  January  15,  1809. 
James  B.  Adams  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Dickey  : 

7581.  I  live  in  Geneseo,  Livingston  county ;  I  am  district  attorney  of 
bat  county  at  present ;  the  almost  uniform  practice  in  that  county  is  for 
lie  county  judge  to  examine  the  witnesses  wherever  he  happens  to  find 
hem,  usually  at  his  chambers,  and  to  give  a  slip  of  paper  when  he 
droits  them  to  citizenship,  addressed  to  the  clerk  ordering  him  to  admit 
hem ;  there  is  no  clerk  present ;  the  judge  there  holds  that  the  county 
ourt  is  wherever  the  county  judge  is ;  I  have  been  acquainted  for  the 
ist  twelve  years  with  the  practice  of  naturalization  as  conducted  by  the 
ounty  court  there ;  during  the  administration  of  Judge  Hastings,  who 

as  a  democratic  judge,  from  January  1,  1856,  for  eight  years,  he  was  in 
ie  habit  of  travelling  around  the  county — little  more  than  ten  days  before 
he  election — for  the  purpose  of  affording  facilities  to  parties  to  be  nat- 
ralized  in  that  manner;  our  present  county  judge — Judge  Hubbard— 
as  elected  from  Dansville,  the  extreme  southern  town  of  our  county, 
uite  a  large  village;  and  he  has  been  in  the  habit  since  his  election  of 
pending  one  day  of  the  week  at  Dansville  for  the  purpose  of  attending 
)  business  there :  he  had  an  office  there  and  has  been  in  the  habit  of 
aturalizing  at  Dansville  parties  from  that  part  of  the  county,  and 
iviug  an  order  upon  the  county  clerk  at  Geneseo,  18  miles  distant,  to 
ive  them  their  naturalization  papers;  the  clerk  of  Monroe  county  is  a 
emocrat,  and  the  judge  is  a  republican. 


G92  ELECTION  FRAUDS  EM  NEW  YORK 

Rochester,  Ni:w  York,  January  15,  1869. 
William  s.  Poster  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  DlOKEY  : 

7586.  I  am  special  deputy  county  clerk  in  Monroe  county ;  it  has  been 
the  practice  here  in  years  gone  by  for  naturalizations  to  be  granted  in 
the  clerk's  office  by  the  clerk  or  his  deputy,  as  the  case  might  be,  which- 
ever was  there,  without  the  presence  of  the  judge. 

7587.  Q.  Without  any  forma]  opening  of  a  court  .' 
A.  Without  any. 

7588.  <v>.  It  was  done  as  pari  of  the  current  business  of  the 
A.   Yes.  sir. 

7589.  [Witness  produced    the   application    of  Anthony 
ground  that  he  came  to  this  country  under  the  age  of  is  years,  and 
showing  thai  papers  were  issued  to  him  as  having  so  come  :  the  witin  3»  g 
being  William  E,  Pattee  and  .Michael  O'Brien.] 

To  Mr.  DlOKEI  : 

7590.  The  practice  has  been  the  same  here  for  a  number  of  years. 

7591.  Q.  Were  all  the  naturalization  papers  thus  granted  indexed  and 

entered  in  ;i  DOOk  I 

A.  Yes.  sir:  they  are  tiled  and  entered  in  a  book  we  call  the  natural- 
ization ledger. 

7592.  (v>.  l>o  you  know  about  the  number  granted  during  the  last 
year  .' 

A.  I  do  not  :  I  entered  them  myself;  all  that  were  in  the  ollice  were 
entered. 

7593.  <).   Were  they  all  retained  in  the  ollice  regularly  and  entered? 
A.   Yes.  sir:    I  don't  think  there  was  ever  one  taken  from  the  office. 


he  office  .' 
Biser  on   the 


The  following  testimony  was  taken  by  the  lull  committee  in  Washing- 
ton, District  of  Columbia  : 

Washington,  D.  C,  Jan  nan/  25,  18G6. 

Howard  T.  Marston  recalled. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

7.V.)4.  Question.  State  if  yon  madeany  examination  of  the  applications 
for  naturalization  for  the1  month  of  October,  I868,in  the  supreme  court  o: 
New  York  city  ;  and  if  so,  to  what  extent  you  found  papers  equal  to  tin 
number  of  persons  alleged  to  have  been  naturalized. 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  I  did.  I  present  to  the  eommitteea  table  showingthe 
days  in  October  on  which  witnesses  appear  on  applications  for  naturali 
zatiou  in  the  supreme  court,  and  the  number  of  times  each  witness 
appears  in  the  naturalization  papers  as  follows : 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 


693 


Days  on  ickich  witnesses  appear  and  the  number  of  limes  each  witness  appears  on  the  naturali- 
zation papers  filed  in  the  supreme  court ,  county  and  State  of  New  York,  during  the  month  of 
October,  J868,  from  the  Qth  to  the  23d.  of  said  month,  inclusive. 


[About  200  soldiers 

'  papers  in  all 

1 

Names  of  witnesses. 

00 

%Z 

IS 

o 

d      ei 

z    -■: 

o        o 
"S        o 

C       C 

n 

u 

| 

O 

S 
a 

O 

Z 

O 

O 

u 

O 

"5 
O 

U 

CD 

o 

"5 
O 

z 

o 

° 

d 
o* 

Z 
& 
o 

o 

a* 

u 

V 

o 

- 
O 

23 

a 
a 
u 

® 

O 
« 

O 

4    Total. 

O   , 

14 
31 

1 
00       7 

1 

l 

84 
44 
13 

2 

15 
112 

4 

91 

38 

17        551 

o    *9a      JO      5» 

14 

16 

22      24 
54      44 
19      12 
10       9 
12     25 
1        2 

40 
25 
14 

"*5 

1 

1 

324 
455 

18      24    *94^     43 

57 

20     21 

4       8 

44     24 

25     20 

3        9 

11 

*75 

68 

Patrick  Goff  .                       

*tt        11        «3 

52 

*38 

8 

27 

28 

l 

63 
31 

7 
16 

6 

20 

fl 

454 

9      97       13         Q 

15     12 
6       2 
18     22 

10 

203 

2 

10       5       3 

9       71    30 

*12   *25      11 

|       3      13 

44 

4 

7 
11 

27 
23 

9 
20 

1 

3 

8 
14 
17 

18 

7 

192 

o 

3 

31 

120 

26      24      42 
44 1     27 

172 

2     10 
13      13 

24 

o 

205 

6 
5 

34 

11 
12 

::::l 

...J  — - 

16 

12 



•3,.... 

9 

10 

1 

7 

.... 

...J       1 
8       4 

1 

55 

Philip  Wiley 

11 

1 

3 

7 

1 

2 
1 
2 

"l 
2 

46 

1        3 

8 

3 

"l3 

1 

12 
19 

12 

20 

32 

Johii  W.  White 



12 

:::::::: 

25  ... . 

1 

26 

Total 

230 

SSfl     144    277    941 

356,  230    139 

1 

181    184 

210    186 

107   2,  749 

Number  of  papers  examined 

1 1,089   700   915   766    557 

841    788    617 

933   909    755    659 

564  10,093 

1,053    670    851 

74v 

541 

813   757 

595 

899    874    720    042 

548    9.711 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1     ' 

*  Numbers  marked  thus  *  show  a  difference  from  the  paper  heretofore  sworn  to,  for  the  reason  that  said 
paper  was  made  a  part  of  the  -evidence  before  all  the  naturalization  papers  of  the  dates  therein  were  examined, 
except  as  to  Janus  Goff  and  Patrick  Ooff,  when  the  one  was  taken  for  the  other. 

1 590  of  October  8th  and  9th  were  examined  by  Mr.  Glassey. 

In  the  cases  of  James  Goff  and  Patrick  Goff,  I  had  in  the  other 
table  I  presented  James  Goff  alone.  But  that  was  a  mistake  simply  as 
to  the  name.  The  result  of  the  two  is  the  same,  bnt  in  the  first  case  set 
down  to  the  credit  of  the  wrong  man.  I  give  in  this  table  the  total  num- 
ber of  papers  I  examined  each  day,  and  the  total  number  of  papers  taken 
out  by  minors  each  day,  and  about  200  soldiers'  papers. 

75!>7.  Q.  By  applications  of  minors,  you  mean  persons  who  came  into 
the  United  States  under  18  years  of  age,  as  appears  by  the  papers  in 
the  court  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir.  Out  of  the  1080  papers  on  the  8th  and  9th,  590  of  them 
were  examined  by  Mr.  Glassey.  Those  examined  by  him  I  know  nothing 
about. 

7598.  Q.  State  what  proportion  or  number  of  the  applications  described 
in  your  table  are  what  are  called  minor  applications. 

A.  9,7 LI  appear  as  minor  papers  out  of  10,093.  About  200  are  sol 
diers'  papers. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

7599.  Q.  Did  you  examine  all  the  papers  in  the  supreme  court  ! 

A.  I  examined  all  the  papers  that  were  given  to  me,  except  590  on 
the  8th  and  9th  days,  I  believe. 

7600.  Q.  And  you  found  that  of  all  those  applications  about  9,711 
were  minors  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

7601.  Q.  The  whole  number  being  10,093? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 


694  ELECTION    FRAUDS    TN    NEW    YORK. 

7602.  Q.  Who  aided  you  in  making  this  examination  in  the  suprem 
court;  you  made  none  anywhere  else,  did  you? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  had  no  aid  except  a  man  in  the  clerk's  office  who  too 
the  papers,  as  I  passed  them  over  to  him,  and  filed  them  and  put  then, 
back  in  their  places  in  the  office.     He  did  not  aid  me  further  than  that 

7603.  Q.  With  that  exception  yon  had  no  assistance? 

A.  No  assistance,  except  as  to  the  590  papers  that  I  had  nothing  tod< 
with. 

7604.  Q.  How  did  you  examine  these ;  what  was  the  process  1 

A.  I  looked  to  see  if  the  judge's  signature  was  on  all  of  them,  thesig 
nature  of  the  clerk  on  the  proper  number  of  times,  and  where  partie; 
appeared  as  witnesses  a  great  number  of  times  I  noted  that,  and  when 
I  believed  it  to  be  the  same  handwriting  from  a  person  giving  a  differ 
ent  residence,  I  noted  that. 

7005.  Q.  In  the  case  of  these  numerous  witnesses,  did  you  give  am 
special  attention  to  the  examination  of  the  handwriting  to  each  appli 
cation  where  the  same  name  appeared  as  witness? 

A.  Yes.  sir;  I  did. 

Q.  What  did  you  find  to  be  the  case  \ 

A.  I  found  a  good  many  of  these  witnesses  in  the  same  handwriting! 
and  I  found  them  in  different  handwriting;  sometimes  the  same  naui< 
would  appear  written  back-handed;  sometimes  the  same  name  and  a  dif 
ferent  place  of  residence  ;  sometimes,  for  instance,  I  found  Patrick  Goff 
and  sometimes  P.  Goff,  and  sometimes  I  found  Patrick  Goff's  cross  with 
the  same  handwriting  all  through  the  papers.  In  his  case  it  was  a  frei 
quent  occurrence. 

7606.  Q.  In  what  proportion  of  the  applications  signed,  for  example,  bj 
John  Ward,  as  a  witness,  did  you  find  the  name  written  with  a  cross! 

A.  I  do  not  think  I  found  his  name;  if  I  did  it  is  in  my  notes.  Th( 
only  person  that  I  remember  particularly  as  to  that  was  Patrick  Goff. 

7607.  Q.  Did  you  examine  all  the  signatures  purporting  to  be  the  sig- 
nature of  John  Ward,  with  a  view  to  determine  whether  each  one  had! 
been  written  by  the  same  hand  or  not  1 

A.  Yes,  sir;  that  was  my  intention  when  I  looked  at  the  signature  tc 
see  if  it  was  the  same  handwriting,  and  if  it  was  designated  by  the  sani( 
house  or  place  of  residence. 

7608.  Q.  What  did  you  find  to  be  the  result  as  to  John  Ward? 
A.  I  think  he  registered  all  the  time  from  one  house. 

7609.  Q.  I  am  speaking  now  of  the  handwriting;  the  absolute  identity 
of  the  handwriting  in  the  signature  in  each  case. 

A.  Well,  I  believe  it  to  have  been  written  by  the  same  man  ;  that  was 
my  opinion  about  it  upon  examination.  I  only  took  that  which  I  believed, 
to  be  the  same  hand. 

7610.  Q.  Did  you  reject  any  that  were  in  the  same  name  ? 
A.  No,  sir,  I  do  not  mean  to  say  that  I  did. 

7611.  Q.  Do  you  mean  to  say  that  every  signature  of  John  Ward  was 
absolutely  the  same  as  every  other  in  the  handwriting  % 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  only  mean  to  say  that  in  my  judgment  it  was. 

7612.  Q.  What  experience  have  you  had  in  the  comparison  or  detec  i 
tion  of  similarity  in  handwriting  ? 

A.  Well,  I  have  been  used  to  writing  all  my  life,  and  reading  it.  1 
never  had  any  business  for  the  purpose  of  detecting  writing,  but  I  have 
examined  a  great  many  different  handwritings. 

7613.  Q.  Such  as  came  up  in  your  business  only? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

7614.  Q.  How  was  it  as  to  the  signatures  of  John  Moran  in  the  par 
ticulars  to  which  I  have  referred  ? 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  695 

A.  His  name  was  a  signature.  In  one  case  it  was  written  exceedingly 
well,  and  in  another  case  exceedingly  bad. 

7615.  Q.  It  might  be  written  by  different  hands. 

A.  I  think  his  signature  might  or  might  not ;  I  could  not  tell. 

7616.  Q.  How  about  Patrick  Goff'? 

A.  The  same — the  same  handwriting ;  sometimes  he  made  a  cross. 

7617.  Q.  Did  he  sometimes  sign  with  a  cross,  and  sometimes  without  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir,  and  sometimes  P.  Goff  and  sometimes  Patrick  Goff. 
7018.  Q.  What  proportion  of  the  signatures  of  that  name  were  with  a 

cross  \ 

A.  Well,  there  were  a  great  many  with  a  cross ;  I  should  think  there 
were  from  50  to  75,  perhaps  more. 

7619.  Q.  Do  you  have  any  distinct  recollection  of  Thomas  Selkald  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

7620.  Q.  How  was  his  name  executed,  with  a  cross  or  in  handwriting  ? 
A.  In  handwriting  ;  I  do  not  remember  seeing  that  with  a  cross. 

7621.  Q.  How  was  it  as  to  continual  identity  of  the  signature  in  form? 
A.  That  name,  I  think,  was  continual  right  through ;  I  think  that  is 

one  of  the  plainest  of  any  as  to  being  in  one  handwriting.    A  great  many 
of  the  papers  were  right  through  except  the  signature  of  the  clerk,  and 

!  any  person  who  was  any  judge  at  all  of  handwriting  coidd  not  help  seeing 

i  it  at  a  glance. 

7622.  Q.  Do  you  remember  the  name  of  James  McCabe  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  do. 

7623.  Q.  What  do  you  say  about  that  I 

A.  I  take  them  to  be  the  same  handwriting  right  through. 

7024.  Q.  Were  they  in  crosses  ? 

A.  I  think  some  of  them  were  in  crosses  and  some  were  not. 

7625.  Q.  How  was  it  with  the  name  of  John  MeGinnis? 
A.  They  appeared  to  be  in  the  same  handwriting. 

7626.  Q.  Have  you  any  distinct  recollection  about  it  at  all  ? 

A.  Xo,  sir  ;  not  so  much  as  I  have  about  some  of  the  other  names. 

7627.  Q.  What  is  your  recollection  about  the  name  of  Joseph  Moore  ? 
A.  That  name  appeared  to  be  in  one  handwriting  as  many  times  as  I 

noticed. 

7628.  Q.  How  many  did  you  notice  with  a  view  to  detect  that  fact — 
the  similarity  of  the  handwriting  ? 

A.  I  noticed  every  paper  with  his  signature  under  it,  for  that  purpose. 

7629.  Q.  How  much  time  did  you  give  in  all  these  cases  to  a  compar- 
ison of  each  name  as  you  went  along  I 

A.  I  averaged,  I  think,  examining  between  700  and  800  papers  a  day, 
from  9  to  4  o'clock,  in  the  county  clerk's  office,  with  a  half  an  hour  for 
lunch ;  so  that  1  had  about  six  hours'  work  each  day.  In  that  time  I 
did  between  700  and  1,000. 

7630.  Q.  You  did  two  or  three  a  minute  ? 

A.  Yes.  sir :  it  would  seem  so.  But,  perhaps,  I  might  modify  that  a 
little.  When  I  would  come  to  a  paper  that  had  not  the  proper  witnesses 
on  I  just  passed  it  one  side;  but  when  I  came  to  papers  Avith  the  wit- 
nesses on  I  gave  it  more  time  than  the  others.  I  simply  looked  at  the 
clerk's  or  judge's  signature,  or  any  other  peculiarity  that  I  might  hap- 
pen to  see.  and  passed  them  one  side. 

By  Mr.  Boss : 

7631.  Q.  You  stated  something  about  John  Moran.  Don't  you  recol- 
lect that  his  name  was  written  in  two  or  three  different  handwritings, 
and  registered  at  different  places  1 


696  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IX  NEW  YORK. 

A.   I  recollect  that  Ins  name  Avas  written,  in  some  cases,  in  very  excel- 
lent handwriting  and  in  other  eases  in  very  bad  handwriting. 
7632.  Q.  Apparently  quite  different  l 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

70,>3.  Q.  And  registered  from  different  places I 
A.  I  am  not  sure  about  his  registering  from  different  places. 

By  tliQ  Chairman  : 

7634.  Q.  State  if  yon  examined  the  applications  for  naturalization 
with  a  view  to  ascertain  any  irregularities  or  defects,  and  if  so,  state 
any  that  yon  can  now  remember, 

A.  I  have  a  good  many  noted,  but  it  would  take  a  good  while  to  go 
over  them. 

7635.  (c).  Will  yon  furnish  the  committee  with  a  statement  of  these 
irregularities,  to  be  appended  to  your  testimony  \ 

A.    I  will. 

The  statement  is  as  follows: 

70:>0.  In  the  matter  of  the  application  of  Henry  Miller,  411  Cherry 
street,  tiled  October  L5r  1868,  to  become  a  citizen,  &c.  Clerk's  signature 
wanting  to  the  oath  to  support  the  Constitution  and  abjure  foreign 
princes,  &c. 

70:57.  In  the  matter  of  the  application  of  Robert  Hoage,  41  East  Tenth 
street,  tiled  October20,  L868.  Clerk's  signature  wanting  to  his  intention 
to  become  a  citizen  and  to  the  oath  of  allegiance. 

7638.  In  the  matter  of  the  application  <>('  Michael  Nolan,  400  First 
avenue,  tiled  October  22,  1868.  Clerk's  signature  wanting  to  the  oath 
to  support  the  Constitution,  &c. 

7639.  In  the  matter  of  the  application  of  Hugh  Bracken,  Goerck 
street,  no  number,  riled  October  22,  1S0S.  Clerk's  signature  wanting  to 
the  oath  to  support  the  Constitution,  &e. 

7640.  In  the  matter  of  the  application  of  John  Burke,  34  City  Hall 
place,  filed  October,  1808.  Clerk's  signature  wanting  to  the  oath  to  sup- 
port the  Constitution,  &c. 

7041.  In  the  matter  of  the  application  of  Charles  Miller,  297  Stanton 
street,  filed  October  28,  1808.  Clerk's  signature  wanting  to  the  oath  to 
support  the  Constitution,  &c. 

7042.  In  the  matter  of  the  application  of  Michael  Greene,  24  City  Hall 
pi  ace,  filed  October  13, 1808.     Judge's  signature  wanting  to  the  order,  &c. 

Washington,  D.  C,  January  25,  1869. 

John  I.  Davenport  recalled. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

7643.  Question.  State  if  you  know  what  inquiry  and  search  were  made 
for  applications  for  naturalization  in  the  superior  court  in  September  and 
October,  1808,  particularly  as  to  those  alleged  to  be  missing  ! 

Answer.  Having  been  appointed  one  of  the  committee  to  make  the  inves- 
tigation in  the  superior  court,  or  more  properly  one  of  the  committee 
under  whose  supervision  the  investigations  were  to  be  made,  I,  with  the 
other  members  of  that  committee,  appointed  Mr.  Callan  and  Mr.  Voorhies 
to  do  the  actual  work  in  the  court  in  the  presence  of  the  clerk  or  his 
deputy.  On  Saturday  morning  last  they  completed  their  labors  and 
reported  the  number  of  papers  found  by  them.  As  Mr.  Sweeney  had 
acted  very  fairly  throughout  the  whole  investigation,  and  given  every 
assistance  possible,  I  thought  it  was  but  right  that  he  should  have  sonic 
knowledge  of  the  fact  that  a  large  number  of  the  papers  were  not  found, 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  697 

that  he  might  explain  it  in  anyway  that  he  desired.  I  went  to  his  office 
and  not  finding-  him,  saw  Mr.  Meeks,  his  deputy,  who  was  in  charge  of 
the  office,  and  stated  to  him  that  the  report  showed  some  8,000  papers 
short  of  the  nmnber  testified  to  by  Mr.  Westlake.  He  said  he  did  not 
see  very  well  how  that  conlcl  be ;  that  there  must  be  some  mistake  about 
it.  I  suggested  to  him  that  I  was  going  to  Washington  that  evening, 
and  that  it  would  be  best  to  see  if  they  could  not  find  those  papers.  He 
and  I  went  into  the  naturalization  office,  where  Ave  found  Mr.  Thompson 
land  Mr.  Westlake.  Mr.  Meeks  stated  to  them  what  I  had  said  to  .him, 
and  I  repeated  it  to  them,  stating  also  that  on  the  12th  some  1,800  papers 
had  been  sworn  to  by  Mr.  Westlake,  and  our  men  reported  over  2,000 
found,  whereas  they  had  sworn  the  14th  was  the  day  on  which  there  were 
over  2,000.  I  desired  to  know  whether  there  were  over  2,000  on  both 
idays.  They  said  it  was  the  14th  that  was  the  heavy  day.  I  said  sup- 
pose we  count  the  papers  nowr  and  see.  A  pile  of  papers  were  brought 
jut,  and  Mr.  Meeks  asked  if  they  Avere  all  the  papers  for  the  12th.  He 
was  informed  they  were.  I  began  counting  and  Mr.  Thompson  asked 
me  if  I  would  take  his  count ;  I  told  him  I  would.  He  sat  down  beside 
me  and  Mr.  Westlake  did  the  same,  one  on  each  side  of  me,  and  we  each 
took  a  package  and  began  counting.  Mr.  Thompson  took  an  envelope, 
and  as  each  one  of  us  finished  counting,  Ave  stated  the  number  found  in 
the  package  by  us,  which  Mr.  Thompson  marked  on  the  envelope.  We 
found  1,000  papers.  "There, "  said  he,  "you  see  there  must  be  some 
mistake  about  it;  your  men  must  have  made  some  mistake;  it  must  be 
the  14th."  I  replied  Mr.  Westlake  testified  there  Avere  nearly  1,800 
papers  on  this  day,  and  there  certainly  must  be  some  mistake  here.  He 
said,  "No,  these  are  all  the  papers  Ave  can  find,  and  you  can  see  for  your- 
self," taking  me  into  a  closet  where  he  said  they  Avere  kept  and  repeat- 
ing these  are  all  of  the  papers  for  the  12th ;  there  is  where  they  Avere 
kept,  and  there  is  the  A^acaucy  out  of  which  this  bundle  was  just  taken. 
I  said  I  would  return  to  my  office  and  see  my  clerks  and  they  must  return 
there  and  explain  the  matter,  for  they  had  reported  over  2,000  papers, 
when  now  1,000  appeared  to  be  all  the  papers  on  file.  Just  as  1  Avas 
going  out  one  of  the  clerks  came  in  and  going  into  the  little  room  brought 
)iit  another  bundle,  and  said,  "  Thompson,  here  is  another  bundle."  Mr. 
Thompson,  with  great  apparent  surprise,  said  he  didn't  know  where 
they  were,  and  that  they  must  have  been  put  away.  Then  those  papers 
were  taken  out  and  counted,  and  we  found  2,033  in  the  two  bundles — 
that  is,  those  in  this  last  bundle  added  to  the  1,000  in  the  other  bundle 
made  2,033.  We  did  not  open  these  papers,  but  counted  them  as  they 
were  tied  up  in  the  bundles ;  and  that  is  the  number  we  found  on  that 
lay. 

By  Mr.  HOPKINS : 

7G44.  Q.  Did  that  number  correspond  with  the  investigation  made  by 

.our  clerics  ! 

A.  It  exceeded  it  a  little.  Their  report  was  2,015,  and  ours  2,033.  I 
then  asked  them  if  they  could  giAre  any  explanation  in  regard  to  the 
leficiency.  They  said  they  could  not  unless  it  occurred  iu  this  way: 
hey  did  not  in  the  first  instance  count  the  papers;  they  counted  100 
iml  put  them  in  a  bundle  with  a  rubber  band  around  them,  and  laid 
hem  on  a  table.  They  then  took  a  lot  of  papers  and  laid  them  along- 
side of  this  bundle,  and  when  they  thought  they  matched  evenly,  and 
amounted  to  what  they  estimated  to  be  a  hundred,  they  did  that  pile  up 
n  the  same  way,  and  so  on  with  each  successive  bundle.  They  said  the 
rouble  must  have  been  in  these  estimates;  that  accounted  for  the  8,000 


698  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IX  NEW  YORK. 

short.  "To  be  sure,"  they  said,  " it  is  a  large  number,  but  we  camu 
account  for  it  in  any  other  way.*'  "  But,"  I  said,  "on  one  day,  the  9tl 
according  to  your  statement,  there  must  have  been  nearly  L8  bundles 
there  were  1,760  papers  reported  by  Mr.  Westlake;  consequently  in  la; 
ing  them  out  in  bundles  there  must  have  been  18  bundles.  Our  me 
found  but  601,  which  would  make  but  six  bundles.  Certainly  thei 
could  not  have  been  a  mistake  of  that  difference  in  bundles  that  da; 
They  said  they  could  not  account  for  that  at  all.  There  were  severi 
other  days  when  there  were  800,  or  700,  or  000  short. 

7645.  Q.  Von  say  that  the  clerks  in  the  office  of  the  superior  coin 
accounted  for  the  deficiency  by  the  way  they  estimated  them  in  bundles 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

70 [0.  Q.   lint  your  clerks  counted  them  separately  I 

A.  Yes,  sir;  all  that  were  produced.  Mr.  Westlake  testified  as  to  li 
counting  of  them;  but  the  clerks  in  the  office  told  me  that  was  the  wa 
the  count  was  made  tip,  they  believed. 

7047.  (,).    How  many  days  had  they  been  indexed.' 

A.   Indexed,  1  think,  only  the  first  four  days. 

Washington,  I).  C,  January  25,  1869, 
Samuel  J.  Glassey  recalled. 
By  the  Chairman  ; 

7648.  Question.  In  the  examinations  you  made  of  the  applications  f< 
naturalization,  iu  October,  1868,  in  the  supreme  court  of  New  York  cib 
state  what  you  observed. 

Answer.  1  examined  nearly  (100  of  those  papers  in  the  county  clerk' 
office  on  the  2d  and  5th  days  of  January.  I  observed  that  nearly  all  th 
persons  whose  papers  I  examined  were  naturalized  upon  affidavits  sta 
ing  that  they  were  under  18  years  of  age  when  they  came  to  this  conntn 
I  mean  all  of  them  were  of  that  kind.  And  a  number  of  persons,  whos 
names  I  became  familiar  with  by  having  seen  evidence  of  their  appeal 
ing  as  witnesses  in  the  superior  court,  were  witnesses  in  a  large  nurabe 
of  cases  iii  the  supreme  court;  in  a  number  of  instances  the  sam 
person  appeared  to  have  written  the  names  of  a  number  of  the  witnesse; 
In  quite  a  large  number  of  cases  in  which  two  persons,  Patrick  an 
James  Goff,  were  witnesses,  the  signature  of  the  witness  in  each  appeal 
to  be  in  the  same  handwriting.  The  same  thing  appears  asto.som 
other  parties.  The  number  of  papers  which  I  personally  examinee 
according  to  a  memorandum  I  made  at  the  time,  is  590.  I  may  possibl 
be  in  error  as  to  a  very  few.  The  number  may  be  a  little  over  or  a  littl 
under  that,  but  cannot  vary  more  than  live  or  ten  from  that  number. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

7649.  Q,  You  are  a  lawyer ! 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

7650.  Q.  What  advantage  would  the  applicant  derive  from  stating  i 
his  application  for  naturalization  that  he  came  to  this  country  unde 
18  years  of  age  1 

A.  It  dispenses  with  the  necessity  of  producing  evidence  of  his  Inn 
ing  filed  his  declaration  of  intention  two  years  before. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

7650.  Q.  Did  you  make  a  return  of  the  examination  you  made  to  thi 
witness,  Mr.  Marston. 

A.  I  stated  the  number  that  I  had  examined,  and,  I  think,  the  numbe 
of  times  that  certain  persons  appeared  as  witnesses  in  those  cases. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  699 

7651.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  you  did,  or  did  not,  make  such  a 
statement  to  him? 

A.  I  know  that  I  did  state  to  him  the  number,  and  I  am  pretty  certain 
also  the  number  of  times  these  persons  had  appeared  as  witnesses  on 
the  papers  I  examined. 

7652.  Q.  Do  you  mean  to  state  that  what  you  stated  to  him  was  true, 
or  not? 

A.  What  I  have  stated  here  is  according  to  my  recollection  of  what 
I  said  to  him,  and  I  meant  to  tell  the  truth  both  times. 

7(353.  Q.  Do  you  mean  to  say  that  what  you  told  him  is  correct,  whether 
it  be  consistent  with  what  you  have  stated  to  the  committee  or  not  ? 

A.  I  know  it  to  be  correct,  and  am  not  aware  of  any  discrepancies 
between  my  statements. 

7654.  Q.  You  speak  now  with  confidence  as  to  the  number  of  times 
these  witnesses  executed  their  names  Avith  different  hands? 

A.  That  was  a  matter  of  which  I  made  only  very  general  statements 
to  him.    I  had  my  notes  before  me  at  the  time. 

7655.  Q.  Didn't  you  give  him  a  list  of  the  number  of  times  the  names 
appeared  in  that  way  $ 

A.  Yes ;  the  number  of  times  that  certain  persons  appeared  as  wit- 
nesses— that  is  to  say,  on  the  papers  which  I  had  examined. 

7666.  Q.  Did  you  give  him  a  list  of  the  number  of  times  that  these 
several  witnesses  had  their  names  executed  by  different  hands  upon 
those  various  applications  % 

A.  No,  sir  ;  I  think  not.  I  had  some  conversation  with  Mr.  Marston 
on  that  subject. 

7667.  Q.  Did  you  tell  him  how  often  in  those  cases  those  names  were 
executed  with  a  cross  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  not  to  my  recollection.     I  may  have. 

7668.  Q.  Did  you  tell  him  how  often,  in  any  of  those  applications,  the 
entire  filling  up  seemed  to  be  in  the  same  hand  except  the  signature 
of  the  clerk  % 

A.  I  do  not  think  I  gave  him  any  exact  number. 

7669.  Q.  Did  you  keep  an  exact  number  yourself  % 

A.  No,  sir;  not  all.  The  first  40  or  50  papers  I  examined  I  took 
pretty  full  notes,  and  I  then  went  over  them  rapidly  and  took  notes  only 
in  a  few  cases.  I  have  not  a  distinct  recollection  myself  as  to  the  num- 
ber of  times.  I  have  notes  of  some  25  or  30  cases — notes  which  I 
made  at  the  time. 

Washington,  D.  C,  January  25,  1869. 
Christopher  Callan,  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

7670.  Question.  State  if  you  have  made  any  examinations  of  the  appli- 
cations for  naturalization  on  file  in  the  superior  court  in  the  city  of  New 
York,  for  the  year  1868,  and  if  so,  with  what  result. 

Answer.  I  present  a  table  on  which  is  a  list  of  the  names  of  persons  ap- 
pearing as  witnesses  on  applications  for  naturalization  in  the  superior 
court,  and  opposite  to  their  names  are  the  dates  in  September  and  Octo- 
ber on  which  they  appeared  as  witnesses,  with  the  number  of  applica- 
tions on  which  each  witness  appeared  on  each  of  those  days.  The  table 
is  as  follows : 


700 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IX  NEW  YORK. 


<r»  »  i.t «'  r-  x  ro  x  cj  si  c:  -« — >  f  ~s  s  uo  — '  -h  -}  oo  <e  rj  i~  n  o  c»  sc  —  t-  05  ^  r~>  cj  t-  00  —   u  T'  — 

10  5s  :r.  (-  -,=  .-  rt  ?*  -      ci  c  r.  s  :i  o  ci      r-i  <m  o*  oo      «o  r-i  cr»  o  r-i  j-  ^r  n  o  r-  n  ■*>  t  \\  1-  -?     c 
ct  a  —  ^~  rt  _  uo  o     © 


•cs  'PO 


-ss  -po 


PS  —  n  — 


wonH^n 


"IS'PO 


.3 


-41 

s  s 
©  ■<" 

.2  x 

<a      p. 


•So 


05  'PO 


c*oo    •    .HNf    .  n  oo 


•«ro  —  x^-^oorcoix. 


61  PO 
91 -P0 


•SI  "PO 


"H  "PO 


HWOO 


-a-  O  X"  I-  O 


c*    -co    •  e* 


-ri  T)  to  -nlo  -j 


ci  co    •  c*  con 


lOWtlH})      -CO 


ci  -po 


oovton 


•51  'PO 


t-  <n  co  —  —  -  /. 


01  -po 


TT  71      ■  —  "T  CO  I 


•6  'PO 


8»"  :~ 


•8  -PO 


7.  "PO 


©"2 
"5  S 


•9  'PO 


•9  "PO 


COt-  -HIM 


e  po 


•5  "PO 


•[  -po 


•0E'»daS 


«  o 
•5  -5 


3   :  c 

E  s 


a  :  afj 


9  ^  >>.£  s  =• 


—   "  ^  —  o*^  or-'  c  .s  „  ^  r 

ej«sa|S5»,HQr,3  ■  S  >*  s  a*  ■■? 

I  «!!  SS  2*  ^g"  8-g  S.2w  g|«>S.|8  S-S.S  s  all  Bj-S  alaaS 

£j  =  S"^?22!  =  o-£Og^sS5gsgs£c-g5S-gs.sC  =  =  s 


hs£ 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  701 

7072.  Q.  State  what  number  of  applications  you  found  on  tile  for  the 
days  indicated  in  the  table. 

A.  Seventeen  thousand  five  hundred  and  seventy-two,  from  September 
30  to  October  23,  18G8,  inclusive. 

7073.  Q.  State  if  there  is  any  date  in  October  not  included  in  the 
statement. 

A.  Yes,  sir,  the  17th  of  October ;  we  could  not  find  our  memorandum 
of  the  number  of  papers  we  examined  that  day.  I  remember  making- 
out  that  day ;  and,  as  far  as  I  can  judge  from  memory,  the  applications 
on  that  day  for  naturalization  papers  were  from  500  to  000. 

7074.  Q.  Will  you  state  if  you  made  any  representation  to  the  clerks 
in  charge  of  the  office  of  the  superior  court  as  to  the  number  of  applica- 
tions for  naturalization  which  were  said  to  have  been  approved ;  as  to 
whether  that  number  of  applications  could  be  found,  and  if  any  of  the 
applications  were  not  found,  what  reason  was  assigned  for  their  non-pro- 
duction. 

(Question  objected  to  by  the  minority,  of  the  committee.  Objection 
overruled.) 

Witness.  On  each  day  that  we  examined  the  papers  we  found  them 
all  tied  up  in  bundles,  or  else  (from  the  10th  up  to  the  23d  of  October)  we 
found  them  in  pigeon-holes.  We  found  them  ranging  from  the  5th  up 
to  the  16th  of  October;  very  large  on  each  day,  but  from  the  16th  to 
the  23d  they  were  very  small,  averaging  400,  500,  or  600  each  day.  I 
asked  one  of  the  clerks  there  (I  think  his  name  is  Wesley)  if  there  were 
any  more  papers  on  those  days,  and  he  said  that  they  were  all  there. 
Mr.  Wesley,  whom  I  asked,  has  charge  of  the  applications  for  naturali- 
zation. Mr.  Thompson  is  the  chief  clerk,  and  Mr.  Wesley  is  his  deputy, 
as  I  understand  it. 

7075.  Q.  State  the  total  number  of  applications  for  naturalization 
which  you  found  and  examined  in  the  office  for  September  and  October, 
1868. 

A.  Seventeen  thousand  five  hundred  and  seventy-two. 

7676.  Q.  State  if  you  found  any  except  that  number,  as  shown  by  the 
table  which  you  have  presented  to  the  committee. 

A.  I  did  not. 

7677.  Q.  State  what  inquiry  and  search  you  made  for  any  others. 

A.  All  the  inquiry  aud  search  I  made  was  that  I  asked  the  deputy 
there,  Mr.  Wesley,  about  it,  as  I  have  stated. 

7078.  Q.  State  if  you  made  inquiry  of  anybody  else  about  the  matter? 

A.  No,  sir,  I  do  not  think  I  did. 

7679.  Q.  State  what  proportion  of  these  applications  for  naturaliza- 
tion had  on  them  the  initials  of  Judge  McCunn? 

A.  I  should  think  about  eight-ninths ;  the  others  were  bet  ween  Judge 
Robinson  and  Garvin. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 
76S0.  Q.  Who  examined  these  papers  with  you J? 
A.  Mr.  Voorhies. 

7681.  Q.  Were  you  always  together,  or  did  you  examine  separately? 
A.  We  examined  together  and  separately  both. 
7082.  Q.  And  reported  to  each  other  ? 
A.  And  reported  to  each  other. 

7683.  Q.  Is  Mr.  Voorhies  here? 
A.  No,  sir,  not  that  I  know  of. 

7684.  Q.  How  did  you  report  to  each  other  ? 

A.  By  counting  up  the  numbers  of  papers.     He  took  one  bundle  and 


702  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IX    NEW    YORK. 

I  took  another;  we  would  count  them,  and  then  report  together;   I  was 
right  at  the  same  desk  along  with  him. 

7685.  Q.   You  did  this  work  at  the  same  desk  I 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

7686.  Q.  Tour  table,  then,  is  made  upon  what  you  yourself  ascer- 
tained upon  personal  examination,  and  what  you  were  informed  by  him? 

A.  Yes.  sir;  from  these  papers  and  from  him. 

70S7.  Q.  You  do  not  know  whether  his  examinations  were  correct  or 
not? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  could  not  swear,  of  course,  only  so  far  as  I  saw  the 
papers  and  to  the  best  of  my  knowledge. 

7688,  Q.  How  did  you  ascertain  the  proportion  of  applications  endorsed 
witli  the  initials  of  Judge  McCiinn  I 

A.  Well,  I  examined  a  greater  part  of  the  papers  myself,  and  I  found 
Judge  McCunn's  name  <m  that  proportion  that  1  examined.  That  I  would 
swear  to. 

76.S9.  Q,  How  many  did  you  examine) 

A.  By  referring  to  the  memorandum  1  And  I  examined  on  the  5th, 
6th,  7tli,  8th,  9th,  10th,  12th,  1.5th,  14th,  15th,  part  of  the  Kith,  20th,  21st 
and  22d  days  of  October. 

7690.  How  many  did  you  examine  between  those  dates? 

A.  I  examined  L3,377. 

7091.  Q.   With  a  view  to  sec1  the  judicial  endorsement  ' 

A.  Yes,  sir.  1  took  each  paper  as  1  examined  it,  opened  it,  looked  at 
the  names  of  the  applicants  and  the  witnesses,  and  at  the  judge's  and 
clerk's  signature. 

7002.  Q.  Did  you  ever  see  the  clerk  of  this  court,  James  M.  Sweeney, 
in  reference  to  these  papers  that  were  supposed  to  be  withheld,  or  not 
found  I 

A.  No,  sir;  I  never  saw  him  that  I  know  of. 

7093.  Q.  Whom  did  you  see  on  that  subject  I 
A.  Mr.  Wesley,  the  deputy  in  the  office. 

7094.  Q.  Repeat  again  what  he  said  ? 

A.  When  I  came  to  the  16th  of  October  papers,  and  afterwards,  I  saw 
that  the  number  of  the  papers  ranged  very  small — some  four,  five,  or  six 
hundred,  and  so  on — smaller  than  they  had  ranged  on  previous  dates, 
When  I  came  to  these  papers  I  asked  him  where  the  papers  of  the  16tli 
of  October  were,  and  he  showed  me  right  up  over  the  desk  where  I  was 
examining  the  papers,  in  a  pigeon-hole.  1  said  :  "  Is  this  all  the  papers 
that  are  here."    He  said  they  were  all  there  for  those  days. 

7695.  Q.  Did  you  inquire  if  all  the  papers  for  that  day  were  in  that 
pigeon-hole  % 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  and  I  made  the  remark,  "  these  days  are  very  small," 
and  he  said  they  were  all  there.  He  said  he  knew  nothing  about  them 
except  they  were  all  there.     I  think  he  made  that  remark. 

7696.  Q.  Did  you  ask  him  to  make  inquiry  of  other  clerks,  or  the  chief 
clerk  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

7697.  Q.  Did  you  tell  him  that  there  was  any  inconsistency  between 
the  number  found  there  and  the  reported  number  taken  on  that  day? 

A.  No,  sir. 

7698.  Q.  Did  you  have  a  list  before  you  of  the  number  reported  by 
the  clerk  previously,  to  have  been  taken  on  that  day  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  did  not  have  any  report  of  the  clerk  at  all.     I  never  had. 

7699.  Q.  When  you  were  going  over  this  list  with  a  view  of  determin- 
ing the  number  of  applications  in  each  of  which  any  one  person  appeared 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IX  NEW  YORK.  703 

is  a  witness,  did  you  take  pains  to  examine  the  handwriting  of  that 
witness  to  each  of  these  applications? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

7700.  Q.  What  do  you  say  about  it? 

A.  I  found  that  several  of  the  parties  were  witnesses  a  great  many 
dmes  on  those  different  days,  from  the  same  place,  the  same  number  and 
street  in  New  York  city,  and  in  the  same  handwriting.  I  compared  the 
landwriting,  and  became  familiar  with  it,  so  that  I  would  swear,  to  the 
jest  of  my  knowledge  and  judgment,  that  the  handwriting  was  the 
same  in  each  case  where  the  number  and  the  street  were  the  same. 

7701.  Q.  I  did  not  inquire  so  much  about  that  as  about  the  identity  of 
he  handwriting.  You  may  have  been  persuaded  from  the  other  facts, 
n  connection  with  that  handwriting,  that  it  was  the  same,  I  now  ask  you 
o  express  your  judgment  on  the  handwriting  alone? 

,  A.  On  the  handwriting  alone,  all  the  notes  I  have  made  I  will  swear 
o — to  the  handwriting  of  the  different  parties  who  were  witnesses. 

7702.  Q.  You  state  in  the  list  that  the  name  of  Patrick  McCaffrey 
ippears  as  a  witness  251  times.  I  ask  you  now  if  you  examined  these 
151  signatures  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  did  not — not  all  of  them ;  but  I  can  tell  you  what  I  have 
'xamined. 

7703.  Q.  You  can  tell  how  many  you  have  examined? 

A.  Yes,  sir,  by  going  through  the  papers.  I  examined  13,377  papers 
rat  of  that  proportion  found  on  file. 

7704.  Q.  1  want  to  know,  now,  Avhether,  in  all  those  you  did  examine,  you 
•an  swear  that  the  handwriting  of  Patrick  McCaffrey  to  each  one  was 
;\mtten  by  the  same  hand  ? 

A.  In  one  or  two  cases  his  signature  was  changed ;  but  it  was  always 
lie  same  name  and  from  the  same  place. 

7705.  Q.  I  want  to  disconnect  the  idea  of  the  name  from  the  place 
'iitirely.     I  am  simply  talking  about  the  style  of  handwriting. 

A.  I  would  swear  to  that — that  is,  to  his  handwriting — I  mean  to  the 
handwriting  as  witness  to  the  applications. 

7706.  Q.  But  you  do  not  know  anything  about  him,  and  cannot  swear 

0  his  handwriting? 

A.  1  mean,  from  my  examination  of  the  papers. 

7707.  Q.  You  will  swear  to  what? 

A.  That  I  found  his  name  so  many  times. 

7708.  Q.  You  found  the  name  of  Patrick  McCaffrey  signed  to  the 
mpers,  but  was  the  name  of  Patrick  McCaffrey  in  each  instance  signed 
>y  the  same  handwriting? 

|  A.  I  would  say  it  was. 

7709.  Q.  In  each  instance? 

i  A.  Yes,  sir;  except  in  two  cases. 

7710.  Q.  Did  you  give  any  special  attention  to  the  comparison  of  hands 
n  the  examination  of  these  signatures? 

1  A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  did. 

i  7711.  Q.  Was  not  Patrick  McCaffrey's  name  sometimes  signed  with  a 
ross? 
A.  I  do  not  remember  it. 

7712.  Q.  Were  not  a  good  many  of  the  names  signed  with  a  cross? 
A.  Some  were;  for  instance,  the  name  of  Patrick  Mahan  was  signed 

nth  a  cross  frequently. 

7713.  Q.  Any  others? 

A.  The  greater  part  of  the  others  were  in  handwriting  without  any 
ross. 


704  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

7714.  Q.  Didn't  you  find  a  great  deal  of  disparity  between  the  hanc 
writings  of  these  witnesses  ! 

A.  I  did  in  some  eases.     J  did  in  one  name  that  appears  very  often. 

7715.  Q.  What  name  is  that  ? 

A.  John  Moran.     I  find  that  name  hailing  from  different  places,  an* 
in  different  handwritings. 

77 10.  Q.  How  was  it  with  the  name  of  Solomon  Berliner? 
•A.  It  was  always  the  same  handwriting,  I  should  say. 

7717.  Q.  How  with  the  name  of  Henry  Jacobs? 
A.  The  same. 

7718.  Q.  Do  you  recollect  anything  about  John  Ward? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

7711).  Q.  How  did  that  name  run  J 
A.  In  that  name  the  signature  was  changed  considerably. 

7720.  Q.   Wasn't  that  often  signed  with  a  cross? 
A.  T  do  not  remember  seeing  it  signed  with  a  cross,  but  always  ir 

handwriting. 

7721.  Q.  When  yon  were  making  any  of  these  examinations  wereanj 
of  the  clerks  by  and  assisting  you? 

.V.  No,  sir;  those  in  the  clerk's  office  never  assisted  me. 


i  i 


->*> 


Q.  Did  you  make  the  examinations  in  the  office,  or  take  the 
papers  out  .' 

A.  In  the  office. 

7723.  Q.  How  long  were  you  in  making  those  examinations? 

A.  About  two  weeks;  a  little  over  that,  I  think. 

7721.  Q .  Wli  y  didn't  you  go  to  Mr.  Sweeney,  the  chief  clerk,  and  inquire 
for  any  other  papers  there  might  be  in  the  office? 

A.  t  could  not  state  any  reason  why.  I  was  ordered  to  go  there  anc 
make  an  examination  of  these  papers.  I  had  no  order  to  the  contrary, 
and  I  did  not  seek  to  inquire  there  at  all. 

7725.  Q.  Who  procured  your  services  to  make  these  examinations? 
A.  Mr.  Glassey. 

7726.  Q.  What  is  his  first  name? 
A.  I  do  not  know. 

7727.  Q.  In  whose  behalf  did  he  hire  you  to  do  it? 

A.  He  hired  me  in  behalf  of  the  Union  League  club,  I  think. 

7728.  Q.  What  is  your  business? 
A.  A  lawyer  by  profession. 

7729.  Q.  Where  do  you  practice  ? 

A.  I  do  not  practice  anywhere  at  present. 

7730.  Q.  What  is  your  business  now,  then  ? 
A.  My  business  is  in  their  employ  now. 

7731.  Q.  You  mean  you  are  not  practicing  otherwise  than  in  the  ser 
vice  of  the  club  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

7732".  Q.  How  long  have  you  been  in  their  service  ? 

A.  Three  weeks,  to-day. 

By  the  Chairman: 

7733.  Q.  State  if  you  made  any  memoranda  of  any  irregularities  oi 
deficiencies  in  the  applications  for  naturalization  which  you  examined 
and  if  so,  state  what  they  were. 

A.  I  did ;  the  memorandum  I  made  is  as  follows : 

Same  handwriting  all  through :  October  22,  7;  October  21,  10;  October  20,  3;  Octobe 
19,  — ;  October  16,7;  October  15,  7;  October  14,  13;  October  13,  — ;  October  12,  41 
October  10,  —  ;  October  9,  3— judge's  and  clerk's  names  not  signed  ;  October  8,  15 — clerk'.' 
name  not  signed ;  October  7,  2 — clerk's  name  not  signed ;  October  7,  1— judge's  name  no 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 


705 


littached,  but  clerk's  is.  Witnesses' name  not  signed  to  affidavit:  October  22,  2;  October 
El,  1;  October  20,  2;  October  19,  4 — parties'  papers  made  out  by  one  man,  J.  Coffey ; 
October  16,  1 ;  October  15,  3 ;  October  14,  1 ;  October  13,  5  ;  October  12,  8  ;  October  10,  2  ; 
)ctober  9,  1  ;  October  8,  — . 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

7734.  Q.  Do  you  mean  that  you  and  your  associate  found  these  irregu- 
arities  1 

A.  !No,  sir ;  they  are  taken  from  my  special  notes.  I  have  not  taken 
jhem  from  my  associate's  notes  at  all,  because  I  could  not  swear  to  his 
lotes. 

773.5  Q.  What  was  your  business  before  you  studied  law  ? 

A.  I  never  had  any  business.  I  was  at  college  all  my  lifetime  until  I 
studied  law. 

7736.  Q.  Was  it  ever  any  part  of  your  business  to  give  special  atten- 
ion  to  the  comparison  of  handwritings,  the  detection  of  similarities  or 
liscrepancies  in  handwritings  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  never  had  any  special  business  of  this  kind  before,  only 
o  far  as  I  was  conversant  with  different  signatures  and  different  hand- 
writings. 

7737.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  any  final  certificates  were  ever  issued 
ipon  these  applications  not  signed  by  the  judge  or  clerk? 

A.  I  could  not  swear  to  that.  All  I  can  say  is,  I  found  the  papers 
here. 

7738.  Q.  Did  you  take  the  names  of  the  applicants  of  those  papers  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

,  7739.  Have  you  a  list  of  them? 
A.  I  have. 

7740.  What  are  they? 
A.  The  list  I  took  is  as  follows : 


October 

"obn  Ey 1 

Solomon  Berliner 20 

facob  Hoffman 18 

fohn  Nixon 1 

Dhilip  Wiley 16 

rames  O'Donnell 29 

'atrick  McMahon 21 

leorge  Williams 5 

acques  Smitz 4 

ames  Flynn 2 

lenry  Jacobs 29 

'atriek  McCabe 4 

ames  Scott 9 

osepb  Ferguson 13 

lohn  Moran 33 

lames  Jones 4 

ames  McEnany 8 

Franz  Kafka,  same  writing  all  through,  by  Solomon  Berliner. 
James  McCarron,  same  writing  all  through. 
John  Mackey,  same  writing  all  through. 
Thomas  Dunn,  same  writing  all  through. 
Thomas  Ross,  same  writing  all  through. 
Patrick  Farley,  same  writing  all  through. 
Joseph  Kemp,  same  writing  all  through. 
Hugh  Sullivan,  witness's  name  not  signed  to  affidavit. 
Michael  Corregan,  witness's  name  not  signed  to  affidavit. 
Michael  Conroy,  witness's  name,  not  signed  to  affidavit. 
John  Campbell,  same  writing  all  through. 
Jeremiah  Sheehan,  same  writing  all  through. 
Patrick  Fitzgibbons,  same  writing  all  through. 
Thomas  Madagan,  same  writing  all  through. 
45  t 


12,  1868. 

Jeremiah  Coffey 5 

Bernhard  Lachman 8 

Thomas  Wheeler 7 

Charles  Tules 11 

Michael  Culligan 11 

Charles  A.  Skell 6 

James  Collins 5 

James  Tracy 15 

John  Ward 1 

Patrick  Gallagher 1 

Richard  Curry 2 

Patrick  McCaffrey 16 

John  Ward 6 

Chauncey  Grey 1 

Patrick  Goff 3 

James  Goff 2 


Same  hand. 


706  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

Edward  Fenton,  same  writing  all  through. 

Edward  Sands,  signature  of  witness  for  Jeremiah  Ahern  written  by  J.  Ward. 
Edward  Mulrooney,  same  hand  all  through. 
John  Walsh,  same  hand  all  through. 
Samuel  McCracken,  same  hand  all  through. 
Patrick  McDermott,  same  hand  all  through. 
James  Flannen,  affidavit  and  witness's  name  written  by  J.  Ward. 
Albert  Thilhom,  same  hand  all  through. 
Thomas  Burke's,  witness's  name  not  signed  to  affidavit. 
Jeremiah  Hastings,  same  writing  all  through,  written  by  J.  Tracy. 
John  Hagety,  same  writing  all  through. 
Patrick  Sullivan,  same  writing  all  through. 
Jeremiah  Corekran,  same  writing  all  through. 

Thomas  Shea,  J.  Coffey,  witness,  and  J.  Tracy:  seems  to  be  the  same  identical  hai 
writing. 

Felix  McCarthy,  same  handwriting  all  through. 

James  Hannaks,  witness's  name  not  signed  to  affidavit. 

John  Hastings,  same  hand  alt  through,  by  J.  Tracy. 

John  Cantwell,  same  hand  all  through. 

Thomas  Lawler,  same  hand  all  through     Jeremiah  Coffey,  witness. 

James  Gorman,  same  hand  all  through,  by  J.  Tracy. 

Patrick  Boylen,  same  hand  all  through. 

Patrick  Bourkis,  witness's  name  not  signed  to  affidavit. 

Mark  Brennan,  same  handwriting  all  through. 

John  Egan,  witness's  name  not  signed  to  affidavit. 

John  O'Keefe,  same  hand  all  through. 

James  Coleman,  same  hand  all  through. 

John  Hardy  man,  same  hand  all  through. 

John  Sheehan,  same  hand  all  through. 

James  Reilly,  same  hand  all  through. 

Hugh  Cassidy,  same  hand  all  through. 

Rupert  Kiltman,  same  hand  all  through. 

John  O'Brien,  same  hand  all  through,  by  J.  Tracy. 

Patrick  King,  same  hand  all  through. 

Michaei  Kattel,  same  hand  all  through,  by  J.  Tracy. 

Bernard  McGuckin,  same  hand  all  through,  by  J.  Tracy. 

Dennis  Nugent,  same  hand  all  through,  by  Jeremiah  Coffey. 

Ernst  Jansen,  witness's  name  not  signed  to  affidavit. 

Washington,  D.  C,  January  27,  1869J 
Abraham  Voorhees  recalled  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

7741.  Question.  State  what  examination  yon  have  made  in  the  superi 
court  of  the  applications  for  naturalization  and  affidavits  of  witnesses  J 
file  in  that  court,  in  the  city  of  New  York,  for  the  months  of  Septemb 
and  October,  1868. 

Answer.  I  have  examined  the  applications  for  naturalization  andt 
affidavits  of  witnesses  in  the  superior  court  in  New  York  citv  for  the  3G 
day  of  September,  the  1st,  2d,  3d,  half  of  the  16th,  the  19th,  and  2. 
of  October,  1868. 

7742.  Q.  State  if  you  correctly  reported  to  Christopher  Callan  1 1 
number  of  applications  for  those  days,  so  that  he  might  embody  them 
a  tabular  statement. 

A.  Yes,  sir,  I  did,  and  I  have  the  original  papers  here  upon  which 
made  the  count. 

7743.  Q.  Did  you  observe  any  irregularities  % 
A.  I  did ;  I  have  a  list  of  some  such. 

7744.  Q.  State  if  you  observed  any  deficiencies  or  irregularities,  ai 
describe  them. 

A.  I  did  not  examine  all  the  papers  with  a  view  of  finding  defeci 
upon  them.  I  did  not  take  time  to  do  that;  indeed  did  not  have  till 
enough  so  to  do;  but  I  discovered  the  following  noticeable  defects  :  <f 
the  5th  day  of  October — and  I  may  say  that  I  have  looked  over  a  lar> 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  707 

number  of  the  papers  of  days  other  than  those  I  have  previously  men- 
tioned as  having  been  examined  by  me — I  found  three  papers  to  which 
there  was  no  witness's  signature,  and  two  papers  with  no  judge's  signa- 
ture ;  also  four  papers  that  I  remember  with  no  applicant's  signature. 
On  the  same  day  there  are  nine,  at  the  least  calculation,  I  am  confident. 
There  were  more  papers,  however,  where  the  names  of  the  witness  and 
applicant  were  both  written  by  the  same  hand.  There  were  dozens  upon 
dozens  where  the  witness's  signature  and  the  applicant's  signature  were 
written  in  the  same  hand  and  a  mark  made.  On  October  7th  there  are 
three  papers  to  which  there  are  no  witness's  signature,  and  one  with  no 
applicant's  signature.  On  October  8th  there  are  five  papers  with  no 
witness's  signature.  On  October  10th  there  are  four  with  no  witness's 
signature ;  nevertheless  the  judge's  signature  is  there.  On  the  4th  there 
is  a  George  Washington,  an  Andrew  Jackson,  and  a  John  Morrissey,  all 
latnralized  on  the  same  day.  On  the  13th  of  October  there  are  nine 
papers  without  the  witness's  signature.  There  were  also  four  without 
my  applicant's  name  in.  On  the  11th  of  October  there  were  ten  without 
my  witness's  signature ;  on  the  loth,  four;  on  the  16th  there  were  three ; 
>n  the  21st,  two ;  October  23d,  six.  This  you  understand  is  only  what  I 
einember  to  have  seen  from  my  partial  examination. 

By  Mr.  Ross : 

7745.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  any  final  certificates  issued  on  these 
mpers  ?    - 

A.  I  could  not  say.  I  know  these  are  original  applications,  and  I 
lave  seen  them  issue  on  similar  papers. 

7740.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  there  were  certificates  issued  on  these 
capers  ? 

A.  I  could  not  tell,  of  course. 

7747.  Q.  Who  employed  you  to  make  this  examination  8 
A.  Mr.  Samuel  J.  Glassey. 

7748.  Q.  Who  is  Mr.  Glassey? 
A.  A  lawyer  in  Xew  York.    I  first  assisted  him,  but  after  a  day  or 

wo  went  at  it  myself  alone,  so  far  as  he  was  concerned. 

Washington,  D.  C,  January  29,  1809. 
John  McClusky  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

7749.  Question.  Where  do  you  reside  ! 

Answer.  No.  132  White  street,  in  the  city  of  New.  York. 

7750.  Q.  How  long  have  you  lived  there  I 
A.  About  44  years. 

7751.  Q.  What  connection,  if  any,  have  you  had  with  any  of  the 
ourts  in  that  city  1 

A.  I  have  been  a  police  officer  and  a  clerk — have  been  first  clerk  to 
tie  city  judge. 

7752.  Q.  When  were  you  clerk  to  the  citv  judge,  and  for  how  long  a 
me? 

A.  For  the  last  six  years;  five  years  under  one  judge,  and  one  year 
rior  to  that  as  secretary  to  another. 

7753.  Q.  State  if  you  were  in  the  supreme  court  in  New  York  city  in 
ie  month  of  October  last,  at  any  time  when  persons  were  being  natur- 
lized. 

A.  I  have  been  in  there  several  times. 

"754.  Q.  Do  you  know  what  was  the  last  day  on  which  naturaliza- 
ons  were  made  in  that  court,  prior  to  the  presidential  election ! 


70S  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN   NEW   YORK. 

A.  Which  way  do  you  mean  by  thai  I 

77.V).  Q.  I  understand  that  naturalization  closed  on  the  23d  of  Octo 
ber — thai  was  the  last  day  I  believe.     State  if  you  know  how  that  is 

A.  If  that  was  the  day,  it  is  well  known  to  the  committee.    I  wa,< 
there  on  the  last  day — on  the  last  evening. 

775<>.  Q.  Well,  wherel 

A.  In  the  supreme  court. 

7757-8.  Q.  Stale  which  room  you  were  in,  or  if  you  were  in  nioretha 
One,  state  that  fact. 

A.  The  supreme  court  is  all  one;  there  may  be  different  apartments. 

77.V.).  Q.  What  judge  was  presiding  when  you  were  there! 

A.  Judge  Barnard,  I  think. 

7700.  Q.   What  was  he  engaged  in? 

A.  1  can't  answer  that;  just  at  that  time  he  might  have  been  perform 
ing  a  dozen  different  duties. 

7761.  Q.   State  what  you  saw  him  do? 

A.  State  what   I  saw  lum  do! 

7702.  (,).  State  it  you  saw  him  have  any  papers! 

A.   1  saw  him  talking  with  friends  present ;  shaking  hands  with  per 
sons  in  a  very  friendly  manner. 

7763.  ().   Was  any  court  in  session  any  time  when  you  were  there? 

A.  Nol  tor  hearing  causes;  1  don't  think  it  was,  at  least. 

77(>t.  Q.  State  if  it  was  in  session  for  any  purpose? 

A.  I  think  the  court  was  open  for  the' purpose  of  naturalizing  men— 
making  citizens  of  parties. 

7765.  Q.  State  if  you  saw  a  man  named  McCaffrey  there  that  night. 

A.  Am  I  bound  to  answer  those  questions I 

7700.  Q.  Yes,  sir,  vou  are.     (Question  repeated.) 

A.  1  think  1  did. 

7707.  Q.  Did  you  see  a  man  named  Moran  there? 

A.  There  might  have  been  a  dozen  men  there  by  the  name  of  Moran 

770S.  Q.  Did  you  see  any  one  there  by  that  name  that  you  knew? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

7709.     Q.  State  if  you  saw  a  person  named  Repper,  Frederick  Eep 
per,  get  any  naturalization  papers  there  that  night. 

A.    I  saw  a  man  there  who  is  called  by  that  name. 

7770.  Q.  State  if  he  got  any  naturalization  papers  through  that  night 
A.  That  is  a  statement  I  could  not  make  on  oath.     I  saw  him  hav« 

those  papers  in  his  hand. 

7771.  Q.  How  many  \ 

A.  Standing  eight  or  ten  feet  from  him,  I  could  not  count  them. 

7772.  Q.  Well,  about  how  many?    Describe,  as  near  as  you  can,  tin 
size  of  the  package  ? 

A.  Might  be  five  or  ten,  more  or  less. 

7773.  Q.  What  were  these  persons  doing  that  were  in  the  court-roon 
that  evening  ?    I  mean  McCaffrey,  John  Moran,  and  Frederick  Reppei 

A.  What  were  they  doing? 

7774.  Q.  Yes,  sir. 
A.  That  is  too  far  fetched ;  I  can't  recollect  what  they  were  doing  jus 

at  that  time. 

7775.  Q.  How  many  others  were  in  the  court-room  that  evening. 
A.  There  might  have  been — I  can't  tell  how  many — well,  say  from 

to  20  or  30 ;  no,  there  must  have  been  nearly  40 — say  from  10  to  40. 

7776.  Q.  What  were  they  engaged  in? 
A.  I  did  not  see  them  engaged  in  anything. 

7777.  Q.  State  if  any  of  them  were  sworn  as  witnesses. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  709 

A.  Am  I  obliged  to  answer  all  those  questions? 

7778.  Q.  Yes,  sir;  and  you  must  answer  more  promptly  than  you  do. 
I  now  repeat  the  question. 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

7779.  Q.  For  what  I 

A.  That  I  can't  tell;  they  were  sworn. 

7780.  Q.  How  much  light  was  there  in  the  court-room  at  that  time? 
A.  Gas-light. 

7781.  Q.  How  much?    How  many  burners ? 

A.  I  can't  tell  that ;  I  don't  go  into  a  room  to  look  at  gas-burners. 

7782.  Q.  Was  the  room  well  lighted,  or  otherwise? 

A.  It  was  well  lighted  around  the  front  part,  by  the  judge's  desk. 

7783.  Q.  State  if  Judge  Barnard  left  the  court-room  at  any  time  or 
times  while  you  were  there. 

A.  I  think  he  did. 

7784.  Q.  How  often? 

A.  Once  I  am  positive  of. 

778o.  Q.  How  long  was  he  absent? 

A.  From  a  minute  and  a  half  to  five  minutes ;  I  can't  tell  exactly. 

7786.  Q.  Where  did  he  go? 

A.  I  could  not  tell  you  where  he  went. 

7787.  Q.  Did  you  have  any  blank  applications  for  naturalization  with 

Pou  that  evening  ? 
A.  I  had  rather  not  answer  that  question ;  I  think  it  would  criminate 
me,  perhaps. 

7788.  Q.  That  is  no  excuse,  sir ;  you  must  answer. 

A.  I  had  some  applications  there;  they  could  not  have  been  blanks, 
for  thev  were  filled  up. 
7780.1  Q.  On  blank  printed  forms? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

7790.  Q.  How  many  did  you  have  ? 
A.  Well,  probablv  10  or  15  or  so. 

7791.  Q.  Where  did  you  get  the  blanks  ! 
A.  In  the  county  clerk's  office. 

7792.  Q.  From  whom  ? 

;    A.  I  can't  say  who  it  was. 

7793.  Q.  Did  you  procure  any  certificates  of  naturalization  that  even- 
ing from  the  judge  or  from  the  clerk  or  from  the  court  ? 

■    A.  Xo,  sir. 

7791.  Q.  Did  you  procure  certificates  of  naturalization  from  that  court 
any  time  in  October? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

7795.  Q.  When? 

A.  The  day  after  I  left  my  blanks. 

7790.  Q.  From  whom  did  you  get  them? 

A.  From  the  clerk  of  the  court. 

7797.  Q.  Which  clerk? 
A.  Mr.  :\IcKean. 

7798.  Q.  How  many  certificates  of  naturalization  did  you  get  from  him  ? 
A.  I  can't  give  the  exact  number. 

7799.  Q.  State  as  near  as  you  can. 
A.  About  10,  sir. 

7800.  Q.  State  if  they  were  certificates  of  naturalization  to  real  per- 
sons or  the  names  of  fictitious  persons. 

A.  Thev  were  persons  I  imagined  wanted  natiu'alization  papers. 

7801.  Q.  Where  did  they  reside  ? 


710  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

A.  I  can't  tell. 

7802.  Q.  Do  you  know  that  there  were  persons  of  real  names  corra 
ponding  to  those  for  whom  you  procured  certificates  of  naturalization 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

7-so;;.  Q.  Where  did  they  reside? 

A.  These  names  I  passed  in  did  not  want  any  papers. 

7804.  Q.  Where  did  you  get  the  certificates  of  naturalization  for  them 

A.  I  will  have  to  decline  answering  that. 

[Mr.  Kerr,  to  the  chairman,  insists  that  the  witness  shall  not  only  answe 
the  question,  but  shall  be  made  to  answer  promptly  and  clearly,  am 
without  hesitating  or  trilling  with  the  committee.  The  chairman  s> 
instructs  the  witness,  and  the  question  is  read  by  the  clerk.] 

Witness.  Must  I  answer  that? 

780.").  Q.  You  will  have  to  answer.  State  whether  you  made  out  a  lis 
of  names,  and  if  for  those  names  you  received  certificates  of  naturaliza 
tion  issued  by  the  court. 

A.  I  made  out  snch  a  list ;  yes,  sir. 

780G.  Q.  What  did  you  take  it  from ;  simply  from  your  imagination 
or  how  I 

A.  Partly  imagination,  partly  otherwise. 

7807.  Q.  Did  you  know  of  the  existence  of  persons  having  thos< 
names? 

A.  Some  I  think  I  did. 

7808.  Q.  How  as  to  others  ? 
A.  Some  not. 

7801).  Q.  You  say  you  procured  certificates  of  naturalization  for  al 
those  names;  did  any  applicants  appear  before  the  judge  or  the  clerk  o 
the  court  to  get  those  certificates J? 

A.  I  was  not  there  to  see,  sir. 

7810.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  persons  making  application  for  them 
A.  There  was  none  to  my  knowledge. 

7811.  Q.  Have  you  any  information  which  leads  you  to  suppose  am 
person  did  make  such  application  ? 

A.  Well,  parties  might  have — some  of  them  whose  names  I  handed  ii 
might  have  come  and  I  not  know  anything  of  it. 

7812.  Q.  Did  any  applicants  for  naturalization  ask  you  to  hand  in  thos 
names  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

7813.  Q,  Who? 

A.  A  man  named  Oakley  gave  me  two  names. 

7814.  Q.  Give  Oakley's  full  name. 

A.  Alfred  or  Al. ;  I  don't  know  which. 

7815.  Q.  Did  any  person  in  whose  name  a  certificate  of  naturalizatioi 
was  granted  ask  you  to  make  application  for  him  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

7816.  Q.  How  many? 
A.  One. 

7817.  Q.  Is  that  all? 
A.  Yres,  sir,  that  is  all. 

7818.  Q.  Did  any  witness  appear  to  testify  for  the  issuing  of  any  on< 
of  those  40  or  more  certificates  of  naturalization  which  you  procured? 

A.  I  was  not  there  to  see  whether  any  witnesses  appeared  or  not. 

7819.  Q.  Had  you  then,  or  have  you  now,  any  knowledge  of  any  witnes 
appearing  for  those  papers  ? 

A.  They  might  have  appeared  without  my  knowledge  j  I  don't  kno? 
about  that. 


t 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IX    NEW    YORK.  711 

7820.  Q.  Can  yon  state  any  fact  tending  to  show  that  any  witnesses 
did  appear  in  those  cases? 

A.  1  should  judge  that  was  the  court's  province  to  prove  that;  I  can't 
prove  what  belongs  to  the  court's  province;  I  took  no  witnesses  there. 

7821.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  other  persons  having  any  connection 
with  the  procurement  of  the  certificates  issued  for  those  applications 
which  you  took  there  but  yourself? 

A.  From  hearsay  I  have;  I  have  heard  of  others  getting  out  papers, 
but  I  would  not  like  to  mention  their  names;  it  is  only  hearsay. 

7822.  Q.  Do  you  know,  I  ask,  of  any  other  person  than  yourself  being 
engaged  in  obtaining  or  assisting  in  obtaining  those  certificates  of  natu- 
ralization which  were  given  to  you  ? 

A.  I  saw  one  person  there. 

7823.  Q.  Who  was  it! 

A.  His  name  was  Harris. 

7824.  Q.  Give  his  full  name. 
A.  I  can't  tell  his  given  name. 

7825.  Q.  Did  he  tell  you,  or  do  you  know,  that  he  was  getting  out  any 
of  those  papers  which  you  procured,  or  was  he  getting  out  other  papers? 

A.  He  was  not  getting  out  any  that  I  procured. 

7820.  Q.  Then  you  know  of  no  one  who  assisted  in  getting  out  any  of 
he  papers  procured  by  you  ? 
A.  No  one  got  any  of  my  papers. 

7827.  Q.  How  did  you  pay  for  those  certificates  of  naturalization? 
A.  With  tickets. 

7828.  Q.  What  sort  of  tickets? 
A.  Red  tickets. 

7829.  Q.  Where  did  you  get  them? 

A.  It  might  be  No.  1  Tryon  Row  or  No.  1  Centre ;  it  is  on  the  corner 
of  Tryon  Row  and  Centre;  it  is  generally  called  No.  1  Centre  street. 

7830.  Q,  In  what  room  were  those  certificates  of  naturalization  deliv- 
ered to  you  ? 

A.  In  the  supreme  court  room. 

7831.  Q.  In  the  room  where  Judge  Barnard  presided  and  held  his 
court  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  he  was  sitting  on  the  bench  then. 

7832.  Q.  State  if  you  know  anything  of  persons  procuring  certificates 
of  naturalization  in  a  room  across  the  hall  from  that  court-room  in  which 
you  say  he  was  presiding. 

A.  I  don't  know  across  the  hall.  I  never  was  in  the  room  across  the 
hall  except  in  chambers. 

7833.  Q.  What  ward  do  you  reside  in  in  the  city  of  New  York  ? 
A.  The  6th  ward? 

7834.  Q.  State  if  you  were  at  the  polls  on  the  day  of  the  last  presidential 
election. 

A.  I  was  there. 

7835.  Q.  In  what  district  ? 

A.  The  10th  district  of  the  6th  ward. 

7836.  Q.  State  if  you  saw  any  slips  of  paper  with  the  names  of  persons 
written  on  them,  and  numbers  of  houses  and  names  of  streets. 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

7837.  Q.  Did  you  have  any  yourself? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

7838.  Q.   How  man v? 
A.  1  can't  tell. 

7839.  Q.  State  as  near  as  you  can. 


712  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW   YORK 

A.  From  40  to  60. 

7<S40.  ().  State  if  you  furnished  those  slips  to  any  person  that  day. 

A.  1  gave  out  plenty  of  tickets. 

7841.  Q.  Did  you  furnish  those  slips  to  any  person  I 
A.  To  some. 

7842.  Q.   Did  you  give  out  all  the  slips  you  had  I 
•A.  Not  quite  all. 

7843.  Q.  How  nearly  all? 
A.  .Well,  considerably  lacking. 

7844.  Q.   Did  yon  see  Police  .Justice  Dowling  there  that  day  \ 
A.  No,  sir. 

7845.  Q.   Did  you  see  Captain  Jourdai)  there  that  day  I 
A.  1  doift  remember  seeing  him. 

7840.  (c).  What  political  party  were  you  representing  that  day? 
A.  The  party  I  have  always  represented. 

7847.  Q.  What  was  that? 
A.  The  democratic  party. 

7848.  Q.  State  if  you  observed  men  voting  more  than  once  at  that  poll 
that  day. 

A.  Are  those  fair  questions  to  be  asked  ? 

7849.  (,).   Yes.  sir. 
A.   Yes,  sir,  1  did. 

7850.  Q.  How  many  of  them  1 
A.  Two  or  three. 

7851.  Q.  State  if  you  know  of  others  being  engaged  in  the  same 
business. 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

7852.  Q,  State  if  you  have  been  familiar  with  the  voting  population 
of  the  6th  ward. 

A.  Has  that  got  anything  to  do  with  the  last  November  election? 

7853.  Q.  Yes,  sir.  We  want  to  know  if  you  have  been  familiar  with 
it  in  years  past,  so  as  to  enable  you  to  know  what  it  should  have  been 
this  last  year. 

A.  I  know  they  polled  the  heaviest  vote  there  last  November  that 
they  ever  polled. 

7855.  Q.  State  if  you  have  been  familiar  with  the  voting  population 
of  that  ward  for  some  years  past. 

A.  I  think  the  largest  vote  it  ever  polled  was  when  Mat.  T.  Brennan, 
its  favorite  candidate,  ran  for  comptroller.  He  got  an  almost  unanimous 
vote — having  about  180.  We  made  extra  exertions  that  year  to  bring 
out  the  vote. 

7856.  Q.  From  your  knowledge  of  the  voting  population  of  that  ward, 
and  your  knowledge  of  it  at  previous  elections,  will  you  state  how  many 
legal  voters  there  are  in  that  ward  ? 

(Mr.  Kerr  objected  ;  the  objection  was  overruled.) 
A.  I  can't  tell  anything  about  that.     If  there  is  five  thousand  come  I 
in  there  ten  days  prior  to  election,  they  are  voters. 

7857.  Q.  State  if  you  have  means  of  judging  as  to  the  number  of  legal 
voters  of  that  ward. 

A.  A  man's  judgment  varies,  and  mine  is  not  any  better  than  any 
one  else's,  and  not  as  good  as  some. 

7858.  Q.  State  if  you  have  means  of  judging  what  is  the  voting  popu- 
lation ? 

A.  I  have  no  more  means  than  a  man  who  has  lived  there  three  years j 
although  I  have  lived  there  more  than  forty.    I  am  no  census  taker. 

7859.  Q.  State  if  you  have  such  means  of  knowledge  as  will  enable 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  713 

you  to  form  an  estimate  of  somewhere  near  the  number  of  legal  voters  in 
the  ward. 

A."  That  question  should  be  asked  of  some  one  who  puts  himself  up  for 
office  and  not  of  me. 

7800.  Q.  State  if  you  know. 

A.  I  don't  know  the  total  vote  of  the  ward. 

7861.  Q.  State  what  are  your  means  for  knowing. 

A.  I  have  no  means  of  knowing  what  the  population  of  the  ward  is. 

7802.  Q.  State  if  you  were  summoned  to  appear  before  this  committee 
when  it  sat  in  New  York. 

A.  Well,  what  if  I  was? 

7803.  Q.  You  must  answer  my  questions.  Was  there  a  summons  served 
on  you  ? 

A.  There  was  one. 

7804.  Q.  Any  more  f 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

7805.  Q.  State  if  you  attended  before  this  committee  or  failed  to  do  so. 
A.  Business  prevented  me  from  attending. 

By  Mr.  Kerr: 

7866.  Q.  Where  do  you  live  in  New  York  ? 
A.  White  street. 

7867.  Q.  What  is  your  number  ? 
A.  No.  132. 

7868.  Q.  How  long  have  you  lived  there? 
A.  Eleven  years  next  May. 

7869.  Q.  In  the  same  place  and  number  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

7870.  Q.  You  say  you  are  clerk  of  the  city  judge! 

A.  I  was  until  the  1st  of  January  last.  Indeed  I  have  not  yet  been 
notified  of  my  removal. 

7871.  Q.  You  were  acting  then  as  his  clerk  until  the  1st  of  the  present 
month  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

7872.  Q.  Whois  the  city  judge? 
A.  Judge  Eussell  was  then. 

7873.  Q.  And  who  now  % 
A.  Judge  Bedford  is  now. 

7874.  Q.  What  were  your  duties  ! 

A.  Attend  to  office  business,  and  attend  the  judge  at  court. 

7875.  Q.  How  long  do  you  say  you  were  in  that  service"? 
A.  Five  years. 

7876.  Q.  What  were  you  doing  before  that  time  ? 

A.  I  was  one  year  with  Judge  McCunn ;  that  makes  six  years. 

7877.  Q.  You  say  you  have  not  been  notified  of  your  discharge? 

A.  I  don't  think  it  is  a  legal  discharge,  if  he  has  appointed  any  one  in 
my  place. 

7878.  Q.  You  mean  you  were  clerk  of  the  court? 

A.  My  position  was  clerk.  In  court  I  acted  as  an  officer  of  the  court ; 
I  was  detailed  on  special  duty. 

7879.  Q.  Who  appointed  you! 
A.  Judge  McCunn  first. 

7880.  Q.  Who  appointed  you  last? 
A.  Judge  Eussell. 

7881.  Q.  What  were  your  duties? 
A.  I  was  clerk  in  his  office. 


714  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

7882.  Q.  Not  the  clerk  of  his  court? 
A.  No,  sir ;  Mr.  Vandervoort  and  Mr.  Sparks  are  the  clerks  of  the  court. 

7883.  Q.  You  were  the  individual  clerk  of  the  judge  I 
A.  I  was  the  clerk  of  his  office,  his  individual  clerk — yes,  sir — not  the 

clerk  of  the  court. 

7884.  Q.  And  you  think  you  have  a  right  to  serve  Judge  Bedford  in 
the  same  capacity  ? 

A.  Not  being  notified  of  my  discharge,  there  is  doubt  about  it  yet. 

7885.  Q.  Why  did  you  not  obey  the  order  of  this  committee  while  it 
was  in  New  York  I 

A.  I  had  some  other  special  business  to  attend  to. 

7886.  Q.  Who  advised  you  not  to  come  before  the  committee  there, 
but  to  wait  until  it  came  here? 

A.  No  one  advised  me  not  to  go  before  it  there. 

7887.  Q.  Did  no  one  advise  you  to  wait  until  the  committee  returned 
here,  and  then  to  come  before  it  and  testify? 

A.  No,  sir,  no  one. 

7888.  Q.  Who  employed  you  to  come  here  and  give  this  testimony? 
A.  No  one  employed  me. 

7889.  What  compensation  do  you  expect  for  testifying  here? 

A.  I  expect  no  compensation  except  my  proper  witness  fees — expenses. 

7890.  Q.  How  did  you  happen  to  come  over  here '? 
A.  I  was  subpoenaed. 

7891.  Q.  By  whom? 

A.  Yesterday  afternoon  at  6.30. 

7892.  Q.  Who  by? 

A.  A  man  named  Barnes,  I  think.  [Mr.  Le  Barnes  is  the  special  mes- 
senger of  the  sergeant-at-arms  to  this  committee.] 

7893.  Q.  What  did  he  say  to  you? 

A.  He  came  to  my  house  and  subpoenaed  me,  and  said  that  the  com- 
mittee had  had  a  great  deal  of  trouble  about  me,  and  I  would  get  myself 
Into  difficulty  if  I  did  not  take  care,  and  that  I  had  better  go  right  on  to 
Washington  now  in  accordance  with  my  subpoena. 

7894.  Q.  Do  you  know  Colonel  Wood? 
A.  No,  sir. 

7895.  Q.  You  say  you  got  blank  applications  for  naturalization  from 
Mr.  McKean? 

A.  No,  sir,  I  did  not  say  any  such  thing ;  I  got  them  from  the  county 
clerk's  office ;  that  is  what  I  said. 

7896.  Q.  I  misunderstood  you.  Of  whom  in  the  clerk's  office  did  you 
get  them? 

A.  A  young  man. 

7897.  Q.  Do  you  know  the  chief  clerk  of  that  court  in  which  you  got 
these  applications  ? 

A.  I  got  them  in  the  county  clerk's  office ;  he  is  the  clerk  of  the 
supreme  court. 

7898.  Q.  Do  you  know  the  clerk? 
A.  I  know  Mr.  Loew  personally. 

7899.  Q.  Do  you  know  any  one  else  in  his  office  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

7900.  Q.  Did  you  get  these  papers  of  him? 
A.  No,  sir. 

7901.  Q.  When  did  you  get  these  blank  applications? 
A.  Some  time  in  October ;  I  don't  know  the  day. 

7902.  Q.  What  did  you  say  to  the  clerk  of  whom  you  got  them? 
A.  I  told  him  I  wanted  some  minor  papers. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  715 

7903.  Q.  Did  you  tell  Mm  you  were  going  to  use  thera  unlawfully  ? 
I     A.  No,  sir;  never. 

7904.  Q.  Did  you  tell  any  one  you  were  going  to  use  them  unlawfully? 
A.  No,  sir;  I  never  did. 

7905.  Q.  From  whom  did  you  get  your  red  tickets? 
•     A.  I  could  not  name  the  party. 

7906.  Q.  Where  did  you  get  them? 

A.  No.  1  Centre  street;  on  the  corner  of  Centre  street  and  Try  on 
|  row,  in  the  basement. 

7907.  Q.  What  did  you  get  them  for? 
A.  To  make  use  of. 

J    7908.  Q.  What  did  you  state  was  the  purpose  you  had  in  getting 
them? 
A.  To  cover  the  expense  of  making  the  applications. 

7909.  Q.  You  wanted  the  tickets  to  pay  the  cost  of  getting  the  cer- 
tificates? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  they  represented  the  cost  of  the  certificates. 

7910.  Q.  Did  you  tell  any  one  you  wanted  them  to  pay  the  costs  on 
papers  unlawfully  obtained? 

A.  The  application  showed  I  wanted  tickets. 

7911.  Q.  Did  you  tell  any  one  you  wanted  them  to  pay  the  costs  on 
Ipapers  unlawfully  obtained? 

A.  They  made  no  such  inquiry. 

7912.  Q.  Did  you  give  them  any  reason  to  suppose  you  wanted  those 
! tickets  to  pay  for  fraudulent  naturalization  papers? 

!    A.  No,  sir. 

7913.  Q.  You  procured  some  final  certificates  of  naturalization? 
i    A.  Yes,  sir. 

7914.  Q.  How  many? 
A.  Somewhere  near  10  or  40. 

7915.  Q.  And  I  understand  that  you  say  that  for  these  certificates 
you  procured  blanks  and  filled  them  out  fraudulently? 

A.  That  question  was  not  asked  of  me  in  that  way.  I  filled  out  the 
blanks,  or  caused  them  to  be  filled  out,  and  left  them  there  and  received 
my  papers. 

7916.  Q.  You  left  them  where? 

A.  At  the  clerk's  desk  in  the  supreme  court  room. 

7917.  Q.  In  whose  hands  did  you  leave  them? 
A.  In  Mr.  McKean's  hands. 

7918.  Q.  What  did  you  tell  him? 

A.  I  said  they  were  all  "  sworn  to" — were  "all  right." 

7919.  Q.  Is  that  all  you  told  him? 

A.  That  is  all  I  said,  save  that  I  wanted  to  know  when  I  could  get 
them. 

7920.  Q.  Did  you  tell  him  that  the  witnesses  or  applicants  would 
oome  there? 

A.  No,  sir. 

7921.  Q.  Where  was  this  desk  to  which  you  refer? 
A.  In  the  court-room. 

7922.  Q.  When  you  said  to  him,  "They  are  all  right ;  they  have  been 
worn  to,"  did  you  mean  they  were  "all  right"  because  they  had  been 
sworn  to  before  the  court  by  proper  parties?  (Mr.  Dawes  objected  to 
lie  question,  but  subsequently  withdrew  his  objection.) 

A.  I  made  no  distinction  whatever.  I  said,  "  There  is  a  package. 
Dan  I  have  them  to  night?  They  have  been  all  sworn  to  and  are  all 
ight." 


716  ELECTION   FEAUDS    IN   NEW   YORK. 

7923.  Q.  What  did  he  say? 
A.  He  said,  "No,  sir;  to-morrow  you  can  have  them." 

7924.  Q.  Don't  you  know  that  he  understood  from  what  yon  did  say 
that  those  papers  had  been  sworn  to  before  the  court  so  that  he  might 
pass  upon  them? 

A.  1  can't  tell  what  he  thought. 

7925.  Q.  Did  you  say  anything  to  him  that  could  have  led  him  to 
believe  that  was  not  what  you  meant ! 

A.  Nothing  but  what  I  have  told  you. 

792(J.  Q.  Directly  or  indirectly,  by  words  or  signs,  did  you  give  him 
to  understand  that  the  persons  named  in  those  applications  represented 
persons  who  did  not  exist  I 

A.  I  said  nothing  to  him  but  what  I  have  stated.  I  don't  know  what 
he  thought. 

7927.  Q.  Did  you  give  him  to  understand  that  those  were  fraudulent 
papers  that  you  desired  him  to  put  through? 

A.  I  have  told  you  all  I  said  to  him;  no.  sir. 

7928.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  he  knew  you  were  practising  fraud 
upon  the  court  \ 

A.  I  can't  tell  his  opinion  or  his  knowledge. 

792!).  Q.  Well,  now,  I  would  like  you  to  be  a  little  more  particular  in 
stating  what  you  did  say  to  him  when  you  handed  him  those  papers. 

A.  I  said,  "Here  is  a  bundle  of  papers;  I  want  to  get  them  as 
quickly  as  possible." 

7930.  Q.  Had  you  been  engaged  in  this  business  long? 
A.  Last  year  was  the  first. 

7931.  Q.  I  mean  during  that  time — for  days  before  this  particular 
time  of  which  you  are  speaking? 

A.  On  two  clays. 

7932.  Q.  Before? 

A.  No;  only  two  days  in  all? 

7933.  Q.  Had  you  been  there  on  the  preceding  day — the  day  before? 
A.  I  think  I  was  there  on  the  21st,  and  I  know  I  was  there  on  the 

last  day.    If  you  say  the  last  day  was  the  23d,  that  was  the  last  day  I 
was  there, 

7934.  Q.  You  think,  then,  you  were  there  the  day  before  this  conver- 
sation took  place? 

A.  No;  two  days  before. 

7935.  Q.  Did  you  have  a  similar  conversation  on  that  day? 

A.  There  was  no  conversation.  I  merely  tied  up  the  bundle  and  left 
it  there,  saying,  "  Get  them  through." 

7936.  Q.  Did  that  conversation  take  place  on  two  successive  days? 
A.  Once  only  in  succession. 

7937.  Q.  In  order  to  get  these  applications  through  the  court  so  as  to 
hand  them  to  the  clerk  did  you  procure  the  signature  of  the  judge  in 
any  way? 

A.  No,  sir. 

7938.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  his  name  was  to  those  applications  in 
any  way  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

7939.  Q.  Do  you  mean  to  say  that  the  judge's  signature  was  not  upon 
those  applications? 

A.  I  saw  him  signing  his  initials  on  the  back  of  papers.  They  might 
have  been  those  of  mine.  The  way  the  business  was  done  was  for  par- 
ties to  hand  the  papers  to  the  clerk,  and  he  generally  told  them  to  come 
the  next  day. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  717 

7940.  Q.  You  say  you  got  these  papers — applications — filled  them  up, 
and  took  them  to  the  court ;  that  there  they  were  handed  to  some  of 
the  court  officials,  and  passed  from  one  to  another  until  they  reached 
the  judge,  and  after  being  passed  upon  by  him  they  went  into  the  hands 
of  the  clerk? 

A.  No,  sir j  that  was  not  asked  me.  In  the  court-room  there  were 
eight  or  ten  clerks;  five  or  six  anyhow.  These  clerks  generally  took 
the  applications  from  parties  and  handed  them  to  the  judge.  When 
the  papers  were  properly  endorsed  on  the  back  naturalization  certificates 
were  made  out. 

7941.  Q.  Do  you  mean,  then,  that  this  committee  shall  understand  by 
what  you  have  said  that  those  papers  were  fraudulently  passed  and  en- 
dorsed by  Judge  Barnard  that  you  say  you  procured? 

A.  I  can't  prove  perjury,  or  anything  like  that.  I  have  told  you  how 
I  got  the  papers.  The  committee  must  draw  its  own  inferences.  The 
papers  I  passed  to  the  clerk  had  not  been  signed  by  the  judge. 

7942.  Q.  Did  Judge  Barnard  know  that  you  were  trying  to  practice 
fraud  upon  the  court  ? 

A.  I  can't  tell  what  he  thought. 

7943.  Q.  Do  you  know? 
A.  I  can't  tell  that. 

7944.  Q.  Did  you  tell  him  or  intimate  to  him  that  you  were  so 
engaged? 

A.  No,  sir. 

7945.  Q.  Did  you  go  into  the  court  alone,  or  in  company  with  some 
one? 

A.  Alone. 

7946.  Q.  Who  were  in  the  court-room  when  you  went  there'? 

A.  I  saw  some  that  I  knew  and  a  great  many  that  I  did  not  know. 

7947.  Q.  How  many  did  you  see  that  you  knew  % 

A.  Well,  five  or  six,  eight,  ten  or  twelve,  that  I  knew.  There  were  two 
I  or  three  hundred  waiting  around  to  get  their  papers. 

7948.  Q.  Was  there  such  a  crowd  there  every  time  you  was  there  ? 
A.  I  went  once  to  get  my  papers  when  the  court  was  in  session. 

7949.  Q.  That  was  the  time  you  got  them  from  the  clerk  % 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

7950.  Q.  Well,  this  time  you  were  speaking  of,  you  say  you  saw  numer- 
I  ous  persons  you  knew  and  some  two  hundred  or  so  you  did  not  know  % 

|  .  A.  Three  to  four  hundred. 

7951.  Q.  Is  it  true  that  you  got  through  a  single  paper — one  of  those 
I  applications  of  which  you  have  spoken — without  some  person,  either 
i falsely  or  honestly,  went  before  the  judge  as  an  applicant,  and  some 

other  person,  either  falsely  or  honest,  went  before  the  judge  as  a  wit- 
ness % 
A.  I  got  nobody.    No  one  went  before  the  judge  for  my  papers. 

7952.  Q.  Do  you  mean  to  say  that  a  single  one  of  those  applications 
you  so  procured — or  upon  which  you  procured  naturalization  certificates 
— was  passed  by  the  judge  and  approved  by  the  court  where  some  per- 
son calling  himself  or  actio g  as  an  applicant,  and  some  other  person 
calling  himself  a  witness,  did  not  appear  before  the  judge  and  pass  an 
examination? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

7953.  Q.  State  precisely  how  that  was  done. 
A.  You  drew  that  out  of  me  in  the  first  place. 

7954.  Q.  Well,  I  want  you  to  state  it  again  and  carefully. 

A.  I  went  up  and  handed  in  a  roll  of  papers — blanks  that  were  filled 


718  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

up — minor  papers,  and  the  next  day  I  went  and  got  the  citizen  papers 
therefor. 

7955.  Q.  To  whom  did  you  hand  them  f 
A.  Mr.  McKean. 

7956.  Q.  What  was  that  roll ;  how  many  papers? 

A.  I  can't  tell  that.  It  was  a  roll  of  minor  papers — applications  of 
minors  for  citizenship. 

7957.  Q.  When  did  you  hand  those  to  him — about  what  day  and  what 
hour  of  the  day  I 

A.  From  the  18th  to  the  23d  of  October— about  the  21st. 

7958.  Q.  About  what  hour  of  the  day? 

A.  It  was  in  the  afternoon — I  can't  state  the  hour  exactly — say  from 
one  to  four. 

7959.  Q.  Do  you  mean  to  say  that  that  roll  of  papers  handed  him  at 
that  time  were  mere  applications  tilled  up  but  not  endorsed  by  the 
judge? 

A.  They  were  simply  filled  up  by  me  or  dictated  by  me. 

7960.  Q.   Dictated  to  whom! 

A.  There  was  a  young  man  in  Judge  Russell's  office  to  whom  I  dic- 
tated the  names. 

7961.  Q.  You  dictated  the  names  to  this  young  man  and  he  wrote 
them  in  the  papers  1 

A.  He  filled  some  up  and  I  filled  some  up.  There  were  two  different 
handwritings,  so  as  to  make  them  look  genuine,  and  we  changed  our 
handwriting  sometimes,  and  sometimes  signed  with  a  mark. 

7902.  Q.  Were  all  these  papers  so  filled  up  in  Judge  Russell's  office? 
A.  Yes,  sir,  all  done  there. 

7903.  Q.  Give  me  the  name  of  this  young  man  ? 

A.  Theodore  Taylor,  but  I  can  state  that  he  had  no  knowledge  of  what 
was  going  on ;  he  is  a  very  young  man  and  knew  nothing  about  it. 

7904.  Q.  Where  does  he  live? 
A.  I  don't  know. 

7905.  Q.  How  long  have  you  known  him  ? 

A.  I  know  he  lives  somewhere  in  Harlem,  but  I  don't  know  where. 
7900.  Q    How  long,  I  ask,  have  you  known  him  ? 
A.  A  year,  or  18  months. 

7907.  Q.  What  was  his  business? 
A.  He  was  a  clerk. 

7908.  Q.  Do  you  mean  a  clerk  in  the  court  or  Judge  Russell's  private 
clerk? 

A.  The  city  judge  is  allowed  clerks  by  the  city  and  county.  I  was 
one  clerk  of  his  and  Taylor  was  another. 

7909.  Q,  What  were  Taylor's  duties? 

A.  He  had  nothing  to  do  but  to  sit  in  the  office  and  copy  papers. 

7970.  Q.  Did  you  two  fill  up  all  those  applications  upon  which  you 
obtained  certificates  ? 

A.  No,  sir.    A  young  man  named  Edward  Ritter  filled  some  up. 

7971.  Q.  What  excuse  did  you  make  to  them  for  asking  them  to  fill 
up  those  papers  ? 

A.  I  told  them  that  it  was  none  of  their  business. 

7972.  Q.  Did  they  know  you  were  in  this  fraudulent  business? 
A.  I  think  I  told  Ritter  so. 

7973.  Q.  Did  he  approve  of  the  business  you  were  engaged  in  ? 

A.  I  don't  know  whether  he  approved  of  anything  of  the  kind  or  not. 
He  is  quite  a  young  man,  only  just  a  voter. 

7974.  Q.  Did  he  make  objections  to  doing  this  work  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IX  NEW  YORK.  719 

707").  Q.  Did  Mr.  Taylor  I 

A.  No,  sir;  he  knew  no  more  about  what  was  going-  on  than  a  hoy  10 
years  of  age.  I  told  him  to  fill  up  one  portion  of  the  paper  and  I  would 
till  np  the  other.     That  is  all  he  knew  about  it. 

7976.  Q.  Did  you  sell  these  applications  ! 

A.  No,  sir. 

71)77.  Q.   What  did  you  do  with  them? 

A.  I  gave  them  to  various  people. 

7978.  Q.  Foreigners? 
A.  Some. 

7979.  Q.  Can  you  recollect  their  names? 
A.  No,  sir. 

7080.  Q.  Did  you  give  them  to  foreigners  or  citizens  ? 
A.  I  gave  them  to  both  classes. 

7981.  Q.  Did  you  give  them  away  or  sell  them  I 

A.  I  gave  them  away.  I  never  sold  one  of  them  in  my  life ;  never  got 
a  penny  nor  a  dollar  for  them. 

7982.  Q.  When  you  handed  that  roll  of  papers  to  McKean  did  you 
tell  him  they  were  naturalization  papers  J 

A.  No,  sir. 

708.').  Q.  Did  he  know  it  in  any  way  ! 

A.  I  can't  tell  what  he  thought. 

7081.  Q.  Had  they  the  judge's  initials  upon  them? 
A.  No,  sir. 

7085.  Q.  What  did  you  go  back  the  next  night  for! 

A.  I  went  back  the  next  day — not  night — and  got  the  certificates. 

7986.  Q.  The  business  you  did  in  court  the  other  night  was  entirely 
different  business  ? 

A.  Then  I  saw  them  endorsed  by  the  judge. 

7987.  Q.  These  same  applications  ! 
A.  Yes,  sin 

7088.  Q.  This  was  the  subsequent  evening  you  saw  this  ? 

A.  Not  the  subsequent  evening;  no,  sir.  One  or  two  days  intervened. 
The  time  I  handed  them  in  was  in  the  afternoon. 

7080.  Q.  At  that  time,  then — whenever  it  was — after  you  handed  in 
your  applications,  you  saw  the  judge  endorse  them? 
j    A.  Yes,  sir. 

7990.  Q.  And  you  mean  to  say  that  no  persons  personated  applicants 
or  witnesses,  or  appeared  before  him  so  to  do  ? 

A.  In  my  direct  examination 

7001.  Q.  I  want  you  to  answer  my  question. 

A.  The  answer  to  that  is  very  difficult  to  give.  If  you  will  allow  me 
I  will  explain,  if  you  will  not  have  it  taken  down,  and  then  when  I  am 
through  the  substance  of  what  I  state  may  be  taken  down. 

7002.  Q.  No ;  it  must  all  go  down. 

A.  Very  well,  then.  Judge  Barnard  came  in  from  the  other  room, 
where  he  was  naturalizing,  and  sat  down  and  said,  "  Have  these  papers 
all  been  sworn  to  ? "  and  then  signed  them,  an  officer  attached  to  the 
court  having  said,  "  Yes,  sir." 

7993.  Q.  What  officer  said  that? 
A.  I  don't  know  his  name. 

7994.  Q.  Do  you  know  the  names  of  any  officers  about  that  court? 
A.  Very  few  of  them. 

7995.  Q.  Can  you  describe  that  officer? 
A.  I  can  describe  him. 

7996.  Q.  How  did  he  look?    How  tall  was  he?    What  age? 
A.  About  28  or  30. 


720  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

7997.  Q.  Color  of  his  hair? 
A.  Dark. 

7998.  Q.  Go  on,  sir,  and  describe  him. 
A.  He  was  dark  complexion,  low-sized  person. 

7999.  Q.   Is  that  the  only  way  you  can  describe  him? 
A.  Yes,  sir;  that  is  about  all. 

8000.  Q.  Vou  Bay  the  judge  was  absent  from  the  court-room  from  a 
minute  and  a  half  to  live  minutes  I 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

8001.  Q.  What  had  he  been  doing*  in  the  court-room? 
A.  Swearing  in  regular  voters. 

8002.  Q.  You  mean  naturalizing  persons  1 

A.  Yes,  sir;  naturalizing  them.  The  clerk's  business  was  to  get  them 
in  rotation,  and  call  the  names  of  the  principal  and  witness.  They 
would  all  stand  around  the  book — the  Bibles.  I  went  in  and  helped  for 
a  while  to  get  them  in  line  and  order,  and  then  they  would  swear. 

8003.  Q.  In  that  way  your  papers  as  well  as  the  others  were  put 
through  ? 

A.  Not  quite. 

8004.  (c).  What  was  the  difference! 

A.  Well,  sometimes  the  clerk  swore  one  gang  in  and  thejudge another: 
but  no  one  was  sworn  for  my  papers. 

8005.  Q.  Were  men  being  sworn  as  you  have  just  described  at  the 
same  time  \ 

A.  Not  at  all. 

8000.  Q.  Which  was  the  first  operation  I 

A.  1  don't  know  which  was  first  or  which  was  last. 

8007.  Q.  Was  this  swearing  all  done  in  the  same  room  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

8008.  Q.  In  different  rooms  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

8009.  Q.  In  adjoining  rooms? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

8010.  Q.  When  these  men  whom  you  say  were  sworn  by  the  clerk  were 
being  put  through  were  they  not  sworn  for  the  purpose  of  passing  through 
your  list  ? 

A.  I  did  not  inquire.    After  leaving  my  list  I  went  away. 

8011.  Q.  Were  there  not  persons  there  for  the  purpose  of  passing  your 
list! 

A.  No,  sir  ;  not  for  my  list. 

8012.  Q.  Was  there  no  one  there  to  pass  through  your  papers  I 
A.  No,  sir ;  not  to  my  knowledge ;  no,  sir. 

8013.  Q.  Could  it  have  been  done  without  your  personal  observation ! 
A.  I  can't  say  it  coidd  not  have  been  done.     It  might  have  been  done. 

I  have  no  knowledge  of  it. 

8014.  Q.  Where  did  you  stand  while  this  was  being  done  ? 
A.  To  one  side  of  the  bench. 

8015.  Q.  How  near  to  the  judge  ! 

A.  Thejudge  was  not  present  when  this  was  being  done. 

8016.  Q.  How  near  to  the  clerk  ! 

A.  About  five  or  six  feet.  I  stood  at  one  end  of  the  judge's  bench 
and  the  clerk  in  the  centre.    I  should  say  about  five  feet. 

8017.  Q.  When  this  gang  came  in  what  did  the  clerk  say  to  them  ! 
A.  The  gang  were  in  when  I  went  in. 

8018.  Q.  Had  your  papers  been  put  through  before  you  went  in ! 
A.  No,  sir. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  721 

8019.  Q.  What  did  the  clerk  say  when  yours  were  put  through? 
A.  I  urged  him  to  put  them  through  quick. 

8020.  Q.  What  did  he  say  to  this  crowd  or  gang? 

A.  He  called  off  some  names  aud  they  would  answer  promiscuously. 
I  don't  know  whether  they  were  their  right  names  or  not.  Sometimes 
one,  or  two,  or  three,  would  answer  for  the  same  name. 

8021.  Q.  You  don't  know,  do  you,  whether  the  same  one  would  answer 
twice,  or  whether  some  man  would  answer  as  a  witness  when  the  name 
of  the  applicant  was  called  and  he  had  answered  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

8022.  Q.  What  hour  in  the  night  was  this? 
A.  Between  half-past  six  and  eight  o'clock. 

8023.  Q.  After  dark? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

8024.  Q.  By  gas-light? 
A.  Gas-light?    Yes,  sir. 

8023.  Q.  Did  you  not  knowT  when  you  engaged  in  this  business  that 
you  were  violating  the  laws  of  the  State  of  New  York  and  the  laws  of 
the  United  States  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

8026.  Q.  And  yet  you  did  it  without  any  reward  or  promise  of  reward  % 
A.  Without  any  hope  of  reward,  or  any  reward,  or  promise  of  reward. 

8027.  Q,  Did  you  ever  before  engage  in  any  such  business  ? 
A.  Not  naturalization. 

8028.  Q.  Have  you  engaged  in  fraudulent  practices  of  any  kind  before  ? 
[Objected  to  by  Mr.  Dawes,  a  vote  taken,  and  objection  sustained.] 

8029.  Q.  I  ask  you  to  state  whether  you  are  a  gambler  by  profession 
i  or  engaged  in  that  kind  of  business? 

A.  No,  sir. 

8030.  Q.  Do  you  not  habitually  visit  faro  banks  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

8031.  Q.  Were  you  ever  prosecuted  in  any  of  the  criminal  courts  for 
any  violations  of  the  laws  of  the  State  of  New  York  ? 

A.  Never. 

8032.  Q.  Who  told  you  that  if  you  came  here  to  testify  before  this 
committee  you  would  be  exempted  from  punishment  I 

A.  My  own  common  sense. 

8033.  Q.  You  state  here  that  you  have  violated  certain  laws  both  of 
the  State  of  New  York  and  of  the  United  States ;  is  it  your  opinion  you 
are  liable  to  punishment  for  violating  those  laws  \ 

A.  I  violated  no  law. 

8034.  Q.  Will  you  have  the  kindness  to  explain  that  ? 

A.  If  I  write  out  a  certain  lot  of  applications  here  and  present  them 
subsequently  to  a  court  and  go  there  the  next  day  and  get  certificates 
of  naturalization,  no  one  being  sworn  for  the  papers,  I  think  I  violate  no 
law.    It  is  not  perjury  and  it  is  not  bribery. 

8035.  Q.  That  is  your  construction  of  the  law  ? 
A.  I  think  that  way. 

8036.  Q.  You  think  there  is  no  fraud  or  violation  of  law  involved  in 
filling  in  names  of  applicants  and  procuring  certificates  therefor  * 

A.  There  is  where  there  is  money  involved.  There  was  no  money 
involved  there. 

8037.  Q.  On  that  ground  you  think  you  go  free  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

8038.  Q.  Very  well,  I  only  want  to  get  your  construction  of  the  morality 
of  this  thing.   You  say  you  were  also  engaged  in  the  business  of  repeating  ? 

46  t 


722  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

A.  I  never  voted  more  than  once,  that  is  at  any  general  election.    Do 
you  mean  at  a  primary  I 

8039.  Q.  How  many  of  these  slips  did  you  distribute  yourself? 
A.  I  can't  say  certainly. 

8040.  Q.  About  how  many? 
A.  Sav  ten. 

8041.  Q.  To  whom  did  you  give  them  ? 
A.  I  can't  name  one  person  to-day. 

8042.  Q.  Did  you  give  them  to  strangers  or  persons  you  then  knew  \ 
A.  I  gave  them  to  those  I  knew  were  willing  to  take  them.    I  knew 

them  at  the  time  by  sight  and  know  them  now  by  sight. 

8043.  Q.  Did  you  hear  them  called  by  no  name? 

A.  Their  names  would  be  too  numerous  to  mention.  I  could  not  go 
through  that  ordeal. 

8044.  Q.  You  have  forgotten  them  all  \ 
A.  Yes ;  I  guess  so. 

8045.  Q.  Say  if  you  are  acquainted  with  a  fellow  by  the  name  of  Wil 
Ham  H.  Travis,  and  if  you  can't  think  of  some  others  of  those  you  gave 
these  slips  to  ? 

A.  I  think  I  know  a  man  ;  no,  sir,  I  do  not  know  William  H.  Travis. 
I  do  not  know  any  such  man. 
804G.  Q.  Do  you  know  a  man  by  the  name  of  Peter  Norton  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

8047.  Q.  Did  you  give  him  any  \ 
A.  Not  to  my  knowledge. 

8048.  What  candidate  for  office  procured  you  to  distribute  those  slips, 
and  secure  votes  that  way  ? 

A.  No  candidate. 

8049.  Q.  Were  you  not  promised  reward  if  you  would  do  that  % 
A.  No,  sir. 

8050.  Q.  Were  you  in  the  company  of  any  candidate  when  you  distri- 
buted these  slips  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

8051.  At  what  district  poll  did  you  distribute  those  fraudulent  slips! 
A.  The  10th  district  of  the  6th  ward. 

8052.  Q.  Anywhere  else  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

8053.  Q.  Do  you  live  in  that  district  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

8054.  Q.  No.  132  White  street  is  in  that  district  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

8055.  Q.  You  say  the  vote  of  that  ward  was  very  large  this  year  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir ;  1  said  the  vote  of  the  ward  was  large.    Did  you  ask  me 

of  the  ward  or  the  district? 

8056.  Q.  The  ward.    What  was  the  vote  of  the  6th  ward  % 
A.  The  vote  of  the  6th  ward  topped  5,000  a  little. 

8057.  Q.  Were  you  ever  engaged  in  the  business  of  taking  a  census  or 
count  of  the  citizens  or  voters  of  that  ward  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

8058.  Q.  Did  you  say  you  were  once  a  police  officer  % 

A.  I  don't  think  I  said  so,  but  I  was  once  a  police  officer ;  T  don't 
remember  stating  it  before. 

8059.  Q.  When  were  you  on  the  police  force  ? 
A.  In  1856,  1855,  1854,  and  1853. 

8060.  Q.  How  many  years  were  you  on  the  force  ? 

A.  Five  or  six;  I  was  on  two  years  and  then  off  one,  and  then  from 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  723 

1852  I  was  on  until  the  old  police  force  busted.  I  was  on  the  old  force 
with  his  honor  Fernando  Wood,  whom  I  saw  down-stairs  to-day;  I  left 
when  he  left. 

8061.  Q.  You  don't  mean  he  was  on  the  police  force? 
A.  No,  sir ;  he  had  charge  of  it.  • 

8062.  Q.  Are  you  acquainted  with  Robert  Murray,  marshal  of  the  dis- 
trict court  of  the  United  States  for  New  York  ? 

A.  I  never  spoke  to  him  in  my  life. 

8063.  Q.  Are  you  acquainted  with  him  ? 
A.  I  know  him  when  I  see  him. 

8064.  Q.  Are  you  acquainted  with  General  John  A.  Foster  ? 
A.  I  don't  know  him. 

8065.  Q.  Are  you  acquainted  with  John  H.  White  ? 
A.  I  never  spoke  to  him  to  my  knowledge. 

8066.  Q.  Are  you  acquainted  with  Samuel  J.  Glassey  ? 
A.  I  know  the  person. 

8067.  Q.  Have  you  seen  him  lately  ? 
A.  I  saw  him  a  few  days  ago. 

8068.  Q.  What  day  ? 

A.  Yesterday,  I  think  it  was. 

8069.  Q.  Where  did  you  see  him  ? 
A.  William  street. 

8070.  Q.  Who  was  with  you? 
A.  No  one. 

8071.  Q.  Did  you  have  any  conversation  with  him  ! 
A.  Not  one  word  more  than  "  Good  day." 

8072.  Q.  When  did  you  last  have  a  conversation  with  him  ? 
A.  When  1  was  with  Judge  McCunn  ;  about  six  years  ago. 

8073.  Q.  Not  since  then? 

A.  I  have  never  had  a  conversation  with  him  except  to  say  "  Good  day,'r 
or  "  How  do  you  do  ?"  since  that  time. 

8074.  Q.  I  want  you  to  be  certain  now,  if  you  can,  whether  when  you 
got  these  fraudulent  papers  in  the  manner  in  which  you  have  stated,  you 
gave  Clerk  McKean  to  understand,  in  any  way  whatever,  that  you  were 
engaged  in  the  business  of  getting  fraudulent  papers. 

A.  He  did  not  know  what  I  was  doing  ;  I  simply  told  him  I  wanted 
those  papers,  and  what  I  have  already  stated. 

8075.  Q.  You  know  him  well  ? 
A.  Pretty  well. 

8076.  Q.  How  long  have  you  known  him? 

A.  Two  or  three  or  four  years,  by  meeting  him  often  around  the  court  j 
J  would  generally  say  "How  do  you  do,  John?"  and  pass  the  compliments 
of  the  day. 

8077.  Are  you  familiar  with  him  particularly  % 

A.  Not  familiar  with  him,  no,  sir  5  nor  an  associate  of  his. 
1    8078.  Q.  Did  you  ever  give  Judge  Russell  to  understand,  in  any  way, 
that  you  were  engaged  in  this  unlawful  business  ? 

A.  Are  you  trying  Judge  Russell  or  me  ;  which  ? 

8079.  Q.  Answer  my  question. 
A.  I  think  he  knew  of  it.. 

8080.  Q.  Answer  my  question,  will  you  ? 

A.  I  think  he  knew  I  was  engaged  in  unlawful  business. 

8081.  (To  the  clerk.)    Eead  the  question  to  the  witness  again. 
A.  I  told  him  I  was  doing  extra  work. 

8082.  Q.  What  else  did  you  tell  him  ? 

A.  Nothing  that  I  can  recollect  at  this  time ;  I  told  him  I  was  doing  a 
ittle  extra  work. 


724  ELECTION   FRAUDS    IN    NEW   YORK. 

8083.  Q.  Did  you  explain  to  him  what  that  meant  ?  I  want  you  to 
answer  more  promptly. 

A.  I  have  got  to  think ;  it  Is  some  time  ago.  I  told  him  I  was  getting 
out  naturalization  papers  ;  lie  walked  away  and  shut  the  door,  and  Iliad 
no  more  conversation  with  him. 

8084.  Q.  Did  yon  tell  him  you  were  getting  out  naturalization  papers 
fraudulently  :; 

A.  No,  sir. 

SOS.").  Q,  Did  you  explain  to  him  what   your  expression  u  extra  work" 
meant  % 
A.  No,  sir. 

8086.  Q.  Did  you  explain  what  you  meant  by  saying  you  were  u  get- 
ting out  naturalization  papers  V9 

A.  1  did  not. 

8087.  Q.  What  did  you  say  that  would  lead  him  to  think  you  were 
doing  it  fraudulently! 

A.  I  don't  know  that  he  thought  so:  I  simply  said  that  because  he  saw 
me  bothering  around  with  papers;  tilling  them  up  and  the  like  of  that. 

8088.  Q.  Did  you  ask  him  to  be  relieved  from  your  regular  duties  so 
that  you  might  attend  to  this  business  .' 

A.  No,  sir. 

8089.  (c).  What  was  it  you  said  to  him  that  makes  you  believe  that 
.he  knew  you  was  engaged  in  this  business  fraudulently  I 

A.  I  don't  know  that  he  believes  it. 

8090.  <c>.  What  made  you  then  or  makes  you  now  believe  it  I 

A.  Because!  told  him  I  was  doing  extra  work.     That  is  all  the  reason. 

S091.  (>.  Did  you  advise  with  him  about  the  matter — whether  it  was 
irigbt  or  wrong,  or  with  any  person  .' 

A.  No,  sir;  I  got  no  advice  from  any  person. 

8092.  Q.  Are  you  in  the  habit,  of  becoming  intoxicated  at  times  I 

A.  Sometimes  I  take  a  load  of  ale  aboard. 

8083.  Q.  Were  you  sober  or  intoxicated  when  you  got  these  papers  ? 

A.  I  don't  think  that  I  had  drank  a  drop  of  liquor  of  any  kind  in 
.almost  five  months. 

8094  Q.  Have  you  been  intoxicated  since  then  ? 

A,  I  have  been  under  the  influence  of  ale,  or  liquor  if  you  so  choose 
to  call  it.     I  have  not  been  intoxicated  or  drunk. 

8085.  Q.  Do  you  mean  to  say  you  have  been  drunk  since  that  election; 
how  as  the  fact  ? 

A.  I  have  been  under  the  influence  of  ale,  but  not  drunk,  and  before 
the  time  I  took  out  those  papers;  at  that  time  I  had  not  tasted  liquor 
for  about  five  months. 

8096.  Q.  Did  Judge  Eussell  allow  you  to  remain  in  his  office  and  ser- 
vice until  his  term  expired. 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

8097.  Q.  What  compensation  did  you  receive  for  that  service  ? 
A.  $100  a  month. 

8098.  Q.  Have  you  a  family  ! 

A.  I  have,  sir;  four  children  and  a  wife — a  wife  and  four  children;  I 
put  the  wife  first. 
.8099.  Q.  You  are  engaged  in  no  business  now? 
A.  Not  at  present. 

8100.  Q.  What  is  Bitter's  full  name? 
A.  Edward. 

8101.  Q.  His  residence? 
A.  I  can't  tell. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN   NEW   YORK.  725 

By  the  CHAIRMAN : 

8102.  Q.  You  have  stated  that  you  procured  on  the  last  occasion 
about  forty  certificates  of  naturalization.  Who  signed  the  names  of 
persons  purporting  to  be  applicants  and  witnesses  to  the  applications 
upon  which  those  certificates  were  issued  ? 

A.  Those  two  young  men  I  spoke  of  and  myself. 

8103.  Q.  Theodore  Taylor,  Edward  Bitter,  and  yourself? 
A.  Yes.  sir. 

8104.  Q.  What  other  certificates  of  naturalization  did  you  get  besides 
those  on  this  last  day,  the  23d  of  October ;  I  mean  how  many  did  you 
get  the  first  time,  which  you  say  was  about  the  21st. 

A.  From  12  to  15  or  18. 

8105.  Q.  Were  those  issued  to  fictitious  persons  also? 

A.  They  were  names  of  men  that  I  knew,  most  of  them ;  but  I  put 
them  down  as  I  thought  of  them. 

8106.  Q.  Had  any  one  asked  you  to  procure  certificates  for  any  of 
those  names  ? 

A.  Two  or  three,  I  think. 

8107.  Q.  How  as  to  the  others? 
A.  Xo  person. 

8108.  Q.  State  what  the  purpose  was  of  procuring  those  certificates  of 
naturalization  for  those  persons  in  the  manner  in  which  you  have 
described  ? 

A.  My  purpose  was  to  spread  them  around  to  swell  the  vote  up. 

8109.  Q.  State  how  many  voters  reside  at  Xo.  132  White  street,  Xew 
York? 

A.  There  is  a  person  there  by  the  name  of  J.  H.  Owens  and  myself, 
(John  McCluskey;)  that  is  all. 

8110.  State  what  names  were  registered  at  the  last  presidental  elec- 
tion from  that  house  ? 

A.  I  don't  know. 

8111.  Q.     State  how  many  voters  lived  at  130  White  street ! 

A.  I  think  there  were  two;  there  might  have  been  three;  I  am 
positive  of  two.  Mr.  Monahan  lives  there,  and  another  man  whose  name 
I  am  not  certain  of. 

8112.  Q.  State  who  lived  at  Xo.  134  White  street;  voters,  I  mean. 
A.  Mr.  Napoleon  Wooldridge  and  Mr.  Eeagan. 

8113.  Q.  Did  any  such  persons  as  Owen  Cavanagh,  John  Dwyer, 
Arthur  Campbell,  Owen  Cavanagh,  and  Eoger  Murphy  live  at  No.  132 
White  street  ? 

A.  Xo  such  persons  at  all. 

8114.  Q.  Did  any  such  persons  as  James  Brady,  Hugh  Mitchell,  or 
Thomas  Kerrigan  reside  at  Xo.  134  White  street ! 

A.  I  can't  answer  as  to  who  lived  at  other  persons'  houses. 

8115.  Q.  Do  you  know  any  such  persons  as  those  ? 
A.  I  do  not. 

8110.  Q.  Did  James  Boyle,  Thomas  Higgins,  or  Adam  Halm  live  at 
Xo.  130  White  street  to  your  knowledge ! 
A.  I  can't  tell;  but  they  did  not  to  my  knowledge. 

8117.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  such  persons  ever  living  there? 
A.  1  don't  know  any  such  persons ;  no,  sir. 

8118.  Q.  Who  signed  the  names  of  applicants  and  witnesses  to  the 
first  batch  of  applications  on  which  you  procured  certificates  \ 

A.  I  have  answered  that.  They  were  not  done  by  real  applicants  or 
witnesses. 


726  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

8119.  Q.  The  names  of  the  witnesses  you  say  were  not  signed  by  real 
witnesses  but  by  some  other  person  i 

A.  By  some  other  person.     Yes,  sir. 

Re-examined  by  Mr.  Kerr  : 

8120.  Q.  Do  you  mean  to  say  that  you  procured  two  batches  of  final 
certificates,  or  only  one? 

A.  On  two  different  occasions  I  received  certificates. 

8121.  Q.  One  you  have  fully  described  a»  having  happened  at  night; 
was  the  other  before  or  after  that? 

A.  Before  that. 

8122.  Q.  How  long  before? 

A.  Two  or  three  days  or  four  days. 

8123.  Q.  When  you  took  these  applications  to  the  clerk  for  the  first 
batch  what  did  you  tell  him? 

A.  I  have  got  some  papers  I  want  fixed  up. 

8124.  Q.  What  clerk  was  it  you  told  that ! 
A.  Mr.  McKeau. 

8125.  Q.  What  did  he  say? 

A.  He  asked  me  if  they  were  "all  right,"  and  I  said,  "Yes." 

8126.  Q.  What  did  he  mean  by  that  .' 
A.  I  can't  tell. 

8127.  Q.  What  did  you  mean  by  that  answer? 
A.  To  give  him  to  understand  it  was  all  right. 

8128.  Q.  In  what  particulars  did  you  mean  he  should  understand  they 
were  all  right? 

A.  He  asked  if  they  were  "  all  sworn  to"  and  were  "all  right,"  and  I 
said,  "Yes." 

8129.  Q.  He  meant  sworn  to  before  the  judge? 
A.  I  can't  tell  that. 

8130.  Q.  Where  was  he  sitting  when  you  handed  them  to  him? 
A.  Standing  at  his  desk  in  the  supreme  court. 

8131.  Q.  Was  the  court  in  session  ? 

A.  I  can't  remember  whether  it  was  or  not. 

8132.  Q.  How  many  persons  were  about  at  the  time  ? 
A.  There  may  have  been  four  or  five  or  six. 

8133.  Q.  How  many  more  ? 

A.  There  might  have  been  more  sitting  around  there. 

8134.  Q.  How  many  were  there  in  the  court-room  ? 

A.  It  is  hard  to  get  a  man  to  tell  how  many  men  are  in  chambers — 
the  lawyers  running  in  and  out  and  people  going  to  and  fro  all  the  time.  | 

8135.  Q.  You  can  approximate1? 
A.  No,  I  can't. 

8136.  Q.  Were  there  as  many  as  100  ? 
A.  I  don't  think  there  were. 

8137.  Q.  Seventy-five? 

A.  I  don't  think  there  were. 

8138.  Q.  Fifty? 

A.  I  hardly  think  there  were. 

8139.  Q.  Forty? 

A.  Well,  along  in  that  neighborhood — from  15  to  40. 

8140.  Q.  When  you  handed  the  clerk  these  papers  you  did  not  say  to 
him  they  were  fraudulent  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

8141.  Q.  Or  give  him  any  intimation  that  they  were  not  all  right? 
A.  I  said  they  were  "all  right." 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW   YORK.  727 

8142.  Q.  Who  filled  up  this  first  batch  of  10  or  18  I 

A.  I  think  it  was  those  young  men  I  spoke  of— Taylor  and  Bitter — and 
1  think  I  had  a  hand  in  it. 

8143.  Q.  They  were  filled  up  by  the  same  men  ! 
A.  We  all  changed  our  different  handwritings. 

8144.  Q.  Did  you  put  the  signature  of  the  clerk  to  them,  too  ! 
A.  No,  sir. 

8145.  Q.  How  did  you  get  that ! 

A.  I  don't  know  how  that  got  there.  They  were  all  filled  up  and  com- 
plete with  the  exception  of  being  sworn  to  and  putting  in  the  clerk's 
name  and  the  judge's  name. 

8146.  Q.  Did  you  stay  to  see  them  put  through  ? 

A.  I  did  not.  I  left  them  with  the  clerk  and  then  went  away.  I  got 
them  the  next  day. 

8147.  Q.  This  in  the  daytime  or  at  night  ? 
A.  In  the  daytime. 

8148.  What  time  of  day  ? 
A.  Between  1  and  4  o'clock. 
8140.  Q.  How  long  did  you  stay  ? 

A.  From  two  to  five  minutes — may  have  been  ten  minutes. 

By  Mr.  Ross : 

8150.  Q.  Was  the  court  then  open  for  naturalization? 

A.  They  did  not  naturalize  in  the  supreme  court  in  the  daytime ;  at 
least  I  didn't  see  them. 

8151.  Q.  McKean  sat  by  the  side  of  the  judge  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

8152.  Q.  Who  did  I 
A.  1  don't  know. 

8153.  Q.  McKean  was  in  the  same  room  with  the  judge? 

A.  I  don't  know  whether  the  judge  was  there  when  I  handed  McKean 
the  papers. 

8154.  Q.  This  was  the  same  court-room  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

8155.  Q.  Where  was  the  clerk  sitting? 

A.  On  the  right  hand  side  of  the  judge's  seat. 

8156.  Q.  You  gave  him  18  papers ! 
A.  Some  15  or  18. 

8157.  Q.  What  did  he  say  ? 

A.  Asked  me  if  they  were  "  all  right." 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

8158.  Q.  Did  you  take  any  witnesses  with  you  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

8150.  Q.  Did  you  know  the  parties  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

8160.  Q.  You  got  the  papers  the  next  day  signed  by  the  clerk  and  the 
judge? 

A.  I  got  naturalization  papers  then. 

8161.  Q.  Was  the  judge's  name  on  them  ! 

A.  I  think  not ;  I  don't  know.  I  would  not  like  to  answer  positively 
about  that ;  I  think  only  the  name  of  the  clerk  of  the  court. 

8162.  Q.  The  seal  of  the  court? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 


728  ELECTION   FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

By  Mr.  Boss : 

8163.  Q.  You  say  that  you  saw  the  judge  write  on  your  papers! 
A.  I  saw  him  put  something  on  the  back  of  papers ;  1  don't  know 

what  it  was  he  put  on — he  might  have  done  nothing,     lie  made  a  motion 
with  his  pen,  I  know. 

Washington,  February  1,  1809. 
Joseph  Meeks  recalled,  (at  the  instance  of  Mr.  Kerr.) 
By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

8164.  Question.  State  to  the  committee  what  you  know  and  how  you 
came  to  know  it,  as  to  the  number  of  persons  who  were  naturalized 
during  the  month  of  October  last,  by  the  superior  court  in  the  city  of 
New  York. 

Answer.  As  I  stated  before,  1  had  charge  of  naturalization  in  the 
superior  court  for  the  month  of  October,  1868,  and  signed  the  certificates 
that  were  Issued  from  that  court.  When  parties  were  naturalized  and 
received  their  certificates  they  handed  in  a  ticket.  At  the  close  of  eaeli 
day's  work  these  tickets  were  handed  to  me  and  I  took  charge  of  them. 
I  counted  them  and  put  them  up  in  packages  of  100  each,  and  put  the 
packages  in  my  office.  As  the  tickets  accumulated  I  put  them  up  in 
bundles  of  1,000  each.  After  we  got  through  naturalization,  in  order  to 
arrive  at  the  number  naturalized,  I  counted  all  the  tickets  that  were 
received  for  naturalization,  and  made  the  count  some  little  over  18,000. 
1  furnished  that  information  to  Mr.  Sweeney,  clerk  of  the  court,  that  that 
was  the  number  naturalized.  On  my  previous  examination  I  swore  that 
we  had  naturalized  18,000.  When  the  statement  was  presented  to  me 
showing  that  we  had  naturalized  a  larger  number,  I  was  surprised  at 
the  increase  over  my  count.  I  then  made  inquiry  as  to  the  manner  hi 
which  that  count  had  been  made.  At  that  time  Mr.  Glassey,  I  think, 
or  some  person  representing  this  committee,  had  asked  permission  to 
allow  a  count  to  be  made  in  the  office.  After  the  count  had  been  made 
Mr.  Glassey  informed  me  of  the  discrepancy  between  the  count  as  ren- 
dered by  Mr.  Westlake  and  the  count  as  made  by  the  clerks  represent- 
ing this  committee.  1  then  directed  Mr.  Gillespie  to  make  an  actual 
count  of  each  and  every  paper  in  the  office,  which  he  did  and  furnished 
me  with  the  result.  In  consequence  of  the  statement  which  Mr.  Gillespie 
furnished  me,  I  found  that  the  count  which  I  had  originally  made  was 
correct,  and  found  that  it  agreed  with  the  search  made  by  the  clerks 
sent  by  this  committee.  These  clerks  made  the  count  over  18,000,  and 
on  actual  count  Mr.  Gillespie  made  it  18,432. 

8165.  Q.  If  you  know  what  the  report  of  the  examiners  sent  by  this 
committee  was,  you  may  state  it. 

A.  I  made  the  count  originally  and  furnished  it  to  Mr.  Sweeney.  In 
consequence  of  moving  I  was  not  at  the  office  for  the  space  of  one  week, 
and  when  I  went  before  this  committee  I  did  not  know  that  any  other 
count  had  been  made,  or  that  any  statement  had  been  sworn  to.  I  then 
swore  to  over  18,000  naturalization  certificates,  and  when  I  was  shown  a 
statement  of  26,000  I  was  very  much  surprised  and  could  not  account 
for  it.  When  I  went  back  to  the  office  I  thought  I  discovered  the  reason, 
and  subsequent  investigation  has  proved  to  me  that  I  have. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

8166.  Q.  Did  you  count  personally  yourself  the  tickets  which  you 
received  % 

A.  I  did  j  I  counted  them  and  put  them  up  in  bundles  of  100  each. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW   YORK.  729 

81G7.  Q.  Have  you  counted  the  applications  for  naturalization  yourself  ? 

A.  I  have  not. 
I    8168.  Q.  Are  Mr.  Gillespie's  means  of  counting  the  number  any  better 
than  those  of  Mr.  Westlake,  who  made  the  count  before  ? 

A.  I  do  not  kuow  that  Mr.  Westlake  made  the  count  before. 

8169.  Q.  If  Mr.  Westlake  made  the  count  and  swore  to  it  are,  not  his 
iineans  of  making  a  correct  count  as  good  as  those  of  Mr.  Gillespie  ? 

A.  Just  as  good  if  it  was  made  in  the  same  way,  but  it  was  not  made 
in  the  same  way. 

8170.  Q.  Did  you  not  just  now  state  that  you  did  not  know  that  Mr. 
Westlake  made  a  count  ■ 

A.  I  did  not  know  at  the  time  I  gave  my  testimony. 

8171.  Q.  Then  do  you  know  anything  about  how  he  did  it  ? 
A.  I  do  not  know  personally.     I  was  not  there  at  the  time. 

8172.  Q.  Did  you  call  on  Mr.  Westlake  to  make  any  count  since  you 
estified  before  ? 

A.  Xo.  sir. 

8173.  Q.  Is  he  still  a  clerk  in  the  office  ! 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

8171.  Q.  There  was  no  index  made  at  the  time  Westlake  made  the 
'iceount  I 
A.  The  index  was  only  for  a  fewtlays ;  there  was  nothing  but  the  papers. 
By  the  Chahoian  : 

8175.  Q.  Is  the  index — the  list  of  names  naturalized  in  the  superior 
'ourt — yet  complete  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know. 
By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

8176.  Q.  At  the  time  this  count  was  made  for  the  committee  previously 
vho  had  charge  of  the  papers  ? 

A.  They  were  in  charge  of  the  clerks  in  the  naturalization  office,  Mr. 
xillespie  and  Mr.  Thompson. 

817  7.  Q.  Then  how  did  it  happen  that  Mr.  Westlake  was  in  charge  of  them  ? 

A.  Because  I  was  away  from  the  office  and  he  acted  in  my  place  as 
leputy.  and  went  in  and  directed  them  to  make  the  search. 

8178.  Then  both  searches  were  made  by  the  same  parties  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir ;  but  in  a  different  way. 

8179.  Q.  Were  there  any  persons  naturalized  in  the  superior  court  of 
^ew  York  except  those  wbo  were  naturalized  on  party  tickets — were 
here  none  naturalized  who  paid  for  their  own  papers  ? 

A.  Very  few. 

8180.  Q.  How  many  do  you  suppose  paid  for  their  own  papers  ? 
A.  I  do  not  suppose  there  were  thirty. 

8181.  Q.  How  many  of  the  tickets  were  Tammany  and  how  many 
^publican  tickets. 

A.  I  suppose  that  about  ten  to  one  were  Tammany  tickets. 
By  the  Chaiemax  : 

8182.  Q.  Were  you  present  all  the  time  that  naturalization  was  going 
i — every  day  and  every  hour  ? 

A.  Every  day  and  every  hour. 

8183.  Q.  Did  you  receive  the  tickets  from  the  applicants  for  naturali- 
tion! 

A.  Not  personally. 

8181.  Who  did  receive  them  ? 


730  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

A.  One  of  the  clerks  who  sealed.  There  was  a  basket  put  by  th< 
seal,  into  which  the  tickets  were  thrown. 

8185.  Q.  Are  you  personally  able  to  state  that  you  saw  all  the  ticket 
that  were  delivered  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  for  the  reason  that  no  man  could  get  his  papers  withou 
a  ticket. 

By  Mr.  Dawes  : 

8180.  Q.  If  you  did  not  give  the  papers  and  take  the  tickets  how  d< 
you  know  I 

A.  I  sat  quite  close  to  the  clerk  who  took  them. 

S1S7.  (J.  Von  mean  to  say  that  you  did  not  see  anybody  avIio  did  noi 
give  a  ticket  when  lie  got  his  papers  t 

A.  I  mean  to  say  that  nobody  got  his  papers  without  giving  his  ticket 
because  I  gave  instructions  to  that  effect,  and  I  was  watching  the  whole 
proceedings.  I  was  watching  to  see  that  the  seal  was  put  upon  the  papers 
and  that  tickets  were  given  for  them. 

8188.  Q.  You  mean  to  say  that  you  did  not  see  anybody  who  got  his 
papers  without  a  ticket  ? 

A.  I  mean  to  say  that  nobody  got  them  without  the  ticket. 

8189.  Q.  Have  you  any  other  knowledge  except  that  you  did  not  see 
anybody  take  papers  without  his  ticket? 

A.  I  have  this  knowledge,  that  if  a  man  appeared  without  a  ticket,  the 
clerk  would  demand  of  him  the  money,  ami  if  he  did  not  pay  for  his 
papers  he  did  not  get  them. 

By  Mr.  Dickey: 

8190.  Q.  I  understood  you  to  say  on  your  previous  examination  that 
you  were  not  in  court  when  the  papers  were  passed  upon? 

A.  No,  sir. 

8191.  Q.  You  only  issued  certificates  when  the  applications  were  pre 
seated  to  you  endorsed  by  the  initials  of  the  judge  I 

A.  That  is  all. 

8192.  Q.  Did  you  keep  any  register,  index,  or  memorandum  of  am 
kind  of  the  certificates  that  were  issued  from  your  court  % 

A.  No,  sir. 

8193.  Q.  Then  do  you  know,  or  have  you  the  means  of  knowing,  that 
the  applications  now  in  the  rooms  of  the  naturalization  clerk  are  the 
same  applications  on  which  you  issued  papers  ? 

A.  I  certainly  do  not. 

8194.  Q.  Then  you  do  not  know  whether  these  papers  that  have  beet 
counted  are  really  the  same  papers  on  which  you  issued  certificates  \ 

A.  I  only  know  that  the  clerk  examined  all  the  papers  to  see  that  the} 
were  genuine  papers, 

8195.  Q.  But  are  there  any  means  of  telling  whether  these  are  the 
same  papers  on  which  you  issued  certificates  of  naturalization ;  then 
was  no  record  kept  of  the  naturalizations  that  you  issued  ? 

A.  There  was  no  record  kept  at  the  time ;  it  could  not  be  made  out 
The  record  is  being  kept  now  because  we  are  taking  those  papers  tc, 
index  them. 

By  the  Chairman: 

8196.  Q.  In  the  forms  used  in  your  court  there  was  no  fiat  or  ordei 
of  the  judge  directing  that  the  applicant  be  admitted  to  citizenship  \ 

A.  No,  sir ;  other  than  the  initials  of  the  judge  put  upon  the  lnargu 
of  the  application  in  all  cases. 

8197.  Q.  There  was  no  order  on  your  forms  at  all? 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  731 

i    A.  No  regular  order. 
8198.  Q.  Or  irregular  order  ? 
A.  Nothing  but  the  judge's  initials. 
8109.  Q.  There  was  no  printed  order  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

8200.  Q.  There  was  nothing  done  except  the  filing  of  these  papers — 
here  was  no  record  of  the  evidence  kept  I 

A.  The  clerks  are  indexing  the  papers  now.  So  far  as  they  have  got 
here  is  a  perfect  record  of  the  name  of  the  applicant,  the  place  of  birth, 
he  name  of  his  witness,  residence,  and  everything  else. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

8201.  Q.  Is  there  anything  else  f 

A.  His  name,  age,  place  of  birth,  residence,  and  the  name  of  his  wit- 
less. 

8202.  Q.  That  is  all! 

A.  That  is  all;  and  then  there  are  the  original  papers  with  the  appli- 
cant's oath  and  the  oath  of  the  witness,  and  the  fiat  of  the  judge. 

8203.  Q,  There  is  no  fiat? 

A.  There  is  the  same  fiat  as  there  is  on  a  great  many  court  papers.  It 
S  simply  the  initials  of  the  judge.  I  do  not  mean  to  say  that  there  is  a 
regular  order.  By  the  fiat  I  mean  the  initials  of  the  judge.  There  are 
briers  after  orders  granted  in  that  court  every  day  in  the  general  term 
)f  the  court  in  the  same  way. 

8204.  Q.  There  are  no  journal  entries  made  on  the  minutes  of  the 
:ourt  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  the  names  are  being  entered  now  in  the  books. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

8205.  Q.  You  are  making  it  up  from  the  applications  ? 
A.  Yes. 

8206.  Q.  But  you  do  not  know  that  those  papers  are  the  same  ones  on 
v-hich  certificates  were  issued! 

A.  I  know  it  as  well  as  I  know  anything  else. 

8207.  Q.  Did  you  put  any  file-marks  on  those  papers  in  your  hand- 
writing ? 

A.  Not  in  my  own  handwriting. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

8208.  Q.  How  long  were  you  away  from  the  clerk's  office  % 
A.  Four  or  five  days. 

8209.  Q.  When. 

A.  Between  Christmas  and  New-year. 

8210.  Do  you  know  that  Patrick  McCaffrey  was  about  the  office  where 
hese  naturalization  papers  were,  very  frequently  "l 

A.  I  only  know  from  what  Mr.  Davenport  or  somebody  else  called  my 
ttention  to. 

8211.  Q.  You  did  not  see  him  ? 

A.  No,  sir  ;  I  have  no  recollection  of  seeing  him. 

8212.  Q.  Do  you  not  know  that  he  was  expressing  great  solicitude 
bout  the  papers  there  ? 

A.  No,  sir.     I  think  that  Mr.  Glassey  called  my  attention  to  the  fact. 

then  went  into  the  office  and  gave  directions  to' the  clerk  not  to  allow 
IcCaffrey  or  any  other  man  to  overlook  those  papers  or  stay  in  the 
fflce. 


732  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW   YORK. 

8213.  Q.  How  many  clerks  are  there  in  your  office  ? 
A.  I  suppose  about  a  dozen. 

8214.  Q.  And  all  have  access  to  the  naturalization  papers! 
A.  !Nb,  sir. 

8215.  Q.  How  many  of  them  have  ? 
A.  Two. 

8216.  Who  are  they? 

A.  Mr.  Gillespie  and  Mr.  Thompson.  They  are  responsible  for  the 
papers.  As  deputy  clerk,  I  have  access  to  all  the  papers.  But  Mr. 
Gillespie  and  Mr.  Thompson  are  in  the  naturalization  office.  They  are 
the  only  clerks  in  it,  and  they  are  responsible  for  the  papers  in  it. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

8217.  Q.  When  you  speak  of  the  whole  number  of  persons  naturalized 
what  time  do  you  cover  by  that  expression  I 

A.  The  month  of  October,  from  the  1st  to  the  23d,  inclusive. 

8218.  Q.  State  to  the  committee  whether  you  have  any  knowledge, 
directly  or  indirectly,  by  hearsay  or  of  your  own  knowledge,  that  any 
of  those  applications,  since  the  naturalization  of  the  persons  named  in 
them,  have  been  lost  or  misplaced  or  abstracted  or  otherwise  disposed 
of. 

A.  No,  sir. 

8210.  Q.  Have  you  any  reason  to  suppose  that  any  of  them  have  been! 

A.  I  have  not ;  and  I  am  confident  that  none  ot  them  have  been. 

By  Mr.  Dawes  : 

8220.  Q.  Have  you  seen  any  of  the  testimony  that  was  taken  before 
this  committee. 

A.  I  have  seen  my  own — no  other.  I  asked  Mr.  Kerr  to  get  me  a  copy, 
to  see  whether  I  was  reported  correctly.  I  did  not  see  it  till  this  morning. 
My  own  was  all  that  I  sawT. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

8221.  Q.  Did  you  get  the  whole  testimony  or  only  your  own  ? 
A.  I  got  the  book. 

8222.  Q.  You  had  possession  of  the  whole  testimony  ? 

A.  Yes ;  but  only  for  a  few  minutes.  I  asked  Mr.  Kerr  to  let  me  look 
at  it.  I  did  not  have  it  more  than  5  or  10  minutes,  and  did  not  read  any 
of  the  testimony  except  my  own.  I  just  looked  over  my  own  to  see  how 
I  had  sworn  as  to  the  18,000  naturalizations,  and  I  found  that  I  then 
testified  that  I  had  counted  the  number  and  that  it  was  18,000. 

Washington,  February  1, 1869. 
Adam  Gillespie  recalled,  (at  the  instance  of  Mr.  Kerr.) 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

8223.  Question.  State  to  the  committee  whether,  within  the  last  few 
days,  you  made  a  count  of  the  entire  number  of  applications  for  natural- 
ization in  the  superior  court  of  the  city  and  county  of  New  York ;  and, 
if  so,  what  the  result  was. 

Answer.  I  have.  The  result  has  been  that  the  whole  number  of  appli- 
cations on  which  certificates  of  citizenship  were  issued  in  the  superior 
court  from  the  1st  to  the  23d  of  October,  inclusive,  was  18,132. 

8224.  Q.  When  did  you  make  that  examination? 
A.  About  a  week  ago. 

8225.  Q.  By  whose  direction  ? 

A.  By  the  direction  of  Mr.  Meeks  and  Mr.  Sweeney. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  733 


S22G.  Q.  How  did  you  make  it? 
A.  By  counting  each  paper. 

8227.  Q.  Who  has  charge,  and  has  had  since  the  commencement  of 
this  business  in  October  last,  of  these  applications  ! 

A.  I  have. 

8228.  Q.  State  whether  any  of  these  applications,  since  they  were 
placed  in  the  court  and  became  files  of  the  court,  have  been  lost  or  mis- 
laid or  abstracted  or  destroyed. 

A.  I  can  safely  swear  that  none  have  been  destroyed  or  abstracted,  and 
that  all  are  at  present  on  file  in  the  office  of  the  superior  court — all  that 
ever  were  there. 

8229.  Q.  State  how  the  custody  of  these  papers  has  been  kept  since 
the  business  was  done  and  since  they  were  executed  and  left  in  the  court 
by  the  respective  parties. 

A.  They  were  locked  up. 

8230.  Q.  Were  you  present  during  the  examination  made  of  them  by 
the  persons  appointed  by  the  committee  I 

A.  1  was  present  the  greater  part  of  the  time. 

8231.  Q.  Was  any  other  clerk  present? 

A.  Yes;  one  of  the  clerks  always  remained  in  the  office  during  my 
absence ;  at  dinner,  for  instance.  I  speak  of  the  examination  by  Mr. 
Glassey  and  others. 

8232.  ,Q.  State  to  the  committee  if  you  know  how  this  error  in  the 
original  count  was  made.  I  mean  in  the  count  reported  to  the  com- 
mittee by  Mr.  Westlake. 

A.  There  were  some  four  or  five  engaged  in  making  the  first  count. 
It  was  done  in  a  very  hasty  manner  and  under  the  impression  that  it 
was  an  estimate  of  the  number  that  was  required  by  the  committee.  It 
was  done  in  a  few  hours,  at  night,  in  about  three  or  four  hours  after 
business  hours  had  closed. 

8233.  Q.  State  who  were  present. 

A.  Mr.  Edward  B.  Heath,  Mr.  Owen  Westlake,  Mr.  Owen  MeNeirney, 
Mr.  Jesse  Oakley,  and  myself. 

8234.  Q.  How  could  this  error  have  occurred? 

A.  I  do  not  know  of  my  own  certain  knowledge  how  it  could  have 
occurred;  I  can  only  presume  that  it  occurred  by  counting  some  papers 
over  a  second  time.  The  place  where  these  papers  were  counted  is  a 
very  small  office  or  room,  about  the  size  of  this  table.  I  suppose  that 
the  papers  were  counted  over  a  second  time.  They  were  not  counted 
singly  or  separately.  There  was  a  package  put  up  containing  100  papers, 
and  the  remainder  of  the  papers  were  put  up  in  packages  approximating 
the  size.  I  now  present  to  the  committee  a  statement  of  the  number  of 
applications  for  naturalization,  according  to  my  count,  which  statement 
shows  the  number  of  applications  each  day  from  the  1st  to  the  23d  of 
October,  inclusive. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

8235.  Q.  How  did  you  count  these  papers  the  last  time  ?  Did  you  do 
it  all  yourself? 

A.  No,  sir. 

8236.  Q.  Who  helped  you? 

A.  Mr.  Westlake,  Mr.  John  A.  Thompson,  and  Mr.  James  Early. 

8237.  Q.  You  know  nothing  about  the  correctness  of  their  count  ? 
A.  Yes,  I  do,  for  I  assisted  in  counting. 

8238.  Q.  Did  you  count  each  paper  yourself? 
A.  No,  they  were  assisting  me. 


734  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK 

8239.  Q.  What  proportion  of  them  did  you  count  1 
A.  I  presume  about  one-fourth.    I  counted  the  rest  in  100  package, 

after  the  others  had  counted  them. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

8240.  Q.  Who  has  charge  of  the  office  ! 
A.  Mr.  John  A.  Thompson  is  the  principal  Jin  charge  of  the  office ; 

am  an  assistant. 

8241.  Q.  What  time  does  he  come  there  in  the  morning  1 
A.  Sometimes  at  10  o'clock ;  sometimes  as  late  as  11  o'clock. 

8242.  Q.  What  time  do  you  come  there  ? 
A.  Nine  o'clock. 

8243.  Q.  Have  you  always  been  there  before  him  I 
A.  Not  always ;  in  a  few  instances  he  happened  to  be  there  before  mt 

8244.  Q.  Since  the  October  election  has  he  been  often  in  the  offic< 
while  you  were  not  there? 

A.  Occasionally,  when  I  would  be  at  lunch. 

8245.  Q.  Has  that  been  the  case  within  the  last  two  or  three  weeks 
A.  Yes. 

By  Mr.  Dickey: 

824G.  Q.  You  say  that  in  the  first  count  you  put  the  papers  up  in  piles 
of  100  each,  estimated.  How  did  you  get  the  odd  numbers  each  day  in 
the  report  f ' 

A.  After  putting  up  each  package  approximating  to  the  original  one 
in  size,  whatever  papers  remained  we  counted  singiy. 

8247.  Q.  Wherein  did  that  count  differ  from  this  one ;  you  say  thai 
you  put  these  papers  up  in  hundreds  also  % 

A.  Yes ;  but  in  the  first  instance  the  papers  were  not  counted  at  all 

8248.  Q.  Could  there  be  any  such  discrepancy  as  one-third  of  the 
whole  number  in  sizing  piles  of  100  each  ? 

A.  We  found  the  discrepancy  by  counting  them  all  the  second  time. 

8249.  Q.  Do  you  know  that  all  of  them  were  counted  over  the  seconc 
time  ? 

A.  I  am  not  absolutely  certain  of  it,  but  my  impression  is  that  the} 
certainly  were. 

8250.  Q.  How  did  these  papers  get  into  that  little  office  where  the} 
are  kept  ? 

A.  They  were  carried  up  there  by  me  and  one  or  two  other  clerks. 

8251.  Q.  What  other  clerks? 
A.  Mr.  Heath  assisted  me,  but  generally  I  carried  them  all  up  mysell 

from  the  sheriff's  office  during  the  month  of  October, 

8252.  Q.  Where  were  they  kept  in  the  sheriff's  office  ? 

A.  They  were  kept  behind  the  desk  on  the  table  after  the  certificate 
of  citizenship  were  issued  on  them. 

8253.  Q.  Did  you  take  them  up  every  day  ? 
A.  Every  day. 

8254.  Q.  How  often  in  the  day  f 

A.  When  there  were  a  large  number  twice  a  day,  but  when  there  was 
a  small  number  I  carried  them  all  up  together  in  the  evening. 

8255.  The  following  is  the  count  produced  and  testified  to  by  the  wit- 
ness: 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 


735 


October    1,1863 426 

2,1868 723 

3,J868 785 

5,1868 1,363 

6,1868 1,272 

7,1868 1,415 

8,1868 1,133 

9,1868 877 

10,1868 804 

12,1868 2,017 

13,1868 1,384 


October  14,1863 1,569 

15,1868 934 

16,1868 581 

17,1868 418 

19,1868 709 

20,1868 517 

21,1868 428 

22,1868 459 

23,1868 618 


18,432 


Washington,  D.  C.,  February  3, 1869. 
Henry  Johnson  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  :. 

8256.  Question.  Have  you  appeared  before  this  committee  in  New 
Fork? 

Answer.  I  did  not  appear  before  the  committee. 

8257.  Q.  State  if  y*_u  were  in  the  room  where  the  committee  sat. 
A.  No,  sir. 

8258.  Q.  State  if  you  were  in  the  building  where  the  committee  held 
heir  session — the  United  States  court  room,  on  Chambers  street. 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

8259.  Q.  Did  you  notify  me,  or  any  member  of  the  committee,  of  that 
act? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  had  no  opportunity. 

8260.  Q.  At  what  time  were  you  there  f 

A.  Between  two  and  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  of  Thursday,  the 
L4th  of  January  ;  the  last  day  the  committee  were  in  New  York.  I  was. 
subpoenaed  on  Wednesday. 

8261.  Q.  State  if  the  subpoena  did  not  require  you  to  appear  on  the 
L3th. 

A.  I  cannot  state  that.  The  subpoena,  as  well  as  I  recollect,  required 
ne  to  appear  forthwith.    That  subpoena  I  received  on  Wednesday. 

8262.  Q.  Did  you  appear  on  Wednesday  at  all  \ 
A.  No,  sir }  I  proposed  to  do  so. 

8263.  Q.  Did  you  propose  to  do  so  to  any  member  of  the  committee  f 
A.  No,  sir ;  I  proposed  to  do  so  to  the  officer  who  served  the  subpoena 

mme. 

8264.  Q.  Who  was  it? 

A.  That  I  cannot  tell  you.  He  said  he  was  authorized  by  the  ser- 
jeant-at-arms to  serve  it  on  me,  which  he  did  about  two  o'clock  Wed- 
lesday  afternoon. 

8265.  Q.  In  which  part  of  the  building  in  which  the  committee  were 
itting  did  you  go  the  next  day  % 

A.  I  went  in  on  the  first  floor,  at  the  entrance  on  Chambers  street, 
nd  then  upstairs,  where  I  was  told  by  some  one  the  committee  were 
itting. 

8266.  Q.  Did  you  notify  any  member  of  the  committee,  or  any  one 
rhom  you  saw  there,  that  you  were  there  % 

A.  I  asked  one  or  two  persons.  I  was  an  entire  stranger  about  the 
United  States  court  room,  and  did  not  know  where  to  go  to.  There  were 
•  great  many  persons  in  the  hall — several  police  officers.  I  asked  two 
r  three  persons  where  the  committee  were  sitting,  and  they  told  me  in 
he  court-room.    I  tried  the  door  and  found  it  locked. 

8267.  Q.  Did  you  not  know  that  the  committee  had  not  sat  in  the 
ourt-room  for  a  week  or  more  ? 

A.  Not  at  that  time ;  I  knew  it  the  next  day. 


736  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW   YORK. 

8268.  Q.  You  knew,  the  next  day,  that  the  committee  sat  in  the  grai 
jury  room  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  did  not  know  where  it  was. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

8269.  Q.  Did  you  go  to  258  Broadway,  and  state  to  Mr.  Glassey  th; 
you  were  afraid  to  appear  before  the  committee  ! 

A.  WheD  I  was  subpoenaed  at  2  o'clock  on  Wednesday  afternoon, 
offered  to  proceed  with  the  officer  at  once,  as  I  had  voluntarily  offerd 
to  do  two  or  three  days  before,  to  a  prominent  republican  of  the  war 
1  told  the  officer  the  summons  required  me  to  appear  forthwith,  andl 
said  it  was  unnecessary  for  me  to  go  that  day;  that  I  was  to  meet  him  tl 
next  day  at  11  o'clock,  at  the  rooms  of  the  Union  League,  258  Broadwa 
I  went  there  at  11  o'clock,  met  him  and  had  some  conversation  with  M 
Glassey  in  regard  to  the  number  of  votes  that  had  been  polled,  &c. 
did  state  to  Mr.  (Jlassey  that  unless  it  was  absolutely  necessary  for  m 
to  appear  before  the  committee  I  should  prefer  not  to  appear,  unless  tli 
matter  was  to  be  kept  secret;  for  there  were  persons  who,  suhsequei] 
to  the  charter  election,  when  fraudulent  votes  had  been  cast,  audi  ha 
made  a  correct  return  and  they  a  false  one,  meeting  me  on  the  stree 
had  threatened  to  take  my  life. 

8270.  Q.  What  did  the  officer  say  to  you  at  258  Broadway,  about  you 
appearing  before  the  committee? 

A.  We  stayed  there  half  or  three-quarters  of  an  hour,  until  about  1 
o'clock.  He  said  there  would  be  no  trouble  in  consequence  of  m 
appearing  before  the  committee,  that  it  was  only  an  election  excitemer 
that  had  since  died  away.  I  agreed  to  go  with  him  before  the  con 
mittee.  He  said  he  would  go  over  and  see  if  the  committee  were  road 
to  take  my  testimony  that  day.  He  went,  and  Mr.  Glassey  left  the  rooi 
very  soon  after  that.  I  remained  there  as  much  as  an  hour,  and  no  on 
returned.  1  then  went  to  the  foot  of  the  stairs  and  remained  there  unt 
about  2  o'clock ;  after  which  I  went  to  Chambers  street  and  asked  tl 
questions  I  have  already  stated. 

8271.  Q.  And  went  to  the  wrong  room,  as  you  have  subsequent! 
ascertained? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  the  next  morning,  having  been  out  of  employment  f< 
some  time,  I  was  delayed  on  that  subject  until  half  past  9  or  10  o'cloc! 
when  I  saw  Dennis  McLaughlin,  and  asked  him  in  regard  to  my  atten 
ance  on  the  committee;  to  which  he  replied  that  the  committee  h? 
adjourned  sine  die,  and  returned  to  Washington.  There  was  never  bi 
one  subpoena  served  upon  me,  and  that  I  have  carried  in  my  pock 
most  of  the  time  since. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

8272.  Q.  Were  you  subpoenaed  to  come  here  at  this  time  ? 
A.  No  sir. 

8273.  Q.  State  if  you  secreted  yourself  in  New  York  to  avoid  the  se 
vice  of  a  subpoena  upon  you  within  the  last  few  days. 

A.  I  did  not. 

8274.  Q.  Did  you  secrete  yourself  to  avoid  arrest? 
A.    No,  sir. 

8275.  Q.  Do  you  know  where  5 J  Centre  street  is? 
A.  No,  sir. 

8276.  Q.  Did  you  tell  any  one  that  vou  were  going  out  of  the  way 
the  officer? 

A.  No,  sir. 

8277.  Q.  Did  you  write  to  no  one  that  you  were  ? 


- 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  737 

A.  I  did  write  to  a -gentleman  that  I  was;  that  I  was  keeping  out  of 
the  way  of  an  officer  until  I  heard  from  him,  previous  to  that  evening. 

8278.  Q.  Did  you  secrete  yourself  then  I 

A.  No;  I  did  not  go  to  look  for  the  officer;  but  I  went  my  usual 
coarse. 

Si'TO.  Q.  What  office  did  you  hold  in  connection  with  the  late  presi- 
dential election,  in  New  York  city  ! 

A.  Poll  clerk  in  the  3d  election  district,  4th  ward. 

8280.  Q.  With  which  political  party  were  you  acting,  appointed  as 
poll  clerk  to  act  with  ? 

A.  The  first  time  I  was  appointed  poll  clerk  was  in  1865  or  1866,  when 
I  was  appointed  by  a  democrat ;  since  then  I  have  been  re-appointed 
without  any  questions  being  asked. 

8281.  Q.  And  you  have  not  since  changed  your  politics  I 

A.  I  voted  for  General  Grant  for  President,  and  John  T.  Hoffman  for 
governor ;  I  don't  know  whether  that  makes  me  a  democrat  or  not. 

8282.  Q.  State  if  you  were  present  during  all  the  time  votes  were 
ing  received  on  the  day  of  election  in  your  district. 
A.  I  was  not  present  during  all  the  time ;  votes  were  being  received 

during  the  day.  I  went  out  to  dinner,  and  once  in  the  afternoon,  and  at 
supper  time.  The  other  poll  clerk  did  the  same,  and  we  kept  the  books 
ranning  for  each  other. 

8283.  Q.  State  if  you  know  anything  of  the  names  of  persons  being 
put  on  the  poll  list  in  excess  of  the  actual  number  of  persons  who  voted 
it  that  polling  place  that  day,  and  if  so  state  what  the  number  was. 

A.  I  do;  before  stating,  however,  I  would  like  to  ask  of  the  committee 
whether  anything  I  say  here  as  tending  to  criminate  myself  can  be  used 
against  me. 

[Witness  was  informed  that  his  testimony  before  a  committee  of  Con- 
gress could  not  be  used  against  him  in  a  criminal  prosecution.] 

Witxf.ss.  There  were  names  added  to  the  poll-list  during  the  day  of 
persons  who  had  not  voted — 83  names  in  that  district.  The  total  vote 
returned  was  682 :  the  number  of  votes  actually  polled  was  597. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 
I   8281.  Q.  Were  ballots  put  in  to  represent  these  votes  ? 

A.  If  you  will  allow  me  I  will  state  the  whole  circumstances.  During 
he  afternoon  names  Avere  taken  from  one  of  the  registers  of  one  of  the 
listrict  inspectors  to  the  number  of  So ;  and  15  or  20  at  a  time  were 
idded  to  the  voting  list,  while  there  was  a  lull  in  the  rush  of  voters.     In 


L»  aa^m 


'"he  evening  the  counting  of  the  presidential  vote  was  delayed  until 
ibout  half-past  11  or  12  o'clock,  for  some  purpose  which  at  that  time 
TO8  unknown  to  me,  now  well  known ;  the  democratic  eamnisser  insist- 
ngupon  counting  the  vote  of  each  of  the  35  electors  separately,  and 
flaking  out  a  tally-list  for  each;  and  the  republican  canvasser  insisting 
ipon  taking  each  ticket  with  35  votes,  and  making  out  a  single  tally-list, 
rhich  would  have  taken  three-quarters  of  an  hour,  while  the  other  way 
vonld  have  taken  eight  or  ten  hours.  By  that  time  the  republican  can- 
asser  had  become  pretty  well  intoxicated,  and  during  the  evening  there 
Fere  85  tickets,  containing  each  of  the  democratic  candidates,  obtained 
ruin  some  of  the  booths  outside,  and  when  the  tickets  were  shoved  out 
>n  the  table  to  be  counted  by  the  canvassers  these  additional  tickets 
^ere  thrown  in  so  as  to  make  the  number  correspond  with  the  number  of 
tames  registered. 
8285.  Q.  Was  Mr.  Costello  an  inspector  in  that  district  I 
A.  lie  was  inspector  and  had  to  be  taken  home  by  the  police  for  safety. 
17  T 


738  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

828G.  Q.  For  what  reason  f 

A.  There  were  registered  in  the  district  over  800  voters.  About  150 
were  remaining  outside  unable  to  east  their  votes  when  the  poll  closed 
and  they  blamed  him  for  it.  They  were  mostly  Germans  and  Irish; 
very  excited,  and  a  great  many  had  been  drinking.  They  charged  him 
with  delaying  the  voting  by  unnecessary  challenging  tor  the  purpose  of 
decreasing  the  democratic  vote.  A  captain  came  over  with  a  number  of 
policemen  and  took  him  first  to  the  station-house  and  afterwards,  as  I 
understood,  home.     He  retired  at  sunset. 

8287.  Q.  What  were  Mr.  Costello's  politics  1 
A.  Republican. 

8288.  <c>.  What  was  the  purpose  of  delaying  the  canvassing  of  the 
votes  1 

A.  I  only  know  from  hearsay  from  the  democratic  canvasser  and  one 
or  two  others. 

[The  statement  of  the  witness  of  what  he  heard  was  objected  to  by  Mr. 
Kerr.] 

Witness.  From  the  time  of  the  closing  of  the  polls  the  republican  and 
democratic  canvassers  were  wrangling  as  to  the  propriety  of  counting 
the  votes,  as  I  have  stated.  At  half-past  nine  or  ten  o'clock  the  demo- 
cratic canvasser  asked  me  if  I  had  any  objection  to  keeping  the  tally.  I 
told  him  I  was  simply  there  as  clerk  along  with  the  other  poll  clerk, 
and  subject  to  his  orders,  but  1  did  not  like  to  remain  there  all  night; 
but  if  they  directed  that  to  be  done,  I  should  certainly  do  it.  They  went 
on  ami  tallied  about  500  votes,  when  two  or  three  gentlemen  came  in, 
called  him  one  side  and  whispered  to  him.  He  came  back  and  agreed 
to  the  terms  proposed  by  the  republican  canvasser.  I  then  asked  him 
why  he  had  been  objecting  to  that  all  this  time.  He  said  that  two  years 
ago  the  republicans  in  the  interior  defeated  John  T.  Hoffman  by  holding' 
"back  until  they  had  heard  from  the  city,  and  that  now  he  meant  to  be 
even  with  them  and  to  hold  back  the  count  until  the  interior  had  been 
heard  from. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

8289.  Q.  What  was  the  name  of  the  man  who  said  this  ? 
A.  I  think  his  name  was  Dumphy. 

8290.  Q.  Are  you  not  sure  of  it  ? 

A.  Xo,  sir;  I  am  not.     I  never  saw  him  before  that  day. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

8291.  Q.  Do  you  know  who  the  men  were  who  came  in  and  whispered 
to  Dumphy,  the  canvasser  I 

A.  I  do  not.  I  saw  them  round  the  polls  all  day,  and  have  seen  one 
or  two  of  them  several  times  since.  They  were  the  same  parties  who 
were  sending  in  liquor  during  the  whole  evening. 

8292.  Q.  To  Avhom  was  the  liquor  sent  1 
A.  To  the  canvasser  and  poll  clerks. 

8293.-  Q.  State  what  you  know,  if  anything,  of  threats  being  used 
during  the  day  against  the  republican  inspector  Costello  l 

A.  One  of  those  men  who  came  in  at  night  and  whispered  to  the  can- 
vasser, as  I  have  stated,  came  into  the  voting  room  about  four  o'clock^ 
in  the  afternoon,  probably  half  or  three-quarters  of  an  hour  before  sun- 
set, when  the  polls  closed.  Mr.  Costello  ordered  him  to  leave  the  room 
saying  that  no  one  was  to  be  admitted  there  during  the  day.  He  claimed 
to  be  a  magistrate  and  seemed  to  be  somewhat  under  the  intluence  of 
liquor  at  the  time.  He  told  Mr.  Costello  that  he  had  taken  him  up  when 
he  was  a  barefooted  boy  and  given  him  a  position  in  the  Herald  estah 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  739 

lishment,  and  that  he  would  see  that  he  was  dismissed  before  night. 
During*  the  afternoon  a  letter  came  to  him  from  James  Gordon  Bennett, 
jr.,  I  think,  threatening  him  with  dismissal  unless  he  stopped  delaying 
the  vote. 

8294.  Q.  State  if  you  are  acquainted  with  Alderman  Curran. 

A.  I  am  not  personally  acquainted  with  him ;  I  heard  his  name  men- 
tioned frequently  during  the  day ;  but  I  cannot  state  anything  of  my 
own  knowledge. 

8295.  Q.  State  if  threats  have  been  used  towards  you  to  deter  you 
from  testifying  before  this  committee  here,  or  in  New  York. 

A.  After  the  committee  had  returned  to  Washington  I  met  three  or  four 
ward  politicians  in  the  4th  ward,  in  Pearl  street,  near  Peck  slip ;  they 
told  me  they  had  heard  I  intended  to  appear  before  the  committee;  that 
if  I  did  they  would  have  satisfaction,  or  some  expression  of  that  kind ;  I 
do  not  remember  exactly  the  language  used. 

8296.  Q.  State  if  any  one  visited  you  at  your  house  after  you  received 
the  subpoena. 

A.  Not  after  I  received  the  subpoena ;  the  day  before,  I  think  it  was, 
they  made  the  usual  threats ;  I  do  not  remember  what  was  said ;  threats 
of  violence  in  case  I  testified  before  the  committee. 

8297.  Q.  Who  made  the  threats! 

A.  I  cannot  tell  you  the  man's  name  ;  I  know  a  great  many  persons  in 
that  neighborhood  whom  I  see  around  the  polls  by  the  name  of  Bob,  and 
Jim,  and  Harry ;  but  I  do  not  know  any  more  about  them. 
By  Mr.  Kerr: 

8298.  Q.  Where  do  you  reside  ! 
A.  At  33J  Bowery. 

8299.  Q.  How  long  have  you  lived  there  ! 

A.  Since  September  last ;  and  for  four  months  previous  to  that  during 
j  the  interval  of  two  or  three  months  I  lived  at  122  Leonard  street. 

8300.  Q.  How  long  have  you  lived  in  New  York  % 
A.  Since  May,  1804. 

8301.  Q.  Where  did  you  live  before  you  went  to  New  York  ? 
A.  In  Dayton,  Ohio. 

8302.  Q.  What  is  your  business  now  ? 

A.  Varnisher  and  stainer ;  I  have  been  out  of  employment,  however, 
(for  six  or  eight  weeks,  until  Monday. 

8303.  Q.  Where  did  you  work  before  that ! 

A.  I  commenced  work  last  March  and  continued  until  the  middle  of 
I  June  at  the  bedstead  factory,  48  New  Bowery ;  the  bedsteads  were  man- 
ufactured in  Vermont  and  sent  down  there  where  they  were  stained  and 
varnished. 

8304.  Q.  How  did  you  come  to  get  on  that  board  as  poll  clerk  \ 

A.  I  got  on  the  board  in  1866  ;  I  was  first  asked  by  Mr.  Martin  Y. 
Brown  if  I  was  willing  to  do  some  work  in  the  Union  republican  State 
central  committee;  the  first  time  Mr.  Hoffman  ran  against  Governor 
Fenton  he  and  Henry  S.  Wallace  gave  me  charge  of  the  6th  and 
71th  election  precincts  of  the  17th  ward  for  the  purpose  of  arranging 
the  names  alphabetically  first,  and  then  by  streets,  so  that  the  lists  could 
be  put  into  the  hands  of  the  police  for  the  purpose  of  detecting  fraudu- 
lent voters :  I  then,  for  the  first  time,  heard  of  such  a  thing  as  a  poll 
clerk;  Mr.  Wallace  wrote  to  Mr.  B.  B.  Hasbrouck  stating  that  I  was  a 
lemocrat  and  qualified  to  discharge  the  duty  of  poll  clerk;  and  I  was 
iccordingly  appointed. 

8305.  Q.  And  previously  to  that  time  you  had  been  employed  by  the 
•epublicau  committee  J 


740  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

A.  I  was  employed  in  the  service  I  have  stated* 

8306.  Q.  Arc  you  in  the  service  of  the  Loyal  League  now? 
A.  No,  sir. 

8307.  Q.  Or  of  any  person  acting  in  the  interest  of  the  Loyal  League? 
A.  If  you  mean  getting  any  reward  for  my  testimony,  I  say  emphati- 
cally, no. 

8308.  Q.  To  whom  did  yon  give  the  statement  of  facts  to  which  you 
have  testified  to-day,  before  yon  came  here  l 

A.  I  mentioned  it  one  evening  in  that  bedstead  warehouse,  about  7 
o'clock  in  the  evening,  to  two  or  three  gentlemen  who  were  working  about 
the  place;  I  supposed  then  there  would  nothing  be  done  or  said  about  it; 
two  or  three  weeks  after  the  organization  of  this  congressional  committee 
Mr.  Henry  (1.  Leask  came  to  me  and  asked  me  it  I  had  made  such  a  state- 
ment;  I  told  him  I  had;  In'  asked  me  if  I  would  swear  to  it;  I  told  him 
that  it  I  was  required  to  I  would,  but  that  I  preferred  not  to  do  so. 

8309.  Q.  To  whom  did  you  make  this  statement  fust.' 

A.  1  can  give  you  the  name  of  one  gentleman,  Peter  Flannegan, the 
foreman  of  the  shop;  Robert  Welch  was  another,  and  there  may  have 
been  two  or  three  others  in  the  warehouse  at  the  time,  but  I  cannot  fix 
their  names  now  in  my  mind;   it  lias  been  two  or  three  months  since. 

8310.  Q.  Have  yon  repeated  it  since  at  all  to  anybody  f 

A.  Not  until  I  was  subpoenaed  before  this  committee,  that  I  recollectof. 

8311.  ().  To  whom  did  you  communicate  it  then? 

A.  As  I  said,  to  Mr.  Leask  and  to  gentlemen  who  were  in  the  Union 
League  room,  258  Broadway,  the  day  alter  I  was  subpoenaed,  when  I 
went  there  by  appointment  with  an  officer  of  the  House. 

8312.  Q.  Whom  did  you  meet  there  when  you  went  to  the  Union 
League  rooms  on  that  occasion  '! 

A.  That  I  could  not  say. 

8313.  Q.  Do  you  know  any  of  the  members  of  the  Union  League? 
A.  I  know  one  or  two  of  them  when  I  meet  them.     I  know  Horace 

Greeley,  for  instance,  but  I  did  not  meet  him  there. 

8314.  Q.  Was  this  officer  you  made  the  appointment  with  there  at  the 
time? 

A.  Yes.  I  do  not  remember  his  name.  I  think  I  have  seen  him  here 
to-day.     This  was  on  Wednesday,  before  the  committee  left  New  York. 

8315.  Did  this  subpoena  require  you  to  report  at  the  Union  League 
rooms  ? 

A.  No;  it  required  me  to  report  to  the  committee  forthwith,  which  I 
proposed  to  do,  but  was  told  by  the  officer  there  would  not  be  time  then 
to  take  my  testimony,  and  to  meet  him  the  next  day  at  the  Union 
League  rooms.     I  followed  his  instructions. 

8316.  Q.  What  did  you  do  when  you  got  to  the  Union  League  rooms? 
A.  He  and  another  gentleman  asked  me  if  there  had  been  any  illegal 

votes  cast  in  my  election  district,  and  how  many.     That  was  the  sub-  j 
stance  of  the  conversation,  and  all  of  it  that  I  now  remember. 

8317.  Q.  What  inducement  did  they  offer  you  to  come  here  and 
testify? 

A.  None.  The  committee  were  in  session  in  the  court-room  at  New  i 
York  at  that  time,  as  1  supposed. 

8318.  Q.  Did  they  promise  no  reward  at  all? 
.  A.  None  whatever,  in  any  shape  or  form. 

8319.  Q.  Was  it  not  agreed  at  the  time  you  were  at  the  League  rooms 
that  you  should  not  go  before  the  committee  in  New  York,  and  should 
come  here  to  testify  ? 

A.  There  was  nothing  of  the  kind. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  741 

8320.  Q.  You  were  appointed  as  a  democratic  poll  clerk  in  1866;  how 
came  you  to  get  on  the  board  in  1868? 

A.  Simply  by  reappointment. 

8321.  Q.  At  whose  instance  were  you  reappointed? 

A.  Not  the  instance  of  any  one.  I  knew  that  for  me  I  could  get  paid 
for  a  very  good  day's  work  $9.  I  wanted  the  money,  and  I  made  appli- 
cation to  Mr.  Hasbrouck  to  reappoint  me.  Mr.  Hasbrouck  is  the  acting 
clerk  of  the  board  of  police  commissioners,  I  believe.  I  do  not  know 
exactly  his  title. 

8322.  Q.  Did  he  appoint  you  as  a  republican? 
A.  He  did  not  ask  me  a  question. 

8323.  Q.  Was  it  not  the  practice  to  appoint  one  from  each  political 
party  ? 

A.  I  understood  it  to  be  so. 

8321.  Q.  Was  your  colleague  a  democrat? 

A.  He  was. 

8325.  Q.  What  was  his  name? 

A.  I  really  do  not  recollect.  I  sinvply  said  to  Mr.  Hasbrouck  that  I 
'would  like  to  have  an  appointment  to  my  old  place.  He  looked  at  his 
book  and  said  that  it  was  filled  by  mistake,  and  assigned  me  to  this  dis: 
trict. 

8326.  Q.  That  was  all  the  conversation  that  took  place  in  regard  to 
the  appointment.  What  consideration  did  you  get  for  participating  in 
this  fraud  at  the  polls? 

A.  1  did  not  get  any  at  all. 

8327.  Q.  What  were  you  promised? 
A.  I  was  not  promised  anything. 

8328.  Q.  At  whose  instance  did  you  do  it  ? 
A.  It  was  agreed  upon  between  the  democratic  clerk  and  one  of  the 

emocratic  inspectors.  This  Avas  during  the  day  Avhile  the  additional 
names  were  being  recorded.  1  made  no  agreement  to  it  in  the  first  place. 
Afterwards  I  chimed  iu  with  them  when  I  found  what  was  going  on. 

8329.  Q.  You  did  in  fact  participate  in  this  fraud? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

J   8330.  Q.  Upon  whose  procurement  did  you  do  it  ? 
i   A.  I  should  be  unable  to  tell  you  that.     I  cannot  tell  certainly  whom  I 
prat  heard  speak  about  it  thatday,  or  precisely  w  hat  was  said  when  it 
vas  agreed  upon. 

8331.  Q.  Do  you  know  the  names  of  the  parties  who  acted  as  inspect- 
ors, canvassers,  and  poll  clerks  with  whorn  you  talked  on  this  subject  ? 
.  A.  I  do  not  think  I  talked  with  any  inspector  on  the  subject,  nor  with 
my  canvasser;  I  did  with  the  poll  clerk;  and  in  the  evening  while  we 
vere  speaking  about  it  a  canvasser  came  in.  Up  to  that  time  I  had  had 
io  conversation  with  any  one  on  the  subject,  except  the  poll  clerk;  and 
titer  wards  there  was  not  much,  if  anything,  said  about  it  until  we  had 
'ommenced  counting  the  presidential  votes  about  half-past  11  o'clock. 
Che  republican  canvasser  was  then  pretty  well  intoxicated. 

8332.  Q.  What  talk  had  you  then  about  ? 

A.  I  talked  with  the  democratic  clerk  and  with  the  democratic  can- 
"asser,  whose  name  is  Dumphy,  I  think.  I  do  not  think  I  had  five 
voids  of  conversation  about  it  at  all,  and  I  cannot  tell  you  now  what 
hey  were ;  I  did  not  treasure  them  up  in  my  mind.  He  understood 
rom  one  or  both  of  us  that  it  was  being  done,  and  went  into  it.  Prior 
o  that  time  these  names  were  being  entered  on  the  poll-book.  I  had  no 
onversation  with  any  one  about  it ;  and  after  that  onlv  as  I  have 
tated. 


* 


742  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

8333.  Q.  Do  you  know  who  this  poll  clerk  is,  or  where  he  lives? 

A.  I  do  not. .  I  was  with  him  from  sunrise  in  the  morning  until  about 
half-past  five  the  next  morning. 

8334.  Q.  Mr.  Oostello  did  not  get  drunk  so  far  as  you  know? 
A.  No,  sir. 

8335.  Did  you  see  any  frauds  practiced  by  either  the  republican  or 
democratic  inspectors  before  the  board  of  canvassers  organized) 

A.  1  did  not  see  any  out-and-out  cheating.  I  thought  there  was 
unnecessary  delay  and  challenging  by  Mr.  ( Jostello,  the  republican  inspec- 
tor. It  seemed  to  me  to  be  unnecessary  for  him  to  challenge  persons 
whom,  as  he  said,  he  had  known  well  tor  a  number  of  years. 

8336.  ().  State  whether  as  a  matter  of  fact,  in  consequence  of  that,  the 
entire  legal  vote  of  the  district  was  not  polled. 

A.  I  do  not  think  it  could  have  been. 

<s:>;>7.  Q.   How  did  you  ascertain  the  precise  number  of  legal  votes  cast! 
A.  We  kept  the  names  of  those  who  voted,  on  the  inspector's  book, 
and  there  were  OS.")  names  registered  there  as  having  voted  legally. 

8338.  Q.  Were  you  able  to  say  whether  they  were  or  not  all  legal 
voters? 

A.  That  I  had  nothing  to  do  with;  that  was  the  duty  of  the  inspec- 
tors to  ascertain.  All  I  know  was  that  085  names  were  regularly  regis- 
tered by  the  inspectors. 

8339.  Q.  I  wish  you  to  try  to  recollect  at  whose  request  it  was  that 
this  fraudulent  transfer  of  names  commenced? 

A.  I  am  very  certain  of  one  thing,  that  the  first  intimation  I  had  in 
regard  to  it,  and  the  first  request  I  had  to  participate  in  it,  was  from  the 
other  poll  clerk. 

8340.  Q.  Can  you  state  the  precise  time  of  day  when  the  request  was 
made  I 

A.  It  was  made  after  dinner,  probably  about  1  or  half  past  1  o'clock. 

8341.  Q.  You  say  this  inspector,  Costello,  was  pretty  seriously  threat- 
ened that  clay.  State  in  consequence  of  what  it  was  that  these  threats 
were  made,  so  far  as  you  know. 

A.  I  only  know  from  the  remarks  of  parties  I  have  mentioned,  that 
bis  removal  from  the  Herald  office  was  threatened,  and  by  the  shouts  of 
the  excited  crowd  outside,  calling  him  all  sorts  of  names,  and  charging 
him  with  delaying  purposely  the  record  of  the  votes. 

8342.  Q.  Were  these  85  fraudulent  transfers  actually  counted  in  the 
canvass  returns  of  that  district? 

A.  That  I  am  unable  to  say,  because  I  did  not  canvass  the  votes. 
They  were  returned  to  the  police  headquarters. 

8343.  Q.  Where  did  you  get  that  return  ? 

A.  I  copied  it  from  the  return  which  I  filed  the  following  day  with 
the  review  of  election. 

8344.  Q.  Who  brought  you  here? 

A.  A  gentleman  attached  to  the  office  of  the  sergeant-at-arms ;  I  do  ■ 
not  know  his  name. 

8345.  Q.  You  have  stated  that  liquor  was  sent  in  during  the  progress  j 
of  the  business  of  the  board  of  canvassers  j  do  you  know  by  whoin  it  j 
was  sent? 

A.  I  do  not. 

8346.  Q.  Do  you  know  by  whom  it  was  imbibed  ? 
A.  By  the  whole  party,  myself  included. 
8347/Q.  What  kind  of  liquor  was  it? 

A.  Some  of  it  very  poor,  and  some  very  good;  some  beer  and  some 
whiskey. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  743 

8348.  Q.  Do  you  know  anything  personally  of  the  discharge  of  this 
man  Costello  from  the  Herald  office  ? 

A.  Nothing  except  what  I  have  heard  him  say.  I  only  know  that  he 
was  discharged,  from  what  he  told  me,  from  the  fact  that  a  week  after- 
wards he  received  an  appointment  from  the  Metropolitan  Fire  Depart- 
ment. 

8340.  Q.  If  he  should  swear  that  he  was  never,  in  fact,  discharged, 
would  you  believe  him  now  ? 

A.  After  his  statement  that  he  had  been  discharged  I  should  be  very 
much  inclined  to  doubt  him. 

8350.  Q.  Who  were  the  canvassers  at  this  election? 

A.  Mr.  Dumphy  was  the  democratic  canvasser.  He  is  a  fireman. 
I  do  not  know  the  name  of  the  republican  canvasser.  I  have  no  doubt 
I  heard  him  called  by  his  given  name,  but  I  do  not  recollect  it. 

8351.  Q.  You  say  he  was  drunk.  Did  the  democratic  canvasser  get 
drunk  ? 

A.  I  think  not. 

8352.  Q.  Did  he  drink  as  often  as  the  republican.canvasser? 

A.  Xo  ;  Mr.  Dumphy  and  myself  were  engaged  for  a  couple  of  hoiu\s 
in  tallying  those  votes  for  presidential  electors,  during  which  time  we 
took  nothing,  while  the  republican  canvasser  drank  about  every  two  or 
three  minutes. 

8353.  Q.  Was  he  so  drunk  as  to  lie  down  or  lose  his  senses? 
A.  He  lost  his  senses  ;  he  was  not  so  drunk  as  to  lie  down. 

8354.  Q.  Were  you  sober  all  day  and  all  the  evening? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

8355.  Q.  Was  the  other  poll  clerk  sober? 

A.  He  felt  his  liquor  a  little;  he  was  not  as  tight  as  the  canvasser. 

8356.  Q.  You  say  that  you  were  threatened  by  certain  parties,  that 
they  would  have  satisfaction  if  you  came  and  testified  before  this  com- 
mittee.    Who  made  those  threats? 

A.  I  could  not  name  the  men ;  they  were  persons  wrho  were  hanging 
about  the  door  and  seemingly  taking  a  great  interest  in  the  matter. 

8357.  Q.  Were  you  threatened  except  during  the  evening  of  the 
election  ? 

A.  I  was  not  threatened  then ;  the  first  threat  I  received  was  after 
t  the  summons  had  been  served  upon  me  to  attend  this  committee,  and  I 
cannot  recollect  the  names  of  the  persons  who  made  it. 

8358.  Q.  Did  you  not  ask  them  what  right  they  had  to  threaten  you 
for  coining  here  to  tell  the  truth  ? 

A.  I  was  proceeding  to  state  my  reasons,  that  when  I  stated  what  had 
occurred  in  this  bedstead  warehouse,  1  had  no  intention  of  making  it 
public;  and  no  committee  was  then  in  existence  or  had  been  thought  of 
or  spoken  of,  so  far  as  I  knew ;  but  that  afterwards  Mr.  Leask  got  hold  of  it 
and  bad  me  subpoenaed  before  this  committee ;  but  they  would  not  give  me 
a  chance  to  tell  anything;  they  attempted  to  batter  my  head  and  face; 
they  were  doubling  up  their  fists,  and  I  thought  it  was  time  to  leave. 
The  first  threat  I  had  and  was  from  a  young  man  on  the  street  in  the 
Bowery;  and  the  other  was  down  in  Pearl  street,  near  Peck  Slip. 

8359.  Q.  Had  any  of  those  parties  been  officers  of  that  election  ? 
A.  Xo.  sir. 

8360.  Q.  Was  the  other  poll  clerk  among  them? 
A.  Xo.  sir. 

83G1.  Q.  Have  you  been  threatened  by  any  officers  of  that  election? 
A.  Xo,  sir. 


744  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

8362.  Q.  Have  you  ever  talked  with  any  of  the  officers  since  the 
election  about  these  matters! 

A.  No,  sir;  nor  have  I  talked  with  them  about  any  matters;  norhavc 
I  seen  any  of  them,  not  even  the  poll  clerk,  since,  except  I  met  them  in 
the  same  relations  at  the  December  election,  when  we  were  all  very 
friendly ;  the  same  board  acted  then.  I  would  say  that  1  have  seen  Mr, 
McLaughlin  since  that  time,  as  I  have  stated,  at  the  rooms  of  the  Union 
League,  when  lie  told  me,  iu  answer  to  my  question  about  the  committee, 
that  the  committee  had  adjourned  sine  die. 

«s:;<;;;.  Q.  Do  yon  know  Samuel  J.  GHasseyl 

A.    1  do  not. 

8364  ().  Do  you  know  General  Foster) 

A.   1  do  not  know  him  by  sight;    I  have  heard  of  him.  ' 

8365.  Q.  When  you  met  Dennis  McLaughlin,  did  yon  ask  him  if  he 

was  aware  of  the  frauds  that  had   been  perpetrated  that    day  at  the 
election  I 

A.  I  have  no  recollection  of  asking  that  question,  because  I  knew  at 
the  time  that  he  was  aware  of  them. 

8366.  Q.  At  the  time  they  were  transpiring  1 
A.   No,  he  was  not  aware  of  them  then. 
83(>7.  Q.   How  do  yon  know  that  I 

A.  Because,  as  he  was  a  staunch  republican,  he  would  not  have  been 
very  likely  to  allow  them  to  go  on;  we  took  particular  pains  to  keep 
him  from  knowing  it. 

8368.  Q.  Were  these  names  added  to  the  poll-list  by  you,  in  your  own 
hand,  or  in  that  of  your  colleague? 

A.  By  both;  I  do  not  know  how  many  by  each:  the  books  themselves 
will  show. 

83(>!>.  Q.  Were  you  able,  from  your  knowledge  of  the  politics  of  the 
voters  of  the  district,  to  select  such  names  as  you  knew  to  be  names  of 
democrats  ? 

A.  I  did  not  select  them,  in  the  first  place,  and  had  nothing  to  do  with 
the  selection  of  them;  a  list  was  laid  on  the  table  before  us,  on  a  sepa- 
rate slip,  copied  from  the  inspector's  book;  at  least,  that  was  the  under- 
standing, and  Ave  transferred  the  names  from  that  list. 

8370.  Q.  Did  you  know  of  any  other  fraudulent  votes  cast  at  that 
poll,  besides  these  ? 

A.  Only  by  one  person,  who  was  arrested  for  illegal  voting  in 
the  name  of  another  person.  I  do  not  remember  his  name.  He 
came  in  and  offered  to  vote,  giving  the  name  of  some  person  residing! 
at  a  certain  number  in  Pearl  street.  The  republican  inspector  asked  if 
he  was  willing  to  swear  to  that.  He  said  he  was.  He  was  allowed  to 
vote  and  immediately  arrested ;  the  republican  inspector  being  aware 
of  the  fact  that  the  person  in  whose  name  he  voted  had  gone  to 
Europe. 

8371.  Q.  The  man,  however,  was  allowed  to  vote  before  he  was 
arrested  % 

A.  I  believe  so ;  I  did  not  give  any  attention  to  the  matter,  because 

it  was  not  a  part  of  my  duty. 

8371'.  Q.  Who  is  the  proprietor  of  this  bedstead  warehouse  \ 

A.  It  is  known  as  the  Eagle  Square  Bedstead  Company.    They  have 

a  factory  in  Vermont. 

8373.  Q.  Are  you  a  married  man  % 
A.  No,  sir. 

8374.  Q.  Are  your  habits  uniformly  temperate,  or  otherwise  f 
A.  Not  uniformly  so. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  745 

8375.  Q.  During  the  proceedings,  on  the  day  to  which  you  have 
referred,  what  was  your  condition  as  to  temperance  i 

A.  1  was  as  sober  as  I  am  now.     I  was  sober. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

8376.  Q.  You  say  Mr.  Costello  was  threatened  because  he  delayed  the 
voting.     In  what  way  did  he  delay  it  except  by  challenging  8 

A.  That  was  the  way;  and  that  was  the  charge  against  him. 

Washington,  D.  C,  February  3,  1860. 
John  B.  McKean  recalled  and  examined. 
By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

8377.  Question.  Do  you  personally  know  John  McCluskey  ? 
Answer.  I  know  him  when  I  see  him  ;  I  cannot  say  I  know  him  per- 
sonally. 

8378.  Q.  How  came  you  to  know  bim ! 

A.  He  was  an  officer  of  the  court  of  sessions  which  met  in  the  same 
building  with  the  supreme  court ;  I  met  him  frequently  in  going  up  and 
down ;  I  do  not  know  what  office  he  held. 

8379.  Q.  State  whether  during  the  month  of  October  last,  while  the 
business  of  naturalization  was  being  transacted  in  the  supreme  court 
and  by  that  court,  you  were  at  any  time  called  upon  by  this  man 
McCluskey,  and  requested  to  deliver  to  him  any  papers  connected  in  any 
way  with  naturalization  in  blank  or  tilled  up. 

A.  I  was  not. 

8380.  Q.  State  to  the  committee  whether  he  ever  came  to  your  office 
outside  of  the  court-room,  during  that  time,  and  asked  you  for  any  papers 
of  any  kind,  either  certificates,  or  blank  applications,  or  other  papers 
having  connection,  or  intended  to  have  connection  with  naturalization. 

A.  He  never  did. 

8381.  Q.  State  whether  on  the  21st  of  October,  or  about  that  time, 
you  delivered  to  him  any  blank  applications  for  naturalization. 

A.  I  never  delivered  to  him  any  such  applications,  then  or  at  any 
other  time. 

8382.  Q.  Did  you  ever  see  him  in  your  court-room,  or  in  your  office 
proper,  or  the  clerk's  office,  during  the  time  this  business  was  going  on 
in  October  last ! 

A.  I  cannot  say ;  I  do  not  think  I  did.  If  I  did  I  have  no  recollection 
of  it. 

8383.  Q.  Is  your  knowledge  of  him  by  his  face  sufficient  to  enable  you 
if  you  had  handed  him  any  such  papers  now  to  remember  it  ? 

I    A.  O,  yes,  sir. 

I    8381.  Q.  Did  he  ever  call  upon  you  on  any  day  in  October,  in  the  after- 
noon of  that  day,  and  deliver  you  any  number  of  applications  for  natural- 
ization filled  up  by  anybody  and  say  to  you  he  wanted  them  put  through 
as  soon  as  possible  t 
A.  No,  sir  ;  he  never  did. 

8385.  Q.  Did  you  at  any  time  during  that  month,  at  his  request  or  at 
the  request  of  anybody,  receive  applications  for  naturalization  filled  up 
in  that  way  and  sealed,  or  by  the  aid  of  anybody  else  have  them  put 
through  or  acted  upon  by  the  court? 

A.  Xo,  sir ;  I  never  received  any  applications  whatever  from  any  per- 
son ;  they  never  came  to  me  at  all. 

8386.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  the  business  of  naturalization  having  been 
transacted  on  any  night  during  that  month  in  the  court-room   when 


746  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  • 

there  was  an  insufficient  amount  of  gas  burning  to  enable  you  and  th 
officers  of  the  court  to  judge  distinctly  and  sufficiently  of  what  wa 
going  on  or  to  see  the  people  in  the  court-room  \ 

A.  No,  sir;  the  light  in  the  court-room  is  not  very  good;  we  had  a 
one  time  to  use  candles  at  my  desk,  but  I  never  saw  any  apparent  dii 
ference  between  one  night  and  another;  the  court-room  was  so  seldon 
used  at  aight  Unit  I  presume  the  gas-burners  became  stopped  up  and 
do  not  think  there  were  enough  burners  to  light  the  room  sufficiently  a 
any  time  ;  J  know  there  was  no  light  at  my  desk  and  that  I  had  to  us< 
candles,  but  it  was  sufficiently  light,  to  see  what  was  going  on. 

8387.  Q.  Did  you  have  a  hand  or  participate  in  any  effort  to  procure 
any  number  of  persons  or  any  number  of  applications  to  be  put  through 
the  process  of  naturalization  without  the  actual  presence  of  the  persons 
whose  names  were  reported  to  be  in  the  paper  as  applicants  or  as  wit- 
nesses or  the  presence  of  those  purporting  to  be  such  persons  I 

A.  No,  sir;  I  never  issued  a  certificate  of  naturalization  without  the 
regular  application  coming  to  me  from  the  judge  and  signed  by  him; 
the  applications  themselves  never  came  to  my  desk  originally  at  all. 

8388.  Q.  1  )id  you  ever  know  the  judge  of  that  court  during  that  month 
to  suffer  any  of  that  business  to  be  done  by  the  clerks  of  the  court  or 
by  any  other  officer  of  the  court  or  by  anybody,  when  the  judge  himself 
was  not  personally  present  in  the  court-room  f 

A.  No,  sir ;  never.  I  may,  however,  qualify  that  statement  by  saying 
that  there  may  have  been  some  portion  of  the  time  while  the  names  were 
being  called  out,  or  something  of  that  sort,  when  the  judge  was  not 
there.  Persons  were  never  sworn  as  citizens  except  when  he  was  on  the 
bench. 

8380.  Q.  What  room  is  there  that  adjoins  that  court-room? 

A.  I  think  there  are  two  large  rooms,  my  own  room,  part  one  of  the 
supreme  court  and  the  general  term  on  one  side  and  the  judge's  private 
room,  the  chambers  of  the  supreme  court,  and  the  room  used  com- 
monly by  the  officers  on  the  other  side.  There  is  a  door  opening  from 
my  room,  where  the  naturalization  business  was  conducted,  to  the  lobby 
or  hall,  and  there  is  a  door  connecting  part  one  with  the  general  term 
immediately  behind  the  judge's  bench. 

8390.  Q.  Do  you  know  Edward  Witter? 
A.  No,  sir. 

8391.  Q.  Do  you  know  a  young  man  of  the  name  of  Theodore  Taylor  % 
A.  No,  sir. 

8302.  Q.  How  long  have  you  known  McCluskey  ? 

A.  I  cannot  well  say;  I  have  known  but  very  little  of  him  until  cer 
tainly  within  the  year. 

8303.  Q.  Can  you  say  from  your  personal  knowledge  of  him  that  yon 
know  what  his  reputation  is  for  truth  and  veracity  % 

A.  I  am  not  sufficiently  acquainted  with  him  personally  to  answei 
that  question. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

8304.  Q.  You  signed  the  name  of  Loew  as  clerk  to  certificates  of  natu 
ralization  in  that  court ;  who  delivered  out  these  certificates  of  natu- 
ralization ? 

A.  Usually  Mr.  Valentine,  one  of  the  officers  of  the  court,  or  Mr 
Knight ;  I  do  not  think  any  one  of  the  clerks  ever  delivered  them. 

8305.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  McCluskey  is  sufficiently  acquainted 
with  you  to  know  you  ? 

A.  I  should  say  he  was,  though  I  do  not  knoAV  that  I  have  ever  spoken 
to  him  more  than  three  or  four  times  in  my  life. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IX  NEW  YORK  747 

839G.  Q.  He  may  have  mistaken  some  of  the  other  clerks  for  you  ? 
A.  It  is  possible  :  I  could  not  say. 

8397.  Q.  Were  blank  applications  never  presented  at  your  desk  I 

A.  Never  at  my  desk:  my  invariable  rule  was  never  to  receive  them; 
I  will  not  say  that  parties  never  came  to  my  desk  with  them,  but  these 
applications  were  collected  by  the  officers  and  did  not  reach  me  at  all 
until  they  had  received  the  signature  of  the  judge. 

8398.  Q.  Was  the  naturalization  business  generally  done  in  the  supreme 
court,  in  part  2So.  1  ? 

A.  Always. 

8399.  Q.  Was  not  the  room  immediately  adjoining  opened  sometimes 
in  the  night  ? 

A.  In  general  term  it  was  open  every  night ;  that  was  used  for  natu- 
ralization purposes. 

8400.  Q.  Do  you  not  know  that  Judge  Barnard  would  occasionally 
adjourn  his  court  while  it  was  sitting  in  the  room  of  part  one  and  go  into 

•  some  other  room  ? 

A.  Judge  Barnard  has  frequently  left  the  bench  in  part  one  and  gone 

into  the  general  term  room,  and  sat  there  until  a  new  batch  of  applicants 
'were  ready,  when  he  would  return  and  swear  them;   sometimes,  too,  he 

woidd  go  to  his  private  room. 

8401.  Q.  How  long  on  these  occasions  would  he  be  absent  from  his 
court  I 

A.  Only  a  very  few  minutes;  not  more  than  three  or  four  or  five  min- 
utes. 

8402.  Q.  Were  you  in  these  other  rooms  so  as  to  know  whether  there 
were  or  not  persons  there  who  were  receiving  certificates  of  naturaliza- 
tion ! 

A.  I  was  occasionally;  probably  I  may  state  by  way  of  explana- 
tion that  that  room  was  used  very  frequently  by  parties  whose  applica- 
tions were  wrongly  made  out;  they  would  be  sent  into  the  other  room 
to  correct  their  applications. 

8403.  Q.  Were  these  persons  sent  to  correct  their  applications  both 
into  the  judge's  private  room  and  into  the  general  term  room? 

A.  No,  sir :  never  into  the  judge's  private  room. 

8404.  Q.  State  if  Judge  McCunn  came  into  the  court- room  one  evening 
and  sat  for  a  few  minutes  beside  Judge  Barnard  ? 

A.  I  could  not  say:  I  have  no  recollecticn  of  seeing  him. 

840."i.  Q.  Could  you  undertake  to  remember  all  or  any  considerable  num- 
ber of  the  persons  who  were  at  the  court-room  with  applications  for  nat- 
uralization ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

8400.  Q.  In  the  great  number  of  persons  there  would  it  be  possible  for 
you  to  recall  even  your  acquaintances  who  were  there  ? 

A.  No,  sir:  I  do  not  know  now  that  I  could  name  a  solitary  individual 
who  came  there  to  get  his  papers  with  whom  I  was  acquainted. 

8407.  Q.  Who  did  you  see  in  the  general  term  room  when  you  were 
there  :  do  you  remember  any ! 

A.  I  could  not  say:  there  were  always  more  or  less  parties  there.  Mr. 
Coach  was  there  and  one  or  two  others  of  the  county  clerks.  I  do  not 
remember  any  person  connected  with  the  court  that  I  know  of  except  the 
county  clerks'. 

840s.  Q.  Did  you  see  Mr.  Moran  there  in  the  general  term  room? 

A.  No,  sir. 

8409.  Q.  Did  you  see  Mr.  McCaffrey  there. 

A.  No,  sir;  they  have  as  free  ingress,  however,  into  that  room  as  they 
have  into  part  one. 


748  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

8410.  Q.  Might  not  hundreds  of  persons  come  into  the  court-room  wit 
applications  for  naturalization  or  making  inquiries  about  aaturalizatio 
no  one  of  whom  you  could  now  remember,  even  although  they  wereyeu 
acquaintances  I 

A.  I  know  one  or  two  who  came  in,  but  I  do  not  know  that  I  coul< 
mention  a  single  individual  who  came  there  to  become  a  citizen. 

8411.  Q.  Do  you  remember  that  Judge  McCunn  was  in  the  court-roon 
sitting  on  the  bench  with  Judge  Barnard  on  the  night  of  the  23d  of  Octo 

ber,  the  hist  night  for  naturalization  before  the  election  } 
A.  He  may  have  been  there;  I  could  not  say. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

8412.  Q.  State  whether,  by  the  answers  you  have  made  to  the  questions 
put  by  the  chairman  yon  mean  to  say  it  would  have  been  possible  foi 
anybody  to  come  into  the  court-room  and  ask  yon  to  do  anything  irreg- 
ular or  unlawful  or  out  of  your  usual  and  proper  line  of  duty  without  you 
remembering  it? 

A.  I  should  be  very  likely  to  remember  any  request  to  do  anything 
wrong  in  the  shape  of  naturalization  or  otherwise. 

By  the  Chairman: 

8413.  Q.  If  a  man  whom  you  had  no  reason  to  suspect  wanted  to  do 
anything  wrong  should  come  into  your  office  and  lay  down  a  number  of 
applications  for  naturalization  and  tell  you  they  were  sworn  to  would 
you  necessarily  remember  a  circumstance  of  that  sort"? 

A.  In  the  first  place,  he  could  not  do  that.  I  would  not  receive  them 
at  all  unless  they  were  signed  by  the  judge. 

8414.  Q.  Might  you  not  hand  them  to  the  proper  clerk? 
A.  No,  sir;  I  never  received  a  paper  at  my  desk  without  it  came  from 

the  judge's  desk  with  his  signature. 

8415.  Q.  Do  you  not  know  as  a  matter  of  fact  that  you  have  issued 
applications  for  naturalization  which  have  not  had  the  initials  of  the 
judge  on  them  I 

A.  I  heard  there  were  two  or  three  which  did  not  have  the  judge's 
signature ;  if  that  was  a  fact  it  was  done  through  an  error  and  escaped 
my  attention. 

Washington,  D.  C,  February  4,  1869. 
Edward  B.  Heath  recalled  and  examined. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

8416.  Question.  Did  you  have  any  connection  with  the  alleged  count 
of  the  papers  connected  with  naturalization  in  the  superior  court  of 
New  York  to  which  Mr.  Westlake,  one  of  the  clerks  of  that  court  testi- 
fied before  this  committee  in  New  York  f  If  so,  state  what  you  know  of 
that  count,  and  how  it  was  made  up. 

Answer.  The  chief  clerk,  Mr.  Sweeney,  had  received  notice  from  your 
committee  on  the  day  in  question  to  make  a  count  of  the  naturalization 
papers  then  on  file  in  the  office.  It  was  made  in  the  evening,  I  suppose, 
between  3  and  4  o'clock.  He  came  to  the  office  and  told  the  clerks  then 
present,  four  or  five  in  number,  to  go  with  Mr.  Gillespie,  the  assistant 
naturalization  clerk,  and  make  a  count  of  the  naturalization  papers 
then  on  file.  I  went  with  the  others  into  the  office,  and  had  counted 
100  papers  when  Mr.  Gillespie  and  Mr.  Westlake  said  there  was  no 
necessity  of  counting  papers  that  way ;  that  we  were  to  take  the  first 
bundle  of  100  and  make  a  calculation  of  the  rest  by  measuring  them. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  749 

AVe  then  proceeded  according  to  his  direction  until  we  were  through. 
The  papers  were  taken  out  in  bundles  of  the  size  as  nearly  as  possible  of 
the  bundle  of  100  which  had  been  counted,  and  a  rough  calculation 
made.     It  was,  as  you  say,  no  count  at  all. 

8417.  Q.  What  clerks  participated  in  that  count ! 

A.  Mr.  Gillespie,  Mr.  Westlake,  Mr.  McNearly,  Mr.  Oakley,  and 
myself. 

8418.  Q.  Are  you  able  to  tell  this  committee  how  it  was  that  you 
made  the  previous  count  foot  up  26,226  ? 

A.  My  own  idea  of  the  thing  is  that  some  of  the  bundles  must  have 
been  counted  over  twice  to  make  so  large  a  discrepancy.  It  was,  as  you 
say,  no  count  at  all,  but  merely  a  rough  calculation.  One  bundle  was 
put  up  of  100  and  the  others  put  alongside  so  as  to  make  the  pile  as 
nearly  as  possible  of  the  same  size.  In  the  minor  papers,  as  you  may 
know,  there  is  but  a  single  blank,  and  no  other  paper  attached  to  it ;  in 
the  others  there  is  another  paper  attached,  making  it  so  much  larger  and 
that  might  be  counted  for  two  in  a  pile  of  that  kind ;  that  would  account  for 
a  considerable  discrepancy.  I  have  no  idea  of  the  number  of  papers  to 
which  this  additional  one  was  attached. 

8419.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  of  these  papers  placed  there  in  October 
last  having  been  in  any  way  lost,  mislaid,  or  abstracted  S 

A.  Xone  whatever  ;  they  could  not  be. 

8420.  Q.  Are  you  directly  connected  with  that  office  ? 

A.  My  position  in  the  court  is  that  of  docket  clerk.  I  have  charge  of 
the  dockets  and  judgments,  but  during  election  time,  when  there  is  so 
much  business  in  the  naturalization  office,  the  chief  clerk  delegates 
some  of  the  other  clerks  to  assist  in  that  business. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

8421.  Q.  In  the  first  count,  to  which  you  refer,  the  papers  were  laid 
out  in  bundles  for  each  day  and  then  counted  afterwards  2 

A.  Yes.  sir. 

8422.  Q.  And  Mr.  TTestlake  made  up  the  statement  of  your  count  ? 
A.  Mr.  Gillespie,  I  believe,  made  the  statement ;  but,  as  I  said,  it  was 

no  count,  merely  a  calculation.  As  I  said,  we  made  one  count  of  100 
and  then  sized  the  other  bundles  by  that. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

8423.  Q.  How  many  would  you  put  up  at  a  time  to  size  % 

A.  One  hundred,  as  we  supposed,  and  we  afterwards  counted  them  by 

hundreds. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

8424.  Q.  Suppose  your  report,  for  instance,  for  one  day  counted  728, 
how  did  you  ascertain  the  odd  number  of  papers? 

A.  That  was  made  by  guess. 

8425.  Q.  Did  Mr.  Sweeney  instruct  you  to  make  a  count  of  that  kind, 
to  be  sworn  to  before  this  committee  ! 

A.  No,  sir ;  he  did  not,  and  the  clerks  were  wrong  in  doing  it.  All 
>Ir.  Sweeney  said  was  to  make  a  count  of  the  papers.  He  did  not  spe- 
cify any  manner  in  which  it  was  to  be  done. 

8426.  Q.  And  now  you  swear  you  did  not  make  the  count. 
A.  Only  in  the  way  I  have  stated. 

8427.  Q.  And  yet  you  made  the  statement  of  what  purported  to  be  a 
omit  which  was  sworn  to  as  accurate  by  one  of  the  clerks  of  the  supe- 
rior eomt,  giving  the  number  for  each  day  separately  ? 

A.  I  did  not  see  the  figures  footed  up.    I  only  know  that  it  was  done 


750  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN   NEW   YORK. 

very  hastily.     It  was  nearly  5  o'clock  when  I  left  there,  and  Mr.  Gilles 
pie  was  then  casting  up  the  figures. 

By  Mr.  Dawes  : 

8428.  Q.  Could  you   have  any  difficulty  in  determinin 
between  a  package  that  had  a  hundred  in  it  and  a  package  that  bad  3( 
in  it? 

A.  T  should  suppose  not. 

8421).  Q.  Could  anybody  who  was  honest  make  any  mistake  of  that 
kind  between  the  two  packages  I 

A.  That  is  a  very  difficult  matter  to  say  ;  my  opinion  is  that  between 
30  and  100  it  would  not  be  difficult  to  tell  the  difference,  and,  as  I  said 
before,  some  of  the  bundles  must  have  been  counted  twice. 

8430.  Q.  I  ask  you  again  whether  anybody  who  was  honest  could 
make  any  mistake  of  that  kind. 

A.   I  do  not  really  think  they  could. 

Q,  You  report  1,800  on  one  day — that  you  made  IS  piles  of  a  hundred 
each — and  now  you  say  there  was  but  60J  on  that  day;  then  these  001 
were  divided  into  L8  piles  of  33  ill  each,  and  now  you  testify  in  effect 
that  you  made  a  mistake,  and  called  these  IS  piles  of  33  each  a  hundred, 
and  you  do  not  think  that  could  be  done  honestly! 

A.  In  one  way  it  could:  A  bundle  containing  a  number  of  these  ap- 
plications in  which  two  of  the  papers  are  attached  together  would  make 
much  larger  bundles  than  the  others. 

8432.  Q.  You  want  to  alter  your  statement  you  made  just  now.  then, 
when  you  said  a  man  could  not  honestly  make  a  mistake  between  two 
piles,  one  of  33  and  the  other  of  a  hundred! 

A.  Yes,  J  will  alter  that. 

8433.  Q.  And  now  you  think  they  could  I 

A.  I  think  they  could  in  the  way  I  have  stated. 

8434.  Q.  Would  there  not  just  as  likely  be  as  many  double  papers  in 
a  bundle  of  a  hundred  as  there  would  be1  in  a  bundle  of  33 — would  there 
not  likely  be  three  times  as  many  \ 

A.  I  suppose  so ;  but  of  course  it  would  be  impossible  to  make  any 
calculation  upon  a  count  made  in  that  way. 

8435.  Q.  Then  a  pile  with  a  hundred  in  it  would  still  be  correspond- 
ingly larger \ 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

8436.  Q.  Then  could  you  honestly  make  any  such  mistake  between  a 
pile  of  33  and  a  pile  of  a  hundred  ? 

[No  answer.] 

8437.  Q.  Are  you  one  of  the  men  who  swore  to  this  first  statement  \ 
A.  No,  sir;  I  helped  to  make  the  count  or  calculation. 

8438.  Q.  Did  not  anybody  ask  you  to  measure  them  instead  of  count 
ing  them? 

A.  Mr.  Gillespie  said  when  I  went  in  that  we  were  to  make  the  calcu  ] 
lation  in  this  way.     I  am  not,  as  I  said  before,  a  naturalization  clerk. 

8439.  Q.  Did  you  help  Mr.  Gillespie  to  measure  these  papers  1 

A.  I  assisted  him  as  he  desired  me.  He  said  the  committee  wanted 
the  statement  right  away. 

8440.  Q.  And  Mr.  Giliespie  asked  you  to  perform  the  duty  of  counting 
by  measurement  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

8441.  Q,  And  he  swore  to  that? 

A.  I  do  not  know  what  he  swore  to. 

8442.  Q.  Do  you  mean  to  say  now  that  you  fell  into  the  mistake  of 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  751 

counting  33  papers  as  100,  because  it  was  about  the  size  of  a  bundle  of 
100  of  such  papers  I 
A.  I  do  not  think  I  did. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

8443.  Q.  Do  you  not  know  that  nearly  all  the  applications  there  pur- 
ported to  be  what  are  called  minor  applications,  and  that  if  you  were  to 
count  every  application  in  which  the  applicant  had  previously  declared 
bis  intention  to  become  a  citizen — not  only  twice  but  10  times— it  would 
not  account  for  this  discrepancy  "l 

A.  I  cannot  say  ;  I  did  not  foot  up  the  figures  or  look  at  the  footings. 
As  soon  as  we  had  gone  through  with  the  calculation  I  left,  and  Mr. 
Westlake  made  the  statement  to  you  the  next  day. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

8444.  Q.  What  were   Mr.   Sweeney's   instructions   to   you  when  he 
,  directed  you  to  make  that  count"? 

A.  Mr.  Sweeney  merely  asked  me  as  one  of  the  clerks  in  the  office  to 
assist  the  naturalization  clerks  to  make  this  count. 

8445.  Q.  Did  you  understand  from  him  at  the  time  he  did  not  want  an 
accurate  count  of  the  papers'? 

A.  He  stated  distinctly  that  he  wanted  the  papers  to  be  counted. 
8440.  Q.  Are  you  in  the  habit  of  doing  business  as  clumsily  as  this? 
A.  No,  sir  j  it  is  the  first  instance  on  record  of  business  there  being 
idone  in  such  a  way. 

8447.  Q.  Did  you  or  not  act  in  this  way  in  order  to  deceive  the  com- 
!  mittee  f 

A.  No,  sir )  nothing  of  the  kind ;  and  from  the  first  Mr.  Sweeney  said 
jhe  had  nothing  to  conceal.     Since  I  have  been  in  this  office  everything 
has  been  done  in  a  regular  and  business-like  manner,  as  in  the  office  of 
the  clerk  of  any  court  in  the  country. 

844S.  Q.  Then  why  did  you  do  your  business  in  this  way  on  this  occa- 
sion; was  it  in  order  to  show  your  contempt  for  the  committee  1 

A.  No,  sir ;  it  was  done  in  this  careless  manner,  which  of  course  was 
;  wrong  ;  and  it  is  a  thing  which  never  would  occur  again  in  100  years. 

Washington,  D.  0.,  February  4,  1869. 
James  A.  Thompson  sworn  and  examined,  (called  at  the  request  of 
Mr.  Kerr.) 

By  Mr.  Kerr: 

8449.  Question.  State  your  business. 

Answer.  1  am  a  naturalization  clerk  in  the  superior  court  of  the  city  of 
New  York,  and  have  held  that  position  since  the  9th  of  December,  1867. 

8450.  Q.  State  what  are  your  relations  in  that  service  to  the  other 
clerks  in  the  office  "I 

A.  1  have  full  charge  of  the  bureau  of  naturalization. 

8451.  Q.  Do  you  know  Mr.  Gillespie  '? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  he  is  my  assistant  clerk  in  the  same  department.  There 
'  are  only  two  of  us  there. 

8452.'  Q.  State  to  the  committee  what  you  know  of  the  maimer  in  which 
the  whole  number  of  applications  for  naturalization  in  your  office  were 
counted  prior  to  the  time  that  Mr.  Westlake,  one  of  the  clerks  of  that 
court,  appeared  before  this  committee  in  New  York,  and  testified  on  the 
subject  of  that  count? 

A.  The  only  count  that  took  place  was  made  by  Mr.  Meeks;  in  the 
hurry  of  the  elections,  both  political  parties,  for  their  own  benefit  and  to 


752  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

facilitate  business,  used  tickets.  each  representing  fifty  or  seventy -five 
cents,  mid  when  an  application  was  handed  to  the  clerk,  upon  which  the 
certificate  is  issued,  a  ticket  would  be  passed.  Thesetickets  were  counted, 
amounting  to  something  over  is.ooo,  and  that  I  considered  the  actual 
count.  That  is  all  1  know  about  it.  it  was  made  in  the  evening  when 
J  was  not  present.  They  were  about  making  the  count  when  I  came 
into  the  office — I  should  think  about  half-past  4  o'clock.  The  gas  had 
been  lighted.  I  saw  them  preparing  to  make  the  count,  and  then  I  left 
the  office. 

8453.  Q.  State  in  whose  custody  the  applications  for  naturalization  in 
that  court  have  been  in  tact  and  under  the  law  since  October  last. 

A.    In  mine  and  .Mr.  Gillespie's. 

8454.  Q.  State  whether  any  of  these  papers,  made  in  the  course  of  the 
business  of  naturalization  during  the  month  of  October,  were,  during 
that  month,  or  since,  at  any  time,  by  anybody,  or  in  any  way,  abstracted 
or  destroyed  or  mislaid  or  lost. 

A.  They  were  not,  and,  furthermore,  they  could  not  have  been, 
without  the  knowledge  of  Mr.  Gillespie  or  myself.  If  they  had  been 
taken  we  certainly  must  one  of  US  have  been  a  party  to  it. 

8455.  Q.  What  was  your  habit  in  reference  to  the  time  of  getting  to 
your  office  I 

A.  Sometimes  I  came  there  prior  to  9  o'clock  in  the  morning,  some- 
times 10,  and  sometimes  as  late  as  11.  .Air.  Gillespie  generally  got  there 
first. 

8456«  Q.  Do  you  know  anything  about  the  count  that  has  been  made 
in  the  last  ten  days  of  these  papers! 

A.  Yes,  sir:  there  was  a  count  actually  made  of  the  papers,  counting 
each  paper  separately  and  distinctly  by  itself,  placing  them  in  bundles 
of  a  hundred  each,  for  each  day  of  naturalization  in  the  month  of  Octo- 
ber; then  the  total  month's  work  added  up,  amounting  in  the  aggregate 
to  18,432.  I  superintended  the  work  myself,  and  the  persons  engaged 
in  it  were  Mr.  Gillespie,  Mr.  Westlake,  Mr.  Early,  and  myself. 

8457.  Q.  To  what  extent  did  you  count  them  I 

A.  The  majority  of  the  counting  was  done  by  Mr.  Gillespie,  Mr.  AYest- 
lake,  and  myself;  the  others  came  in  later  and  aided  us. 

84oS.  Q.  Were  you  personally  present  during  the  examination  of  these 
papers  by  persons  connected  with  this  committee  \ 

A.  A  part  of  the  time  I  was;  and  when  I  was  uot  present  Mr.  Gilles- 
pie was. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

8459.  Q.  You  say  that  when  you  were  not  personally  present  Mr.  Gil- 
lespie was ;  how  do  you  know  that  he  was  present  all  that  time  \ 

A.  Because  he  could  not  keep  his  situation  iu  the  office  if  he  did  not 
remain  there.  It  was  his  duty  to  be  present,  and  I  have  personal  knowl- 
edge of  certificates  issued  and  signed  by  him,  being  conversant  with  hisj 
handwriting. 

84G0.  Q.  And  you  swear  that  he  was  in  the  room  all  the  time  that  you 
were  not  present  ? 

A.  1  swear  to  the  best  of  my  knowledge. 

8461.  Q.  Will  you  state  now  that  you  know  he  was  there  ! 

A.  I  am  just  as  willing  to  swear  that  as  I  woidd  be  to  swear  there  is  I 
such  a  place  as  Paris,  though  I  never  was  there. 

By  Mr.  DiCKEY: 
84G2.  Q.  By  that  do  you  mean  that  the  fact  of  Mr.  Gillespie  being 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  753 

there  all  the  time  is  as  universally  known  and  accepted  by  all  men  as 
the  fact  that  there  is  such  a  place  as  Paris? 
A.  Yes,  sir ;  that  is  what  I  mean. 

By  the  Chairman: 
84G3.  Q.  You  state  from  your  own  personal  knowledge  as  to  the  cor- 
rectness of  this  count,  so  far  as  it  was  made  by  others  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

8404.  Q.  What  other  clerks  in  the  office  had  access  to  the  room  in 
charge  of  yourself  and  Mr.  Gillespie? 

A.  After  naturalization  had  ceased  no  others  had, 

8405.  Q.  Do  you  say  that  they  were  not  permitted  to  go  in*? 

A.  They  were  permitted  to  go  in,  but  not  to  go  into  the  room  in  which 
the  naturalization  papers  were. 

8400.  Q.  Was  Mr.  Sweeney  not  permitted  to  go  in  there? 

A.  Mr.  James  M.  Sweeney  was  permitted  to  go  in,  but  he  never  availed 
himself  of  it. 

8407.  Q.  Was  Mr.  Meeks  permitted  to  go  in  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  but  he  never  went  into  that  room. 

84G8.  Q.  State  if  you  were  always  in  the  room  when  it  was  open,  or 
whether  you  would  occasionally  be  absent. 

A.  I  would  occasionally  be  absent. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

84G9.  Q.  Yrou  say  you  know  something  of  the  manner  of  making  up 
the  statement  which  was  sworn  to  by  Mr.  Westlake;  were  you  present 
when  he  made  the  count  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  know  nothing  of  it,  except  by  hearsay. 

8470.  Q.  How  did  he  get  at  that  count  ? 

A.  I  only  know  from  hearsay;  he  did  not  make  the  statement  in  person. 
Mr.  Gillespie  was  authorized  to  make  the  statement  which  was  handed 
I  to  the  committee  by  Mr.  Westlake. 

8471.  Q.  Was  that  statement  signed  officially  by  the  deputy  clerk  of 
the  superior  court  of  New  York  ? 

A.  I  could  not  say. 

Washington,  D.  C,  February  4, 1809. 
Florence  Scannel,  having  appeared  before  the  committee  in  obe- 
dience to  the  orders  of  the  House  in  the  custody  of  the  Sergeant  at-arms, 
was  examined  as  follows  by  the  chairman : 

8472.  Question.  You  have  stated  in  your  previous  examination  that  you 
gave  a  list  of  names  to  be  voted  on  to  some  person;  will  you  now  state 
who  the  person  was  to  whom  you  gave  the  list? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir,  that  is  what  I  came  here  to  do.  That  person  was  Mr. 
Marshall,  a  republican  politician,  at  the  corner  of  Fourteenth  street  and 
^ourth  avenue — one  of  the  proprietors  of  the  Opera-House  there. 

847;^.  Q.  What  is  his  full  name? 

A.  I  do  not  know  his  full  name. 

8474.  Q.  What  business  is  he  engaged  in! 

A.  He  keeps  the  Opera  House,  which  is  a  hotel  and  drinking-saloon. 

8475.  Q.  in  your  previous  examination,  you  were  asked  if  you  knew 
of  any  person  engaged  in  repeating  in  any  other  ward  besides  the  18th. 
Will  you  now  answer  that  question  ? 

A.   1  cannot  state  any  name;  I  do  not  know  of  any. 
8470.  Q.  Do  you  mean  to  say  that  you  do  not  know  of  any  persons 
engaged  in  repeating  outside  of  that  ward? 
A.  I  was  told  so,  but  1  do  not  know  their  names. 
48  T 


754  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN   NEW    YORK. 

8477.  Q.  Do  you  know  the  fact  that  it  was  done? 
A.  I  would  not  swear  to  it. 

8478.  Q.  Were  you  outside  of  the  18th  ward  on  the  day  of  election? 
A.  No,  sir;  I  always  make  it  a  point  to  stay  in  my  own  district  on 

election  day. 

8470.  Q.  Did  you  know  of  any  preparations  for  repeating  before  the 
day  of  election,  in  any  other  ward  but  the  18th? 

A.  I  do  not  know  that  I  did. 

8480.  Q.  Did  you  see  or  know  of  persons  making  preparations  for  it? 
A.  No,  sir. 

8481.  Q.  State  if  you  were  at  the  Jackson  club  shortly  before  the 
election  ! 

A.  1  was  there  pretty  nearly  every  night,  on  account  of  beinga  mem- 
ber of  that  club. 

8482.  Q.   Were  yon  there  the  night  before  election  ! 
A.  No,  sir. 

8483.  Q.  Were  you  in  that  ward  on  the  day  of  election? 
A.  No,  sir. 

8484.  (L>.  Do  you  know  of  any  preparation  in  that  club-room,  or  of  any 
persons  members  of  the  club,  for  repeating! 

A.  No,  sir;  they  did  not  let  me  know  their  business;  they  had  too 
much  good  senses  if  they  had  any  preparation  of  that  kind  going  on,  to 
let  me  know  it. 

848").  (L).  Why  ! 

A.  They  do  not  let  people  outside  of  their  own  wards  know7  their  busi- 
ness. 

848G.  Q.  Was  this  club  confined  to  that  ward  f 

A.  No  ;  everybody  belongs  to  it. 

8487.  Q.  Then  why  do  not  the  members  of  the  club  know  what  is  going 
on  there  ? 

A.  If  I  had  a  place  where  I  knew  I  could  get  a  hundred  dollars,  I! 
should  not  tell  other  people  of  it,  because  somebody  might  get  ahead  oi 
me. 

8488.  Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  getting  a  hundred  dollars? 
A.  I  mean  that  if  I  knewr  where  I  could  go  to-morrow  and  find  a  hundred 

dollars  I  should  not  tell  other  people  of  it,  because  they  might  get  then 
before  me. 

8489.  Q.  Is  that  a  part  of  the  business  of  your  club  to  pick  up  a  hun 
dred  dollars  lying  around  U 

A.  No;  I  merely  suggested  that;  I  do  not  belong  to  the  ward  tin 
club  is  in. 

8490.  Q.  Are  there  any  private  orders  in  that  club,  the  secrets  o 
which  are  kept  from  the  members? 

A.  Not  that  I  am  aware  of. 

8491.  Q.  How  do  you  know,  then,  they  would  not  tell  you? 
A.  Because  I  would  not  do  it  under  the  same  circumstances. 

8492.  Q.  Bid  you  and  Mr.  Marshall  vote  or  procure  anybody  to  vot« 
on  the  list  of  names  you  gave  him  ? 

A.  I  did  not. 

8493.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  he  procured  the  list  from  you  for  till 
purpose  of  ascertaining  what  you  were  doing  or  not? 

A.  I  know  that  it  was  agreed  that  I  should  give  it  to  him  ;  he  came  an< 
asked  me  if  I  was  going  to  send  anybody  there  to  vote;  I  told  him  nol 
he  then  said  he  would  take  the  list  and  do  it  himself,  and  that  I  wal 
not  to  send  anybody  there;  I  told  him  I  had  not  anybody  to  send ;  I  dj 
not  know  whether  lie  voted  a  man  or  not. 


ELECTION  FEAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  7,'jf) 

8404.  Q.  You  stated  when  you  were  before  tlie  committee  on  a  former 
occasion  that  you  knew  of  30  men  engaged  in  registering-  names  falsely 
in  the  18th  ward.  Can  you  state  now  whether  you  know  of  more  in 
that  ward  than  these  30? 

A.  I  could  not  tell ;  that  is  all  I  know ;  I  am  trying  here  to  tell  what 
I  know. 

8495.  Q.  Did  you  hear  of  others? 

A.  No ;  I  heard  men  talking  on  both  sides,  democrats  and  republicans; 
everybody  were  talking  about  their  operations. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

8496.  Q.  Were  these  30  under  your  immediate  control? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  did  not  register  them  at  all;  they  were  registering,  and 
the  list  was  given  to  me. 

8497.  Q.  Who  had  charge  of  the  registering  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  the  man's  name ;  I  knew  where  he  was  living. 

8498.  Q.  Where? 

A.  He  lived  in  New  York. 

8499.  Q.  Where  in  New  York  ? 
A.  On  Third  avenue. 

.  8500.  Q.  Where  on  Third  avenue? 

A.  Between  Twenty-fourth  and  Twenty-fifth  streets. 
.  8501.  Q.  By  what  name  is  he  known  or  called? 

A.  I  do  not  know ;  he  is  a  man  who  does  not  live  at  any  place  long. 

8502.  Q.  You  must  know  him  by  some  name  if  you  are  an  associate 
of  him  ? 

I  A.  I  am  no  associate  of  his  at  all. 

8503.  Q.  And  yet  you  say  he  made  this  registration  for  you? 

A.  Not  for  me;  he  was  there  when  this  registration  was  made,  and 
from  the  position  he  seemed  to  have  I  supposed  he  was  sent  there  for 
that  purpose.  There  was  no  particular  name  he  was  called  by ;  I  called 
him  "  Yorkee,"  and  some  called  him  "Johnny.'' 

8504.  Q.  Do  you  say  that  he  was  engineering  this  party  of  30  repeaters  ? 
A.  I  do  not  know  whether  he  was  or  not ;  he  gave  me  the  list  and  I 

gave  it  to  Mr.  Marshall. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

8505.  Q.  Where  did  he  give  it  to  you  ? 

A.  At  the  Compton  House;  I  was  down  there  one  night  and  they  told 
me  they  were  regis  ering. 

8500.  Q.  Who  told  you  they  were  registering  1 
A.  Ten  or  twelve  told  me  so. 

8507.  Q.  Who  are  they  ? 
A.  I  do  not  know. 

8508.  Q.  Where  do  they  live? 
A.  I  do  not  know. 

8509.  Q.  What  are  their  names? 
A.  I  do  not  know. 

8510.  Q.  Who  managed  these  repeaters  on  election  day  ? 

A.  That  I  do  not  know;  I  gave  the  list  to  Mr.  Marshall;  I  do  not 
know  whether  he  voted  them  or  not. 

8511.  Q.  I  understand  that  a  portion  of  these  names  were  registered 
for  the  benefit  of  republicans,  and  a  portion  retained  for  the  democratic 
party;  that  you  did  vote  the  persons  who  were  registered  for  the 
democratic  party,  but  you  do  not  know  whether  the  names  you  gave  for 
the  republican  party  were  voted  or  not.  Now,  I  want  to  know  who 
managed  the  voting  of  these  democrats  ? 


756  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

A.  I  do  not  know  of  anybody  that  voted  the  democratic  ticket.  When 
I  was  a  candidate  in  the  December  election  tliey  came  and  told  me  they 
had  their  names  registered,  and  were  coming  to  vote  for  me;  whether 
they  did  or  not  I  do  not  know. 

8512.  Q.  Von  say  yon  gave  Mr.  Marshall  a  portion  and  retained  a  por- 
tion ;  how  many  did  yon  retain  ? 

A.  They  registered,  I  believe,  about  30;  but  I  got,  I  should  think 
about  IS  or  20  of  the  names.  I  do  not  know  how  many  times  they  reg- 
istered them  :  they  registered  the  names  and  gave  them  to  me. 

8613.  Q.  How  many  did  you  keep,  and  how  many  did  you  give  Mr 
Marshall.' 

A.   I  gave  Mr.  Marshal]  all  there  was. 

8514.  Q.   What  do  you  mean  by  those  you  retained? 

A.  They  did  not  give  them  to  me  at  all. 

Solo.  (,).   Who  retained  them? 

A.  I  do  not  know. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins: 

8516.  Q.  Did  you  ever  distribute  naturalization  papers? 

A.  No,  sir.  I  went  with  a  tew  men  down  there,  but  I  knew  they  had 
their  own  witnesses  with  them.  They  had  been  in  the  country  for  the 
required  time. 

8517.  Q.  Do  you  swear  that  you  never  distributed  any  naturalization 
papers  from  the  Compton  House  \ 

A.   Papers  were  sent  there  for  parties. 

8518.  Q.  State  distinctly  whether  you  swear  that  you  never  distrib -' 
uted  any  papers  out  of  the  Compton  House  to  parties  claiming  to  bej 
naturalized. 

A.  I  have  already  stated  that  naturalization  papers  were  sent  there, 
and  I  would  give  them  to  parties  when  they  called  for  them. 
8511).  Q.  Then  you  swear  that  you  did  distribute  them  \ 
A.  I  did  to  parties  who  are  entitled  to  them — men  who  had  already 
taken  their  witnesses  down  and  satisfied  the  folks  in  court  that  they  were 
entitled  to  become  citizens  of  the  United  States. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

8520.  Q.  How  do  you  know  that  ? 
A.  I  know  the  witnesses  started  for  the  court  with  them. 

8521.  Q.  And  the  parties  you  gave  the  papers  had  their  witnesses  witl 
them? 

A.  No,  sir. 

8522.  Q.  How  many  papers  did  you  give  out  in  a  day  ? 
A.  I  cannot  tell;  I  have  no  recollection  at  all. 

8523.  Q.  Did  you  know  the  parties  to  whom  you  gave  the  papers  o 
naturalization  1 

A.  No,  sir.     I  may  have  known  a  few  of  them. 

8524.  Q.  How  many  did  you  know  i 
A.  Not  over  one  or  two. 

8525.  Q.  How  many  of  them  did  you  not  know? 
A.  I  don't  recollect. 
8520.  Q.  How  did  you  know  the  parties  with  whom  you  were  n 

acquainted  had  been  down  to  the  court  ? 

A.  I  thought  so  by  seeing  the  names  of  the  witnesses  signed  to 
naturalization  papers.     I  thought  if  they  had  not  been  there  the  mum 
would  not  have  been  signed. 

8527.  Q.  Were  the  witnesses,  whose  names  were  signed,  persons  y 
knew  ? 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YOEK.  757 

A.  Not  many  of  thorn.  I  did  not  look  at  them  much.  I  took  one  or 
two  of  them  and  looked  at  the  names. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

8528.  Q.  How  did  you  get  these  papers  ? 

A.  They  were  left  at  the  Comptou  House  by  a  man  down  below  where 
the  naturalization  was  going  on.     I  suppose  some  of  the  attaches  of  the 
i  office  down  there  brought  them  up,  because  this  was  a  kind  of  head- 
quarters where  the  parties  would  be  likely  to  get  them. 

8529.  Q.  Do  I  understand  you  that  attaches  of  the  naturalization 
office  brought  these  papers  up  to  the  Compton  House  ? 

A.  I  don't  know  :   it's  most  likely  they  did. 

8530.  Q.  Did  they  come  directed  to  you  in  envelopes,  or  in  what  form 
did  you  receive  them  I 

A.  No ;  I  found  them  lying  out  on  the  desk. 

8531.  Q.  Were  they  addressed  to  you  ■ 

A.  1  do  not  know ;  I  was  not  there  when  they  were  left. 

$~)lV2.  Q.  How  did  you  know  you  were  to  distribute  these  papers  ? 

A.  Parties  told  mo  they  wore  left  there  for  them.  The  barkeeper, 
'when  I  came  there  one  day,  told  me  that  some  papers  were  left  there 
and  asked  me  if  1  knew  anything  about  them.  I  told  him  I  knew  one 
or  two  of  the  parties. 

8533.  Q.  What  did  you  do  with  them  ? 

A.  When  a  man  came  in  and  gave  his  name  I  would  look  over  and  if 
jl  found  his  name  there  give  him  his  paper. 

8534.  Q.  Is  it  not  true  that  you  were  an  agent  for  the  distribution  of 
those  papers  at  that  point  I 

A.  No,  sir,  I  was  not  an  agent  for  anybody. 

8535.  Q.  Is  it  not  true  that  you  were  understood  by  the  clerks  at  the 
court  to  be  the  man  to  send  these  papers  to  for  distribution  in  your  ward  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

8530.  Q.  You  swear  positively  to  that  ? 

A.  Yes,  I  swear  positively. 

8537.  Q.  But  you  did  that  business? 
A.  I  do  not  know.     That  was  a  sort  of  headquarters,  and  I  suppose 

they  thought  it  was  the  best  place  to  leave  the  papers. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

8538.  Q.  You  stated  in  your  former  testimony  in  substance,  that  you 
knew  who  furnished  the  tickets  and  slips  for  repeaters  at  the  election  in 
the  18th  ward.  Will  you  state  who  are  the  persons  to  whom  you  fur- 
nished the  names  of  these  repeaters  f 

A.  Mr.  Marshall  was  the  only  man. 

8539.  Q.  On  the  day  of  the  election,  in  the  18th  ward,  who  furnished 
the  tickets  and  slips  to  repeaters  % 

A.  I  gave  a  man  some  tickets  to  go  down  and  see  Mr.  Marshall  to  see 
whether  he  had  it  correct  or  not. 

By  Mr.  Dawes  : 

8540.  Q.  Who  was  the  man  you  gave  it  to  % 
A.  One  of  the  boys  around  the  corner;  I  do  not  recollect  his  name  now. 

8541.  Q.  You  did  recollect  then,  but  you  do  not  now  \ 
A.  I  must  have  misunderstood  the  question  you  put  to  me. 

8542.  Q.  When  you  were  asked  then  the  name  of  this  party  you  said 
ou  could  not  answer,  that  it  would  not  be  honest  to  your  friends  ? 

A.  Mr.  Marshall  was  the  man  whom  I  had  reference  to  then. 


758  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

By  the  CHAIRMAN: 

8543.  Will  you  state  to  the  committee  who  furnished  the  tickets  or 
slips  to  the  repeaters  in  the  18th  ward  for  the  names  you  had  falsely 

registered  there  I 

A.  I  do  not  know.  I  did  send  tickets  down  to  Mr.  Marshall,  that  is 
all  I  know  about  it. 

8544.  Q.  Don't  von  knowwho  famished  tickets  to  the  repeaters  in  the 
18th  ward  \ 

A.  I  sent  a  man  down  to  Mr.  Marshall,  that  is  all  I  know.  I  did  not 
vote  any  of  them. 

8540.  Q.  Have  you  not  stated  that  you  voted  a  lew  \ 

A.  No,  1  think  not. 

8540.  Q.  You  did  say  you  registered  falsely  a  large  number  of  names, 
that  you  gave  a  part  of  the  names  to  another  person  and  voted  the 
balance. 

A.  I  think  that  cannot  be  my  testimony.  I  gave  Mr.  Marshall  eighteen 
or  twenty  of  the  thirty  that  were  given  to  me. 

By  Mr.  Hon  kins  : 

8547.  Q.  Von  say  Mr.  Marshall  was  a  republican  :  why  did  yon  give 
to  Mr.  Marshall,  a  republican,  a  list  of  names  falsely  registered  F 

A.  Because  I  had  agreed  to  have  so  many  names  registered  and  give 
them  to  him,  and  after  that  they  were  to  give  me  two  canvassers,  and  1 
gave  this  list  of  names  to  satisfy  these  people  that  I  had  kept  my  word 
and  Mr.  Marshall  was  the  man  I  gave  them  to. 

8548.  Q.  Was  Mr.  Marshall  one  of  the  canvassers  you  were  toseL 
A.  No,  sir. 

8549.  Q.  In  what  way  was  he  interested  in  the  contract  you  have  tes 
fettled  about :; 

A.  In  no  way  except  that  I  had  registered  a  large  number  from  hi: 
house.  I  had  sent  men  there,  and  I  agreed  to  register  50  or  00  name 
for  him. 

8550.  Q.  How  many  did  you  register  from  Marshall's  house  ? 
A.  I  do  not  know  how  many  they  registered.     They  gave  me  the  lis! 

8551.  Q.  Where  does  Mr.  Marshall  live  I 

A.  He  lives  at  101  Fourteenth  street,  corner  of  Fourth  avenue.  Ther 
must  have  been  50  or  GO  names  registered  from  that  house. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

8552.  Q.  In  your  former  testimony  you  state  that  you  registered  15 
or  200  names  in  your  ward,  that  you  voted  some  of  them  yourself,  an 
that  you  registered  30  men  about  five  times  apiece  f 

A.  That  is  what  I  say  still. 

8553.  Q.  And  you  say  you  voted  some  of  them  yourself.  Who  di 
you  vote J? 

A.  I  did  not  give  the  men  the  tickets.  Some  of  them  voted  at  ml 
election.     I  was  not  speaking  of  the  presidential  election  at  all. 

8554.  Q.  You  stated  that  you  probably  voted  150. 

A.  I  guess  I  did  at  my  election.  That  is,  I  did  not  vote  them,  but  tl . 
men  voted  for  me,  if  I  can  believe  their  word. 

8555.  Q.  How  many  did  you  vote  at  the  first  election  ? 

A.  I  don't  know.  I  didn't  give  the  men  the  tickets.  The  men  woulj 
go  down  to  the  polls  aud  say,  "I  am  going  to  vote  for  you." 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

xrhA).  Q.  You  said  in  your  former  testimony  that  you  made  a  contra" 
with  two  republicans  that  you  would  register  falsely  a  certain  numb< 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  759 

of  names  for  them  to  vote  the  republican  ticket  on,  and  that  you  reserved 
for  yourself  150  which  you  had  registered  falsely,  to  vote  the  democratic 
ticket.  And  you  also  stated  at  that  time  that  you  did  vote  these  150 
names  for  the  democratic  party. 

A.  That  is  what  I  state  now.  These  men,  however,  did  not  vote  at 
the  presidential  election.  These  names  were  registered  so  that  they 
could  be  used  in  my  election.  I  took  no  interest  in  the  presidential  elec- 
tion at  all.  Men  came  to  me  and  said  that  they  wanted  to  see  me  elected. 
I  said,  "I  want  to  be  elected,"  and  from  all  accounts  they  must  have  reg- 
istered 200  names,  and  I  gave  to  Mr.  Marshall  a  list  of  20  or  30  names. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

8557.  Q.  Did  not  every  man  registered  at  the  Compton  House  vote  in 
the  Xovember  election  ? 

A.  Every  man  voted  from  the  Compton  House  who  was  entitled  to 
vote,  and  a  great  many  came  there  who  did  not  live  there  at  all  and 
voted  against  me. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

8558.  Q.  Do  you  know  how  many  voted  from  the  Compton  House  in 
the  November  election  ? 

A.  Xo,  sir. 

8559.  Q.  Do  you  know  how  many  were  registered  there? 

A.  Probably  150  or  160,  and  they  were  men  who  lived  there.  Two  or 
three  years  ago  there  were  80  or  90  there.  Men  would  go  there,  stay 
through  the  month,  and  vote.  There  Avere  men  there  I  never  asked  how 
they  were  going  to  vote,  or  know  how  they  voted.  I  did  not  know  halt 
the  men  who  lived  there.  I  don't  suppose  I  knew  20  names  out  of  all 
who  lived  there. 

8500.  Q.  And  did  you  not  know  whether  they  were  entitled  to  vote  ? 
A.  I  did  not  know. 

8501.  Q.  You  stated  in  your  previous  examination  that  the  Compton 
House  was  one  of  the  places  for  men  to  vote  falsely  from. 

A.  Xo,  sir ;  you  must  have  misunderstood  me. 

8502.  Q.  You  say  now  you  did  not  give  any  slips  to  parties  who  regis- 
tered from  the  Compton  House  ? 

A.  Xo,  I  did  not  give  any  man  a  slip. 

8503.  Q.  Xeither  yourself  nor  through  anybody  else  ? 
A.  Xo,  nor  through  anybodv. 

8561.  Q.  Who  did  this  work  ? 

A.  I  don't  know.  A  man  would  go  there  and  say  "  I  want  to  vote  for 
you,"  and  if  1  can  believe  their  words  a  good  many  voted  for  me.  I  don't 
know  whether  they  did  or  not.  It  did  not  cost  any  thing  and  I  took  their 
word  for  it. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

8565.  You  stated  in  your  answers  to  the  House  of  Eepresentatives 
that  you  were  not  willing  in  Xew  York  to  disclose  the  name  of  the 
person  referred  to  in  your  testimony,  and  that  since  then  you  had  seen 
him  and  got  his  consent,  and  that  you  were  ready  now  to  give  his  name. 
Do  you  say  now  that  you  gave  the  name  of  Mr.  Marshall  with  his 
consent ! 

A.  Mr.  Marshall  came  to  my  house  for  a  list  of  these  names  and  I  gave 
them  to  him. 

8566.  Q.  Do  you  say  now  that  you  make  the  disclosure  of  Mr.  Mar- 
shall's name  by  his  consent  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir,  I  have  seen  Mr.  Marshall;  at  least  I  went  there;  he  was 


7 GO  ELECTION  FEAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

not  in,  but  I  saw  another  man  whq  was  with  him  and  he  said  he  had  con- 
sulted Mr.  Marshall,  and  that  Mr.  Marshall  had  said  it  was  all  right. 

85(>7.  Q.  Who  was  the  other  man? 

A.  I  do  not  know  what  his  name  is;  he  was  always  with  Mr.  Marshall. 

By  Mr.  Dawes  : 

8508.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  person  engaged  in  repeating  in  any  other 
ward  besides  the  ISth  I 
A.  I  don't  personally. 

8569.  Q.  Did  you  say  when  you  were  examined  before,  that  you  did? 
A.   I  heard  men  say  so;  that  is  all. 

8570.  Did  you  say  you  declined  to  give  the  names  of  persons  whom 
you  knew  '.' 

A.  1  did  of  the  men  who  told  me.  I  recollected  then  the  names  of  oue 
or  two,  but  I  don't  remember  them  now. 

8571.  Q.  What  was  the  reason  you  declined  to  give  the  names  then! 
A.  1  was  merely  talking  with  these  men  and  they  would  say  so  and 

so,  and  I  didn't  think  it  was  right  to  tell  the  committee  who  they  were. 
I  would  tell  you  now  if  1  could  recollect  them. 

8571*.  Is  it  more  right  now  than  it  was  then? 

A.   I  don't  know. 

857).  Q.  Have  you  forgotten  now  what  you  knew  when  vou  were  on 
the  stand  before.' 

A.   Yes,  sir. 

8574.  Q,  What  have  you  forgotten  now  that  you  knew  when  you  were 
on  the  stand  before  ? 

A.  I  don't  know  what  I  have  forgotten.     I  don't  know  whether  I  have  j 
forgotten  anything,  or  not,  until  I  am  asked  the  question. 

8575.  Q.  Do  you  tell  this  committee  that  you  have  forgotten  the  names  ( 
you  refused  to  give  when  you  were  on  the  stand  before  ? 

A.  I  have  not  forgotten  Mr.  Marshall's  name ;  I  have  forgotten  one  or  , 
two  names  of  persons  who  told  me,  that  I  remembered  then. 

8576.  Q.  Don't  you  know  their  names  just  as  well  now  as  you  did  then!  j 
A.  No ;  I  don't  recollect.     I  might  know  their  names  if  I  were  to  see . 

them. 

8577.  Q.  Do  you  know  William  A.  Jenner? 
A.  No,  sir. 

8578.  Q.  (Testimony  of  William  A.  Jenner  read  to  witness.)  What  do| 
you  think  of  that? 

A.  I  don't  know  the  man  at  all. 

8579.  Q.  Do  you  know  anything  about  that? 
A.  No,  sir;  I  don't  recollect  anything  about  that. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

8580.  Q.  Was  that  Jackson  club  organized  for  the  purpose  of  engaging 
in  cheating  at  elections  ? 

A.  I  did  not  join  it  for  that  reason.  I  had  to  pay  $50  initiation  fee. 
I  can  go  into  companies  of  that  kind  without  having  to  pay  anything. 

8581.  Q.  What  sort  of  men  belonged  to  that  club? 
A.  Some  very  fine  men ;  the   street  commissioner,  the  sheriff,  and  a 

great  many  lawyers  and  merchants  in  the  city  belonged  to  it. 

8582.  Q.  Some  naturalization  papers,  you  say,  were  distributed  at  the 
hotel,  which,  as  you  were  informed,  were  sent  there  from  the  naturaliza 
tion  office ;  what  office  do  you  refer  to  ? 

A.  1  mean  the  court-house,  somewhere  down-town. 

8583.  Q.  Do  you  mean  they  were  sent  there  by  the  clerks  and  the 
judges  of  the  court? 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  7G1 

A.  I  don't  know  ;  there  were  so  many  people  engaged  in  getting  the 
names  of  the  witnesses,  and  preparing  papers,  that  1  supposed  these  men 
did  not  want  to  wait,  and  that  they  said  if  they  would  send  them  to  the 
Compton  House  they  eould  get  them. 

Washington,  D.  C,  February  4,  1809. 
John  I.  Davenport,  clerk  of  the  committee,  made  the  following 
statement: 

8584.  John  J.  Mullins,  one  of  the  last  witnesses  examined  in  New 
York,  testified  that  he  had  been  engaged  in  the  business  of  registering 
a  number  of  times  in  a  number  of  districts.  He  gave  various  names 
under  which  he  had  registered,  and  bouses  from  which  lie  had  registered. 
I  have  examined  several  of  the  registry  books  of  a  number  of  the  dis- 
tricts, and  find  the  following  names  given  by  him,  with  those  also  of  cer- 
tain other  parties  with  whom  he  said  he  was  engaged. 

8585.  I  find  in  registry  book,  3d  district,  8th  ward,  the  name  of  James 
Gray,  93  Prince  street. 

8580.  I  find  in  registry  book,  8th  district,  8th  ward,  the  name  of  John 
J.  Mullen,  54  Sullivan  street. 

8587.  I  find  in  registry  book,  4th  district,  8th  ward,  the  name  of 
Edward  F.  Mullen,  403  Canal  street, 

8588.  I  find  in  registry  book,  1st  district,  3d  ward,  the  name  of  John 
J.  Mullen,  156  Greenwich  street. 

8589.  I  find  in  the  registry  book,  2d  district,  1st  ward,  John  Murphy, 
79  Washington  street. 

8590.  I  find  the  name  of  Matthew  Stripp,  7  Albany,  on  the  registry 
book,  3d  district,  1st  ward;  also  James  Murray,  113  Washington  street, 

8591.  I  find  John  Mullen,  101  Greenwich  street,  in  registry  book,  4th 
district,  1st  ward ;  also  John  Stripp  in  same  place. 

8592.  I  find  1st  district,  1st  ward,  the  name  of  WTilliam  Kiley,  18  Wash- 
ington street. 

8593.  I  find  in  district,  15th  ward,  the  name  of  Owen  Gammon,  233 
I  Thompson  street. 

The  following  testimony  was  taken  in  Orange  county,  New  York,  by 
a  subcommittee,  composed  of  Mr.  Blair  and  Mr.  Boss: 

MlDDLETOWN,  ORANGE  COUNTY,  NEW  YORK. 

February  1,  1809. 
John  Flynn  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Blair  : 
8594. 1  reside  in  Dorseytown,  Wawayanda,  in  Orange  county,  New  York. 
I  landed  in  New  York  from  Ireland  on  the  24th  of  June,  1865.    I  voted 
at  the  last  election  in  November,  1868. 

8595.  Q.  Did  you  have  a  naturalization  certificate? 
A.  No,  sir ;  I  had  a  paper  which  I  have  since  destroyed.     The  paper 

purported  to  make  me  a  citizen  of  the  United  States.  I  do  not  remember 
from  what  court  it  was  issued ;  but  to  the  best  of  my  belief  it  was  issued 
in  New  York.  It  was  given  to  me  by  John  Bradley,  who  lives  in  Wawa- 
yanda, and  who  is  a  neighbor  of  mine. 

8596.  Q.  What  did  John  Bradley  tell  you  when  he  delivered  you  the 
paper  ? 

A.  He  told  me  I  had  a  right  to  vote. 

8597.  Q.  Upon  that  paper? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

8598.  Q.  Had  you  ever  been  in  any  court  to  obtain  that  paper? 


V 


762  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

A.  No,  sir. 

8599.  Q.  Had  you  ever  been  sworn  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

S000.  Q.  Did  you  vote  on  that  paper  ? 

A.   I  offered  to  vote,  but  did  not  vote. 

8601.  Q.  Did  Bradley  tell  you  to  use  it  to  vote  upon? 

A.   Yes,  sir;  he  told  me  to  use  it. 

8802.  (,).  What  arc  Bradley's  polities  1 

A.  Democratic,  I  guess. 

MlDDLETOWN,  ORANGE  COUNTY,  NEW  YORK, 

February  1,  1809. 

William  P.  Clark  sworn  and  examined. 
By  Mr.  Blair: 

8003.  Question.  Where  do  you  reside  ? 

Answer.  This  side  of  Denton,  in  Orange  county,  New  York.  I  have 
resided  there  and  in  the  immediate  neighborhood  for  15  years.  I  have 
been  a  voter  for  some  35  years. 

8604  Q.  Do  you  know  anything  about  any  naturalization  papers  hav- 
ing been  delivered  to  any  persons  in  Orange  county  \ 

A.  I  know  of  one.  That  was  handed  to  me  to  give  to  John  Handel. 
John  Handel  lives  with  his  brother,  quite  close  to  me.  David  Reeves I 
gave  me  the  paper  to  give  to  Mr.  Handel.  Mr.  Reeves  lives  on  the f 
plank  road,  about  two  miles  from  here.  He  did  not  tell  me,  nor  doll 
know  where  he  got  it.  He  came  along  by  my  house,  just  on  the  edge  of 
the  evening,  and  wanted  to  know  if  I  would  see  John  Handel.  I  told: 
him  I  would  go  by  there  that  evening. 

8005.  Q.  Did  you  look  at  the  paper  f 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

8000.  Q.  Do  you  know  where  it  is  now  ? 

A.  I  do  not.     I  gave  it  to  John  Handel. 

8007.  Q.  What  did  the  paper  purport  to  be  I 
A.  A  naturalization  paper. 

8008.  Q.  Do  you  know  by  what  court  it  was  issued  ? 

A.  I  do  not.  All  I  saw  was  Handel's  name  on  it.  Reeves  did  not  sayj 
anything  about  where  he  got  it.  I  delivered  it  to  Handel  in  the  meadow.- 
I  told  him  I  had  a  paper  to  serve  on  him.  That  kind  of  startled  him  al 
little.  He  did  not  know  whether  it  was  a  process  or  something  like  it. 
Then  his  brother  looked  at  it,  and  said :  "I  know  what  it  is.  It  is  a  natl 
uralization  paper." 

8009.  Q.  Did  either  of  them  say  where  it  came  from  % 
A.  No,  sir. 

8010.  Q.  Did  you  know  of  the  existence  of  any  fraudulent  papers  in  the  J 
county  last  fall  % 

A.  I  did  not  see  any.  I  have  heard  them  talking  about  some  papers! 
but  I  never  knew  anything  of  any  other  paper  than  that  of  which  I  have 
spoken. 

8011.  Q.  Did  you  know  from  any  of  the  candidates  during  the  fall 
whether  any  arrangement  had  been  made  anywhere  for  fraudulent  nati 
uralization  papers  % 

A.  I  did  not. 

8012.  Q.  Did  you  hear  any  of  them  say  anything  of  that  sort  ? 

A.  All  I  ever  heard  about  it  was  talking  down  in  Mr.  Herrell's  store 
at  Hampton.  After  the  papers  were  gotten  out,  I  heard  them  saying 
that  if  a  man  in  the  village,  named  Noland,  or  some  such  name,  ha< 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  7G3 

papers,  he  was  not  entitled  to  them,  and  had  better  not  vote  on  them,  as 
lie  had  not  been  there  long  enough.  Howell  said  that.  Poland  lives  in 
Denton.  He  did  not  vote,  nor  did  he  offer  to.  AYhether  he  had  papers 
or  not  I  cannot  say. 

MlDDLETOWN,   ORANGE   COUNTY,   NEW  YORK, 

February  1,  18G9. 
John  J.  Bradley  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Blair  : 
8612J.  I  reside  in  Wawayanda,  and  have  for  13  years. 

8613.  Q.  Do  you  know  John  Flynn  ? 
A.  I  know  that  there  is  such  a  man,  who  works  for  a  neighbor  of  mine, 

Mr.  Wilson.     I  am  not  acquainted  with  him. 

8614.  Q.  Where  did  Flynn  reside  prior  to  the  election  last  fall? 
A.  He  has  worked  for  Mr.  Wilson  since  last  spring,  I  think.     I  just 

met  him  working  on  the  highways. 

8615.  Q.  Did  you  deliver,  some  time  last  year,  to  John  Flynn,  a  paper 
purporting  to  be  a  naturalization  certificate? 

A.  I  gave  him  a  paper;  1  did  not  know  what  it  was.     I  did  not  know 
whether  it  was  a  duplicate  or  a  naturalization  paper. 

8616.  Q.  Where  did  you  obtain  that  paper? 

A.  That  paper  was  handed  to  me  the  week  preceding  the  election,  in 
the  highway,  by  a  gentleman,  to  hand  to   Mr.  Wilson's  hired  man. 
David  W.  Reeves  was  the  gentleman  Avho  handed  it  to  me  in  the  high- 
way.   When  Mr.  Reeves  handed  the  paper  to  me  he  said  he  would  be 
obliged  to  me  if  I  would  hand  that  to  Mr.  Wilson's  man.    That  is  all  he 
said.     The  paper  was  not  in  an  envelope,  and  I  do  not  know  whether  it 
had  any  name  on  the  outside  or  not.    I  do  not  know  either  whether  it 
had  the  seal  of  any  court  upon  it  or  the  signature  of  any  officer  purport- 
ing to  be  a  clerk  of  court.    I  read  the  paper,  but  I  cannot  recollect  any- 
thing about  that.     The  day  after  he  handed  me  the  paper  there  was  an 
|  Irishman  over  at  my  house  looking  for  work,  and  being  acquainted  with 
Flynn,  I  told  him  to  tell  Flynn  to  come  to  my  house ;  that  a  paper  had 
i  heen  left  there  for  him.     Flynn  came  over  that  evening,  and  I  handed 
I  the  paper  to  him.     I  did  not  know  the  object  of  the  paper,  nor  whether 
it  had  anything  to  do  with  the  citizenship  of  any  person  or  not. 

8617.  Q.  Was  Flynn  present  when  you  read  the  paper  over? 

A.  No,  sir;  it  was  before  he  came.    I  merely  glanced  at  it  in  the  house 
that  evening,  seeing  it  was  nothing  private. 

8618.  Q.  Can  you  tell  whether  it  was  a  promissory  note  or  not? 
A.  Of  course  I  could  tell  that. 

8619.  Q.  It  was  not  a  deed,  was  it? 
A.  No,  sir ;  I  should  not  think  it  was. 

8620.  Q.  Was  the  name  of  Flynn  in  it  anywhere  ? 
A.  I  think  it  was. 

8621.  Q.  Did  Reeves  tell  you  what  the  paper  was  for  when  he  handed 
it  to  you  ? 

A.  No,  sir,  nor  where  he  got  it. 

8622.  Q.  Did  it  have  the  name  of  the  city  of  New  York  in  it  ? 
A.  I  cannot  say. 

8623.  Q.  Did  you  tell  Flynn  that  that  would  give  him  authority  to 
vote  'I 

A.  No,  sir. 

8624.  Q.  He  says  you  did. 
A.  lie  says  what  is  false,  then. 


v, 


764  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

8625.  Q.  Did  you  know  anything  about  the  object  of  that  paper  at  all? 

A.  I  did  not;  I  considered  it  was  something  with  regard  to  the  elec- 
tion when  I  read  it  over,  but  I  did  not  know  whether  it  was  a  naturali- 
zation paper  or  not. 

8626.  Q.  Did  you  know  how  long  Flynn  had  been  in  the  country'? 

A.  I  think  he  told  me,  last  spring,  that  lie  had  been  in  the  country 
about  four  years.     I.  am  not  positive  whether  it  was  four  or  five  years. 

8627.  Q.   Did  yon  sec  any  other  papers  of  this  sort  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

8628.  Q.  Did  you  deliver  any  such  papers  to  anybody  else? 
A.  No,  sir. 

S0l>(.).  (v).  Were  yon  a  pretty  active  politician  during  the  last  year! 
A.  No,  sir;  I  did  not  step  out  of  my  way  ten  steps  for  the  last  election. 

8630.  Q.  What  is  your  politics? 
A.  I  am  a  democrat. 

8631.  Q.  Do  you  know  how  Mr.  Reeves  came  to  select  you  to  deliver 
this  paper? 

A.  No,  sir.  1  presume,  though,  that  he  thought  1  had  more  opportu- 
nities of  seeing  Mr.  Wilson's  man  than  he  had,  he  living  on  a  by-road 
and  J  living  on  a  main  road  and  adjoining  farm. 

Middletown,  Orange  County,  N.  Y.,  February  1,  1869. 
Michael  Kiordan  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Blair  : 

8G31  J.  I  reside  at  Circleville ;  I  landed  in  New  York  six  years  ago  the 
13th  of  next  May. 

8632.  Q.  How  long  did  you  stay  in  New  York  after  you  landed  there 
before  you  came  into  the  country  ? 

A.  One  or  two  days. 

8(133.  Q.  Where  did  you  come  to  then? 

A.  Alexander  Croifut  brought  me  here  to  his  own  place  and  I  worked ! 
for  him.     He  lived  in  Grafton,  Orange  county.     I  remained  there  until 
the  1st  of  April,  when  I  went  to  Christopher  Moulds,  where  I  staid  one 
year. 

8034.  Q.  Did  you  vote  at  the  last  election  in  November  f 
A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  voted  at  Scotchtown,  in  this  county. 

8035.  Q.  When  were  you  naturalized  f 

A.  Three  or  four  years  ago ;  I  got  my  first  papers  in  New  York,  in  the 
City  Hall.  I  went  to  New  York  a  week  or  nine  days  before  the  election 
and  got  my  last  papers.  I  went  alone.  I  was  directed  in  New  York  by 
John  Shears  where  to  go.  Shears  was  a  stranger  to  me  ;  he  happened | 
to  be  where  I  called  to  see  a  friend,  and  the  friend  being  out  he  directed 
me  where  to  go. 

8030.  Q.  To  what  place  did  he  direct  you? 

A.  To  an  office  in  the  Citv  Hall. 

8037.  Q.  Was  it  the  clerk's  office  ? 
A.  I  suppose  so. 

8038.  Q.  Did  you  have  along  the  paper  that  had  been  delivered  to 
you  before  ¥ 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

8039.  Q.  Were  you  sworn  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  was  merely  asked  some  questions  by  the  party  who  de- 
livered me  the  paper. 

8040.  Q.  Did  you  go  into  any  court  there  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  whether  it  was  a  court  or  what  it  was ;  there  were| 
a  great  many  persons  in  there. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  765 

8641.  Q.  Did  you  sign  any  papers  there! 

A.  I  signed  my  name  there. 

8042.  Q.  To  what  ? 

A.  That  I  was  so  long  in  the  country  ;  that  was  when  T  got  out  my 
first  papers.  I  do  not  remember  whether  I  signed  anything  at  all  this 
last  time. 

8643.  Q.  Did  you  pay  anything  for  this  last  paper  that  you  got  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  $2,  I  guess  ;  I  paid  it  to  the  man  who  gave  me  the  paper. 

8044.  Q.  You  did  not  bring  in  any  person  to  have  sworn  with  you  to 
show  that  they  had  known  you  any  particular  length  of  time  % 

A.  No,  sir. 

804.").  Q.  Did  you  vote  on  that  paper  % 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

8040.  Q.  Have  you  got  that  paper  now  f 

A.  Xo,  sir. 

8047.  Q.  Do  you  know  whose  name  was  signed  to  that  paper  ? 

A.  I  suppose  my  own  name;  I  cannot  read,  and  therefore  cannot  say 
positively. 

8048.  Q.  Did  that  paper  have  a  seal  upon  it  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

8049.  Q.  Did  you  see  anybody  there  that  you  knew? 
A.  Xo,  sir. 

Middletown,  Orange  County,  X.  Y.,  February  1, 1809. 
Christian  Borcold  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Blair  : 

8049  J.  I  reside  at  Hill's  Depot,  four  miles  from  Middletown ;  I  am  a 
native  of  Germany.  It  will  be  20  years  this  spring  since  I  came  into  the 
country. 

8050.  Q.  Did  you  vote  at  the  last  election  ? 
A.  Xo,  sir. 

8051.  Q.  Did  you  have  naturalization  papers  ? 
A.  I  thought  I  had. 

8052.  Q.  Where  are  those  papers  now  ? 
A.  I  suppose  Mr.  Swreet  got  them. 

8053.  Q.  Is  that  the  paper  you  had?     (Exhibit  A.) 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

8654.  Q.  Were  you  registered  upon  this  paper  \ 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

8055.  Q,  Why  didn't  you  vote  ? 

A.  A  couple  of  men  up  in  Howell's  wanted  to  see  my  paper,  and  told 
me  I  could  not  vote  and  not  to  go  near  the  polls.  I  did  not  know j  I 
thought  the  paper  was  all  right. 

8050.  Q.  Who  gave  you  this  paper  ? 

A.  In  the  first  place!  went  to  Goshen ;  I  saw  nobody  there,  and  so  I 
came  up  here  on  the  first  train  for  Middletown,  and  stopped  over  here  at 
Mr.  Dusenberry's,  and  he  brought  me  hereto  JohnH.  Bell's,  the  grocer. 

8057.  Q.  What  did  Mr.  Bell  do  f 

A.  He  took  my  name  in  a  book  and  told  me  he  would  see  about  it, 
and  so  it  would  be  all  right.  After  a  little  while  he  sent  for  me  to  come 
down  and  get  the  papers. 

805S.  Q.  Did  you  come  down  ! 

A.  Yes,  sir  ;  and  got  the  papers. 

8059.  Q.  What  did  he  say  ! 

A.  He  said  they  were  good  and  I  could  vote  upon  them. 


766  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

8660.  Q.  Can  you  read! 
A.  Not  in  English. 

8661.  Q.  So  you  could  not  read  this  paper  yourself! 
A.  No,  sir. 

8(j(>2.  Q.  Ton  were  never  sworn! 
A.  No,  sir. 
SOO,').  Q.  Had  you  ever  made  any  previous  declaration  in  court  or  been 

sworn! 
A.  No,  sir. 

Mlddletown,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  1,  1869. 
John  Hanley  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Blair: 
8663£.   I  reside  in  Dorsey town,  near  Denton.    J  know  William  P.  Clark. 

8664.  Q.  Did  .Mr.  Clark,  at  any  time  last  fall,  give  you  a  naturalization 
paper f 

A.   Yes,  sir,  about  a  week  before  the  election. 

8665.  Q.  What  did  he  say  I 

A.  lie  didn't  tell  me  anything,  but  only  to  appear  at  the  election. 

8666.  Q.  Where  is  that  paper! 

A.  This  is  it.     (Produces  Exhibit  B.) 

8667.  Q.  Did  he  tell  you  whether  or  not  it  would  authorize  you  to  vote? 
A.  He  did  not  tell  me  anything,  except  that  I  should  be  there  at  the 

election. 
SH6S.  Q.  Did  you  get  registered  upon  it? 
A.  No,  sir, 

8669.  Q.  Did  you  vote  upon  that  paper? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

8670.  Q.  Did  you  appear  in  any  court  to  get  the  paper  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

8671.  Q.  Were  you  sworn  at  all  in  regard  to  the  matter? 
A.  No,  sir. 

MlDDLETOWN,   ORANGE   COUNTY,   NEW  YORK, 

February  1,  1869. 
Patrick  Hanley  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Blair: 
867LJ.  I  reside  at  Dorseytown.     I  know  nothing  about  this  natural] 
zatiou  paper,  other  than  was  told  you  by  John  Hanley.     I  was  present 
when  Clark  delivered  to  him  the  paper, "and  told  him  he  should  be  uj 
there  on  election  day,  and  not  to  fail. 

8672.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  other  papers  like  those  being  out  ? 

A.  A  man  by  the  name  of  Patrick  Fitch,  next  door  to  me,  got  one 
but  I  do  not  know  whether  he  voted. 

8673.  Q.  Was  it  like  this?     (Shows  Exhibit  B.) 

A.  I  think  it  was.    There  were  some  others  who  had  them,  but  I  can 
not  call  to  mind  who  they  are. 

MlDDLETOWN,   ORANGE   COUNTY,   NEW  YORK, 

February  1,  1869. 
Patrick  Powers  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Blair  : 
8673 J.  1  reside  at  Somerville.    1  have  been  in  the  United  States  sine 
1863;  1  came  from  Ireland;  I  landed  in  New  York. 

8674.  Q.  Did  you  vote  at  the  last  election u? 
A.  I  did — voted  the  democratic  ticket. 


ELECTION    FKAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  767 

8675.  Q.  When  were  you  naturalized. 

A.  I  got  my  first  papers  in  1863.  I  got  my  last  papers  in  1868 — some 
time  in  November. 

8676.  Q.  How  many  days  before  the  election  ? 
A.  Eight  or  ten  days. 

8677.  Q.  Where  did  you  get  them'? 

A.  They  were  sent  to  me  through  the  post  office.  I  cannot  tell  who 
sent  them,  nor  can  I  tell  where  they  came  from.  I  know  it  was  from 
either  Newburgh  or  New  York;  I  cannot  tell  which.  1  have  not  got 
them  with  me ;  they  may  bo  at  home. 

8678.  Q.  Did  you  ax>pear  in  court  at  either  of  those  places  to  get  that 
paper  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

8679.  Q.  Did  you  take  any  oath  before  this  paper  was  sent  to  you  from 
either  New  York  or  Newburgh  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  took  one  when  I  was  registered. 

8680.  Q.  Had  you  requested  anybody  to  send  that  paper  ? 

A.  No,  sir.  For  a  long  time  a  great  many  had  been  at  me  to  go  to 
New  York  and  get  my  papers.  I  declined,  stating  that  I  did  not  want 
to  lose  any  time.  I  said  that  if  any  one  would  get  them  for  me  I  would 
vote. 

8681.  Q.  So  somebody  got  the  paper  and  sent  it  to  you? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

8682.  Q.  Did  any  letter  accompany  it  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

8683.  Q.  Did  you  know  of  any  other  persons  getting  naturalization 
papers  in  the  same  way  you  did  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  except  a  brother  of  mine.     He  got  one  in  the  same  way  ? 

8684.  Q.  Did  you  suppose  at  the  time  that  this  was  the  right  way  to 
get  such  papers  ? 

A.  I  did  not  know  anything  at  all  about  that.  I  supposed  they  knew 
more  about  the  laws  of  the  country  than  I  did. 

MlDDLETOWN,  ORANGE  COUNTY,  NEW  YORK, 

February  1,  1869. 
Edmund  Powers  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Blair: 
8684J.  I  reside  at  Goshen,  and  have  for  three  years.     I  came  from 
Ireland  originally,  and  have  been  in  the  United  States  for  something 
:  over  three  years.     I  landed  at  Castle  Garden  a  little  less  than  four  years 
i  ago. 

8685.  Q.  Did  you  vote  at  the  last  election? 
A.  I  did. 

8686.  Q.  What  ticket  did  you  vote? 

A.  I  do  not  well  know.  I  just  got  the  ticket  and  put  it  in.  I  did  not 
look  at  it. 

8687.  Q.  Was  it  a  democratic  or  a  republican  ticket  ? 
A.  I  could  not  say ;  it  was  my  intention  to  vote  the  democratic  ticket. 

8688.  Q.  Had  you  any  naturalization  papers. 
A.  I  had;  I  received  them  through  the  post  office  in  Chester.     They 

came  from  New  York,  I  think.     I  do  not  know  who  sent  them  to  me. 

8689.  Q.  Have  you  that  naturalization  paper  with  you? 
A.  I  have.     (Produces  it,  and  it  is  marked  Exhibit  C.) 
8090.  Q.  Had  you  applied  to  anybody  to  send  you  this  paper? 
A.  A  number  of  men  came  to  me  and  said  I  was  capable  of  voting, 

and  so  1  put  in  my  name  and  got  this  paper. 


768  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

8691.  Q.  Who  took  your  name? 

A.  It  was  another  boy  just  the  same  as  myself,  and  I  told  him  to  have 
my  uame  put  in  with  his  and  get  papers  for  me.  I J  is  name  was  Patrick 
Sheehan. 

8692.  Q.  You  did  not  appear  in  any  court  to  get  your  paper,  did  you? 
A.   No,  sir. 

8693.  Q.  And  were  not  sworn  \ 

A.  I  was  sworn  when  I  got  registered,  and  I  was  sworn  when  1  went 
to  vote. 

8694.  Q.  l>ut  you  were  not  sworn  when  this  paper  was  issued  ? 

A.  No  sir;  I  received  it  through  the  mail,  but  I  had  to  pay  for  it,  or  at  I 
least  I  promised  to  pay  Patrick  Sheehan,  the  man  1  got  it  from.     Three 
dollars  and  a  half  was  the  amount  I  was  to  pay. 

8695.  Q.  State  whether  your  paper  is  like  this  one.     (Exhibit  B.) 
A.  With  the  exception  of  the  name  of  John  Handel. 

8696.  Q.  Did  any  other  person  except  Sheehan  direct  you  how  to  get 
these  papers! 

A.  No,  sir. 

8697.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  other  persons  in  your  neighborhood 
had  papers  I 

A.  1  do  not  know  anything  about  any  other  man. 

8698.  Q.  Did  nt  you  know  that  it  required  a  person  to  reside  fiveti 
years  in  the  United  States  before  he  could  vote  I 

A.  I  was  told  not.  I  should  think  it'  it  did  they  had  no  right  to  let 
me  vote.  I  swore  I  was  not  five  years  in  the  country,  ami  why  did! 
they  register  my  papers.  A  man  down  there  challenged  my  vote,  and  I 
swore  I  was  not  live  years  in  the  country,  and  still  I  voted. 

MlDDLETOWN,  ORANGE  COUNTY,  XEW  YORK. 

February  1,  18G9.    j 
Charles  Hoyt  sworn  and  examined, 

To  Mr.  Blair  : 
8698J.  I  reside  at  Otisville,  Orange  county,  New  York,   and  hav( 
resided"  there  for  some  twenty  years. 

8099.  Q.  You  are  acquainted  generally  with  the  voters  of  that  region 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

8700.  Q.  State  whether  you  know  of  naturalization  papers  being  pro 
cured  to  any  extent  for  unnaturalized  foreign  people  last  fall,  to  any 
extent. 

A.  I  do  not  know  of  a  single  instance. 

8701.  Q.  You  were  not  yourself  concerned  in  getting  any  5 
A.  No,  sir. 

8702.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  it  was  generally  understood  then 
that  there  was  any  way  by  which  such  papers  could  be  procured? 

A.  No,  sir.  I  will  state  here  that  I  took  no  part  in  the  election  what 
ever,  attended  no  political  meetings,  went  to  the  polls  and  voted,  an 
came  home.  I  do  not  suppose  they  could  have  summoned  a  man  witl 
so  little  knowledge  about  such  matters  as  myself. 

MlDDLETOWN,  ORANGE   COUNTY,  NEW  YORK, 

February  1,  1809. 

Pat.  Cameron  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Blair  : 

8702J.   I  reside  in  Middletown.     I  came  from  Ireland  to  the  Unit 
States  some   nine  or  ten  years  ago;    I  landed  in  New  York  in  Fel 
ruary,  I  think;  I  have  been  living  in  this  village  some  six  or  seven  year.4 


ELECTION   FRAUDS   IN   NEW    YORK.  769 

8703.  Q.  Have  you  been  naturalized? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

8704.  Q.  Where  did  you  get  your  first  papers? 
A.  In  New  York. 

8705.  Q.  In  what  court,  do  you  remember? 

A.  At  the  City  Hall,  some  few  weeks  before  the  election  last  fall. 

8706.  Q.  Did  you  go  to  New  York  for  that  purpose  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir.    A  man  named  Pat.  Branagan,  who  lives  on  West  street, 
New  York,  went  with  me.    I  got  my  first  and  second  papers  all  at  once. 

8707.  Q.  Were  you  sworn  there  at  the  time  these  papers  were  issued? 
A.  No. 

8708.  Q,  Was  Branagan  sworn? 
A.  Yes,  sir;  I  guess  he  was. 

8709.  Q.  Who  administered  the  oath  to  Branagan? 
A.  I  do  not  know. 

8710.  Q.  Was  there  a  judge  on  the  bench? 
A.  1  do  not  know  whether  there  was  or  not. 

8711.  Were  you  required  to  sign  any  papers? 
A.  No. 

8712.  Q.  Have  you  got  your  papers  that  you  obtained  there? 
A.  No,  sir. 

8713.  Q.  Do  you  know  whose  signature  was  on  them? 
A.  No,  sir. 

8711.  Q.  Can  you  tell  me  whether  it  looks  like  the  signature  on  this 
'paper  (Exhibit  B)  of  Charles  E.  Loew,  clerk? 
f  A.  1  cannot  read  myself;  I  do  not  know. 

8715.  Q.  Did  Branagan  sign  any  papers? 
A.  I  do  not  know  whether  he  did  or  not. 

8716.  Q.  Did  you  pay  for  your  papers? 
A.  No,  sir. 

8717.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  anybody  paid  for  you? 
A.  No,  sir. 

8718.  Q.  How  came  you  to  go  down  to  New  York  for  this  purpose? 
A.  I  knew  I  was  entitled  to  my  papers,  and  I  went  there  to  get  them. 

8719.  Q.  Did  you  vote  at  the  last  election? 
A.  No,  sir;  I  got  offended  and  wouldn't. 

MlDDLETOWN,  ORANGE   COUNTY,  NEW  YORK, 

February  1,  1869. 
George  Smith  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Blair: 
8719J.  I  reside  at  Otisville,  and  am  supervisor  of  the  town. 

8720.  Q.  For  what  time  was  the  board  of  registration  in  session  for  the 
ast  election  in  November  ? 

A.  Two  days,  I  think. 

8721.  Q.  On  the  first  day  of  the  registration  did  you  bring  a  consid- 
rable  company  of  Irishmen  to  register? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  did  so  at  no  time. 

8722.  Q.  Do  you  know  anything  about  naturalization  papers  having 
n  furnished  in  that  town  for  any  persons  which  were  not  regularly 

ued  by  the  court? 
A.  No,  sir. 

8723.  Q.  Was  there  to  your  knowledge  any  organization  at  all  there 
or  the  purpose  of  furnishing  naturalization  papers  to  persons? 

A.  Not  to  my  knowledge. 
49t 


770  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

8724.  Q.  With  what  party  did  you  act  1 
A.  The  democratic. 

8725.  Q.  Did  you  daring  two  or  three  months  previous  to  the  election 
see  anv  naturalization  papers  from  the  citv  of  New  York  like  that? 
(Exhibit  B.) 

A.  I  do  not  think  I  did. 

8726.  Q.  You  do  not  know  of  any  persons  having  any  naturalization 
papers  there  that  were  obtained  just  previous  to  the  election? 

A.  No,  sir. 

MrDDLETOWN,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  1,  1869. 
I).  P.  Quackenbusii  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Blair: 
8726J.  I  reside  in  Otisville.     J  was  a  clerk  to  the  board  of  registration 
that  sat  in  that  town  previous  to  the  last  election. 

8727.  Q.  Do  you  know  George  Smith,  the  supervisor? 
A.  I  do. 

8728.  Q.  State  whether  at  any  time  Mr.  Smith  brought  there  a  con- 
siderable number  of  Irishmen  to  be  registered. 

A.  J  do  not  know  that  he  did. 

8729.  Q.  Did  any  considerable  number  of  Irishmen  come  there  to  be 
registered  Avith  him? 

A.  Not  that  I  remember. 

8730.  Q.  Were  there  many  registrations  before  the  board  of  foreigners  > 
upon  papers  of  naturalization  ': 

A.  Very  few,  I  think.  I  do  not  know  that  there  were  any  who  pro- 
duced their  papers  there  at  all.  Some  were  registered  upon  their  state- 
ment that  they  had  papers. 

8731.  Q.  Did  you  know  of  any  organization  of  persons  there  for  the 
purpose  of  procuring  naturalization  papers  for  citizens? 

A.  Not  any  that  I  know  of. 

8732.  Q.  How  many  persons  in  all  do  you  think  were  registered  there 
at  that  time  who  claimed  to  be  registered  upon  the  ground  of  being 
naturalized  citizens? 

A.  I  do  not  know  as  I  could  state  exactly  how  many.  There  was 
quite  a  number  of  Irishmen  through  that  section.  A  great  many  I 
knew  had  papers,  for  I  had  been  with  them  when  they  got  their  papers 
in  our  courts.  There  was  one  man  came  there — an  Englishman — who 
said  that  he  didn't  have  to  get  his  papers  on  account  of  his  father  being 
a  missionary;  that  he  was  entitled  to  have  his  name  registered  without 
the  papers. 

8733.  Q.  How  large  a  vote  does  that  town  cast? 
A.  Four  hundred  and  twenty  odd. 

8734.  Q.  How  large  a  proportion  of  that  vote  do  you  think  was  com- 
posed of  naturalized  citizens  altogether? 

A.  I  should  not  think  over  fifty  in  all  ? 

8735.  Q.  How  did  the  vote  in  that  town  last  fall  compare  with  what 
it  has  usually  been  heretofore? 

A.  It  is  a  little  larger.    It  increases  every  year  pretty  much. 

8736.  Q.  Was  the  increase  much  last  fall  ? 
A.  No,  sir.  very  little. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  771 

Middletown,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  1,  1869. 

Daniel  Driscoll  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Blair  : 

8736J.  I  reside  in  Middletown,  and  have  for  some  eight  years. 

8737T  Q.  Did  you  vote  at  the  election  last  fall  f 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

8738.  Q.  Had  you  naturalization  papers  ■ 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  got  them  at  the  City  Hall,  New  York.     I  got  them  a 
week  before  the  election.     A  friend  of  mine  in  New  York,  named  Dailey, 
living  in  Greene  street,  helped  me  to  get  them. 
-  8739.  Q.  Had  you  ever  iiled  any  papers  in  New  York  before  ! 

A.  No,  sir. 

8740.  Q.  Why  didn't  you  get  your  papers  here  then  ! 

A.  I  didn't  care.     I  would  as  soon  go  down  there  as  get  them  here. 

8741.  Q.  Did  you  attend  a  target  excursion  in  New  York? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

8712.  Q.  When  was  that  I 

A.  I  do  not  know  what  day  of  the  month  that  was. 

8713.  Q.  Did  you  get  your  papers  at  that  time  f 

A.  I  cannot  tell  whether  1  did  or  not.     To  the  best  of  my  knowledge 
1  got  them  a  week  before  election. 
8711.  Q.  How  long  before  the  election  was  the  target  excursion  ? 
A.  I  do  not  know. 

8715.  Q.  Were  you  sworn  at  the  time  you  got  your  papers  ! 
A.  Yes,  sir. 
871G.  Q.  Who  was  it  \ 
A.  I  do  not  know. 

8717.  Q.  AYas  your  friend  sworn  • 
A.  Yes.  sir. 

8718.  Q.  How  long  have  you  known  him  1 
A.  Ever  since  I  came  to  the  country. 

8719.  Q.  How  old  are  you  f 
A.  About  25. 

8750.  Q.  Where  do  your  parents  live  ' 
A.  In  Ireland. 

8751.  Q.  Did  they  keep  a  record  of  the  births  and  deaths  in  the  family  1 
A.  I  do  not  know.     I  guess  I  am  about  that  old. 

8752.  Q.  Had  you  ever  filed  any  papers  previous  to  this  time  when 
ou  were  in  New  York  ! 

A.  No,  sir. 

8753.  Q.  Were  there  any  other  persons  getting  naturalization  papers 
t  the  time  you  got  yours ! 

A.  O,  yes,  sir;  quite  a  lot. 

8751.  Q.  When  you  were  sworn  were  other  persons  sworn  with  you? 

A.  Yes.  sir;  T  cannot  tell  how  many. 

8755.  Q.  What  ticket  did  you  vote  ! 

A.  The  democratic. 

8750.  Q.  Were  you  born  in  Ireland  I 

A.  I  was. 

8757.  Q.  Were  those  naturalization  certificates  delivered  directly  to 
on  in  your  hands  in  New  York J? 

A.  I  got  my  papers  in  New  York ;  that  is  all  I  have  to  say.     I  got  them 
oin  a  man  who  seemed  to  be  giving  them  to  everybody. 

8758.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  he  was  the  county  clerk  ? 


772  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

A.  I  do  not. 

8759.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  there  was  any  court  thero  at  the  time 
at  all! 
A.  I  do  not  know. 

MlDDLETOWTJ,  ORANGE  COUNTY,  NEW  YORK, 

February  1,  1869. 
John  O'Donovan  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Blair  : 
8759J.  I  reside  in  Middletown.     Have  resided  there  some  12  or  13 
yeai?s. 
87G0.  Q.  Were  you  conversant  with  the  political  campaign  last  year? 
A.  Very  little. 

8761.  Q.  Are  you  a  naturalized  citizen? 
A.  Yes,  sir;   I  came  from  Ireland. 

8762.  Q.  Did  you  know  anything  of  naturalization  papers  being  fur- 
nished to  any  persons  from  the  city  of  New  York  last  fall,  prior  to  the 
election  I 

A.  No,  sir. 

8763.  Q.  Were  you  consulted  by  any  of  your  countrymen  during  the 
campaign  with  regard  to  any  naturalization  papers? 

A.  No,  sir. 

8764.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  naturalization  papers  being  furnished  to 
any  persons  not  entitled  to  vote/? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Middletown,  Orange  County,  N.  Y., 

February  1,  1869. 
John  II.  Bell  .sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Blair  : 
8764.}.  I  reside  in  Middletown.    I  am  not  much  of  a  politician,  but 
occasionally  go  around  among  the  boys.      I  have  always  acted  with 
the  democratic  party. 

8765.  Q.  Were  you  upon  any  of  the  committees  in  town  for  carrying 
on  the  campaign  ? 

A.  On  little  committees  around  the  street,  about  procuring  speakers, 
and  so  on. 

8766.  Q.  Did  the  party  have  any  arrangements  here  for  procuring  nat- 
uralization of  their  foreign  voters  ? 

A.  Not  that  I  am  aware  of. 

8767.  Q.  Was  there  no  committee  attending  to  that  ? 

A.  I  do  not  think  there  wras;  I  guess  everybody  was  a  committee. 

8768.  Q.  You  had,  I  suppose,  something  of  that  to  do  ? 

A.  Some  of  the  boys  that  I  knew  myself  I  helped  some  little.  I  tools 
one  man  to  Goshen— one  who  had  lost  his  first  papers — to  the  clerk's 
office,  and  helped  him  to  get  a  copy  of  the  first  papers,  so  that  he  could 
get  his  second  papers  at  the  court-house  there. 

8769.  Q.  Did  you  deliver  papers  to  any  persons,  foreigners  ? 

A.  I  helped  to  get  no  man  his  papers  in  any  way  except  he  had  a  lega 
right  to  them. 

8770.  Q.  I  ask  you  whether  you  delivered  any  papers  to  anybody? 
A.  I  do  not  think  I  delivered  any  papers  for  anybody  to  anybody. 

8771.  Q.  Do  you  know  a  man  by  the  name  of  Burkkart? 
A.  No,  sir. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  773 

8772.  Q.  Will  you  state  whether  or  not  you  delivered  a  naturalization 
certificate,  or  what  purported  to  be  one,  to  him  ? 

A.  I  did  not. 

8773.  Q.  Will  you  look  at  the  certificate,  and  say  whether  you  ever 
saw  it  before  ?     (Exhibit  A.) 

A.  That  I  could  not  say.  That  name  I  never  saw  before  to  my  knowl- 
edge. Some  of  the  boys  around  town  might  have  gone  to  New  York 
and  got  the  papers. 

8774.  Q.  Did  you  assist  any  way,  in  the  matter  of  his  naturalization 
paper,  a  man  by  the  name  of  Daniel  Driscoll  ? 

A.  The  only  papers  I  know  anything  about  are  papers  that  I  have  a 
list  of  here.  Those  are  men  that  got  their  papers  in  New  York,  through 
the  honorable  gentlemen,  Colonel  Young,  Mr.  Croffut,  and  some  others. 
I  think  there  are  something  like  twenty. 

8775.  Q.  You  have  a  list  of  persons  who  got  their  papers  in  New  York? 
A.  Y"es,  sir ;  I  got  them  through  Mr.  Croffut  and  Colonel  Young. 

8776.  Q.  What  agency  had  you  in  the  matter  of  those  papers? 

A.  I  was  a  little  interested  in  the  matter,  as  it  was  talked  so  much 
about. 

8777.  Q.  Did  you  get  the  papers,  or  deliver  them  yourself? 

A.  No,  sir ;  but  I  saw  them.  Terrol  talked  to  me  before  he  took  his 
paper  at  all.  He  wanted  to  know  whether  he  should  go  and  get  his 
paper  or  not ;  I  asked  him  where  it  was ;  he  said  it  was  waiting  for  him 
at  Mr.  Sweet's. 

8778.  Q.  State  whether  you  gave  a  naturalization  certificate,  or  any 
papers  of  naturalization  to  Mr.  Driscoll. 

A.  I  do  not  know  anything  at  all  about  Mr.  Driscoll's  papers. 

8779.  Q.  Were  you  present  at  a  target  excursion  where  Driscoll  was  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

8780.  Q.  Did  you  deliver  any  naturalization  papers,  or  assist  in  any 
way  to  get  them  for  a  man  by  the  name  of  Hackett? 

A.  I  do  not  know  that  I  know  such  a  man. 

8781.  Q.  You  state  that  you  have  not  yourself  given  out  papers  to 
anybody? 

A.  I  have  had  nothing  to  do  with  papers  at  all.  I  have  told  you  all 
I  know  anything  about. 

8782.  Q.  I  ask  you  if  you  have  delivered  any  papers  to  anybody  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  as  I  am  obliged  to  answer  any  such  question  as  that 
at  all. 

8783.  Q.  Will  you  answer? 
A.  No. 

MlDDLETOWN,  ORANGE  COUNTY,  NEW  YORK, 

February  1,  18G9. 
Patrick  Koland,  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Blair: 

8783J.  I  reside  in  Denton,  about  a  mile  from  Hampton.  I  have 
resided-  there  about  four  years.  The  1st  of  next  April  I  will  have  been 
in  the  United  States  about  four  years. 

8784.  Q.  Did  you  vote  at  the  last  election  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

8785.  Q.  Did  you  have  a  naturalization  certificate? 

A.  No,  sir,  none  other  than  my  first  papers.  I  got  them  at  Goshen, 
myself. 


774  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

MlDDLETOWN,    ORANGE   COUNTY,  NEW  YORK. 

February  1,  1860. 
Cornelius  Gillespie  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Blair  : 
8785<}.  I  reside  in  Denton,  and  next  April  1  will   have  resided  in  th< 
United  States  live  years. 

8786.  Q.  Bid  you  vote  at  the  election  I 
A.  No,  sir. 

8787.  Q.  Did  yon  have  a  naturalization  certificate  I 

A.    No,  sir,  only  my  first  papers.    I  got  those  from  the  county  clerk'i 
offiee. 

8788.  Q.  Did'ntyon  have  any  naturalization  paper  sent  to  you  by  mail 
A.  No,  sir. 

Middlhtown,  Oeange  County,  New  York. 

February  1,  186ft 
LUKE  Burns,  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Blair: 
8788 J.  I  reside  at  Wawayanda.  I  am  a  native  of  the  United  Statea 
Took  some  little  interest  in  the  campaign  last  fall.  Know  of  no  arrange! 
ment  being-  made  for  the  purpose  of  procuring  naturalization  papenf 
Did  not  about  the  time  of  a  republican  mass  meeting  in  MiddletoW' 
have  an  understanding  with  any  person,  that  lie  was  to  meet  him,  ancjj 
bring  some  papers.  I  am  not  aware  of  any  fraudulent  naturalizatioi 
papers  being  procured. 

MlDDLETOWN,  ORANGE  COUNTY,  NEW  YORK, 

February!,  1869. 
Henry  Behme  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Blair  : 
8788a.  i  reside  in  Middletown.    On  the  22d  of  next  March  I  will  haw 
been  in  the  United  States  six  years.     I  came  in  1863. 

8789.  Q.  Did  you  vote  at  the  last  election  in  November  ! 
A.  No,  sir. 

8790.  Q.  Did  you  have  naturalization  papers'? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

8791.  Q.  Where  did  you  get  them? 

A.  In  New  York  city.     It  was  on  the  23d  day  of  October,  1868.     1  go 
them  in  the  City  Hall. 

8792.  Q.  Who  gave  them  to  you? 

A.  I  guess  the  name  of  the  cierk  is  Charles  E.  Loew. 

8793.  Q.  Did  any  person  go  with  you  to  get  them  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir,  a  man  living  in  Brooklyn,  whose  name  I  forget. 

8794.  Q.  Was  there  a  court  in  session  when  you  got  this  paper? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

8795.  Q.  Was  the  judge  on  the  bench? 
A.  I  do  not  know  what  he  was  called ;  I  was  told  he  was  the  clerk. 

8796.  Q.  Were  you  sworn  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  my  friend  was  also  sworn  by  the  clerk. 

8797.  Q.  You  had  taken  out  your  first  papers  before  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir,  in  1866,  in  Goshen. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  775 

MlDDLETOWN,  ORANGE  COUNTY,  NEW  YORK, 

February  1,  1869. 
Peter  Ennis  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Blair  : 
87974.  I  reside  in  Bloomingburg.    Next  June  I  will  have  resided  in 
the  United  States  12  years.    I  am  a  native  of  Ireland. 

8798.  Q.  Did  you  obtain  your  naturalization  papers  last  fall,  previous 
to  the  election  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir.    They  were  sent  to  me,  I  guess,  from  New  York. 

8799.  Q.  Were  they  sent  by  mail? 
A.  A  man  fetched  them  to  me. 

8800.  Q.  What  was  his  name? 
A.  Nathan  Mills. 

8801.  Q.  Did  you  vote  upon  those  papers! 

A.  No,  sir.  It  run  on  my  mind  that  I  was  not  entitled  to  them,  and 
then  I  did  not  think  it  was  right  for  me  to  do  so. 

8802.  Q.  Did  Mr.  Mills  tell  you  how  he  got  those  papers? 

A.  No,  sir.  I  had  to  pay  him  for  getting  them  $2.  He  told  me  it  was 
all  right  when  I  got  them,  and  so  I  supposed  it  was  all  right  until  I  came 
to  think  about  it. 

8803.  Q.  Do  you  know  how  he  got  them? 
A.  No,  sir. 

MlDDLETOWN,  ORANGE  COUNTY,  NEW  YORK, 

February  1,  1869. 

D.  B.  Irwin  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Blair  : 

8803.}.  I  reside  in  Middletown.  I  was  interested  a  little  in  the  election 
campaign  last  fall.  I  had  three  or  four  Irishmen  who  worked  for  me 
about  the  time  of  the  election  last  year.  There  were  two  who  were 
voters.  James  Hendrickson  was  the  name  of  one  of  them.  I  think  he 
went  to  California.  I  do  not  know  where  he  got  his  naturalization 
papers.  I  do  not  know  either  whether  he  had  been  in  the  country  five 
years  or  not.  It  appears  to  me  that  some  arrangement  was  made  to  raise 
money  to  enable  those  who  were  not  able  to  pay  for  their  papers  to  get 
them.  I  do  not  think  there  was  any  committee  that  had  charge  of  that 
matter.    I  don't  know  T?ho  had  charge  of  the  money. 

8804.  Q.  Did  you  know  of  any  naturalization  papers  coming  here  from 
New  York  for  any  of  these  people  ? 

A.  I  do  not.  They  undoubtedly  got  them  from  New  York,  and  some 
of  them  from  Goshen. 

8805.  Q.  Did  you  ever  receive  or  deliver  any  such  papers  yourself  to 
any  one  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

8800.  Q.  Did  you  know  from  the  statements  of  others,  or  from  what 
you  know  yourself,  that  there  were  such  papers  received  or  delivered 
here  to  any  persons  ? 

A.  I  came  up  from  New  Y^ork  one  night  on  the  cars,  and  there  was  a 
young  Irishman  in  front  of  me  who  now  works  for  George  Wickham,  and 
a  friend  of  mine  and  I  sat  in  the  seat  together.  He  said  he  had  been  to 
New  York.  I  asked  him  if  he  had  been  down  to  get  his  papers.  He  said 
he  had.  I  asked  him  if  he  had  got  them.  He  said  he  had.  He  said  he 
had  got  17.  I  asked  him  where  he  had  got  them.  He  said  he  went  into 
Chambers  street,  to  a  house  there,  and  there  was  some  difficulty ;  he 


776  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

could  not  get  them,  lie  then  went  over  to  the  City  Hall,  but  couldn't 
get  them  there.  Finally  some  fellow  asked  him  to  go  out  and  take  a 
drink.  lie  took  him  over  to  some  drinking  place  in  the  neighborhood 
and  gave  him  17.  He  paid  him  $2  for  his.  It  seems  he  was  in  charge 
of  some  republicans  in  town.  I  said,  "  Are  you  going  to  vote  the  repub- 
lican ticket?"    "  No,"  he  says,  "  but  they  wanted  me  to  go  and  I  went," 

8807.  Q.  Is  that  all  the  information  vou  have  upon  the  subject? 
A.  That  is  all. 

8808.  Q.  You  do  not  know  of  any  other  persons  having  received  these 
papers  in  this  way  ! 

A.  No,  sir. 

MlDDLETOWN,  ORANGE  COUNTY,  NEW  YORK, 

February  1,  1869. 
Lewis  Clark  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Blair  : 
8808  J.  I  reside  in  Middletown ;  I  was  in  a  small  way  connected  with  the 
election  campaign  during  the  fall  of  1868;  I  wras  attached  to  the  demo- 
cratic party ;  to  my  knowledge  there  was  no  arrangement  made  by  that 
party  with  regard  to  procuring  naturalization  papers  for  such  foreign  citi- 
zens as  might  want  them. 

8809.  Q.  Bid  you  know  of  any  naturalization  papers  being  procured 
from  the  city  of  New  York? 

A.  I  think  I  have  heard  some  men  say  that  they  got  their  papers  from 
the  city  of  New  York. 

8810.  Q.  Did  you  at  any  time  see  any  such  papers  yourself? 

A.  Yes,  I  think  I  saw  some  at  the  board  of  registry  when  they  were 
presented. 

8811.  Q.  Did  you  at  any  time  have  in  your  possession  such  papers 
yourself? 

A.  Not  any. 

8812.  Q.  State  if  at  any  time  in  this  county,  in  any  place,  you  took 
from  your  pockets  such  a  paper,  and  exhibited  it  to  a  citizen  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

8813.  Q.  Did  you  tell  any  person  at  any  time  that  such  naturalization 
papers  could  be  procured  in  the  city  of  New  York,  and  that  $100  had 
been  or  would  be  sent  for  the  purpose  of  paying  for  them  ? 

A.  I  never  said  anything  of  the  kind. 

Middletown,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  1,  1869. 

Patrick  Bradley  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Blair  : 

8813 J.  I  reside  in  Middletown  ;  I  am  about  28  years  of  age ;  was  born 
in  Ireland,  and  came  to  this  country  in  the  fall  of  '52,  as  near  as  I  can 
recollect. 

8814.  Q.  Did  you  have  naturalization  papers  at  this  last  election? 

A.  Yes,  sir.  I  got  my  last  papers  out  at  the  presidential  election  four 
years  ago ;  I  procured  them  at  the  City  Hall  in  New  York.  (Witness  pro- 
duced the  paper,  and  exhibited  it  to  Mr.  Blair.)  I  do  not  know  who  was 
ou  the  bench  at  that  time.     Daniel  O'Neale  went  with  me. 

8815.  Q.  How  long  have  you  been  residing  in  Middletown  ? 
A.  This  spring  will  be  two  years. 


I  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW   YORK.  777 

MIDDLETOWN,  ORANGE  COUNTY,  NEW  YORK, 

February  1,  1869. 

Edward  Hackett  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Blair  : 

8815J.  I  reside  in  Middletown ;  was  born  in  Ireland,  and  came  to  the 
United  States  seven  years  ago  last  November ;  I  voted  at  tlie  last  elec- 
tion ;  went  to  New  York  myself  for  my  papers — John  Diller  accompa- 
nied me ;  lie  had  known  me  for  11  years ;  my  first  papers  I  got  at  New- 
burgh  ;  I  took  them  with  me  to  New  York ;  I  went  into  what  appeared  to 
be  an  office  in  New  York  to  get  my  papers.  There  seemed  to  be  some  five 
persons  engaged  in  the  handing  out  naturalization  papers.  I  was  sworn, 
but  could  not  tell  who  swore  me. 

^  Middletown,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  1,  1869. 
Michael  Mahoney  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Blair  : 

8815J.  I  reside  in  Middletown,  and  have  been  a  citizen  of  the  United 
!  States  between  two  and  three  years :  I  have  been  in  the  country  about 
:  eight  years ;  I  came  originally  from  Ireland ;  I  was  engaged  a  little  in 

the  political  campaign  last  fall.  I  am  not  aware  of  any  arrangement 
1  having  been  made  to  procure  naturalization  papers  for  foreigners.  Knew 

nothing  of  any  such  papers  having  been  procured  from  the  city  of  New 
'  York  by  any  persons.    Michael  Donovan  once  told  me  that  it  was  very 

easy  getting  papers  for  anvbody  that  wanted  to  get  them. 

8816.  Q.  Bid  he  say  where? 
A.  lie  said  New  York. 

8817.  How  came  he  to  say  that? 

A.  We  were  organizing  a  club,  and  I  was  speaking  to  him  about  get- 

jting  some  papers  out  for  those  who  were  entitled  to  them,  and  he  said 

lit  was  very  easy  to  get  them  in  New  York  at  any  time  we  wanted  them. 

I  That  was  all  he  said  about  it.     I  don't  know  whether  any  such  papers 

were  ever  procured.     The  club  did  not  complete  its  organization. 

Middletown,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  1,  1869. 
Nathan  J.  Miller  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Blair  : 
8817 J.  I  reside  in  Middletown.     I  belong  to  the  democratic  party.     I 
do  not  know  of  any  arrangements  being  made  for  procuring  naturaliza- 
tion papers  for  foreigners,  and  never  to  my  knowledge  saw  any  such 
papers. 

8818.  Q.  Did  you  never  deliver  such  to  anybody  f 

»A.  No,  sir. 
8819.  Q.  Do  you  know  a  man  by  the  name  of  Peter  Ennis  1 
;    A.  Yes,  sir.     He  lived  at  my  house  from  the  1st  of  April  to  the  1st  of 
October.    I  knew  him  for  15  years  previous.     He  came  to  this  country 
when  he  was  15  years  of  age. 

8820.  Q.  Did  you  deliver  a  naturalization  certificate,  or  any  papers  on 
the  subject  of  naturalization,  to  Mr.  Ennis  ? 

A.  1  believe  I  gave  him  papers. 

8821.  Q.  What  papers  did  you  give  him? 
A.  I  could  not  tell. 

8822.  Q.  Where  did  you  get  the  papers  that  you  delivered  to  him  1 
A.  They  came  from  New  York. 


778  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

8823.  Q.  How  came  you  to  have  them? 
A.  They  came  up  in  the  post  office.     That  is  the  way  I  got  them 

8824.  Q.  Addressed  to  you? 
A.  To  my  care. 

8825.  Q.  How  did  that  happen  ? 
A.  I  could  not  tell  you. 

8826.  Q.  Had  you  made  any  arrangements  to  have  them  come? 
A.  No,  sir. 

8827.  Q.  They  were  sent  entirely  without  your  knowledge? 
A.   Yes,  sir. 

8828.  Q.  Did  you  know  of  any  others  being  sent  at  the  same  time' 
A.  No,  sir. 

8829.  Q.  Did  you  know  that  these  papers  would  be  likely  to  come 
before  they  did  cornel 

A.  No,  sir. 

8830.  Q.  Did  you  open  the  letter  yourself  that  contained  the  papers? 
A.  No,  sir. 

8831.  Q.  Deliver  it  to  him  sealed? 
A.   I  could  not  tell  you  as  to  that. 

8832.  Q.  Did  you  read  the  paper  at  all? 

A.  I  could  not  say  whether  1   did  or  did  not. 

8833.  Q.  Do  you  know  what  court  it   was  from  I 
A.  No,  sir. 

8834.  Q.  Do  you  know  whose  signature  it  was? 
A.  I  do  not  know  as  I  can  tell. 

8835.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  it  looked  like  this  paper  ?    (Exhibit  A,! 
A.     It  might  have.     I  could  not  tell  whether  it  did  or  not.     The  heat 

of  it  looks  something  like  that. 

8836.  Q.  Did  you  see  any  other  such  papers  during  the  campaign  thai 
came  there  ? 

A.  T  do  not  know  as  I  did. 

MlDDLETOWN,  ORANGE  COUNTY,  JSTEW  YORK, 

February  2,  1869.  | 

John  Hiest  sworn  and  examined,  (called  by  Mr.  Ross.) 

To  Mr.  Ross  : 
8836 J.  I  reside  on  Jenning  street,  Middletown.     Have  lived  there  si 
years.     I  am  a  foreigner ;  born  in  England. 

8837.  Q.  Please  state  if  you  know  about  there  having  been  any  frauc 
perpetratedon  the  election  last  fall  at  this  place? 

A.  Well,  yes,  I  believe  there  was. 

8838.  Q.  State  as  near  as  you  can  what  they  were. 

A.  Well,  last  fall,  I  think  it  must  have  been  about  the  20th,  or  betweo 
that  and  the  26th  of  October,  a  party  came  to  me  and  said  they  we:i 
from  Judge  Wilkin,  that  he  sent  them,  and  asked  me  if  I  knew  any  m(! 
that  had  not  got  their  naturalization  papers  ?  I  said  that  I  did ;  that! 
knew  several ;  some  of  them  had  not  been  in  the  country  a  year,  son' 
two  years,  some  three  and  four,  and  some  longer.  They  said  it  didrj 
matter  how  long  they  had  been  in  the  country,  that  all  the  men  I  woui 
fetch  up  would  have  their  papers ;  so  I  was  ordered  to  have  the  nu, 
at  the  train  on  Monday  morning  at  7  o'clock ;  that  was  on  Saturday.  I  g 
them  up  here,  with  the  exception  of  two  that  were  working  for  me  the 
These  two  men  came  to  me  about  half  past  7  o'clock  the  same  mornin 
and  said  that  they  had  got  left,  supposing  that  the  train  left  at  half  past  i 
They  asked  me  if  I  could  not  get  them  down?    I  came  up  here  to  Mi! 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  779 

dletown,  and  went  to  the  brewery,  (that  was  the  republican  headquarters 
for  Middletown,)  and  saw  Mr.  liobinson.  I  said,  "Mr.  Robinson,  I  have 
two  men  here  that  have  been  left  this  morning'  who  should  have  gone 
down  at  7  o'clock ;  I  want  to  get  them  down  at  9  o'clock  if  you  can."  He 
says,  "You  go  and  see  Colonel  Young;  I  can't  say  whether  you  can  get 
them  down  or  not."  I  went  to  Colonel  Youug,  and  he  said  that  he  was 
going  down  at  0  o'clock,  and  that  he  would  take  them.  I  was  here  at  9 
o'clock  with  the  two  men ;  saw  him  give  them  money  for  their  fare.  I 
told  him  that  I  had  got  him  some  15  or  17  men,  and  as  I  had  nothing  to 
do  that  day,  I  might  as  well  go  down  with  him.  He  gave  me  $2  40  for 
my  fare,  and  I  went  down  along  with  them.  When  we  got  to  New  York 
we  went  up  to  the  top  of  Chambers  street,  or  somewhere  around  there, 
and  went  to  a  house  on  the  left-hand  side.  We  went  down  in  a  base- 
ment where  they  sold  spirits  and  ale,  &c.  All  the  men  were  in  there 
who  had  gone  down  with  Joe  Crawford  that  morning  at  7  o'clock.  They 
hadn't  got  their  papers  when  I  got  there,  and  that  was  12  o'clock  almost. 
The  two  men  who  Avent  down  along  with  me  and  Colonel  Young  were  intro- 
duced to  a  young  man,  and  they  got  their  papers  from  the  court-house ; 
but  they  had  never  taken  out  their  first  papers,  nor  made  application  to 
take  them  out.  Out  of  this  basement  we  were  ordered  to  go  out  of  this 
street  into  another  street  that  runs  in  the  opposite  way.  We  were 
ordered  there  into  another  tavern,  kept  by  a  German.  The  men  were 
kept  there  until  15  minutes  of  3,  when  they  were  ordered  back  to  the 
basement  again.  When  they  got  there  each  man  had  his  papers  given 
him,  with  the  exception  of  these  two  who  went  down  with  me.  They  got 
theirs  as  soon  as  they  went  down.  One  of  them  hadn't  been  12  months 
in  the  United  States ;  a  Scotchman. 

8839.  Q.  To  which  political  party  did  these  men  belong  who  sent  them 
down  ? 

A.  To  the  republican  party. 

8840.  Q.  These  men  who  furnished  the  money  and  sent  them  down — 
were  they  republicans  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir.  I  call  Colonel  Young  the  second  republican  of  this  town; 
Judge  Wilkin  is  the  first.  Colonel  Young,  I  believe,  is  a  revenue  officer 
under  Judge  Wilkin,  who  is  a  United  States  officer. 

8841.  Q.  Know  anything  further? 
A.  I  only  know  that  some  of  the  men  didn't  vote,  because  they  were  chal 

lenged  when  they  went  to  be  registered.  That  was  here.  Some  of  them 
voted  at  a  place  called  Milo,  in  the  town  of  Wawanda. 

8842.  Q.  What  ticket  did  they  vote  t 

A.  The  republican  ticket.  There  a  man  by  the  name  of  S.  B.  Brins- 
maid  swore  them  in ;  but  here  some  of  them  were  challenged. 

8843.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  other  fraudulent  votes  being  given  here  ? 
Tell  only  what  you  know  of  your  own  knowledge. 

A.  Well,  they  supposed  that  I  was  a  republican.  I  didn't  let  anybody 
jknow  I  was  not.  They  knew  that  I  knew  all  the  strangers.  In  fact  they 
sent  for  me  and  gave  me  instructions  to  find  all  that  I  could.  I  had 
been  a  manager  for  a  long  time. 

Middletown,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  2,  1869. 
Edward  Southwell  sworn  and  examined,  (called  by  Mr.  Eoss.) 

To  Mr.  ltoss : 
8843J.  I  voted  at  the  last  presidential  election ;  voted  the  republican 
ticket;  am  a  foreigner;  born  in  England;  have  been  in  this  country  for 
six  years ;  procured  my  naturalization  papers  on  the  16th  of  October, 
1868. 


780  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

8844.  Q.  Had  you  ever  made  your  original  declarations  'I 
A.  Yes,  sir,  at  New  York. 

8845.  Q.  When? 

A.  I  can't  just  say  when  it  was,  but  about  two  years  ago. 
884G.  Q.  You  have  been  in  the  country  five  years  1 
A.  Yes,  sir.     Am  35  years  old. 

8847.  Q.  Where  did  you  get  your  first  papers'? 
A.  At  New  York. 

8848.  Q.  Are  you  sure  that  you  ever  had  any  first  papers  1 
A.  I  won't  tell  a  lie.    I  didn't. 

8841).  Q.  Never  got  your  first  papers  % 
A.  No,  I  never  did. 

8850.  Q.  Then  you  were  an  illegal  voter,  were  you  ! 

A.  I  suppose  so.    I  don't  understand  anything  about  it. 

8851.  Q.  You  never  made  your  application  for  papers  until  last  falH 
A.  No,  sir. 

8852.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  other  illegal  votes  given  here  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

MlDDLETOWN,  ORANGE  COUNTY,   NEW    YORK, 

February  2, 1869. 

Patrick  Tyrsel  sworn  and  examined,  (called  by  Mr.  Ross. 

To  Mr.  Ross : 
8852 J.  I  was  furnished  naturalization  papers  by  the  republican  party 
Have  been  in  this  country  about  four  years  next  fall,  as  near  as  I  car 
tell.     Am  36  years  old. 

MlDDLETOWN,   ORANGE   COUNTY,    NEW   YORK, 

February  2, 1869. 
William  J.  Southwell  sworn  and  examined,  (called  by  Mr.  Ross.) 

To  Mr.  Ross : 
8852f .  I  reside  in  Middletown,  at  the  brewery ;  voted  at  the  last  presi 
dential  election ;  voted  the  republican  ticket ;  am  a  foreigner ;  born  h 
England ;  have  been  in  the  country  about  six  years. 

8853.  Q.  Have  you  ever  got  your  naturalization  papers  ? 
A.  I  got  my  papers.    I  don't  know  what  they  were. 

8854.  Q.  Hid  you  ever  make  anv  application  to  become  a  citizen  of  th 
United  States? 

A.  No,  sir. 

[Witness  produced  papers  dated  the  20th  of  October,  1868.] 

8855.  Q.  Who  procured  that  paper  for  you  ? 

A.  I  don't  know,  sir  ;  it  was  left  at  the  brewery. 

SS56.  Q.  Hid  you  go  into  court  and  procure  it  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  never  went  into  court ;  didn't  understand  anything  abou 
it.  The  brewery  is  owned  by  one  republican  and  one  democrat.  Ho  no 
know  of  any  other  illegal  votes  being  cast.  I  voted  the  straight  reput 
lican  ticket. 

MlDDLETOWN,   ORANGE   COUNTY,   NEW  YORK, 

February  2,  1869. 

George  Egleston  sworn  and  examined,  (called  by  Mr.  Ross.) 

To  Mr.  Ross : 
8856J.  Live  in  Middletown.    I  saw  money  used  to  control  votes  at  th 
last  presidential  election  here.     I  was  offered  money  myself  to  vote  th 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  781 

republican  ticket.  There  were  prominent  politicians  stopped  me  in  the 
morning  and  offered  me  a  set  of  republican  tickets,  and  asked  me  if  I 
would  vote  them  ?  I  told  one  of  them  that  he  knew  what  my  politics 
were  as  well  as  I  did.  He  said  he  didn't  care  anything  about  politics ; 
nobody  cared  anything  about  politics  nowadays.  I  said  that  it  would 
not  pay  me  to  vote  that  ticket.  He  said  that  he  would  make  it  pay  me, 
and  asked  me  what  I  wanted  to  vote  that  ticket*?  I  replied  that  1  didn't 
want  anything ;  I  didn't  want  to  vote  the  ticket.  He  said,  "I  will  make 
it  all  right  for  you ;  I  will  do  something  for  you."  I  asked  him  Avhat  he 
would  do?  He  asked  me  if  I  wanted  him  to  lend  me  some  money  ?  I 
i  said  he  could  lend  me  some  if  he  wished.    He  wanted  to  know  how  much 

I  wanted  to  vote  that  ticket?  That  was  another  thing;  I  was  not  going 
to  set  any  price.  He  asked  me  how  much  money  I  wanted  him  to  lend 
ine?  I  told  him  he  could  lend  me  $25  if  he  wanted  to.  He  said  he 
would  get  me  $5  if  I  wanted  it.  He  said,  "If  you  will  take  these  tickets 
and  go  and  vote  I  will  get  you  $5."  I  took  the  tickets  and  went  off.  A 
person  told  me  that  he  had  been  sent  to  see  if  I  voted  the  tickets;  he 
went  back,  and  what  he  told  him  I  don't  know.  Later  in  the  day  1 
stopped  at  this  man's  house,  and  there  was  a  man  came  in  and  says  to 
him,  C-I  must  have  some  money;  I  am  spending  my  own  money  and  1 
want  some  money  to  use."  So  Mr.  Sweet  gave  him  some  money,  and  1 
was  standing  near  and  he  gave  me  a  dollar;  of  course  I  took  the  dollar. 
It  was  Halsted  Sweet  who  gave  the  money;  he  worded  it  to  "lend"  me 
the  money,  and  said  that  he  would  do  something  for  me  beside.  He  is  a 
republican. 

8857.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  other  money  being  paid  or  offered? 

A.  I  know  men  that  got  money  on  that  day.  I  saw  the  money,  and 
was  told  by  them  that  it  was  given  them  to  vote.  I  was  told  by  the  same 
man  that  he  was  to  have  $25  if  he  voted  the  ticket ;  I  know  that  he  was 
called  upon  in  the  shop  by  republicans;  on  the  next  day  he  showed  me 
$15  that  I  know  he  did  not  have  15  minutes  before;  he  said  that  Mr. 
Madden  gave  it  to  him;  I  know  that  he  gave  it  to  him.  Mr.  Madden 
was  the  republican  candidate  for  assemblyman  for  this  district.  He  asked 
me  to  vote  for  him  in  the  morning,  and  I  told  him  that  1  could  not  do  it. 
He  said  if  I  would  vote  for  him  he  would  make  it  all  right  with  me.  He 
didn't  offer  me  any  money,  because  I  told  him  T  would  not  vote  for  him. 

II  do  not  know  of  any  more  cases. 

MlDDLETOWN,   OKANGKE   COUNTY,   NEW  YORK, 

February  2,  18G9. 

Reuben  C.  Miller  sworn  and  examined,  (called  by  Mr.  Ross.) 
To  Mr.  Eoss: 

8857.}.  I  know  that  fraudulent  means  were  used  to  control  the  elective 
franchise  here  at  the  last  presidential  election.  I  know  that  money  was 
used.  I  took  money  irom  the  republican  party  and  voted  that  ticket. 
I  think  Mr.  Madden  used  money.  He  was  running  for  assemblyman. 
1  received  money  from  him.  Don't  know  of  any  other  parties  using 
money.  Yes,  I  got  a  little  money  at  Mr.  Sweet's,  but  it  was  not  exactly 
on  this  thing.  He  offered  to  get  me  some  money  to  vote  the  republican 
ticket,  but  1  didn't  take  it.  I  was  going  for  a  bigger  stake.  I  know 
Charles  Gillett.  He  was  the  one  who  came  to  me  first  and  wanted  me 
to  vote.  I  didn't  get  any  money  from  him,  but  it  was  through  him 
that  I  got  it  from  Madden.  Tie  asked  me  if  I  would  vote  that  "ticket. 
I  told  him  no.  He  said  Madden  would  make  it  right  with  me,  so  I  went 
and  saw  Madden.  Sweet,  Gillett  and  Madden  were  republicans.  That 
is  all  that  I  know  of  it. 


782  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

MlDDLKTOWN,   ORANGE   COUNTY,  jS'EW    YORK, 

February  2,  1869. 

Oiiaxjncey  Garrison  sworn  and  examined,  (called  by  Mr.  Ross.) 
To  Mr.  Koss : 

8857J.  I  do  not  know  of  money  having  been  used  to  procure  votes  al 
the  last  presidential  election.  I  did  not  receive  money  for  my  vole.  ] 
received  money  on  election  day,  which  I  always  do.  The  money  wae 
given  to  me  to  use  my  influence  at  the  election.  J  was  acting  with  the 
party  that  had  the  most  money.  I  electioneered  with  my  own  party— ■ 
the  republican  party. 

8868.  Q.  Did  yon  vote  the  republican  ticket  \ 

A.  That's  my  business. 

8859.  Q.  Did  you  electioneer  with  the  republican  party! 

A.  I  did.  You  don't  suppose  that  I  would  electioneer  for  it  ami  not 
vote  for  it. 

88G0.  Q.  How  much  did  you  get  \ 

A.  Election  day  I  got,  well,  including  all,  perhaps  I  got  $o.  There 
was  no  money  given  me  for  election  purposes  before  election.  The 
money  was  given  me  by  James  Post.  He  is  a  republican.  1  know| 
Joseph  Crawford,  lie  did  not  give  me  any  money.  Do  not  know  on 
any  money  being  given  besides  this,  more  than  hearsay.  There  are  alwaysl 
exaggerations  on  that  day.  I  did  not  promise  to  vote  the  republican 
ticket  when  they  gave  me  the  money.  They  knew  how  I  would  vote.! 
They  merely  gave  it  as  a  sort  of  brace  tor  old  times  among  tin1  boys. 

Middletown,  Orange  County,  New  Xork, 

February'!,  1809. 

Joseph  Johnson,  (colored,)  sworn  and  examined,  (called  by  Mr.  lioss.  , 
To  Mr.  Ross: 

S860J.  I  voted  at  the  last  presidential  election.  Voted  the  Union] 
ticket— the  republican  ticket — for  Grant  and  Colfax.  1  don't  know 
exactly  how  much  my  property  is,  I  think  about  one-half  an  acre  they! 
call  it.  Have  no  deed  for  it.  Hold  it  under  an  article  or  contract.! 
Bought  the  property  of  Walter  McCord.  The  contract  is  held  by  Chas. 
G.  Dill.  I  don't  know  how  much  I  have  paid  on  it.  I  agreed  to  give 
for  it  $800.  There  is  a  house  on  it.  Think  I  have  paid  on  the  contract; 
about  $300.  Paid  $20  when  the  contract  was  first  made.  The  contract1 
was  made  in  the  spring  of  I860.  My  father-in-law  and  myself  bought) 
the  property  together,  and  were  to  pay  lor  it  in  monthly  payments  oJ 
$12  per  month,  $6  a  month  apiece.  Have  not  paid  every  month.  Think 
the  payments  were  endorsed  on  the  contract.  My  father-in-law  has  not 
kept  his  paid  up.  Do  not  know  that  the  contract  has  been  forfeited  for 
non-payment.  Have  not  paid  anything  in  the  neighborhood  of  a  year. 
The  contract  was  made  in  1866,  the  11th  of  April.  Do  not  know  how 
many  payments  I  have  made.  Have  paid  about  the  interest  from  April 
1st,  1867.  I  have  got  the  receipts  that  were  given  for  payments  1  madcj 
and  the  old  man  has  got  his.  The  contract  was  made  April  11th,  1866. 
Paid  $6  a  month  for  the  first  year  and  didn't  pay  regular  after  that.) 
My  father-in-law's  name  is  James  Gale. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  783 

MlDDLETOAVN,   ORANGE   COUNTY,   NEW  YORK, 

February  2,  1869. 

George  Briggs  sworn  and  examined,  (called  by  Mr.  Ross.) 
To  Mr.  Ross : 

8860^.  I  reside  down  in  Water  street,  MkLdletownj  have  lived  there 
eight  years  the  last  day  of  last  year;  am  a  foreigner,  from  Yorkshire, 
England ;  have  got  my  naturalization  papers,  I  suppose ;  got  my  first 
papers  down  at  Goshen,  two  years  ago  the  27th  of  last  October,  at  the 
office  of  Moses  D.  Stivers,  county  clerk,  at  that  time.  Got  my  second 
papers  at  New  York,  on  the  20th  of  last  October;  got  them  in  court; 
was  sworn  before  the  judges  there,  but  would  not  swear  to  what  they 
wanted  me  to;  there  was  another  man  swore  for  me,  I  suppose;  T  would 
not  swear  false  for  any  man. 

8861.  Q.  Were  you  entitled  to  your  papers  I 

A.  I  suppose  not,  I  would  have  been  in  seven  days.  I  got  my  first 
papers  on  the  27th  of  October,  two  years  ago,  and  this  was  the  20th  of 
October  last;  they  were  not  due  until  the  27th;  the  man  that  swore  for 
me  as  my  witness  did  not  know  me;  if  I  had  been  aware  of  that,  he 
•would  not  have  done  it;  I  got  the  papers,  but  I  don't  know  how;  I 
refused  to  swear  to  what  they  wanted  me  to. 

8862.  Q.  Who  was  it  that  swore  for  you  ? 

A.  I  didn't  know  the  witness  that  swore  for  me,  nor  he  didn't 
know  me.     I  did  not  know  anything  about  it  until  they  got  me  into  it. 

8863.  Q.  Who  got  you  to  go  down  to  New  York  for  these  papers? 

A.  Well,  Colonel  Young  and  Joseph  Crawford,  those  are  the  two  head 
men  who  got  me  to  go  down  and  get  the  papers.  I  believe  Mr.  Crawford 
stood  for  the  fare ;  he  didn't  give  me  the  money;  Mr.  Young  gave  me 
the  money,  but  I  believe  he  collected  it  from  Crawford;  Mr.  Young  gave 
it  to  me  the  night  before  I  went.  I  do  not  know  who  paid  for  the  papers ; 
I  did  not  pay  anything.  Mr.  Young  was  down  there;  Mr.  Crawford  and 
Mr.  Young  are  republicans,  I  suppose,  or  they  would  not  have  got  me 
to  go  down  there;  they  got  me  to  go  down  and  paid  my  expenses;  I 
voted  the  republican  ticket  all  through. 

MlDDLETOWN,  OUANdK  COUNTY,  NEW  YORK, 

February  2,  I860. 
.James  Fitz  Gibbon  sworn  and  examined,  (called  by  Mr.  Ross.) 

To  Mr.  ROSS : 
8863J.  I  reside  in  Wiekham  avenue,  Middletown;  was  22  years  of  age 
in  December ;  have  lived  in  this  country  five  years  next  June. 

8864.  Q.  Have  you  been  naturalized  '? 
A.  I  went  to  New  York  last  November  to  get  naturalized. 

8865.  Q.  Where  did  you  get  them  ? 
A.  At  the  City  Hall  they  were  supposed  to  be  got. 

8866.  Q.  Did  you  go  into  court? 
A.  I  was  in  the  court,  but  I  didn't  get  my  papers  in  there.     I  went  up 

town  on  business,  and  when  I  came  back  there  I  got  my  papers ;  they 
had  been  taken  out  while  I  was  down  around  town ;  I  did  not  make 
application  in  court  myself.  Could  not  tell  who  got  me  to  go  to  New 
York ;  Jo.  Crawford  went  with  me.  I  was  going  to  Goshen  for  them 
some  time  ago,  but  1  was  told  that  I  could  get  them  for  nothing  and 
save  $1  50.  Colonel  Young  came  down  that  day  on  the  noon  train.  I 
could  not  tell  how  I  got  my  papers;  I  went  on  business  up  town;  the 
papers  were  handed  me  when  1  came  back  by  a  strange  man,  and  who 
he  was  I  do  not  know.     The  rest  might  have  been  in  court.     1  did  not 


784  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

take  notice  how  many  Crawford  and  Young  took  down  at  that  time; 
think  it  was  about  six  or  seven.  They  said  that  was  the  last  day,  but  I 
found  out  different  afterwards.  I  did  not  have  any  witness ;  there  was 
a  man  there  who  signed  for  me;  I  do  not  know  whether  he  knew  me  or 
not.  I  did  not  swear  at  all ;  they  said  that  any  man  could  get  his  papers. 
Do  not  know  of  any  money  being  used ;  I  would  not  take  any ;  didn't 
want  it.  I  do  not  know  whether  the  other  men's  fare  was  paid  or  not ; 
I  was  not  acquainted  with  any  of  them  until  I  went  down  there.  I  saw 
Crawford  and  he  told  me  where  to  go,  and  I  went  there ;  I  got  the  papers 
at  the  place  Crawford  told  me ;  went  up  town  on  business  and  when  I 
came  back  my  papers  were  given  to  me.  Do  not  know  where  it  was  I 
got  the  papers;  it  was  right  opposite  an  engine  house;  they  said  it  was 
the  democratic  headquarters.  I  voted  at  the  last  presidential  election; 
voted  the  democratic  ticket.  These  men  who  took  me  down  were  repub- 
licans, and  wanted  me  to  vote  that  way.  They  said  they  got  the  papers 
at  the  democratic  headquarters. 

Meddletown,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  2,  I860. 

Thomas  Butcher  sworn  and  examined,  ((jailed  by  Mr.  Ross.) 
To  Mr.  Ross : 

'8866J.  I  reside  in  Middletown;  have  lived  here,  I  think,  nearly  six 
years,  or  five  and  a  half,  and  eight  or  nine  years  in  Elmira.     Voted  atl 
the  last  presidential  election ;   voted  the  republican  ticket,  straight. 
Was  aided  in  getting  fraudulent  naturalization  papers  by  the  foreinarii1 
of  the  rolling  mill,  Jo.  Crawford ;  he  is  a  republican.     He  took  me  dowi; 
to  New  York  into  a  naturalization  office  at  the  City  Hall.     Then  we  wenl 
to  a  lager-beer  saloon,  and  a  man  came  in  and  gave  several  of  us  oui> 
papers;  I  guess  seven  or  eight  of  us.     Did  not  go  into  any  court  at  all 
I  paid  my  expenses  and  then  he  handed  it  back  to  me;  this  republicai 
gave  it  back  to  me.    These  men  were  mostly  republicans ;  several  o 
them  were ;  I  cannot  say  they  all  were.    I  never  took  out  any  first  papers! 
I  went  to  Mr.  Sweet  once,  but  he  said  that  he  could  do  nothing  in  it,  bu 
so  many  were  getting  their  papers  I  thought  I  might  as  well  get  mine 
They  said  that  I  could  get  both  of  my  papers  at  once.    He  said  that  wa 
a  genuine  paper;  there  was  the  New  York  seal  on  it  and  that  made  i 
genuine.    There  must  have  been  eight  of  us;  they  all  voted  that  I  wa 
acquainted  with.     I  think  two  or  three  of  them  went  before  the  judge 
they  told  me  so.     Mr.  Robinson  told  me  that  the  papers  could  be  got  all 
right — Mr.  Robinson,  of  the  brewery.     He  was  the  first  one  who  spok 
to  me  about  it.     I  said  that  there  were  plenty  in  this  town  who  knew 
did  not  have  my  first  papers;  he  said  that  did  not  make  any  difference 
I  was  twenty-six  years  old  when  I  came  to  this  country.     Mr.  Robinson 
is  a  republican.    I  was  acquainted  with  Hirst;  he  was  one  who  wenl 
down  with  us;  he  got  his  papers  out  at  Middletown  by  the  democrats, 
he  could  not  get  them  by  the  republicans,  but  voted  the  republica1 
ticket.    He  told  me  to  keep  cool.    I  think  he  was  entitled  to  his  paper*; 
according  to  what  others  told  me.    Do  not  know  of  any  money  paid  foi 
votes. 

Middletown,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  2,  18G9.  j 

Walter  L.  McCord  sworn  and  examined,  (called  by  Mr.  Ross.) 

To  Mr.  ROSS: 
8866f.  I  have  a  contract  with  a  couple  of  colored  men  named  Jame 
Gale  and  Joseph  Johnson ;  it  is  an  article  of  agreement.    I  sold  thei 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  785 

the  property  for  $800;  they  were  to  pay  $12  per  month  ;  they  failed  to 
fulfil  the  agreement  and  thus  forfeited  the  contract,  I  suppose ;  they 
have  no  deed  for  it.  Do  not  know  exactly  what  amount  they  have  paid; 
about  $150  altogether,  the  two  together.  The  sale  was  made  two  years 
ago  last  April — 1800.  They  paid  regular  for  a  few  months.  I  told  Mr. 
Dill  some  time  ago  that  they  were  hardly  paying  the  interest,  but  as 
they  were  not  letting  the  place  run  down  to  let  them  stay  there.  Do 
not  think  they  have  any  claim  upon  any  other  property;  they  have  told 
me  they  had  not,  when  I  asked  them  for  payments  which  they  could  not 
fulfil.     I  told  Dill  at  the  time  that  they  had  no  right  to  vote. 

MlDDLETOWN,  ORANGE  COUNTY,  NEW  YORK, 

February  2,  1809. 
Jarvis  E.  "Wood  sworn  and  examined,  (called  by  Mr.  Eoss.) 
By  Mr.  Ross : 

8807.  Q.  I  will  ask  you  to  state  if  you  know  of  any  frauds  being  per- 
petrated to  improperly  control  the  election  last  fall,  by  mone3r  or  other- 
wise. 

A.  I  do  not  know  anything  about  other  folks'  business. 

8808.  Do  you  know  of  any  yourself? 

A.  I  had  some  given  me,  but  whether  it  was  on  the  old  debt  or  not  I 
could  not  ascertain.     I  never  have  went  to  him  since. 

8809.  Q.  When  was  it  given  ? 

A.  It  was  given  on  election  day,  but  I  asked  for  the  money. 

8870.  Q.  How  much  was  given  you '? 

A.  Four  dollars.  It  was  given  to  me  by  Mr.  Madden.  He  was  owing 
me,  and  whether  he  calculated  to  make  me  a  present  of  it  or  not  I  do 
not  know;  I  have  not  seen  him  since;  it  was  given  after  I  voted.  He 
was  going  home  and  I  asked  him  for  some  money.  He  said:  "Don't 
bother  me  now."  I  said  I  must  have  some  money,  and  he  gave  me  $4, 
and  that  was  all  he  paid.  That  is  all  the  money  I  got.  Do  not  know  of 
my  boys  being  given  any.  Do  not  know  of  boots  being  given  anybody. 
I  know  there  was  boots  carried  home  that  night.  I  heard  they  were 
given  for  votes — I  do  not  know.  A  pair  was  taken  from  the  new  brick 
store  opposite  the  hall  where  the  polls  were.  The  place  was  kept  b}'  a 
man  from  New  York  or  Connecticut ;  he  did  not  live  in  this  section  a 
great  while.  I  voted  the  republican  ticket.  I  have  some  boys  that  are 
voters — Jarvis  "Wood,  jr.,  and  Morton  Wood.  They  voted  the  republican 
ticket,  I  believe ;  they  always  have  voted  that  way ;  I  don't  know  of  their 
getting  anything  for  voting;  the  youngest  had  a  pair  of  boots — do  not 
know  who  gave  them  to  him  ;  he  had  them  election  day ;  I  guess  he  bar- 
gained for  them  that  day,  and  I  carried  them  home  the  next  day ;  don't 
know  of  any  money  being  paid  to  them. 

MlDDLETOWN,  ORANGE  COUNTY,  NEW  YORK, 

February  2,  L809. 
Joseph  Eith  sworn  and  examined,  (called  by  Mr.  Eoss.) 
To  Mr.  Eoss : 

8870J.  I  know  of  some  men  who  got  money  for  votes  at  the  last  pres- 
idential election  here.  One  man  was  Jacob  Ware,  and  another  Christian 
Hibble.  They  told  me  that  they  got  money,  and  I  am  told  that  some 
others  got  money  from  the  same  man.  1  do  not  say  that  for  sure.  Jacob 
Ware  told  me  that  he  got  money,  and  Christian  Hibble  told  me  that  he 
got  money  too,  from  Mr.  Sweet. 
50  T 


786  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

8871.  Q.  Did  you  see  Mr.  Sweet  pay  anybody  any  money  ? 
A.  I  did  not  say  that. 

8872.  Q.  Is  that  all  you  know  about  it  I 

A.  That  is  all  I  know  about  that  matter.     I    know  that  Jaeob  Ware 
did  not  have  any  right  to  vote  at  all. 

8873.  Why! 

A.  He  never  had  his  citizen  paper. 

8874.  Q.  Do  you  know  what  ticket  he  voted  I 
A.   lie  voted  the  republican  ticket. 

8875.  Do  you  know  of  any  more  Bach  cases  ? 

A.  I  know  some  more,  but  I  cannot  prove  it.  I  would  not  swear  to  it. 
Two  others.     They  voted  the  republican  ticket  too. 

Poet  .Ieuvis,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  2,  1869. 

Lewis  E.  Carr  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Blair: 

8870.  I  reside  near  Port  Jervis.     I  am  by  profession  a  lawyer.    I  was  ' 
present  on  the  28th  of  September,  at  the  opening  of  the  fall  term  of  the  ! 
county  court  at  Xewburgh.     The  court  opened  about  11  o'clock  in  the 
morning.     There  were  a  great  many  people  there  to  be  naturalized.    The 
courtroom  seemed  to  be  nearly  half  full,  and  they  created  so  much  con- 
fusion  and  disturbance  that  they  could  do  very  little  business.   The  clerk 
appointed  a  deputy  clerk  to  go  into  another  room,  and  take  off  somepor -I 
tion  of  this  crowd  with  him.      He  afterwards,  I  think,  appointed  two' 
others  to  go  off  in  different  rooms  outside  the  court-room,  to  issue  these 
papers  and  take  the  affidavits.     Then  about  half-past  12,  the  business  of 
the  court  being  about  over,  the  judge  came  down  and  whispered  to  the' 
clerk.     I  was  standing  close  to  the  desk,  as  I  wanted  he  should  file  some! 
papers  for  me.     He  whispered  to  the  clerk  and  said:  "If  you  do  not  see' 
me  in  court,  the  court  is  open  all  the  same."   He  did  not  come  back  again! 
until  after  two  o'clock.     They  went  on  and  took  the  affidavits.     Instead* 
of  reading  the  affidavits  over  to  them,  they  simply  called  up  a  man,  andl 
wanted  to  know  where  his  witness  was.     Told  him  to  hold  up  his  hand, 
and  then  said :  "  Do  you  swear  this  affidavit  is  true?"   The  papers  were 
then  issued.  After  a  time  one  of  the  deputy  clerks  came  back  and  organized 
an  office  right  in  the  bar,  and  he  took  the  affidavits  in  this  way :  "Do  you 
swear  this  affidavit  is  true  V '  and  then  issued  the  papers  upon  that.   They 
continued  that  for  nearly  an  hour  after  the  judge  went  away.   One  of  the 
deputy  clerks  then  spoke  to  the  clerk  and  told  him  that  he  thought  itj 
would  perhaps  be  better  to  take  no  more  affidavits  until  the  judge  camej 
back.     He  asked  if  the  co;irt  was  adjourned;  I  told  him  I  did  not  know) 
whether  it  was  or  not — that  the  judge  was  gone.     I  think  I  was  the  onlj 
one  there  except  those  waiting  to  be  naturalized.     I  was  waiting  to  have 
some  papers  tiled  that  afternoon.     In  some  cases  the  deputies  used  theii 
own  names,  signing  them  as  deputy  clerks.     I  think  this  was  done  inj 
nearly  every  case  I  saw. 

8877.  Q.  Is  there  any  authority  of  law  for  the  appointment  of  sucl 
deputies  t  ' 

A.  There  is  authority  for  the  county  clerk  to  appoint  a  deputy  clerk 
to  act  in  his  absence  or  in  case  of  sickness.  There  is  no  other  authority 
that  I  know  of. 

8878.  Q.  Was  this  clerk  there  all  the  time  himself? 

A.  He  was  there  taking  affidavits  and  issuing  papers  all  the  while. 

8879.  Q.  Did  you  see  an  examination  made  of  any  of  these  applicants 
or  their  witnesses  by  the  judge  in  person"? 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  787 

A.  I  did  not. 

8880.  Q.  How  many  should  you  thiuk  were  naturalized  while  you  were 
there ? 

A.  It  would  be  very  difficult  for  me  to  tell.  I  should  say  that  there 
were  at  least  100. 

8881.  Q.  Who  was  judge  of  the  court? 
A.  Thomas  George. 

8882.  Q.  What  was  the  name  of  the  clerk  of  the  county  court ! 
A.  Lewis  Oudderback. 

8883.  Q.  This  1  understood  you  to  say  was  the  county  court  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  the  September  term  of  the  county  court.  They  had  an  ad- 
journed term  of  the  county  court  at .Goshen  on  the  19th  of  October,  at  which 
they  did  not  appoint  any  special  deputy  clerk,  but  the  deputy  clerk  kept 
in  a  separate  room  from  the  court-room  and  issued  papers. 

8884.  Q.  Were  you  present  when  that  was  being  done  f 

A.  I  was;  the  affidavits  were  signed,  and  they  were  told  to  hold 
up  their  hands  and  swear  the  affidavit  was  true;  the  papers  were  then 
issued ;  the  deputy  clerk  signed  them  as  deputy  clerk ;  I  do  not  know 
that  he  did  in  all  instances,  but  he  did  in  some. 

8885.  Q.  The  judge  was  not  present  at  all  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  the  court  was  being  held  in  another  room  np  stairs. 

8886.  Q.  Did  these  persons  go  into  the  court  at  all ! 

A.  No,  sir;  and  that  was  the  same  as  took  place  at  Newburgh,  where 
these  special  deputy  clerks  acted;  they  were  not  in  the  court-room  at  all; 
(some  of  them  were  down-stairs,  and  some  upstairs. 

8887.  Q.  Did  you  see  the  certificates  issued  in  any  of  these  cases? 

A.  I  merely  glanced  at  them;  they  were  issued  under  the  seal  of  the 
icourt,  just  the  same  as  ordinary  certificates,  the  only  difference  being 
itlieir  being  signed  by  the  deputy  clerk  as  deputy  clerk.  Those  that  were 
issued  at  Newburgh  were  signed  by  the  clerks,  as  special  deputy  clerks. 
j  8888.  Q.  The  papers  you  speak  of  were  the  final  papers  authorizing 
the  party  to  vote  ? 
I    A.  Yes,  sir. 

Port  Jervis,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  2,  1809. 
Patrick  Kelly  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Blair: 
8880.  I  reside  at  Port  Jervis,  and  have  for  the  last  20  years;  I  voted 
it  the  last  election  on  naturalization  papers  that  I  have  had  for  13  or  14 
ears;  I  got  them  in  Goshen. 

8890.  Q.  Did  you  know  of  any  naturalization  papers  being  sent  here 
of  other  persons  last  fall,  previous  to  the  election,  coming  from  New 
fork,  or  anywhere  else? 

A.  A  friend  of  mine  whom  1  had  known  in  this  country  for  some  eight 
r  ten  years  went  west,  and  he  wrote  me  requesting  me  to  certify  to 
Laving  been  in  the  country  so  many  years;  that  certificate  I  made  and 
ent  him.  i  do  not  know  of  any  persons  in  this  neighborhood  fur- 
ishing  naturalization  papers;  nor  did  I  hear  of  any  person  having  such. 

Port  Jervis,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  2,  1869 
Owen  Bowhen  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Blair: 

8891.  I  reside  at  Port  Jervis,  and  have  for  12 years;  1  did  not  vote  at 
ie  last  election:  I  was  naturalized  over  four  years  ago;  I  do  not  know 


788  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

anything  of  any  arrangements  being  made  last  fall  before  the  election 
to  furnish  naturalization  papers  to  persons  here;  I  never  had  any  such 
papers  in  my  possession  for  any  person;  I  know  a  Mr.  Tracey;  I  never 
received  any  such  paper  from  him;  I  don't  know  of  any  such  papers 
being  in  the  hands  of  anybody  for  distribution. 

Port  Jervis,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  2,  L869. 
JOHN  WEcGuyEN  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Blair: 

8892.  I  reside  at  Port  Jervis,  and  for  over  two  years.  1  did  not  vot< 
at  the  election  last  fall ;  I  had  my  naturalization  papers  at  that  time 
I  do  not  remember  exactly  the  time  when  I  got  them,  but  a  short  tim< 
before  the  election  I  got  them  here  in  town,  but  cannot  tell  from  whom 
I  have  not  the  paper  now;  1  burnt  it;  I  burnt  it  because  1  did  not  thinl 
it  was  just.  I  have  no  idea  who  gave  me  the  paper.  After  I  hadbeei 
to  be  registered,  I  had  the  paper  perused  by  a  friend  of  mine,  as 
cannot  read,  and  finding-  it  was  not  proper,  I  destroyed  it.  The  mai 
who  read  it  to  me  is  named  Nicholas  Corniclas,  a  carpenter  by  trade 
He  lives  in  Port  Jervis.  The  paper  was  not  light  in  that  my  name  wa 
wrong;  and  there  were  a  great  many  things  in  it  that  I  did  not  kno\ 
anything  about.  I  burnt  the  paper  and  did  not  oiler  to  vote  on  it. 
think  my  friend  read  it  to  me  as  coming  from  New  York  city,  but 
cannot  say  positively.  I  presented  the  paper  to  the  registration  boarj 
before  I  destroyed  it,  and  was  registered  on  it.  They  allowed  the  papa 
was  right  enough  ;  but  they  did  not  read  it  to  me.  I  did  not  know  c| 
any  person  having  such  papers  that  any  one  could  get. 

Port  Jervis,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  2,  1800.  ( 

James  Gilmarton  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Blair: 

8S92J.  I  reside  in  Port  Jervis,  and  have  for  H>  years.  J  did  not  vol 
at  the  last  election.  I  obtained  my  papers  last  fall  in  New  York  citj 
I  went  down  and  got  them  at  the  City  Hall.  It  was  in  the  afternod 
when  I  went  there.  I  could  not  tell  what  time  exactly.  I  could  not  td 
what  court  it  was.  There  were  a  great  many  people  there  getting  the 
naturalization  papers.  I  am  not  aware  that  naturalization  papers  fro 
New  York  were  supplied  here  to  any  persons  who  wanted  them. 

Port  Jervis,  Orange  County,  New  Y^ork, 

February  2,  1809. 

Kichard  Tracy  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Blair: 

8892f .  I  reside  at  Port  Jervis,  and  have  for  the  last  rive  or  six  yeai 
I  am  a  baker  by  trade.  I  was  quite  active  here  in  the  political  campaif 
last  fall. 

8893.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  there  were  any  arrangements  in  rega 
to  the  procuring  of  naturalization  papers  during  that  campaign  for  sin 
as  might  want  them  ? 

A.  1  believe  there  was. 

8894.  Q.  Did  auv  such  papers  come  to  yon? 
A.  They  did. 

8895.  Q.  Will  you  state  all  the  circumstances  about  it?  j 
A.  Well,  as  near  as  I  can  remember,  about  a  week  or  ten  days  befoj 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YOKE.  78!) 

I  the  election  1  received  a  letter,  whether  there  was  a  signature  to  it  or 
not  I  cannot  tell,  notifying-  me  that  I  would  receive  a  box,  with  some  50 
or  GO  odd  naturalization  papers  for  parties  in  our  town;  I  was  not  to 
know  any  of  these  men,  but  they  were  to  call  there.  I  was  to  leave  the 
box  in  some  conspicuous  place  where  they  could  get  the  papers.  Other 
parties  were  to  instruct  them  where  and  how  to  get  them.  All  the 
papers  were  called  for  and  taken  except  14  or  17. 

8896.  Q.  What  did  you  do  with  the  box  when  it  came! 

A.  1  stuck  it  behind  the  counter  in  a  case. 

8807.  Q.  Was  it  left  open  there  ? 

A.  Yes.  sir.  There  was  a  cover  on  it — on  the  back.  It  was  a  cream 
tartar  box.  Whenever  I  saw  a  person  coming  whom  I  had  reason  to 
suspect  was  coining  to  get  one  of  these  papers,  I  would  get  out  of  the 
'way,  so  as  not  to  get  too  closely  implicated  in  the  matter. 

8898.  Q.  Were  the  names  already  inserted  in  these  papers  ? 

A.  I  believe  they  were.  I  did  not  examine  the  whole  of  them,  but 
they  were  of  such  as  I  looked  at. 

8809.  Q.  1  understand  you  to  say  that  they  were  all  taken  from  the 
box  that  stood  there  except  14  or  17  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

S00O.  Q.  What  became  of  those  ? 

A.  I  burned  them. 

8901.  Q.  Would  it  be  possible  for  you  to  produce  one  of  that  batch  of 
papers? 

A.  I  do  not  know  but  that  1  have  one  around  the  house. 

8002.  Q.  Will  you  endeavor  to  find  it,  and  let  the  committee  have  it 
before  we  go  away'.' 

A.  I  have  not  the  slightest  objection  to  giving  von  the  paper  if  I  can 
find  it. 

SOOo.  Q.  Do  you  remember  whether  this  letter  which  came  to  you  was 
dated  in  a  particular  place  ? 

A.  I  could  not  say.  I  did  not  take  particular  notice.  If  I  remember 
correctly  it  was  in  the  same  handwriting  as  that  of  the  signature  to  the 
paper.     That  is  my  impression. 

8004.  Q.  Do  you  remember  where  those  papers  purported  to  be  issued 
— whether  in  New  York  city,  or  not  ? 

A.  I  could  not  say. 

8005.  Q.  Did  you  preserve  the  letter? 
A.  I  believe  I  put  it  in  with  the  naturalization  papers,  and  burnt  them 

all  together. 

8006.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  particular  persons  who  received  those 
papers? 

A.  I  do  not  know  as  I  do;  I  have  seen  some  parties  going  in  and  out 
of  the  house,  but  I  could  not  say  whether  they  took  the  papers  or  not. 
I  always  walked  out  of  the  back  door  Avhen  I  saw  parties  coming  whom 
1  suspected  of  coining  to  get  any  of  these  papers. 

8007.  Q.  Do  you  know  who  it  was  that  gave  them  information,  or  was 
to  give  them  information  as  to  where  they  were  to  get  the  papers  and  how  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

8008.  Q.  How  did  the  box  come? 
A.  I  think  it  was  left  at  the  house  by  some  parties;  I  think  some  four 

r  five  young  men  came  in  one  night  and  left  it  there.  I  did  not  find  it 
util  early  in  the  morning.     I  get  up  between  5  and  6  o'clock  in  the 

orning,  as  a  general  thing. 

8909.  (L).  Do  yon  know  what  the  politics  of  these  persons  were,  or 
apposed  to  be  who  received  these  papers? 

A.  I  supposed  them  to  be  democrats. 


790  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

Port  Jervis,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  2,  18(>9. 

Burton  Brew  Sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Blair: 

8909a.  I  reside  at  Port  Jervis,  and  have  for  tbe  last  12  years.  I  was 
not  engaged  in  the  political  campaign  last  fall.  I  was  naturalized,  1 
think,  last  October.  I  got  my  naturalization  papers  in  New  York  city. 
I  got  my  first  papers  in  New  York  city  when  I  first  landed,  under  age. 
It  was  in  the  court  oi*  common  pleas  where  1  got  them.  A  brother-in- 
law  who  resides  there  went  with  me,  as  my  witness.  I  was  examined 
by  the  court.  I  went  to  New  York  to  get  my  last  papers  because  I  did 
not  have  anybody  here  to  apply  to  to  go  with  me  as  evidence.  His 
name  is  John  Nicholson.  lie  then  resided  on  Monroe  street.  He  is  a 
ship  carpenter.  T  do  not  know  oi*  papers  from  New  York  being  furnished 
parties  here.     I  voted  at  the  last  election. 

Port  Jervis,  Orange  County',  New  York, 

February  2,  1869. 

T.  R.  BROADHEAD  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Blaik: 

8909ft.  I  reside  at  Port  Jervis.  1  bold  the  position  of  supervisor.  I 
did  not  take  any  particular  part  in  the  Inst  campaign.  I  do  not  know  of 
any  arrangements  being  made  in  the  town  for  the  purpose  of  procuring 
naturalization  papers  for  foreign  citizens.  I  know  of  no  naturalization 
papers  being  furnished  to  persons  here  who  did  not  attend  to  procuring 
them  for  themselves. 

Port  Jervis,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  2,  18(19. 

John  Green  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Blair: 

8909c.  I  reside  in  Port  Jervis.  1  acted  with  the  democratic  party 
during  the  last  campaign.  I  went  with  some  12  or  15  persons  to  Goshen 
to  assist  them  in  procuring  their  naturalization  papers.  I  cannot  recall 
their  names. 

To  Mr.  Eoss : 
8909^.  I  supposed  all  these  papers  to  be  legal.     They  were  all  signed 
by  the  county  clerk. 

Port  Jervis.  Orange  County",  New  Y^ork, 

February  2,  1869. 

George  Broadhead  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Boss : 

8909e.  I  reside  in  Port  Jervis,  and  have  for  the  last  13  years.  I  was 
inspector  of  the  3d  election  district  of  our  town  last  fall.  I  cannot  just 
now  call  to  mind  any  illegal  votes  that  were  polled.  The  creation  of  a 
new  district  in  the  village  created  some  confusion  by  mens  names  being 
registered  in  the  wrong  district.  In  registering  we  inadvertently  left  otfj 
some  who  should  have  been  registered,  and  then,  again,  others  were 
registered  in  the  wrong  district.  I  think  there  were  some  live  or  six 
altogether  who  were  allowed  to  vote  in  a  different  district  than  that  in 
which  they  were  registered,  a  mistake  having  been  made  in  the  register- 
ing.    I  know  I  took  one  or  two  votes  of  that  kind.     One  was  a  democrat, 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  791 

and  one  a  republican.  I  have  no  personal  knowledge  of  any  election 
frauds  in  the  way  of  naturalization  papers  or  illegal  votes.  There  were 
two  democrats  on  our  board,  and  one  republican.  This  was  the  case  also 
with  the  other  district. 

Port  Jervis.  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  2,  1869. 
Solomon  Van  Elon  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Eoss : 
8909/.  I  reside  at  Port  Jervis.  I  have  always  lived  within  a  few  miles. 
1 1  did  not  take  so  active  a  part  in  the  last  political  campaign  as  I  have 
I  done  in  former  years.  I  am  a  republican.  I  did  not  last  fall  have  any- 
thing to  do  with  the  disbursement  of  any  funds  for  the  republican  party. 
Mr.  Douglass  was  the  chairman  of  our  county  committee.  Of  the  club 
here.  I  cannot  tell  who  constituted  the  finance  committee.  The  president 
of  the  club  was  Mr  Wandall,  the  corresponding  secretary. 

Port  Jervis.  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  2,  1869. 
Mr.  St.  John  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Blair  : 
8909//.  I  know  Mr.  Richard  Tracey.  The  night  before  election  I  saw 
in  his  hands  some  naturalization  papers.  They  were  what  we  call  the 
"  Jarvis  papers,"  all  being  signed  by  Justice  Jaivis.  He  resides,  I  think, 
iin  New  York  city.  He  showed  me  two.  Another  person  was  present 
when  he  showed  them  to  me.  He  did  not  state  fully  how  he  got  them. 
He  said  they  had  come  into  his  hands  from  certain  parties. 

George  W.  Suttle  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Ross: 
8909//.  I  reside  in  Port  Jervis.     I  think  I  know  of  a  couple  of  illegal 
votes  having  been  polled  here  at  the  last  presidential  election.     One  was 
that  of  a  man  named  John  Saunders,  and  the  other  William  Taylor.    They 
voted  the  republican  ticket. 

To  Mr.  Blair  : 
j  8909/.  I  voted  the  democratic  ticket.  Saunders  lives  in  Port  Jervis, 
and  has  for  some  seven  or  eight  months.  I  know  that  Saunders  was 
inot  a  legal  voter,  because  he  came  out  of  the  State  of  Xew  Jersey  some 
three  or  four  months  before  he  voted.  I  knew  him  before  he  went  to 
New  Jersey.  Did  not  know  him  in  the  State  of  New  Jersey.  I  did 
not  see  him  after  he  went  to  New  Jersey,  in  the  State,  but  I  saw  him  go 
there.  He  swore  on  election  day.  when  he  was  challenged,  that  he  came 
from  the  State  of  Xew  Jersey.  He  was  allowed  to  vote.  I  saw  his  ticket 
just  before  he  deposited  it.  and  it  was  a  republican  ticket.  I  know  the 
other  man  of  whom  I  have  spoken  was  an  illegal  voter,  because  he  was 
in  this  county  four  days  short  of  four  months.  He  was  challenged,  but 
Iris  vote  was  sworn  in:  I  knew  he  lacked  four  days  of  the  proper  time, 
because  I  made  a  memorandum  at  the  time  of  the  day  of  his  arrival.  I 
lon't  know  what  caused  me  to  make  this  memorandum ;  I  had  no  par- 
ticular reason  for  it.  I  have  that  memorandum  somewhere  at  home.  I 
nade  the  memorandum  in  this  town  on  a  piece  of  blank  paper.  I  have 
t  somewhere  at  home  I  know,  for  I  have  looked  at  it  several  times  since. 
[  don't  know  why  I  made  this  memorandum.  I  sometimes  keep  a  memo- 
'andum  of  affairs  in  our  town.  I  did  not  see  him  the  day  he  came,  but 
[  saw  him  the  next  day — at  least  he  said  he  had  come  the  day  before. 


792  KLKCTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

Wilmot  M.  Vail  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mi.  Boss: 

8909;'.  I  took  quite  an  active  parr  in  the  last  campaign  in  the  way  of 
securing  votes,  and  attending  to  the  ordinary  business  of  the  campaign 
in  the  district.  I  did  not  have  the  expenditure  of  any  money.  I  gave 
a  man  some  money  once  to  go  home  to  vote,  as  lie  was  uuable  to  pay 
out  of  Ins  own  pocket.  Thai  is  all.  I  never  used  any  for  the  purpose 
of  trying  to  get  votes.  I  might  haveexpended  some  in  the  way  of  pay- 
ing speakers  and  such  like, but  nothing  further.  I  did  not  pay  anybody 
tor  their  services  on  election  day. 

George  Frederick  Vinall  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Ross: 
8909&.   I  took  an  active  part  in  politics  last  fall  on  the  republican  side. 
I  had  the  disbursement  of  no  funds,  nor  did   I   pay  out  any  money  for 

election  purposes. 

Montgomery,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  3,  ISO!). 
JOHN  McKEE  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  BLAIB  : 

89092.  .!  reside  in  Montgomery,  and  have  lived  in  the  United  States 
about  18  years.  I  did  not  vote  at  the  election  last  tall.  I  had  natural] 
i/ation  papers  tor  the  purpose  of  voting.  I  got  them  in  Goshen  before 
the  election — about  ten  days  or  so.  I  made  the  application  in  Goshen, 
and  they  were  sent  to  me  from  there.  I  got  mine  through  Hilly  Carroll] 
who  lives  at  this  place.  I  went  to  (loshen  for  the  purpose  of  getting  the 
papers,  but  had  not  time  to  wait  for  them,  and  so  they  said  they  would 
send  them  to  me.  When  I  went  before  the  clerk  and  made  my  applica- 
tion. I  did  nothing  but  state  how  long  I  had  been  in  the  country.  1 
signed  no  paper,  nor  was  I  sworn.  My  own  son  was  my  witness  that  I 
had  been  in  the  country  so  long;  but  I  cannot  tell  whether  he  was  sworn 
or  not.  I  don't  know  where  the  paper  is.  I  think  it  is  lost.  I  produced 
it  when  I  went  to  get  registered, but  they  would  not  register  me  upon  it. 
I  do  not  know  whether  1  saw  the  county  clerk  or  not,  but  I  suppose  I  did. 

Montgomery,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

Februarys,  1W.). 

William  Carroll  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  BLAIB  : 

8909m.  I  reside  in  Montgomery.  I  have  been  in  the  United  States 
over  18  years.  I  know  John  McGue.  I  Avas  with  John  McGue  at  Goshen 
some  ten  days  or  so  before  the  last  election  when  he  made  application 
for  his  naturalization  papers.  Xeither  lie  nor  I  got  any  papers  that  day, 
but  there  were  some  sent  to  William  McXeal's  for  us.  I  met  him  one 
day,  and  he  told  me  there  was  a  letter  at  this  place  for  me.  T  do  not 
know  whether  these  papers  came  by  mail,  or  how  they  came.  I  gave 
John  McGue  his.  When  I  went  to  Goshen  I  went  up  to  the  court- 
house and  applied  for  my  papers.  I  do  not  know  who  the  person  was  to 
whom  I  applied,  but  he  said  the  papers  could  be  sent  down.  I  was 
sworn,  but  I  did  not  sign  any  paper.  They  were  too  busy.  I  had  no 
witness.  I  do  not  know  how  long  it  Avas  before  I  received  my  papers  after 
I  went  to  Goshen.  I  had  had  my  first  papers,  but  had  lost  them.  I  had 
lost  them  before  I  went  to  Goshen.  I  do  not  know  who  the  persous  were 
who  told  us  to  go  home,  and  we  would  there  receive  our  papers.     I  did 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  793 

not  vote  at  the  last  election.  I  attempted  to  get  registered,  but  they 
would  not  register  me  on  those  papers.  I  did  not  tell  the  board  where  I 
got  this  paper.  I  have  not  that  paper  at  present.  I  got  on  a  bust  that 
night,  and  lost  it. 

By  Mr.  Graham  : 

8910.  Q.  It  was  in  open  court  that  you  applied  tor  your  papers  in 
Goshen,  was  it  not? 

A.  The  court  Avas  in  session.     I  think  it  was  the  first  day  or  so. 

By  Mr.  Blair  : 
Q.  If  the  court  was  in  session,  who  was  it  who  told  you  that  your 
papers  would  be  sent  you  ? 
A.  I  do  not  know  the  man. 

8911.  Q.  Was  it  the  judge! 
A.  1  do  not  know. 

8912.  Q.  How  do  you  know  there  was  a  court  in  session  if  you  did  not 
know  the  judge? 

A.  I  saw  a  great  many  in  there,  and  they  said  it  was  the  first  day. 

.Montgomery,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  3,  1869. 

William  McXeal  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Blair  : 

8912a.  1  am  acquainted  with  John  McGue  and  William  Carroll.  A 
few  days  prior  to  the  election  last  fall,  I  delivered  naturalization  papers 
to  Billy  Carroll.  One  had  his  name  on  the  back,  and  the  other  had  that 
of  John  McGue.  1  suppose  they  were  naturalization  papers;  I  never 
read  them  over.  1  cannot  tell  you  who  it  was  from  whom  I  received  these 
papers.  1  was  absent  from  my  place  of  business  when  the  package  was 
left  there.  Those  in  the  store  did  not  know  who  left  it  there.  I  opened 
the  package  and  I  saw  there  were  two  papers  in  it.  From  the  backs  of 
them  I  knew  they  were  naturalization  papers.  About  two  days  after  I 
received  them,  Carroll  came  along  and  I  gave  him  his,  and  told  him  to 
give  McGue's  to  him.  I  took  some  little  part  in  the  last  political  cam- 
paign :  I  acted  with  the  democratic  party.  I  did  not  notice  from  what 
court  the  papers  were  issued.  There  Avas  no  letter  accompanying  them, 
nor  had  I  any  directions  as  to  what  to  do  with  them.  Carroll  called  and 
asked  me  if  any  papers  had  been  left  for  him,  and  I  told  him  yes,  and 
also  one  for  McGue  who  worked  for  him.     I  gave  them  both  to  him. 

Montgomery,  Orange  County,  Xew  York, 

February  3, 18(>9. 

ANTHONY  Donnegan  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Blair  : 

89127;.  I  reside  in  Montgomery.  1  came  from  Ireland  to  this  country 
about  three  years  ago.  I  came  from  Xew  York  city  directly  up  here.  I 
had  naturalization  papers  for  the  purpose  of  voting  last  fall,  but  did  not 
vote1.  I  got  themat  Xewburgh.  I  could  not  say  who  gave  them  to  me.  1 
guess  it  was  the  court-house  at  which  I  got  them  in  ^NTewburgh.  I  was 
not  sworn.  I  had  a  friend  with  me  who  knew  me.  I  do  not  know 
whether  he  was  sworn  or  not.  I  signed  no  papers  there  as  I  remember. 
I  got  the  paper  there  and  brought  it  away  with  me.  1  was  detained 
there,  1  could  not  say  how  long.  I  am  22  years  old.  1  did  not  go  to  the 
polls  at  all.  I  do  not  know  the  names  of  any  of  the  men  who  gave  me 
my  papers. 


794  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

Montgomery,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  3,  1869. 
William  Titus  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Blair: 

8912a.  I  was  one  of  the  inspectors  of  election  in  this  district.  I  was 
present  at  the  board  of  registration — also  on  the  day  of  election.  I  know 
of  two  persons  who  voted  that  day  whose  names  were  not  on  the  regis- 
try list.  Their  names  were  Adrian  J.  Comfort  and  Hugh  Milligan.  They 
were  both  republicans.  Milligan  voted  one  ticket — the  State  ticket — 
and  afterwards,  discovering  that  his  name  was  not  on  the  registry  list, 
we  took  the  vote  out. 

8913.  Q.  Was  that  a  mere  errort 
A.   Yes,  sir. 

ETamptonburg,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  3, 1869. 
Thomas  ELLIS  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Blair: 
891.')i.  I  reside  in  Ilamptonburg.  I  have  charge  of  Mr.  Backman's 
farm.  Mr.  Backraan  is  a  merchant  in  New  York  in  the  whiskey  trade, 
Imt  has  a  farm  out  here  where  he  breeds  horses.  During  the  past  season 
there  were  a  considerable  number  of  persona  in  our  employ.  I  was  en- 
gaged some  little  in  the  political  campaign  last  fall.  1  acted  with  the 
democratic  party.      Most  of  those  employed  were  foreigners. 

8914.  Q.  Was  there  any  arrangement  made,  to  your  knowledge,  for 
procuring  naturalization  papers  for  any  of  them? 

A.  They  talked  a  great  deal  about  it.  There  was  no  arrangement  that 
I  know  of. 

891,").  Q.  Did  yon  assist  any  of  them  yourself  in  procuring  any  such 
papers  \ 

A.  Hot  that  I  know  of;  anymore  than  talk  about  going  to  New  York 
for  that  purpose.  Some  of  them  went  to  New  York  for  the  purpose,  and 
some  of  them  to  Goshen. 

8010.  Q.  Did  they  talk  with  you  about  it  before  they  went,  any  of  them? 

A.  I  presume  they  did,  for  it  was  the  general  talk  about  their  going. 
I  know  three  or  four  spoke  to  me  about  going  such  a  day  to  Goshen,  and 
wanted  me  to  make  arrangements  for  their  going. 

8917.  What  reason  A\as  given  by  any  of  them  for  going  to  New  York? 
A.  I  do  not  know  that  there  was  any  particular  reason  given,  only  that 

they  wanted  to  go  to  New  York  twice  or  three  times  a  year,  and  this 
afforded  them  an  excuse. 

8918.  Q.  Did  you  procure  any  naturalization  papers  for  any  of  these 
persons  yourself  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

8919.  Q.  Did  you  see  any  of  the  papers  that  were  procured  ? 

A.  O,  yes,  sir.  I  was  here  at  the  time  of  the  registry,  and  I  presume 
I  saw  some  of  them  before  the  registry.  There  may  have  been  as  many 
as  12  or  13  in  my  employ  who  obtained  naturalization  papers.  I  can 
remember  the  names  of  some  of  these  persons  who  got  their  papers,  but 
not  all  of  them.  They  are  Richard  Hart,  Richard  Levi,  Jerry  Ford,  and 
Matthew  Gill. 

8920.  Is  there  a  person  by  the  name  of  James  Egan  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  795 

8921.  Matthew  Carrigan? 
A.   Yes  sir. 

8922.  Q.  Michael  Mulchey  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know.  He  was  a  man  who  came  there  and  staid  only  a 
short  time  before.  I  do  not  know  whether  he  got  his  papers  or  not.  He 
came  there,  I  think,  about  the  1st  day  of  October,  and  worked  during 
the  fall.    Since  I  have  come  to  think  of  it,  I  believe  he  did  go  to  Goshen. 

8923.  Q.  Did  you  know  such  a  man  there  as  Patrick  Corcoran  i 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

8924.  Q.  Can  you  state  whether  any  of  these  persons  received  papers 
by  mail  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  as  to  that.  1  bring  their  mail  up  when  I  go  to 
Goshen,  and  laid  it  by  their  plates  generally.  That  is,  if  I  knew  their 
names ;  and  if  1  did  not,  I  laid  them  on  the  mantel-piece. 

8925.  Q.  Do  you  know  where  James  Egan  is  now? 

A.  No,  sir.  I  think  he  was  there  this  morning,  but  still  1  did  not  see 
him.  I  presume  he  was  there  to  breakfast.  When  the  officer  came  I 
went  out  into  the  yard  and  into  the  barns,  to  look  for  the  men,  but  I 
could  not  find  them. 

8926.  Q.  Do  you  know  where  Carrigan  is! 
A.  No,  sir. 

8927.  Q.  Is  he  living  there  now  ? 

A.  Y^es,  sir.     He  was  there  this  morning.     I  think  he  was. 

8928.  Q.  How  about  Corcoran ! 

A.  Corcoran,  I  suppose,  was  there  this  morning,  but  still  he  was  not 
there  at  breakfast  when  the  farm  hands  came  in. 

8929.  Q.  How  was  it  about  Gill? 

A.  He  left  in  the  fall,  when  the  work  closed  up. 

8930.  Q.  Was  there  an  attempt  to  find  these  men  to  subpoena  them 
this  morning? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  but  most  of  them  had  gone. 

8931 .  Q.  Did  you  learn,  either  from  these  persons  or  otherwise,  whether 
they  received  papers  that  were  delivered  to  them  without  their  going  to 
get  them  themselves  ? 

A.  No,  sir.     I  have  heard  them  talk  about  such  things. 

8932.  Q.  Will  you  state  whether  or  not  it  was  understood  that  natur- 
alization papers  could  be  procured  by  sending  for  them  at  any  place? 

A.  I  had  heard  so. 

8933.  Q.  Where  did  you  hear  they  could  be  obtained  I 

A.  I  supposed  from  what  I  heard  that  they  could  be  obtained  almost 
anywhere  where  they  were  authorized  to  furnish  them. 

8934.  Q.  Did  a  gentleman  come  to  see  you  from  Goshen  last  night? 
A.  Yes,  sir ;  a  Mr.  Deming,  I  think  it  was.    He  came  to  tell  me  that 

our  town  committee  was  going  to  meet  at  this  place  last  night,  and  1 
came  here  to  meet  them.  1  was  on  that  committee.  It  is  a  democratic 
town  committee.  He  did  not  tell  me  for  what  purpose  they  were  going 
to  meet.  I  asked  him,  but  he  said  he  didn't  know.  I  came  here,  but  met 
nobody  but  Mr.  Crist.  Nothing  was  said  to  me  about  the  presence  of 
the  committee  from  Congress.  I  spoke  to  him  about  it.  He  said  that 
was  not  the  committee. 

8935.  Q.  Did  you  go  with  any  of  those  persons  to  Goshen  to  obtain 
their  papers  ? 

A.  Now,  I  could  not  tell,  they  ride  with  me  so  often  when  I  go.  They 
might  have  rode  down  with  me,  but  I  did  not  go  clown  with  them  to  the 
place. 

8936.  Q.  bo  you  know  whether  any  persons  in  this  town  had  fraudu- 
lent naturalization  papers  at  the  last  election? 


796  KLBCTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

A.  No,  sir. 

8937.  Q.  Was  there  any  business  done  at  the  meeting'  of  the  com- 
mittee last  night  ! 

A.  No,  sir,  not  that  I  know  at*.     It  was  not  called  to  order. 

8938.  Q.  Were  you  not  informed  at  all  that  the  committee  would 
examine  witnesses  in  this  town  to-day  ! 

A.  No,  sir,  not  until  this  morning. 

<S9.'i9.  Q.  Did  you  know  how  long  James  Bgan  had  been  in  this  country? 

A.  No,  sir.  but  I  think  he  has  been  with  us  for  four  years  this  spring. 

8940.  Q.  How  long  have  you  known  Carrigan  I 

A.  lie  has  been  with  us  two  years.  I  think.  Corcoran  has  been  with 
us  two  years.  (Jill,  I  think,  has  worked  there  every  summer  for  four 
summers.  He  comes  in  the  spring  and  works  until  fall,  and  goes  to  New 
York  and  stays  the  winter. 

Cross  examined  by  Mr.  Ross: 

S941.  Q.  You  may  state  what  you  know  about  any  frauds  being  per- 
petrated upon  the  elective  franchise  at  the  presidential  election  last  fall, 
or  any  attempts  to  do  so. 

A.  Let  me  understand  you.  An  attempt  is  a  fraud.  1  do  not  know 
as  I  am  aware  of  but  one  instance  of  the  kind.  Mr.  Dennison,  our  late 
sheriff,  and  Mr.  Crist,  came  to  my  house  one  night  and  offered  me  great 
inducements.  He  says,  in  the  presence  of  Mr.  Crist  and  myself,  that  if 
you  would  do  so  and  so  we  could  make  $1,000  apiece.  They  would  give 
us  $15  apiece  for  the  first  30,  and  $25  apiece  tor  all  over  that  number. 
Mr.  Dennison  said  he  would  send  the  tickets  down  to  us — Mr.  Crist  and 
myself. 

8942.  Q.  Who  is  Mr.  Crist  \ 

A.  Virgil  Crist,  keeper  of  a  hotel. 

8943.  Q.   What  is  his  politics? 
A.  Democrat. 

8944.  Q.  Is  Mr.  Dennison  a  republican  \ 

A.  He  wanted  to  get  our  votes  for  Mr.  Madin,  who  was  running  as  a 
republican  candidate  for  the  assembly. 

8945.  Q.  He  tried  to  buy  who  I 

A.  He  came  to  see  Mr.  Crist  first,  and  Mr.  Crist  came  to  my  house 
with  him.  He  came  into  our  sitting-room,  and  said  to  me,  "  Mr.  Crist 
will  do  so  and  so  if  you  will."  Said  I,  "I  have  always  been  a  democrat, 
but  I  like  money."  I  do  not  know  what  may  tempt  me.  The  devil  sends 
the  tempter  to  almost  everybody.  He  went  on  to  say  you  can  make 
$1,000  a  year. 

8946.  Q.  Is  there  anything  further  that  you  know  of  about  money  being 
paid,  or  offered,  to  control  election  ? 

A.  Dennison  called  on  me  twice  afterwards  on  the  same  subject. 

By  Mr.  Blair  : 

8947.  Q.  What  did  Mr.  Dennison  wish  you  to  do  in  return  for  the 
amount  of  money  you  say  he  was  going  to  pay  you  % 

A.  To  control  these  votes  that  we  could  control. 

8948.  Q.  To  control  them  in  whose  favor  ? 
A.  For  Mr.  Madin. 

8949.  Q.  What  was  Mr.  Madin  running  for  ! 
A.  For  member  of  the  assembly. 

8950.  Q.  The  consideration  of  this  was  votes  to  be  controlled  for  Mr. 
Madin,  and  not  for  the  ticket? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 


ELKCTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  797 

8951.  Q.  Were  you  able  to  control  these  votes  of  which  you  have 
spoken  I 

A.  I  do  not  know.  I  think  I  could  control  a  great  many  of  them. 
The  impression  had  got  abroad  among  the  Catholics  that  his  opponent 
had  been  a  Know-nothing;  and  if  I  had  just  said  the  word  that  he  had 
been  a  Know-nothing  I  could  have  taken  these  votes  from  him.  We  had 
at  that  time  from  28  to  30  men. 

Hamptonburg,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  3,  1869. 

Richard  Levl  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Blair: 

8951*7.  I  reside  at  Stony  Ford,  ami  have  for  three  years.  I  came  to 
the  United  States  in  April,  1852.  1  had  naturalization  papers,  and  voted 
at  the  last  election.  I  got  them  in  the  city  of  New  York  about  the  15th 
of  October.  I  obtained  them  in  the  superior  court.  I  did  not  go  to  New 
York  for  the  purpose  of  getting  my  papers,  but  went  to  see  the  doctor 
there.  I  have  my  paper  here.  (Paper  produced,  and  found  to  be  dated 
October  15,  1868.)  I  have  also  my  army  discharge  here.  1  was  dis- 
charged in  185G.  The  court  was  in  session  at  the  time  I  got  my  papers. 
I  did  not  have  any  witness;  nor  did  I  sign  any  papers.  I  am  employed 
as  hostler  at  Mr.  Backman's.  Mr.  Ellis  is  the  foreman.  1  do  not  know 
of  any  person  except  Hugh  Hart  who  obtained  his  papers  in  the  same 
way  I  did. 

Hamptonburg,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  3,  1869. 
Thomas  Moore  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Blair: 
89516.  I  reside  at  Washingtonville.  I  came  to  the  United  States  in 
1861.  I  voted  the  democratic  ticket  at  the  last  election.  I  got  my  nat- 
uralization papers  on  the  19th  or  20th  of  October.  I  got  them  in  Goshen. 
(Witness  produces  his  certificate,  signed  "C.  G.  Elliott,  special  clerk.") 
1  voted  upon  this  paper.     George  Price  was  my  witness. 

Hamptonburg,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  3,  1869. 

Kobebt  Unsay arth  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Blair: 

8951c.  1  reside  in  Hampton  burg.  1  came  here  from  England,  in  1855. 
1  was  naturalized  at  the  last  court  in  Goshen,  just  before  election,  about 
two  weeks.  My  discharge  paper  was  my  witness.  I  had  no  other  wit- 
ness, though  if  necessary  I  could  have  got  any  quantity.  I  was  sworn 
at  the  time  I  got  my  papers;  and  also  signed  a  declaration.  I  know 
Jeremiah  Foley.  He  is  in  Ireland.  1  first  knew  of  his  being  here  last 
spring.  I  think  he  voted  in  this  town,  but  I  am  not  sure.  I  voted  the 
democratic  ticket,  i  do  not  know  what  ticket  he  voted.  Foley  is  a 
brother-in-law  of  mine.  I  do  not  know  of  my  own  knowledge  whether 
he  had  any  naturalization  papers,  or  not.  I  think  he  returned  to  Ireland 
about  three  weeks  before  Christinas. 

(Witness  produces  his  naturalization  paper,  dated  19th  day  of  Octo- 
ber, 1868,  and  signed  L.  Cuddenbach,  clerk.) 


798  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

Hamptonburg,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  3,  1S(J9. 
James  H.  Jackson  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Blair: 

8951d.  I  am  not  an  officer.  I  this  morning  made  an  attempt  to  sub- 
poena some  persons  at  the  house  where  Mr.  Ellis  resides.  The  names  of 
those  persons  are:  Michael Mulchey,  William  Judson,  Patrick  Corcoran, 
Matthew  Carrigan,  Matthew  Gill,  James  Egan,  Fred.  Ellis,  liichard 
Levi.  I  subpoenaed  three  of  them,  William  Judson,  Richard  Levi  and 
Fred.  Ellis.  I  did  not  subpcena  others,  because  I  could  not  find  them. 
They  said  they  were  not  there.  They  worked  there,  but  they  did  not 
happen  to  be  there  just  at  the  time.  I  looked  about  the  place  for  them, 
but  could  not  And  them. 

Virgil  Crist  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Ross: 
8951&  I  reside  at  Hamptonburg,  and  have  lor  some  11  or  12  years. 

8952.  Question.  1  will  get  you  to  state  if  you  know  of  any  attempt  to 
control  the  presidential  election  last  fall  by  the  purchase  of  or  otter  to 
purchase  votes  I 

Answer.  Mr. Dennison,  of  Goshen,  came  down  here  three  times;  lie  want- 
ed to  know  if  Mr.  Ellis  and  I  could  not  secure  some  votes  for  Mr.  Madin;  I  j 
think  in  the  first  place  he  wanted  to  know  of  me  if  he  could  not  buy 
them  for  live  dollars  apiece  ;  we  would  have  nothing  to  do  with  it.  Then, 
I  believe,  he  ottered  $10  apiece.  1  went  down  with  Mr.  Crist  to  Mr. 
Ellis's,  and  had  a  talk  there  one  night.  He  said  that  if  we  would  get 
30  votes  he  would  give  us  $15  apiece,  and  for  all  over  30,  $25  apiece. 
He  says,  "  You  can  make  $1,000  apiece  if  you  have  a  mind  to  take  hold 
of  it."  We  did  not  agree  to  it  that  night,  and  we  came  down  again  ;  he 
asked  me  what  I  could  do;  1  told  him  I  could  not  do  it;  he  went  down 
to  Mr.  Ellis's  to  see  him  alone;  he  stopped  and  came  back  again  to  see 
me;  he  asked  me  if  I  could  do  it;  I  told  him  no,  I  would  not  do  it  for 
the  best  farm  in  Hamptonburg;  that  is  about  all  that  was  said. 

8953.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  other  effort  to  control  the  elective  fran- 
chise by  means  of  barter  and  trade-money,  and  anything  else? 

A.  I  do  not  in  this  town. 

8954.  Q.  Do  you  knowT  of  any  illegal  votes  being  polled? 

8955.  Q.  Did  he  want  you  to  vote  for  the  whole  republican  ticket,  or 
only  for  Mr.  Madin? 

A.  He  sent  down  some  tickets  to  us  the  next  day ;  1  have  not  yet 
opened  the  package;  this  is  one  of  them  ;  there  were  four  altogether. 

ASSEMBLY.  ASSEMBLY.  ASSEMBLY. 

For  Member  of  Assembly,  Fur  Member  of  Assembly,  For  Member  of  Assembly, 

Edward  M.  Madden.  Edward  M.  Madden.  Edward  M.  Madden 

By  Mr.  Blair  : 

8955.  Q.  Do  you  keep  a  hotel,  Mr.  Crist! 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

8956.  Q.  You  were  acting  during  the  last  campaign  with  the  demo- 
cratic party  f 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

8957.  Q.  Were  there  any  arrangements  made  here,  to  your  knowledge, 
by  that  party  for  procuring  naturalization  papers  for  foreigners! 

A.  I  did  not  hear  of  any. 


election  frauds  in  new  york.  799 

Hamptonburg,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  3,  1869. 
James  H.  Lynn  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Boss : 

8958.  I  reside  in  Hamptonburg.  1  had,  before  the  last  election,  voted 
the  democratic  ticket,  but  I  then  voted  for  General  Grant  and  the  whole 
republican  party.  I  know  of  no  one  receiving  money  last  fall  in  connec- 
tion with  that  election ;  I  did  not  receive  any.  I  know  William  Church, 
but  he  did  not  give  me  any  money.  I  was  at  the  house  immediately 
before  election ;  I  lived  with  him.  I  saw  neither  General  Van  Wyck 
nor  Henry  Segar  a  few  days  before  the  election.  I  was  elected  consta- 
ble last  spring  as  a  democrat;  I  was  not  promised  any  money. 

Newburgh,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  4,  1869. 

Joseph  S.  Ashurst  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Blair  : 

8958J.  I  reside  in  Newburgh,  and  had  connection  last  fall  previous  to  the 
election  with  the  naturalization  of  foreign  citizens  here,  as  clerk  in  filling 
out  the  papers.  I  acted  at  the  request  of  the  county  clerk,  Mr.  Cudder- 
back.  I  was  not  regular  deputy  clerk,  but  was  merely  clerk  for  filling 
out  the  applications.  I  signed  no  certificates.  1  acted  as  clerk  in  this 
way,  I  guess,  for  all  the  balance  of  the  term,  with  the  exception  of  the 
first  day.  Not  regularly,  of  course,  but  off  and  on.  The  court  was  sit- 
ting for  this  purpose  until,  I  think,  the  Friday  before  the  election.  It 
commenced  on  Monday,  and  I  think  ended  on  Friday.  There  was  a  large 
number  of  persons  naturalized.  The  mode  of  proceeding  was  this: 
First,  as  a  man  came  up  to  the  railing,  we  would  ask  him  his  name;  he 
would  tell  us  his  name.  We  would  then  ask  him  how  long  he  had  been 
in  the  country;  or,  if  he  came  under  the  age  of  18,  whether  he  had  his  first 
papers,  and  all  such  questions.  We  had  a  blank  for  the  different  heads. 
If  he  had  his  first  papers  for  two  years — I  think  it  was  two  years — we 
had  another  form,  and  as  soon  as  we  got  them  under  the  right  head  we 
would  fill  out  the  right  form,  and  I  would  then  hand  it  to  a  deputy.  The 
deputy  would  swear  the  man,  and  after  that  I  did  not  do  anything  fur- 
ther. The  clerk  signed  the  certificate.  I  merely  acted  in  the  capacity 
of  clerk  for  filling  up  the  papers. 

8959.  Question.  Do  you  recollect  anything  about  a  particular  case  of  a 
person  who  came  with  Mr.  Milspaugh  as  a  witness,  and  afterwards  went 
away,  bringing  another  witness  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir. 

8960.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  Judge  George  was  a  witness  upon  any 
such  paper  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

8961.  Q.  You  say  that  after  these  papers  were  filled  up  by  you,  they 
were  handed  to  a  deputy  to  swear  them.  Do  you  recollect  how  the  oath 
was  administered J? 

A.  I  do  not.  It  was  given  from  a  book.  Afterwards  they  got  it  by 
heart,  and  did  not  use  the  book. 

8962.  Q.  Were  those  all  made  in  the  form  of  an  affidavit  l 

A.  There  was  a  printed  blank.     The  man  was  sworn  that  he  was  a 

citizen  of  the  United  States. 
896;*.  ( L).  Who  were  the  deputies  who  did  the  swearing  of  these  persons  % 
A.  There  was  W.  J.  Dixon,  W.  T.  Shaw,  Henry  Milspaugh,  and  S.  C. 

Dimick. 


800  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

8964.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  or  not  they  were  special  deputies  for 
this  purpose  I 

A.  Yes,  sir.  I  do  not  know  as  to  all  of  them.  I  saw,  I  think,  two  of 
them  who  got  their  written  authority  from  the  clerk.  I  saw  them  write 
it  out,  and  the  clerk  sign  it. 

8965.  Q.  Do  you  recollect  which  two  those  were? 

A.  I  do  not.  T  think  one  was  Milspaugh.  The  other  one  I  do  not 
remember. 

896().  Q,   Was  this  business  done  in  the  court-room  ? 

A.  In  the  evenings  it  was  done  in  the  court-room,  and  in  the  day-time, 
as  it  could  not,  of  course,  he  done  in  the  court-room  while  the  court  was 
in  session,  it  was  done  in  the  petit-jury  room — the  first  room  right  of  the 
court. 

8967.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  they  did  business  of  this  sort  in  more 
than  one  room  I 

A.  Yes,  sir.  Sometimes  the  clerk  went  out  and  got  some  papers  in 
the  other  room,  but  there  were  no  deputies  except  in  one  room.  The 
deputies  were  in  the  jury-room  while  the  court  was  in  session.  In  the 
evenings,  when  the  court  was  not  in  session,  they  occupied  the  court-room 
sometimes.  In  the  evening,  when  the  court  was  not  in  session,  the  county 
clerk  was  always  with  them,  and  always  signed  the  papers,  except  Mr. 
Dickson.     I  believe  he  used  to  sign  them  when  the  clerk  was  not  there. 

Newbitrgh,  Orange  County',  New  York, 

February  4,  1869. 
CHARLES  JANICKY  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Blair: 

89(>7£.   I  reside  in  New  Yoik.      I   voted  at  the  election   in  November -| 
last  in  this  city.     I  have  been   in  the  country  about  IS  or  19  years.     I 
obtained  my  naturalization  papers  previous  to  the  election  at  the  court- 
house.    I  could  not  tell   before   what  court.     Air.    Dimick   was  there. 
(Witness  here  produced  his  paper,  which  was  dated  September  29, 1868, ! 
and  signed  u  S.  E.  Dimick,  special  deputy  clerk,"  with  the  seal  of  the , 
court.) 

8968.  Q.  In  what  room  of  the  court-house  did  you  receive  your  nat- 
uralization papers? 

A.  It  was  upstairs,  turning  either  to  the  right  or  to  the  left,  I  dorftl 
remember  which. 

8969.  Q.  Do  you  know  the  courtroom  I 

A.  Yes,  sir;  it  was  a  large  room.  It  was  not  in  that.  It  was  in  a 
smaller  room,  turning  to  the  right  or  left,  as  you  go  upstairs. 

8970.  Q.  Did  you  sign  any  paper  there  ? 
A.  I  signed  my  name,  I  think,  on  paper. 

8971.  Q.  Were  you  sworn  ? 

A.  They  did  not  have  time  to  allow  me  to  sign.  They  made  me  put 
my  linger  on  the  pen. 

8972.  Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  that  ?  You  write  your  name  yourself,) 
do  you  I 

A.  Of  course  I  can. 

8973.  Q.  But  you  say  you  did  not  sign  your  name? 
A.  No,  sir. 

8974.  Q.  What  then  was  done?     Did  somebody  else  sign  it  for  you? 
A.  Young  Ashhurst  made  a  cross-mark  in  order  to  save  time,  and  had 

me  put  my  linger  on  the  pen  while  he  signed  that  mark. 

8975.  Q.  Did  you  have  a  witness  1 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  801 

A.  Yes,  sir;  a  man  named  Carter. 

8976.  Q.  Was  he  sworn  also  \ 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

81  > 7 7 .  Q.  Was  the  judge  of  the  court  present  when  these  proceedings 
were  had  ■ 

A.  I  do  not  know  him.     I  could  not  tell. 

81)78.  Q.  I  understand  you  to  say  you  do  not  know  who  swore  you? 

A.  I  do  not  recollect. 

897!).  Q.  Was  there  any  other  business  being  done  in  the  room  except 
this  sort  of  witnesses  ? 

A.  I  could  not  tell  you  that.  A  lot  of  other  men  took  out  their  papers 
at  the  same  time. 

8980.  Q.  Did  you  see  any  other  business  being  done  there  except  this 
of  making  out  naturalization  papers  ! 

A.  No,  sir. 

8981.  Q.  At  what  time  of  day  did  you  come  there  I 
A.  It  was  in  the  forenoon. 

8982.  Q.  Had  yon  ever  had  any  first  papers,  as  it  is  called,  before  this  ? 
A.  My  father  took  his  papers  out  before  I  came  of  age.     They  told  me, 

in  order  to  save  time,  I  ought  to  prove  that  fact;  that  I  should  take  my 
papers  out,  and  pay  him  81  for  doing  it. 

Xewbuegh,  Orange  County.  Xew  York, 

February  4,  18G9. 
Patrick  O'Brien  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Blair  : 
8982^.  I  reside  at  Xewbnrgh.      I  came  originally  from  Ireland,  and 
have  been  in  the  country  about  18  years.     I  voted  at  the  election  last 
fall.     I  procured  inv  naturalization  papers  in  18(34,  in  the  City  Hall,  New 
York. 

898:3.  Q.  Were  you  present  at  any  time  during  the  naturalizations  iu 
•as  city  last  fall? 
A.  Just  a  little. 

8984.  Q.  What  ticket  did  you  vote  ! 
A.  The  democratic  ticket. 

8985.  Q.  Did  you  act  as  a  witness  for  any  persons  during  that  111116? 
A.  About  one  or  two ;  those  that  I  knew.     They  came  from  New  York 

up  here. 

8986.  Q.  Do  you  know  Pat.  Xeary  ! 
A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  have  known  him  for  about  six  years.     He  resides  in 

Xewburgh  now. 

8987.  Q.  Do  you  know  Edward  O'Donohue  ? 
A.  Xot  as  I  know  of. 

8988.  Q.  Do  you  know  Charles  Peck  ? 
A.  No,  sir.    You  know  there  are  a  great  many  Patrick  O'Briens  in 

town. 

8989.  Q.  I  will  read  a  list  of  names  I  have  here,  and  you  may  state 
then  if  you  know  any  of  them:    Charles  Peck,  Dan  Evan,  Cornelius 
McLeod,  William  McMullen,  James  Canon,  John  Hick,  Robert  Fitzger- 
ald, John  Fogerty,  Bernard  Dunleary,  Pat.  Duncan. 
"  A.  I  know  him. 

8990.  Q.  Joseph  Coleman,  James  Kavanaugh,  James  Burke,  Thomas 
Rainey,  Frank  Lowrie.  James  O'Rourke,  James  Maher,  James  McCaffrey. 

A.  I  know  the  last  two.     I  do  not  know  whether  they  are  citizens  or  not. 

8991.  Q.  James  McCaffrey,  John  Coleman,  John  Clark,  Bernard  Carroll, 
John  Walsh,  Michael  Sullivan,  Martin  Ryan,  Richard  Peale. 

51  T 


02  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

A.  I  know  him. 

8992.  Q.  John  Monehan,  Peter  Monehan,  Matthew  Moore. 
A.  I  know  the  last  two. 

8993.  Q.  Michael  Hines,  Michael  Carey,  James  Cosgrove,  John  Hayes. 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

8994.  Q.  Michael  Kichards,  Thomas  Priest 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

8995.  Q.  Thomas  Stapleton,  Hugh  Montague,  Abraham  Garvell,  John 
Dougherty. 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

8990.  Q.  John  Sweeney,  Thomas  Ryan. 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

8997.  Q.  Thomas  Furney,  Henry  O'Neal,  Patrick  Flynn,  John  Condon. 
A.  I  know  only  those  that  I  have  named. 

8998.  Q.  Were  you  a  witness  in  the  naturalization  of  any  of  those  per- 
sons that  I  have  named  ! 

■    A.  Not  to  my  knowledge. 

8999.  Q.  You  do  recollect  being  at  that  court  and  having  been  a  wit 
ness  for  two  persons'? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

9000.  Q.  Can  you  name  the  two  you  were  witness  for? 
A.  James  Ryan  and  Patrick  Neary. 

9001.  Q.  How  many  Pat.  O'Briens  do  you  know? 
A.  Five. 

9002.  Q.  Relatives  of  yours,  are  they? 
A.  No,  sir.     Three  live  in  one  street  where  I  live.     Then  there  are  tw 

or  three  more  up  in  the  north  end  of  the  town. 

9003.  Q.  Where  was  the  business  done  in  the  two  cases  in  which  you 
were  a  witness  ? 

A.  In  the  court-room. 

9004.  Q.  At  what  time  of  day  ? 

A.  One  was  about  9  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  the  other  in  the  after  , 
noon. 

9005.  Q.  Was  the  court  in  session  at  the  time  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

Newburgh,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  4,  1869. 

Charles  Eepp  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Blair  : 

9005 J.  I  reside  in  Newburgh.  I  came  from  Germany.  I  did  not  vot< 
at  the  last  election.  I  received  my  naturalization  papers  prior  to  the 
last  election .  I  haven't  them  with  me ;  I  could  not  find  them.  I  obtain e(  j 
them  in  the  county  court  this  last  September.  I  have  been  in  the  Unitec 
States  six  years.  No  one  went  with  me  as  a  witness.  Mr.  Dixon  gav< 
me  my  papers.  He  was  one  of  the  clerks.  I  guess  I  signed  some  papers 
but  I  do  not  know.  I  was  not  sworn  in  court.  The  room  in  which  i 
received  my  papers  was  a  very  small  one.     I  was  not  in  the  large  room 

9006.  Q.  Had  you  ever  had  any  papers  that  were  called  the  firs 
papers  % 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  got  them  about  three  years  ago. 

9007.  Q.  Where  did  you  get  them? 

A.  At  the  court-house,  in  a  large  room. 

9008.  Q.  Do  you  know  the  judge  of  the  court  % 
A.  I  do  not  know  who  was  the  judge  there. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  803 

9000.  Q.  Did  you  see  the  judge  there  at  all  that  day  ? 
A.  I  did  not  know  the  judge. 

9010.  Q.  You  say  no  one  was  with  you  as  a  witness  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

9011.  Q.  What  did  you  do  with  your  first  papers  ? 
A.  I  did  not  have  them  with  me. 

By  Judge  George  : 

9012.  Q.  Did  not  Mr.  Dixon  have  you  put  your  hands  on  the  book,  or 
raise  your  hand  to  tell  the  truth  ? 

A.  Xo,  sir. 

9013.  Q.  Didn't  somebody  go  with  you  to  see  that  they  knew  you  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

9014.  Q.  Who  took  you  up  there  ? 
A.  I  went  up  alone. 


Newburgh,  Orange  County,  New  York. 

February  4,  1869. 
Samuel  Kirk  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Blair: 
9014 J.  I  reside  at  Newburgh.  I  voted  at  the  election  last  fall.  I  have 
been  in  this  country  some  18  or  19  years.  I  procured  my  papers  at  the 
court  in  this  place  some  time  in  last  September  or  October.  I  think  I 
got  them  from  Mr.  Dixon.  (Witness  produces  his  naturalization  paper, 
dated  October  1,  1868,  and  signed  Wm.  J.  Dixon,  special  deputy  clerk, 
with  the  seal  of  the  court  upon  it.) 

9015.  Q.  In  what  room  were  you  when  that  paper  was  granted? 

A.  I  went  up  on  a  long  upper  hall.     Mr.  Dixon  sat  just  on  the  left  side. 

9016.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  you  were  in  the  court  at  the  time? 
A.  O,  yes,  sir,  I  was  in  court,  because  I  know  there  were  folks  waiting 

to  get  their  papers.     They  told  me  that  was  the  time  to  get  them.     There 
i  were  folks  waiting  to  be  tried. 

9017.  Q.  Were  you  sworn  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir,  by  Dixon.     My  brother  was  my  witness.     He  lives  in  the 
city.    I  voted  the  democratic  ticket. 

Newburgh,  Orange  County^,  New  York. 

February  4,  1869. 

Edmund  Cartler  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Blair  : 

9017 J.  I  was  born  in  England,  but  have  been  in  the  country  about 
fifteen  years.  I  voted  at  the  last  election  a  split  ticket.  I  was  naturalized 
n  September.  (Witness  produced  his  paper,  dated  September  28,  1868, 
md  signed  Wm.  J.  Dixon,  special  deputy  clerk.)  This  certificate  was 
granted  me  in  the  court-room.  I  think  it  was  about  two  or  three  o'clock. 
The  court  was  in  session  at  the  time.  There  were  so  many  in  the  court- 
room that  I  could  not  tell  whether  or  not  any  part  of  the  business  was 
lone  in  another  room.  The  papers  were  made  out,  but  not  signed  there. 
Hiey  were  signed  in  the  court-room.  I  cannot  think  of  the  name  of  my 
vitness.  He  was  a  young  fellow  whom  I  have  known  for  some  12  or  13 
^ars.  I  think  it  was  O'Brien.  I  do  not  remember  O'Brien's  first  name. 
Ie  used  to  be  turnkey  up  at  the  jail. 


804  LLECTION    FRAUDS    IX    NEW    YORK. 

Netvburgii,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  4,  18G9. 
Nicholas  Wilson  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Judge  (iHokcje: 
9017f.  I  was  one  of  the  inspectors  of  election  for  the  first  ward,  at  the 
November  election.    I  sat  as  one  of  the  board  of  registry  during  the 
last  two  days. 

9018.  Q.  When  yon   were  there  as  register  did   Matthew  Pritchard 
come  to  get  registered  I 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

9019.  Q.  Had  he  naturalization  papers? 

A.   Yes,  sir,  from  the  court  at  Poughkeepsie,  19th  October,  1868. 

9020.  Q.  Did  yon  or  the  board  question  him  as  to  his  right  to  vote! 
A.    Yes,  sir,  Mr.  Speer  questioned  him  very  closely. 

9021.  Q.  What  did  he  say  as  to  the  date  of  his  being  entitled  to  vote? 
A.   He  said  that  his  papers  were  due  on  the  21st  of  October  from  the 

time  he  got  his  first  papers  np  to  the  time  when   he  got  his  second  ones. 

9022.  Q.    You  mean  that  the  two  years  would  not  be  up  after  his  get- 
ting his  first  papers  until  the  21st  of  September! 

A.    Yes.  sir. 

9023.  Q.   Did  you  ask  him  whether  he  was  present  in  court  when  lie 
got  his  papers? 

A.  Yes,  sir.     He  equivocated,  and  would  not  give  me  any  answer. 

9024.  Q.  Was  he  registered  .' 

A.  No,  sir.     I  asked  him  if  he  insisted  on  being  registered.     As  soon, 
as  1  asked  him  that  question  he  said  he  would  have  no  more  to  do  with, 
it,  and  took  the  papers  and  put  them  in  his  pocket.     1  asked  him  if  he 
was  willing  to  take  an  oath  that   he  was  present  when  his  papers  were' 
made  out,  and  he  said  he  had  sworn  to  all  he  was  going  to. 

902.").  Q.  Do  you  know  how  long  Pritchard  has  been  here? 

A.   About  three  years. 

9020.  Q.  Then  he  was  not  registered,  and  did  not  vote? 

A.  No,  sir. 

9027.  <c>.  What  are  his  politics  > 

A.  He  was  a  republican.     I  am  well  acquainted  with  Mr.  James  Mun 
ford.     He  is  a  democrat. 

9028.  Q.  Did  he  take  some  interest  in  getting  the  board  to  pass  sonx 
men  on  the  morning  of  election,  to  vote,  who  were  not  entitled  to  vote 

A.  That  was  the  intimation. 

9029.  Q.  Of  what  politics  were  those  men  ? 
A.  Republicans. 

9030.  Q.  Hid  any  other  men  come  to  vote,  or  to  be  registered,  wh< 
had  received  their  papers  in  Poughkeepsie  ? 

A.  Oh,  yes,  sir  ;  quite  a  number. 

9031.  Q.  Can  you  remember  the  names  of  any  ? 

A.  I  cannot  remember  all  of  them,  although  I  know  most  of  them. 

9032.  Q.  Do  you  know  George  Ferguson  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir.   I  think  he  voted,  but  1  cannot  say  positively. 

9033.  Q.  Do  you  know  Arthur  Collins,  James  McClary,  John  Duff> 
John  Smith  ? 

A.  I  remember  John  Smith  very  well.     His  papers  were  Poughkeepsi 
papers. 

9034.  Q.  Do  you  know  how  long  he  has  been  in  this  country  ? 

A.  I  think  between  three  and  four  years.    He  was  once  at  a  saw-mil 
I  could  not  say  whether  he  voted  or  not. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  805 

9035.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  he  went  to  Poughkeepsie  to  get  his 
papers  ? 

A.  He  had  Poughkeepsie  papers  and  we  registered  him. 

9036.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  he  went  there  ? 
A.  I  coidd  not  tell. 

9037.  Q.  Do  you  know  John  Hall? 

A.  I  remember  about  his  vote.  His  papers  were  from  Poughkeepsie. 
I  have  known  him  for  10  or  12  years. 

9038.  Q.  Do  you  know  John  Lone? 
A.  No,  sir. 

9039.  Q.  John  Guthrie? 
A.  No,  sir. 

9040.  Q.  Samuel  Cummings  ? 

A.  He  had  been  in  the  country  about  three  years. 

9041.  Q.  Did  he  vote  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  he  was  registered. 

9042.  Q.  On  what  papers  ? 

A.  Poughkeepsie  papers,  dated,  I  think,  19th  of  October,  1868.  He 
is  a  republican. 

9043.  Q.  Do  you  know  Edward  McConrow ! 
A.  No,  sir. 

9044.  Q.  George  Wilson? 
A.  No,  sir. 

9045.  Q.  Thomas  Pay? 

A.  Yes,  sir.  I  have  known  him  for  about  six  years.  He  never  had 
his  first  papers  to  my  knowledge.  He  came  to  be  registered,  but  backed 
out. 

9046.  Q.  Why? 

A.  I  do  not  know  any  reason,  other  than  that  he  thought  he  was  not 
entitled  to  vote,  I  suppose. 

9047.  Q.  Do  you  know  George  Dueon  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

9048.  Q.  How  long  has  he  been  here  ? 
A.  I  think  about  three  or  four  years. 

9049.  Q.  Did  he  vote,  or  offer  to  vote? 
A.  No,  sir. 

9040.  Q.  Was  he  registered  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

9051.  Q.  On  what  papers? 

A.  Poughkeepsie,  dated  last  fall.    He  is  a  republican. 

9052.  Q.  Do  you  know  Isaac  Brown  ? 
A.  I  do  not  know  him. 

9053.  Q.  Do  you  know  William  Jackson  ? 
A.  I  do  not. 

9054.  Q.  Eobert  E.  Bowker? 

A.  I  know  him,  and  have  for  the  last  three  years. 

9055.  Q.  Did  you  know  him  as  soon  as  he  came  into  the  country? 

A.  I  could  not  say  as  to  that.  I  do  not  know  whether  he  had  a  right 
to  vote  or  not. 

9056.  Q.  Do  you  know  Samuel  McCall  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

9057.  Q.  Do  you  know  William  Jackson,  and  Richard  Parrott,  senior? 
A.  Yes,  sir.     The  last  one  I  have  known  in  this  place  for  over  two  or 

three  years.  He  was  registered  on  Poughkeepsie  papers,  and  I  presume 
voted  on  the  same.  I  do  not  know  whether  he  was  at  Poughkeepsie  or 
not. 


806  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

0058.  Q.  Do  you  know  John  Cumberlarge  ? 
-    A.  No,  sir. 

1)059.  Q.  Horace  J.  Keenan  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

0000.  Q.  Henry  Boreman? 

A.  No,  sir. 

0061.  Q.  Charles  Redwick! 

A.  Yes,  sir.    I  could  not  say  how  lon<^  he  has  been  in  this  country. 
He  came  from  Canada.     He  was  registered  on  Poughkeepsie  papers. 

By  Mr.  Blair  : 

0002.  Q.  You  were  a  member  of  the  election  board? 
A.   Yes,  sir. 

9063.  Q.   Wliat  are  your  politics? 
A.  Democratic. 

9064.  Q.  Were  the  board  all  of  the  same  politics  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

0005.  Q.  How  did  it  stand  in  that  respect! 

A.  Two  democrats,  and  one  republican. 

(The  papers  presented  by  Mr.  Redwick  were  dated  October  19, 1868.) 

Newburgii,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  4r  18G9. 
Michael  Farrar  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Blair: 

9065.J.  i  have  lived  in  this  country  over  20  years.   I  was  present  during 
the  naturalizations  in  the  county  courts  in  this  city  last  fall,  one  day;  I 
was  a  witness  for,  I  suppose,  about  six  or  seven  of  those  who  were  getting 
naturalized.     Their  names  were  Thomas  Hogan,  Ned  Monahan,  Thomas, 
Monahan  and  James  Grav ;  I  forget  if  there  were  any  others. 

9066.  Q.  Do  you  know  Pat.  O'Neal  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  have  known  him  for  about  five  years  and  a  half. 

9067.  Q.  Do  you  know  Edward  Partellof 
A.  Yes,  sir;  1  was  a  witness  for  him. 

9068.  Q.  Joseph  Ryan! 

A.  I  have  known  him  over  five  years;  I  was  also  a  witness  for  him. 

9069.  Q.  Do  you  know  Michael  Quillan! 
A.  I  do ;  1  was  also  a  witness  for  him. 

9070.  Q.  Do  you  know  Patrick  Queen? 
A.  I  do  not  remember  him. 

9071.  Q.  Do  you  know  John  Sharkee  ? 

A.  I  do;  I  was  a  witness  for  him ;  I  have  known  him  for  more  thai 
18  years. 

9072.  Q.  Do  you  know  Lake  Laigkt? 
A.  I  do ;  I  was  a  witness  for  him. 

9073.  Q.  Do  you  know  Benjamin  Hayden? 
A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  was  a  witness  for  him. 

9074.  Q.  Jeremiah  Grady? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  was  witness  for  him;  have  known  him  for  over  si: 
years. 

9075.  Q.  Do  you  know  Patrick  Flanagan? 

A.  I  was  a  witness  for  him ;  I  have  known  him  over  five  years. 

9076.  Q.  Do  you  know  Matthew  Dillon? 
A.  Yes,  sir;  was  a  witness  for  him. 

9077.  Q.  John  Dooday? 

A.  I  do ;  I  was  his  witness ;  I  have  known  him  for  over  seven  years. 


ELECTION   FRAUDS    IN   NEW   YORK.  807 

9078.  Q.  Do  you  know  Patrick  Butler? 

A.  I  know  one  Patrick  Butler;  I  was  not  a  witness  for  hiin. 

9079.  Q.  Do  you  know  Michael  Barry  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir ;  was  a  witness  for  him. 

9080.  Q.  Did  all  this  occur  on  the  same  day  I 

A.  No,  sir;  one  day  and  a  night;  we  were  a  few  evenings  here;  came 
down  about  seven  or  eight  o'clock,  I  suppose. 

9081.  Q.  Did  you  go  there  to  the  court  for  the  purpose  of  being  a  wit- 
ness for  these  persons? 

A.  I  came  down  that  way  and  happening  to  meet  them  went  with 
them. 

9082.  Q.  That  is  considerably  more  than  six  or  seven? 
A.  I  suppose  it  is. 

9083.  Q.  You  had  been  naturalized  before? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

Newburgh,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  4,  1869. 
Wendelin  Kneer  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Blair  : 
9083J.  I  reside  in  Newburgh.  I  obtained  my  naturalization  papers 
last  fall.  (Witness  produces  paper,  dated  29th  September,  1868,  and 
signed  Henry  C.  Milspaugh,  special  deputy  clerk.)  I  got  that  in  the 
room  next  to  the  court-room ;  I  do  not  know  whether  I  was  in  the  court- 
room while  this  business  was  being  done  on  this  day  or  not,  but  I  was 
there  the  day  before,  but  it  was  so  full  I  could  not  get  it ;  Alexander 
Hactus  was  my  witness. 

Newburgh,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  4,  1869. 

Richard  Peele  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Blair  : 

9083J.  I  reside  in  Newburgh ;  I  have  been  in  this  country  for  over  12 
years;  1  voted  at  the  last  election;  I  got  my  last  papers  out  about  a  month 
before  election ;  I  got  them  from  the  clerk  at  the  court-house  in  this 
place.  I  think  Cudderback  was  the  name  of  the  clerk ;  I  was  in  the 
court-room;  I  was  sworn;  Pat.  O'Brien  was  my  witness;  he  was  not  the 
one  who  was  turnkey.  (Witness  produces  certificate  dated  October  1, 
and  signed  W.  T.  Shaw,  special  deputy  clerk.)  I  voted  the  democratic 
ticket. 

Newburgh,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  4,  1869. 
Joseph  Martin  sworn  and  examined. 
By  Mr.  Blair  : 

9084.  Question.  Did  you  vote  at  the  last  election  ? 
Answer.  No,  sir. 

9085.  Q.  Did  you  procure  naturalization  papers  ? 
A.  No,  sir. 

Newburgh,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  4,  1869. 

Martin  Smith  sworn  and  examined. 
By  Mr.  Blair: 

9086.  Question.  Where  do  you  reside? 
Answer.  At  Newburgh, 


808  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

9087.  Q.  Did  you  vote  at  the  last  election? 
A.  No,  sir. 

9088.  Q.  Did  you  have  naturalization  papers  f 
A.  No,  sir. 

Newburgh,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  4,  1SG9. 
Patrick  O'Brien  sworn  and  examined. 

9088J.  [  reside  at  Newburgh.     [  was  naturalized  in  1860.    I  was  pros-   ' 
ent  in  court  here  a  good  many  times  during  the  latter  part  of  September, 
or  tore  part  of  October,  last  fall.     I  was  called  up  to  be  a  witness  for  a 
man  by  the  name  of  McCarty,  but  I  wasn't  needed. 

Newburgh,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  4,  18G9. 
JOHN  ASHHURST  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Judge  Thomas  George: 
9088}.   I  am  an  attorney-at-law  in  this  place.     I  have  resided  in  this 
county  since  L854.      Have  usually  been  in  attendance  upon  the  courts  of  I 
this  county.     Was  all  through  the  term  of  Judge  (ledney  andhisprede- 
cessor.     He  was  a  republican  in  politics.     It  was  always  customary  then, 
when  there  were  persons  to  be  naturalized  in  numbers,  to  use  one  of  the 
petit  jury  rooms  outside  for  the  purpose,  where  Mr.  Stivers  himself,  if 
lie  could  get  away,  or  one  of  his  deputies  acted.     Mr.  Stivers  is  a  repub-  , 
lican. 

9089.  Q.  Had  the  courts  usually  before  elections  found  it  possible  to 
transact  the  ordinary  business  of  the  courts  while  naturalization  was 
going  on ! 

A.  Not  without  interrupting  the  regular  business  of  the  court. 

9090.  Q.  At  the  term  of  the  court  in  September  and  October  last,  was 
the  business  of  the  court  interrupted  by  the  great  numbers  applying  for 
naturalization? 

A.  It  was  interrupted  until  the  same  remedy  was  resorted  to  as  had 
been  resorted  to  under  Judge  Gedney  and  Mr.  Stivers. 

9001.  Q.  Do  you  recollect  I  rose  a  good  many  times  and  endeavored 
to  keep  silence  when  the  sheriff  reported  to  me  he  could  not  keep  the 
room  sufficiently  still  to  transact  legal  business  1 

A.  I  do,  sir. 

9092.  Q.  And  the  men  were  directed  to  go  to  the  jury-room  for  the 
reason  that  the  business  of  the  court  could  not  be  transacted  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  for  that  reason,  and  for  convenience. 

9093.  Q.  Were  you  by  so  that  vou  could  observe  the  mode  of  proceed- 
ing? 

A.  So  far  as  I  could  attend  to  it  outside  of  niy  business  before  the 
court,  I  was  present. 

9094.  Q.  Did  you  help  swearing  these  % 
A.  I  swore,  I  believe,  to  two  papers,  as  a  witness. 

9095.  Q.  Did  you  advise  some  people  as  to  the  manner  of  going  before 
the  clerk  % 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

9096.  Q.  Did  you  observe  that  there  were  any  greater  facilities  afforded 
men  who  were  supposed  to  be  democrats,  over  those  supposed  to  be 
republicans  % 

A.  No,  sir ;  if  anything,  greater  facilities  were  afforded  the  republi- 
cans, so  that  there  would  not  be  the  least  ground  for  the  charge  of  par- 
tiality. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW   YORK.  809 

9007.  Q.  Was  or  was  not  all  my  time  in  court  taken  up  with  the  regu- 
lar business  of  the  court  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  so  far  as  I  could  observe. 

0008.  Q.  Did  I  at  auy  time  take  any  part  in  tlie  naturalization  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

9000.  Q.  Has  it  ever  to  your  knowledge  been  customary  for  the  judge 
of  this  county  to  take  any  part  in  the  naturalization  of  foreigners  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  he  has  left  it  to  the  clerk  and  his  deputies. 

0100.  Q.  And  the  examination  has  never  been  had  before  the  courts  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Newburgh,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  1,  1860. 
Frank  B.  Dixon  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Judge  Thomas  George  : 
OlOOr/.  I  was  during  the  registration  days  an  inspector  of  elections  in 
the  first  ward.  A  man  by  the  name  of  William  Jackson  came  and  asked 
to  be  registered.  I  asked  him  to  show  me  his  papers.  He  handed  in 
his  first  papers.  I  told  him  they  would  not  do ;  that  I  could  not  register 
him  on  those,  and  gave  them  back  to  him.  He  stood  there  three  or  four 
minutes,  when  Mr.  McCord  touched  him  on  the  shoulder  and  took  him 
out.  Iu  the  course  of  four  or  five  minutes  he  came  back  again  with  the 
second  papers ;  they  were  Poughkeepsie  papers.  I  think  it  was  the  10th 
or  23d  of  October.    Jackson  was  a  republican. 

Newburgh,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  4,  1860. 
Thomas  Casey  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Blair: 

0100b.  I  reside  in  Newburgh.  I  think  it  is  going  on  five  years  since  I 
came  to  this  country.  I  voted  at  the  last  election.  I  got  my  last  papers 
at  the  court-house  here.  I  do  not  know  whether  it  was  in  the  court-room 
or  not  where  I  got  the  papers.  I  lost  them  the  very  night  that  I  was 
sworn.  I  had  a  witness ;  his  name  was  Edward  Hogan.  I  landed  in 
New  York  city  when  I  came  to  this  country. 

Newburgh,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  4,  1860. 
Thomas  Crook  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Judge  Thomas  George  : 
0100c.  I  reside  in  Newburgh.  I  have  been  in  this  country  26  years. 
I  think  it  was  on  the  10th  of  October  that  I  got  my  second  papers  at 
Poughkeepsie.  My  first  papers  I  got  in  Detroit,  Michigan ;  I  did  not 
have  them  at  Poughkeepsie ;  I  had  lost  them.  Eobert  Glassy  was  my 
witness.  Four  or  five  went  up  with  me  on  that  day.  I  could  not  say 
whether  Glassy  was  a  witness  for  them  or  not. 

Newburgh,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  4,  1860. 
John  Meagher  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Blair  : 
OlOOtf.  I  reside  in  Newburgh.     I  have  been  a  resident  of  the  United 
States  about  nine  years.    I  got  my  naturalization  papers  last  fall  before 
the  election.    I  got  niy  papers  in  the  court-house,  in  the  small  room 


810  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

Mr.  Dimiek  swore  me.  I  did  not  sign  any  paper  myself:  Mr.  Ashlmrst 
signed  for  me ;  I  cannot  write.  James  Meagher  was  my  witness.  Iliad 
no  previous  papers.  I  was  about  lib'  years  old  when  I  came  to  this  coun- 
try.    I  voted  the  democratic  ticket. 

Newburgh,  Orange  County.  New  York, 

February  4,  1SG9. 
Patrick  O'Brien  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Blair  : 
9100e.  I  reside  in  Xewburgh.  and  have  for  the  last  18  or  20  years.    I 
cannot  say  whether  I  was  present  at  the  county  court  during  the  time 
when  naturalizations  were  going  on   last   tall  or  not,  tor  I   had  not  my 
right  senses,  and  have  not  now.     1  am  subject  to  tits.     I  had  no  witness. 
To  Judge  George  : 
9100/  I  could  not  say  how  I  got  hurt:  don't  know  that  I  was  hurt  by 
the  falling  of  my  horse  in  a  republican  procession  just  previous  to  the 
election.     Don't  remember  being  in  court  and  being  a  witness  for  some 
persons ;  my  memory  is  not  at  all  good. 

Newburgh,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  4,  18G9. 
John  Coyle  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Blaiu: 
9100/7.  I  reside  in  Newburgh.  I  obtained  my  naturalization  papers 
last  fall  at  the  Newburgh  court-house:  I  got  them.  1  think,  in  the  court- 
room. I  guess  I  was  sworn.  I  think,  as  far  as  I  remember.  I  had  a  wit- 
ness. 1  had  been  in  the  country  about  seven  years.  My  first  papers  I 
got  at  Newburgh.  (Witness  produces  his  certificate  dated  20th  of  Sep- 
tember, and  signed  by  Oudderbach,  clerk.)  I  do  not  remember  who  it 
was  who  swore  me. 

Newburgh,  Orange  County,  New  York. 

February  4,  1809. 
John  Cumberlage  sworn  and  examined. 

By  Judge  Thomas  George  : 
91007*.  I  got  my  last  papers  from  Poughkeepsie  last  October.  A  man 
went  up  there  from  here  as  my  witness ;  1  cannot  now  recall  his  name. 
I  voted  the  republican  ticket  last  fall.  I  got  my  first  papers  about  20 
years  ago ;  I  did  not  have  them  at  Poughkeepsie,  as  all  my  papers  got 
lost  when  I  broke  up  house-keeping. 

Newburgh,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

Februarg  1,  18G9. 
Edward  S.  Briady  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Judge  Thomas  George  : 
9100/.  1  am  pastor  of  Saint  Patrick's  church  at  Newburgh.     I  wrote 
a  letter  to  Thomas  Coughlin,  esq.,  on  the  31st  of  October,  1808,  and  this, 
(after  reading  paper  handed  him,)  I  have  every  reason  to  believe,  is  an 
accurate  copy. 
The  following  is  the  letter : 

Saint  Patrick's  Church, 

Newburgh,  N.  F,  October  31,  186a 
Dear  Sir  :  I  intended  to  wait  on  yon  on  last  Friday  relative  to  doing  all  you  can  for  the 
Hon.  Charles  Van  Wyck,  esq.,  member  of  Congress,  but  unforeseen  circumstances  pre- 
vented me  doing  myself  the  pleasure  of  seeing  once  more  your  family,  that  I  hold  in  such, 
great  esteem. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  811 

Now  I  want  you  to  do  all  you  can  for  Van  Wyck.  He  has  been  a  great  friend  of  mine ; 
he  has  got  Governor  Fenton  to  pardon  a  poor  man  of  my  congregation  who  is  now  in  State 
prison.  He  will  be  released  immediately  after  election.  I  have  the  leiter  in  my  possession. 
He  would  be  released  right  off,  but  it  would  be  used  politically  against  him  now.  He  has 
very  much  interested  himself  when  I  was  in  Washington  last  winter  in  behalf  of  the  Irish 
at  home  and  abroad.  He  is  a  great  friend  to  our  people  here ;  political  dupes  belie  him. 
He  is  really  a  good  man  and  a  true  friend.  George  W.  Green  is  quite  the  reverse.  He  has 
been  a  Kuownothing,  and  is  as  bad  to-day,  in  my  opinion,  if  he  had  the  chance.  He  is  very 
anti-Catholic,  anti-Irish.  Nine  years  ago  he  prevented  the  gettiug  the  school  appropriation 
for  Port  Jones'  school.  He  was  then  school  commissioner.  He  has  endeavored  to  injure 
my  reputation  a  few  weeks  ago  by  circulating  that  I  had  attended  a  republican  convention. 
He  might  as  well  accuse  the  child  unborn.  He  knew  I  was  opposed  to  him.  Daniel  B.  St. 
John  and  he  went  to  the  archbishop  to  complain  of  me;  that  I  was  interfering  in  politics. 
He  dreaded  me  and  justly.  His  mission  was  fruitless.  If  you  can  do  all  in  your  power  for 
Vau  Wyck  I  will  be  ever  grateful.  Tell  the  boys.  Destroy  this  letter  as  soon  as  you  read 
it,  but  u>»e  its  contents.  I  will  go  up  in  a  few  days  with  Father  Aclan  to  see  you  all.  Please 
remember  me  to  Mrs.  Coughlin  and  the  children. 

Very  respectfully,  yours, 

EDWARD  S.  BRIADY. 
Thomas  Coughlin,  Esq., 

Narrowsburgh,  Sullirayi  county,  X.  Y. 

P.  S. — Be  sure  and  destroy  this  letter  for  Catholicity's  sake.  E.  S.  B. 

Goshen,  Orange  County.  New  York, 

February  5, 1869. 
C.  G.  Elliott  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Blair  : 
9100/.  I  reside  in  Goshen.     I  was,  last  fall,  deputy  clerk  of  the  court. 

9101.  Q.  Will  you  state  whether  or  not  a  term  of  court  was  held  for 
naturalization  purposes  previous  to  the  election  last  fall ! 

A.  On  the  19th  of  October,  I  think,  a  special  term  was  called  for 
the  particular  purpose  of  naturalization.  Judge  George  held  the  court. 
I  think  the  court  sat  two  days.  There  were  quite  a  number  of  persons 
naturalized.  I  have  an  idea  there  were  about  80  j  but  there  may  have 
been  many  more  than  that. 

9102.  Q.  Will  you  state  what  was  the  mode  of  proceeding  ! 

A.  Of  course,  all  that  1  can  say  is,  so  far  as  I  know.  I  went  up  into 
the  court-rooni  and  Mr.  Bacon,  a  lawyer  here  in  the  village,  who  was  of 
opposite  politics  with  myself,  went  down  into  the  sheriff's  office  on 
account  of  the  crowd.  Mr.  Bacon  took  the  papers  and  passed  them  over 
to  me,  and  I  filled  up  the  affidavits  and  swore  the  witnesses.  In  some 
instances  Mr.  Bacon  read  the  affidavits  to  me,  and  I  then  administered 
the  oath.  I  signed  the  certificates.  That  was  done  in  the  sheriff's  room 
below.     The  judge  was  not  present  at  that  time. 

9103.  Q.  Were  the  final  certificates  delivered  there  in  that  way  8 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

9101.  Q.  There  was  then,  so  far  as  you  know,  no  examination  of  the 
parties  and  witnesses  by  the  court ! 
A.  Xo,  sir ;  not  in  the  presence  of  the  judge. 

9105.  Q.  Everything  was  done  by  the  clerks  ! 

A.  Yes,  sir.     This  Mr.  Bacon  was  put  there  for  the  purpose  of  watch- 
ing me.     It  was  a  kind  of  agreement.     Mr.  Bacon  was  a  republican. 
At  the  time  I  was  issuing  these  papers  the  clerk,  1  presume,  was  engaged 
up  stairs  in  the  same  business. 
By  Mr.  Vail  : 

9106.  Q.  At  whose  suggestion  did  you  go  out  of  the  court-room  to  the 
sheriff's  office  ? 

A.  I  think  it  was  Mr.  Cudderback  told  me.  I  am  not  sure  whether 
Judge  George  spoke  to  me  when  I  went  in  or  not. 

9107.  Q.  It  was  suggested  by  somebody  ? 


812  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN   NEW    YORK. 

A.  Yes,  sir.    The  judge  or  Mr.  Cudderback  spoke  to  me,  and  said, 

Mr.  Elliott,  you  go  down  into  one  of  the  rooms  below. 

9108.  Q.  So  far  as  your  own  knowledge  extends  witli  regard  to  these 
papers  they  were  correct  according  to  the  general  usages  of  issuing  nat- 
uralization papers  I 

A.  Yes,  sir.  It  was  to  guard  against  this  thai  Mr.  Bacon  came  down. 
They  charged  that  we  would  Mil  up  the  papers  before  two  years,  between 
the  first  and  second  papers.     Mr.  Bacon  examined  the  date  of  the  papers. 

9109.  Q.  You  had  been  in  the  habit  of  issuing  these  papers  before  as 
deputy  clerk  I 

A.  Yes,  sir.     The  blanks  were  brought  to  us  ready  sealed. 

Goshen,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  5,  18G9. 

H.  Y.  D.  Hoyt  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Blair  : 
9109.J.  1  reside  in  Goshen.     I  was  at  one  time  deputy  clerk  in  the 
county  clerk's  office.     I  wrote  tor  them  occasionally. 

91 10.  Q.  Were  yon  employed  there  at  all  during  the  term  of  court  at 
which  naturalizations  were  had  prior  to  the  election  last  fall? 

A.  Yes,  sir.     I  think  it  was  two  days. 

9111.  Q.  In  what  capacity  were  you  employed? 
A.  In  making  out  naturalization  papers. 

9111'.  Q.  In  what  part  of  the  building  were  you  so  employed? 
A.  I  was  right  at  the  clerk's  desk  in  the  court-room. 
911.').  Q.  Were  there  a  considerable  number  of  those  papers  made  at 
that  time  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

9114.  Q.  How  much  of  a  crowd  was  there  about  there? 
A.  There  was  quite  a  crowd  there. 

9115.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  those  persons  who  were  naturalized 
there  had  any  examination  by  the  judge  before  the  court? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  do  not. 

9116.  Q.  Are  you  the  town  clerk  ? 
A.  I  am. 

9117.  Q.  Were  you  requested  not  long  since  to  allow  the  poll-list  of 
the  town  to  be  copied? 

A.  Charles  Dunning  came  there  to  see  it.  He  came  there  to  see  if 
there  were  some  names  on  a  poll-list.  I  have  not  been  asked  to  have  it 
copied. 

9118.  Q.  Did  you  allow  it  to  be  seen  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

9119.  Q.  Were  there  certain  republicans  who  came  and  asked  you  to 
copy  the  poll-list  at  any  time  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Tail: 

9120.  Q.  You  were  in  the  court-room,  before  the  court,  when  you  were 
filling  up  those  papers  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

9121.  Q.  Acting  as  deputy  clerk  ? 

A.  Not  as  deputy  particularly.  Mr.  Cudderback  engaged  me.  My 
business  is  copying. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  813 

Goshen,  Orange  County,  :n~ew  York, 

February  5,  18G9. 

M.  D.  Stivers  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Blair: 

9121  J.  I  reside  in  Middletown.  I  was  from  January,  1855,  to  January, 
1868,  clerk  of  this  county.  It  was  not  customary  when  I  was  in  office 
to  have  naturalizations  made  upon  certificates,  delivered  when  the  court 
was  not  present  during  any  part  of  the  proceedings. 

9122.  Q.  Did  you  ever  allow  it  to  be  done  in  a  separate  room  in  which 
the  court  never  was  seen  I 

A.  When  at  the  court  in  ISewburgh,  by  order  of  the  judge,  because  of 
the  crowd  and  confusion,  I  went  into  the  petit  jury  room  adjoining  the 
court-room,  and  made  an  examination  of  the  Avitnesses  and  swore  them 
there.  It  was  by  order  of  the  judge.  I  do  not  remember  of  any  other 
instance  in  which  it  was  done  in  that  way.  I  usually  subjected  the 
applicant  as  well  as  the  witnesses  to  an  examination.  I  almost  invaria- 
bly questioned  them,  and  I  always  myself  administered  the  oath. 

9123.  Q.  You  may  state  whether  you  have  made  an  examination  of 
the  county  records  for  the  purpose  of  seeing  whether  any  persons  who 
got  their  first  papers,  while  you  were  clerk,  received  their  final  papers 
before  the  two  years  expired. 

A.  I  have  made  a  slight  examination  of  the  records,  and  find  such 
had  been  the  case.  I  am  not  prepared  to  state  in  how  many  instances. 
1  know  of  one  particularly  that  I  have  now  in  my  mind;  Robert  McFar- 
land  is  the  name.  He  had  taken  out  his  first  papers  before  me  October 
23,  1866,  and  had  received  his  full  papers  before  the  two  years  had 
elapsed.  A  certified  copy  of  his  first  papers  was  in  the  clerk's  office 
on  file. 

9124.  Q.  Are  there  any  other  such  cases  that  you  know  of? 

A.  I  cannot  recall  any  names  now.  There  were  a  number  who  took 
out  their  first  papers  before  me  who  had  received  full  papers  at  the  court 
in  Newburgh,  without  having  been  there  quite  two  years;  but  the  fact 
of  their  having  taken  out  the  first  papers  was  disregarded.  They  were 
not  on  file  as  in  this  case  I  have  mentioned.  They  took  the  papers  out 
on  the  ground  that  they  had  come  here  under  18. 

Goshen,  Orange  County^,  New  York, 

February  5,  1869. 

Charles  S.  Deming  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Blair: 

9124 J.  I  reside  in  Goshen.  I  was  indirectly  engaged  in  the  political 
campaign  last  fall.  I  acted  with  the  democratic  party.  I  knew  of  no 
arrangement  made  by  the  democratic  party  during  that  campaign  to 
assist  foreigners  in  getting  naturalization  papers.  I  did  not  myself 
assist  any  of  them.  I  did  not  myself  deliver  to  any  foreigners  naturali- 
zation papers,  nor  did  I  know  of  any  being  delivered  by  others. 

I  went  over  to  Hamptonburgh  a  few  evenings  since — the  day  before 
the  committee  sat  there,  and  saw  there  Mr.  Crist,  and  the  bar-tenders 
at  his  hotel.  I  remained  there  a  few  minutes  when  I  went  over  to  see 
Mr.  Ellis.  I  saw  some  of  the  stable  men  around.  I  had  been  down 
there  looking  at  a  colt  of  mine.  My  object  in  going  to  Hamj)tonburgh 
that  evening  was  to  see  about  witnesses.  I  supposed  that  witnesses 
would  be  required,  and  that  they  ought  to  be  subpoenaed.  I  went  down 
there  on  that  accouut  partly. 


814  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

9125.  Q.  Did  you  say  anything  to  Mr.  Ellis  about  the  men  who 
were  in  his  employ  2 

A.  No,  sir. 

9126.  Q.  Do  you  know  any  reason  why  several  of  the  recently  natu- 
ralized citizens  in  the  employ  of  Mr.  Ellis  were  not  able  to  be  found  to 
be  subpoenaed  the  next  morning? 

A.  No,  sir. 

9127.  Q.  Did  you  make  any  arrangement  to  get  them  away? 

A.  I  only  told  Mr.  Ellis  that  the  committee  was  expected  there,  and 
that  if  there  were  any  witnesses  to  be  subpoenaed  they  ought  to  have 
them  ready.  I  had  some  subpoenas  in  my  pocket  to  subpoena  men 
down  there. 

9128.  Q.  Did  you  subpoena  anybody  that  night? 
A.  Not  that  night. 

9129.  Q.  Did  you  give  Mr.  Ellis  notice  that  the  democratic  town  com- 
mittee would  meet  that  night? 

A.  I  told  Virgil  Crist  there  would  be  a  committee  there,  and  talked 
with  him  about  witnesses. 

Goshen,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  5,  1869. 

Seth  K.  Eobinson  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Vail: 

9129a.  I  live  in  Middle  town.  I  voted  at  the  election  last  fall.  I  was 
offered  money  by  Mr.  Sweet  to  vote  for  Mr.  Van  Wyck;  I  was  a  cripple 
at  the  time.  He  offered  me  a  ton  of  coal  and  $10  in  money.  I  received 
$7.     I  did  not  get  the  coal.     I  voted  for  Mr.  Green. 

Goshen,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  4,  1869. 
Theodore  W.  Ludlow  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Vail: 
9129&.  I  reside  in  Goshen.    I  voted  at  the  last  election  for  Mr.  Van 
Wyck.    I  had  no  wager  on  the  election. 

Goshen,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  4,  1869. 
Thomas  Kane  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Vail: 
9129c.  I  reside  in  Goshen.    I  voted  at  the  last  election.    I  voted  the 
democratic  ticket.     One  of  Mr.  Murray's  sons  offered  me  money  to  vote 
the  republican  ticket.    I  did  not  take  it. 

Goshen,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  5,  1869. 
Patrick  Dunn  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Vail: 
9129<7.    I  reside  in  Goshen.    I  voted  for  George  Green  at  the  last 
election.    Nelson  Owens  said  he  would  see  me  well  paid  if  I  would  vote 
for  Van  Wyck. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  815 

Goshen,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  5,  18G9. 
E.  H.  House  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Vail: 
9129e.  I  reside  in  Goshen.     I  voted  the  democratic  ticket  at  the  last 
election.     George  A.  Dennison  and  Charles  J.  Abert  oftered  me  $10  to 
vote  for  Green,  at  the  last  election.    I  was  also  to  use  my  influence  for 
this  money.     I  did  not  consent  to  accept. 

Goshen,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  5, 1869. 
James  Connell  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Vail  : 
9129/.  I  reside  in  Goshen.  I  voted  the  democratic  ticket  at  the  last 
election.  I  was  offered  money  for  my  vote  and  influence  for  the  repub- 
licans. A  man  came  down  from  Middletown,  and  asked  me  if  a  little 
money  would  not  do  some  good  in  this  place  for  Mr.  Van  Wyck  and  Mr. 
Madin.  I  told  him  it  would  do  some  good  to  the  poor  of  Goshen  in  case 
I  got  it.  I  did  not  get  this  money.  I  voted  for  Judge  Green.  I  will 
state,  however,  that  just  before  the  election  four  barrels  of  flour  were 
sent  to  the  house.  I  do  not  know  where  it  came  from,  but  I  took  it,  and 
had  my  uncle  distribute  it  among  the  poor. 

Goshen,  Orange  County,  Neav  York, 

February  5,  1869. 
Michael  Burke  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Blair  : 
9129#.  I  reside  in  Goshen.  I  voted  the  democratic  ticket  at  the  last 
election.  I  have  been  in  the  United  States  12  years.  I  got  my  first 
papers  three  years  the  1st  of  March  last,  and  my  last  papers  here  when 
court  sat  before  election.  I  cannot  tell  who  gave  me  my  last  papers.  I 
did  not  bring  them  with  me. 

Goshen,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  5, 1869. 
Patrick  Ford  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Blair: 
9129/t.  I  reside  in  Goshen.  I  voted  at  the  last  election.  I  got  my  first 
papers  in  the  State  of  Pennsylvania.  I  got  the  last  three  years  ago  last 
October,  at  Norristown,  Pennsylvania.  (Witness  produced  his  last  paper, 
dated  October  5,  1866,  Montgomery,  Pa.,  and  signed  John  E.  Grigg, 
prothonotary.)  I  appeared  in  court  when  I  signed  the  paper.  John 
Ford  is  a  brother  of  mine.  I  do  not  know  whether  he  procured  natu- 
ralization papers  at  the  last  election  or  not,  or  whether  he  voted  or  not. 

Goshen,  Orange  County,  New  York, 

February  5, 1869. 

Dennis  O'Brien  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Blair  : 

9129i  I  reside  in  Goshen.  I  received  my  naturalization  papers,  and 
voted  at  the  last  election.  I  received  them  in  Goshen.  They  were  sent 
to  the  house  to  me. 


816  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

Goshen,  Orange  County,  Ni;w  York, 

February  5,  1869. 
Nelson  Owen  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Vail: 
912%'.  I  live  in  Goshen.  I  did  not  offer  to  pay  Patrick  Dunn  any 
money  to  vote  for  the  republican  ticket  at  the  Inst  election.  J  told  Cap- 
tain  Post  that  I  would  spend  $500  to  defeat  Judge  Green.  I  told  my 
brother  first,  and  then  Green  asked  me  when  I  was  going  to  spend  if, 
and  I  said  I  would  spend  it  when  1  thought  I  could  make  good  use  of  it. 
J  did  not  spend  any  of  it,  however. 

Witness  Elliott  was  requested  to  furnish  the  committee  with  a  list 

of  all  declarations  of  intention  to  become  citizens  made  after  October 
J,  1866,  and  November  1.  1868;  also,  list  of  persons  naturalized  after 
the  1st  of  September,  L868,  stating  the  names  of  witnesses  and  the 
persons  signing  the  certificates.  Also,  how  many  and  who  were  natu- 
ralized on  the  ground  that  they  came  to  the  country  under  IS  years  of 
age,  and  who  wore  witnesses  for  such. 

The  following  testimony  was  taken  by  the  same  sub-committee  in  New 
York: 

New  York,  February  (>,  1869. 

SAMUEL  V.  Garvin  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Blair: 

9130.  I  have  here  two  books  (placed  in  possession  of  the  committee) 
which  1  found  in  the  safe,  and  which  [presume  are  the  two  books  referred 
to  by  District  Attorney  Hall  and  one  Hoffman,  a  hack-driver.  One  is 
marked  6th  district,  Kith  ward,  and  the  other  9th  district,  14th  ward.  I 
came  into  office  as  district  attorney  of  the  city  and  county  of  New  York 
on  the  4th  of  January.  L869.  The  books,  papers,  records,  and  everything 
else,  were  turned  over  to  me.  When  J  was  requested  to  produce  these 
two  books,  when  you  were  here  before,  I  wrote  a  line  to  the  committee 
saying  that  1  was  not  sure  that  I  had  any  such  books,  but  I  would  ascer- 
tain, and  if  any  such  were  found,  produce  them.  I  had  an  examination 
commenced  immediately,  and  the  next  day  I  found  what  you  referred  to; 
you  had  then,  however,  adjourned  and  gone.  I  have  kept  the  books 
vsince  that  time  in  my  possession,  and  now  produce  them  ;  these  I  pre- 
sume are  the  books;  I  should  like  to  have  you  return  them  when  you 
get  through,  as  they  are  books  belonging  to  the  office  of  the  district 
attorney.  I  know  nothing  as  to  how  the  books  came  there,  or  anything 
about  it  j  I  suppose  Mr.  Hall's  testimony  explains  that. 

New  York,  February  0, 1869. 
James  Kely  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Blair: 

9131.  I  reside  in  New  York  city,  at  Seneca  Hall ;  I  am  a  detective ;  I 
know  Patrick  and  James  Goff ;  their  general  character  is  bad,  and  they 
have  been  arrested  on  various  occasions.  I  arrested  a  man  named 
McMullen  on  the  28th  of  November ;  I  arrested  three  men  on  the  same 
day  on  the  same  charge  on  which  he  was  arrested;  and  in  the  pocket  of 
a  man  named  Stewart  was  McMullen's  warrant  as  a  deputy  sheriff. 
(Witness  here  produces  the  warrant  and  a  picture  of  McMullen,  taken 
from  the  Kogue's  Gallery.)  The  warrant  appointed  David  Mullen  special 
deputy  sheriff  to  assist  in  preserving  the  public  peace ;  it  was  dated  2d 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  817 

day  of  November,  1868,  and  signed  James  O'Brien,  sheriff,  and  counter- 
signed Joel  D.  Stevens,  under-sheriff.  McMullen  is  also  known  to  the 
police  by  the  name  of  Myers. 

To  Mr.  ROSS: 

9132.  I  have  resided  in  the  city  of  New  York  some  12  years;  I  have 
,  been  engaged  for  the  last  six  years  as  a  policeman ;  I  am  now  attached 
i  to  the  metropolitan  police,  and  was  appointed  by  Thomas  C.  Acton. 
.  McMullen  was  arrested  on  suspicion  of  grand  larceny — taking  a  man's 

watch  and  chain.  He  was  taken  before  the  magistrate  and  committed 
for  examination,  and  on  the  examination  he  was  discharged.  I  have  no 
family,  but  I  have  always  had  to  take  care  of  my  father  and  mother; 
they  reside  at  893  Second  avenue.  I  board  and  room  at  Seneca  Hall ; 
I  am  detailed  here  from  the  police  headquarters ;  I  have  never  had  any 
name  other  than  Kely  to  my  knowledge ;  I  have  never  been  arrested  for 
any  offence. 

New  York,  February  G,  1869. 
Charles  Buddington  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Blair: 

9133.  I  reside  at  15  Desbrosses  street,  New  York.  1  know  Peter 
Hussey ;  I  had  occasion  to  arrest  him  on  the  day  of  registry  for  attempt- 

i  ing  to  register  illegally.    He  was  taken  before  Judge  Barnard,  when  his 
papers  were  retained,  but  he  was  dismissed. 

9131.  Q.  Did  he  make  any  statement  before  Judge  Barnard  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir  ;  before  the  clerk. 

9135.  Q.  What  statement  did  he  make? 

A.  He  said  there  that  he  never  had  procured  his  hrst  papers  when  he 
declared  his  intentions ;  that  he  procured  this  application  for  naturali- 
zation at  the  Vanderbilt  House. 

(Objected  to  by  Mr.  Eoss  as  hearsay.     Objection  overruled.) 

9130.  Q.  Did  you  take  him  before  Judge  Barnard  in  the  first  place  ? 

A.  1  first  conveyed  him  to  the  station-house,  5th  precinct;  from  there 
before  Judge  Dowling,  Tombs  police  court ;   I  was  directed  from  there 
I  to  take  him  to  the  supreme  court  before  Judge  Barnard,  by  which  court 
the  papers  were  issued.     I  stated  to  Judge  Barnard  that  1  had  arrested 
him  on  account  of  his  papers  not  giving  satisfaction  to  the  board  of  reg- 
istry as  legal  papers  of  naturalization.     He  was  then  examined  before 
the  clerk  upon  that  subject.     He  turned  to  the  clerk  and  said  something 
to  him.     The  clerk  then  turned  to   Hussey  and  asked   him  who  his 
witness  was.     Hussey  did  not  answer.     I  then  answered  and  said :  "Mr. 
; Ilussey  says  he  has  ho  witness."    He  then  asked  him  again  :    ki  Who  is 
kour  witness P     Hussey  then  repeated  :  ul  had  none."    The  clerk  said : 
["Why,  yes,  you  had."     I  then  stated  that  Mr.  Hussey  had  told  me  that 
one  Barney  Fagan,  No.  1  Desbrosses  street,  gave  him  his  papers,  which 
lie  now  presented,  at  the  Vanderbilt  House.    The  clerk  then  said  to  Mr. 
Hussey :  "  Where  did  you  get  this  paper  'V    The  paper  I  had  handed  to 
the  clerk.     He  said :    "At  the  Vanderbilt  House."     "  Did  you  not  come 
down  here  with  it  ?"     "  Oh,  yes,  sir."  "To  whom  did  you  give  it!"     "  To 
you.  sir."     "Didn't  you  have  a  witness?"    "No,  sir."    1  said  to  the 
clerk:    "  I  would  like  to  see  the  record."    He  immediately  got  up  and 
passed  through  behind  the  judge  into  another  room.     He  was  gone,  I 
should  think,  from  20  to  30  minutes.     He  came  back  and  said  :  "  It  was 
1  all  right ;  his  name  is  on  file  with  the  name  of  the  witness."     He  did  not, 
however,  produce  the  record.     He  retained  the  certificate  of  naturaliza- 
52  t 


818  KLECTIOK    FRAUDS    IN    NKAV    YORK. 

tion,  and  wrote  a  note,  and  enclosed  it  in  an  envelope  with  the  cer- 
tificate, to  Judge  Dowling.  He  told  me  to  take  the  prisoner  back  to 
Justice  Dowling  with  this  note,  and  say  to  him  that  I  had  returned  to 
him  to  have  him  discharge  the  prisoner,  as  lie  believed  there  was  no 
intention  of  wrong.  I  then  proceeded  to  the  Tombs  police  court  before 
Justice  Dowling  with  the  prisoner,  gave  him  this  note,  which  he  read, 
and  discharged  the  prisoner.  According  to  the  request  of  the  clerk,  he 
also  gave  me  back  this  certificate  to  the  supreme  court,  which  1  did 
return  to  the  same  clerk. 

9137.  (v).  Von  state  that  when  the  clerk  went  out  to  examine  the  second 
papers  he  passed  in  the  rear  of  the  judge,  through  another  door.  Is 
there  a  room  back  there  \ 

A.  There  appeared  to  be.  These  papers,  (purporting  to  be  certificates 
of  naturalization  of  Peter  Dammann,  William  Kelley.  and  James  (). 
Donnell,  dated  respectively  tin-  9th,  12th,  and  13th  bf  October,  1868, 
signed  by  Charles  B.  Loew,  clerk  supreme  court  of  the  State  of  New 
York.)  are  papers  that  were  taken  from  persons  who  came  to  register 
their  names,  but  who  did  not  give  satisfaction  to  the  board  that  they 
were  Legal.  They  purported  to  be  naturalization  papers,  but  the  holder 
of  them,  according  to  his  own  confession,  had  never  declared  his  inten- 
tions, and  they  did  not  deem  it  necessary  to  arrest  him.  as  the  judge 
would  not  sustain  them  in  so  doing. 
To  Mr.  Boss: 

9138.  1  do  not  know  the  name  of  the  clerk  with  whom  1  had  this  con- 
ference. He  occupied  a  position  at  the  right  hand  of  Judge  Barnard, 
some  10  feet  distant.  1  think.  I  arrested  this  man  Hussey  the  first  day 
of  the  registry,  but  it  was  too  late  to  appear  then  before  the  court,  and 
he  was  therefore  detained  until  the  next  day  at  the  station-house.  It 
was  11  o'clock,  I  should  judge,  when  I  took  him  into  court. 

9139.  Q.  You  say  you  took  these  naturalization  papers  from  these 
men  because  they  had  not  taken  out  their  first  papers  ?  Was  there  any 
inquiry  made  as  to  whether  they  had  been  in  the  army  I 

A.  Yes,  sir.  Those  who  had  been  in  the  army  they  did  not  object  to. 
These  men  said  they  had  not  been  in  the  army.  This  arrest  was  made 
in  the  8th  district,  5th  ward. 

0140.  Q.   Who  are  tin1  election  officers  who  presided  there.' 

A.  John  Berrigen,  John  McLean,  and  Peter  Dugan.  I  forget  the 
name  of  the  fourth  one. 

9141.  Q.  You  belong  to  the  police  I 

A.  Yes,  sir.  I  have  been  so  acting  for  over  four  years,  i  was  ap- 
pointed by  Mr.  Acton.  I  Avas  detailed  by  Captain  Petty  to  look  after 
election  matters. 

0142.  Q.  Did  you  take  much  interest  in  the  canvass  last  year? 

A.  No  more  than  my  official  duty  required. 

1)143.  Q.  Your  official  position  requires  you  to  take  a  pretty  active 
part  in  politics,  does  it  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

9144.  Q.  What  do  you  mean,  then,  by  saying  "no  more  than  yonrj 
official  duty  required  you  T 

A.  Oh,  I  was  detailed  to  take  notice  of  these  things,  and  obey  the 
orders  of  the  board  of  registry ;  and  I  did  so,  I  believe.  I  did  not  elec- 
tioneer in  any.  I  voted  the  republican  ticket.  1  belong  to  no  civil  or 
political  club.  The  police  were  not,  to  my  knowledge,  called  together  at 
any  time  to  receive  instructions  in  relation  to  election  matters.  Differ- 
ent persons  did  the  challenging  at  the  polls.  Very  few  were  challenged. 
All  who  were  entitled  were  allowed  to  vote. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IX    NEW    YORK.  819 

New  York,  February  6,  1869. 

George  Bliss,  jr.,  sworn  and  examined. 
By  Mr.  Blair  : 

0145.  Question.  Look  at  these  two  books,  (exhibiting  the  books  pre- 
sented by  Samuel  V.  Garvin,)  and  state  whether  you  have  ever  seen 
them  before. 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  1  suppose  I  may  say  those  books  are  my  property. 
They  are  copies  of  what  is  known  as  the  police  census — the  census 
taken  by  Mr.  Kennedy.  These  copies  were  made  by  clerks,  whom  I  em- 
ployed to  do  it.  at  police  headquarters.  The  9th  district  book  is  in  the 
hands  of  Mr.  Salmon.  The  other  one  I  cannot  tell  in  whose  hand- 
writing it  is.  The  last  time  T  saw  these  books  was  before  a  court  and 
i  jury  in  December. 

911G.  Q.  They  were  made,  then,  at  your  request,  by  clerks  of  yours? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  gentlemen  whom  I  employed,  and  paid. 

9117.  Q.  Are  they  in  any  respect  public  books ! 

A.  No,  sir.  The  blank  books  were  paid  for  by  the  organization  with 
which  I  was  connected.  The  original  blanks,  and  the  making  of  them, 
were  paid  for  by  them  through  me. 

9118.  Q.  Do  you  know  when  these  books  were  taken  away  from  the 
police  headquarters  ? 

A.  They  were  probably  taken  away  more  than  once.     The  last  time 
•they  were  taken  away  was  the  evening  of  the  last  day  of  the  registra- 
tion, I  think.     It  was  either  the  Friday  or  the  Saturday  evening  pre- 
ceding the  election.     I  say  they  were  taken  away.     I  will  tell  you 
what  I  know  about  it.     That  night,  as  all  the  nights  from  that  time  to 
election,  we  were  engaged  in  comparing  registration  with  these  copies 
of  the  census.     About,  I  should  think,  8  or  9  o'clock  in  the  evening,  I 
discovered  that  in  the  hurry  of  business  I  had  forgotten  to  have  quite  a 
:  large  number  of  them  brought  up  from  the  police  headquarters,  where 
( I  had  left  them,  or  the  office  of  the  metropolitan  board  of  health,  which 
|  is  in  the  same  building,  and  I  sent  down  three  of  my  clerks  (Mr.  Dun- 
bar, Mr.  Bay,  and,  I  think,  Mr.  Coffert)  to  get  the  whole  lot  of  books, 
and  there  were  brought  up  a  very  large  number,  which  I  then  supposed 
were  all  that  there  were.    On  looking  over  the  list,  however,  in  the 
i  course  of  a  day  or  two,  these  two  books  were  missed.     I  never  knew 
anything  about  them  until  I  saw  them  before  the  grand  jury  in  Decem- 
|ber. 

9119.  Q.  Do  you  know  anything  about  a  meeting  at  the  Fifth  Avenue 
Hotel  on  or  about  the  evening  of  the  30th  of  October  * 

A.  There  was  no  meeting  there,  as  I  remember  it.  Boom  15  of  that 
hotel  was  occupied  by  myself  and  the  clerks,  and  we  w^ere  there  on  the 
evening  of  the  30th  with,  probably,  some  35  or  10  clerks.  Mr.  Kennedy 
and  Mr.  Acton  were  not  present  at  that  time.  They  were  both  in  the 
hotel  that  evening,  I  think,  but  at  an  earlier  hour.  Mr.  Acton  was.  I 
will  not  say  that  Mr.  Kennedy  was.  He  came  there  for  the  purpose  of 
finding  Judge  James,  as  he  stated.  I  can  tell  you  the  circumstances  if 
you  desire.  I  went  down  to  police  headquarters  myself  at  an  earlier 
period  of  that  evening.  I  think  it  was  that  evening.  It  was  Friday  or 
Saturday. 

9150.  Q.  Upon  that  evening  did  Mr.  Acton  and  Mr.  Kennedy  go  to 
police  headquarters  with  sonic  gentlemen  from  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel? 

A.  On  one  or  the  other  of  these  evenings  Captain  Willey  had  arrested 
a  gang  of  alleged  repeaters,  eight  in  number,  and  had  seized  some  re- 
peaters' books.     (Objected  to  by  Mr.  Boss:  objection   overruled.)     A 


820  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

writ  of  habeas  corpus  had  been  issued  for  the  men.  Mr.  Acton  came  to 
the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel  and  asked  if  Judge  James  was  there,  saying 
that  the  habeas  corpus  had  been  issued.  I  went  down  in  one  carriage 
to  police  headquarters.  Mr.  Acton  arrived  there  in  another  carriage 
just  before  or  just  after  I  did.  This  was  as  early  as  7  o'clock  in  the 
evening. 

To  Mr.  BOSS: 

9151.  I  saw  the  books  referred  to  by  me  Idled  up  some  time  prior  to  the 
12tfc  of  October.  Mr.  Acton  was  at  work  upon  the  one  in  his  hand- writ- 
ing,  in  one  of  the  rooms,  either  of  the  board  of  health  or  board  of  police. 
I  think  it  was  on  Sunday  when  I  saw  him  at  work  there,  because  he  had 
his  ordinary  duties  to  attend  to  during  the  days  of  the  week,  and  it  was 
in  the  day-time  when  I  saw  him  there.  I  should  think  it  was  the  Hun- 
day  nearest  the  L3th  of  October.  I  have  no  doubt  I  saw  other  men  there 
at  work  at  the  same  time,  but  I  cannot  now  name  them.  I  was  working 
in  the  interest  of  the  republican  party.  I  was  not  employed  by  the 
Union  League  or  any  other  body.  I  have  not  been  employed  as  attor- 
ney in  the  matter  of  these  frauds.  1  declined  to  be  employed.  I  stated 
that  I  would  not.  receive  any  retainer  for  any  work  I  did  in  this  business. 

By  Mr.  Blair: 

9152.  Q.  You  saw  these  books  before  the  grand  jury  I 

A.  Yes,  sir;  the  district  attorney  produced  them  there.  The  way  I 
came  to  have  anything  to  do  with  these  books  was  as  follows:  There 
was  a  committee  known  as  the  central  committee.  The  committee  con- 
sisted of  some  15  or  20  members.  I  was  a  member  of  that  committee, 
and  there  was  a  committee  on  registration  appointed,  of  which  1  was  a 
member.     The  object  of  that  committee  was  to  prevent  illegal  voting. 

New  York,  February  0,  18G9. 
James  Golden  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Blair  : 

9153.  I  reside  in  Greenwich,  Connecticut.     1  will  have  resided  there 
five  years  next  spring.    I  regard  that  as  my  place  of  residence.    I  offered 
to  vote  in  Connecticut  at  the  last  election.     I  got  my  naturalization 
papers  in  this  way :  I  was  over  in  Brooklyn,  when  I  heard  that  any  man 
who  would  go  over  to  the  City  Hall  could  get  his  papers.     I  came  over 
and  met  a  man  whom  I  took  to  be  a  Dutchman,     lie  says  :     u  Do  you  j 
want  to  get  your  papers?"    I  said:  uDo  you  know  howl  could  get  j 
them?"    "Yes,"  said  he  "  give  me  $2  and  I  will  get  you  your  papers."  j 
I  gave  the  man  $2  and  I  got  my  papers.     This  man  brought  me  up  to  , 
the  court.     I  had  no  witnesses  there.    When  I  was  there  I  was  told  to  j 
hold  up  my  hand,  in  company  with  others.    He  told  us,  what  I  took  to  | 
be,  "  You  shall  be  trnly  loyal  to  the  United  States."    I  was  not  ques- 
tioned  as  to  whether  I  had  resided  a  year  in  New  York.    I  was  not  asked 
where  my  residence  was. 

To  Mr.  Koss : 
0154.  I  voted  in  Connecticut  at  the  last  election.     1  did  not  use  my 
papers  here ;  but  I  voted  on  them  in  Connecticut.     I  am  acquainted ' 
with  a  good  many  men  in  New  York.     No  man  got  his  papers  at  the 
time  I  did  that  I  knew.     I  do  not  know  whether  any  of  them  knew  me  j 
or  not;  but  I  suppose  not.     The  clerk  asked  my  name,  and  I  then  put' 
my  hand  on  the  pen  while  he  made  a  cross-mark.    No  paper  was  read 
over  to  me.     I  was  20  years  of  age,  about,  when  I  came  to  the  United 
States.    I  will  have  been  in  the  United  States  nine  years  this  spring. 
I  got  my  first  papers  at  White  Plains. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  821 

To  Mr.  Blair  : 

0155.  When  I  was  sworn  before  the  selectmen  in  Greenwich,  they 
asked  me  to  swear  to  be  true  and  loyal  to  the  United  States.  They 
asked  me  to  swear  how  long  I  had  been  a  citizen  of  Greenwich,  and  I 
.swore  to  four  or  five  years  next  summer. 

Mr.  Ross  moves  to  strike  out  that  portion  of  the  testimony  relating 
to  what  transpired  in  Brooklyn,  on  the  ground  that  it  was  outside  of  the 
case.     Motion  overruled. 

New  York,  February  0,  1869. 
Peter  Hussey  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Blair  : 
9150.  I  reside  at  No.  452  Greenwich  street.  I  have  been  in  this  coun 
try  seven  years.  Just  before  the  election  I  applied  for  my  first  papers, 
and  through  mistake  got  my  last  papers.  I  got  this  at  the  Yanderbilt 
House.  I  do  not  know  who  gave  it  to  me.  I  went  there  for  it.  I  was 
arrested  when  I  attempted  to  register  on  this  paper.  I  was  sworn  before 
I  was  arrested  when  1  went  to  get  my  last  paper,  but  I  was  asked  no 
questions.  I  had  no  witness  present  when  I  got  this  paper,  though  I 
took  a  man  with  me.  I  do  not  know  who  he  was.  I  was  sworn  at  the 
City  Hall,  after  1  got  my  paper  at  the  Yanderbilt  House. 

To  Mr.  Boss: 

9157.  The  man  who  went  with  me  to  the  City  Hall  I  met  at  the  Yan- 
derbilt House.     There  were  plenty  of  men  present  who  knew  me  when 

1  I  got  my  paper,  but  they  might  not  have  seen  me  at  that  time.  They 
knew,  however,  that  1  had  been  in  the  country  for  five  years.  I  do  not 
know  whether  the  court  was  in  session  at  that  time  or  not.  The  judge 
was  on  the  bench.  There  were  a  good  many  persons  sworn  at  the  same 
time  that  1  was.  I  made  a  mark  on  the  paper  at  the  Yanderbilt  House. 
I  had  never  before  made  any  application  for  my  first  papers.  The  rea- 
son was  I  didn't  care  to.     X  was  not  in  the  army. 

New  York,  February  (>,  1869. 
Charles  Nettleton  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Blair  : 

91 58.  I  reside  at  338  West  Thirty-fifth  street.  At  the  presidential 
i election  I  was  canvasser  in  the  15th  district,  20th  ward.  Henry  A. 
iChilds  was  my  democratic  colleague.     As  soon  as  the  books  closed  we 

had  a  small  number  of  votes,  and  I  expressed  a  desire  to  get  through  as 
soon  as  possible.  He  took  quite  a  while  to  light  a  cigar,  and  talked  to 
this  one  and  that  one.  Finally  the  ballots  were  turned  out  upon  the 
table  and  separated.  I  counted  out  10,  and  handed  them  to  him  for 
him  to  count  10.  Then  he  made  objection,  that  counting  in  that  way  he 
could  not  certify  the  ballot  as  being  correct.  I  expressed  surprise  at 
that,  and  we  had  quite  a  discussion  over  it.  I  finally  told  him  this, 
that  it  was  always  the  way  1  had  been  canvassing  before,  audit  was  the 
way  it  was  done  by  everybody  and  everywhere.  He  replied  :  "It  won't 
be  done  so  to-night."  We  then  talked  quite  a  while.  Finally  we  sent 
me  of  the  police  officers  to  the  alderman  of  the  ward,  who  was  his 
friend,  to  say  what  he  should  do  ;  he  claiming,  that  unless  he  counted 
lame  by  name,  he  could  not  conscientiously  certify  it.  I  pressed  him 
JO  strongly  that,  finally,  he  had  the  poll-clerk  call  off  the  35  names,  all 
>f  which  took  considerable  time;  and  then  he  took  a  ballot  and  called 
>ff  the  names,  then  another  and  another,  so  that  the  35  names  were 


822  ELECTION    FRAUDS   IN    NEW    YORK. 

called  four  times  through.  The  delay  was  made  until  just  about  t>£ 
o'clock,  when  he  took  hold  and  counted  as  rapidly  as  could  be  done.  No 
work  had  really  been  done  before  that. 

To  Mr.  Ross: 
9151).  We  closed  our  polls  about  sunset — L52  o'clock — I  should  think. 
We  had  to  count  some  270  ballots  in  the  box.  I  saw  no  disposition  on 
the  part  of  my  colleague  to  cheat.  He  acted  perfectly  fair  and  honestly, 
except  in  the  matter  of  the  delay.  There  were  no  illegal  votes  polled 
there  to  my  knowledge. 

New  York,  February  0,  L869. 
FREDERICK  TiCHEN  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Blair: 

9160.  I  reside  at  462  Washington  street.  I  did  not  vote  at  the  last 
election.  I  attempted  to  register  in  the  5th  ward,  Desbrosses  street. 
On  the  28th  of  January  last  1  was  21.  I  had  naturalization  papers  to 
vote  upon,  which  I  go1  do>\  n  at  the  City  Hall.  I  had  a  witness,  and  was 
sworn.      I  have  been  in  the  United  States  not  quite  four  years. 

To  Mr.  BOSS: 

9101.  I  swore,  when  I  got  my  papers,  that  1  was  21  years  of  age.  1 
thought  all  that  was  required  was  lor  a  man  to  have  been  in  the  country 
three  years.     The  man  who  was  witli  me  swore  that  !  was  21. 

New  Vokk,  February  i\,  L809, 
TEBBENCE   Mow.NMV  sworn  ami  examined. 

To  Mr.  Blair: 

1)162.  I  reside  in  Greenwich,  Connecticut.     1  have  resided  there  going 
on  four  years.     1  obtained  my  naturalization  papers  in  the  city  of  New 
York  about  a  week  before  the  election.     [Witness  produces  his  certifi-  \ 
cate,  dated  23d  October,  1868,  signed,  James  Sweeny,  clerk  superior  court.) 
T  obtained  that  paper  at  the  City  Hall.     1  was  not  sworn,  but  I  had  to  hold  ; 
up  my  hand,  and  state  my  age,  and  how  long*  I  had  been  in  the  country. 
James  Tracy  was  my  witness.     I  voted  last  fall  in  Greenwich.    I  was  \ 
registered  before  the  selectmen  of  Greenwich.     1  was  sworn,  and  stated  | 
there  pretty  nearly  what  I  did  when  I  got  my  last  paper.     I  swore  how 
long  I  had  been  a  resident  of  Greenwich,  and  they  all  knew  it.    That 
was  three  years.     I  came  to  this  country  10  years  ago,  but  I  had  never  | 
taken  out  any  papers  previous  to  this.     This  paper  was  given  to  me  in 
open  court.     Seven  of  us  from  Greenwich  got  papers  in  this  way.  all  at 
the  same.  time. 

To  Mr.  Ross : 

These  men  all  had  witnesses,  who  had  been  living  in  this  county  20 
years.  I  have  lived  in  New  York  two  years.  I  generally  came  down  | 
every  winter  to  New  York.  I  live  as  much  if  not  more  here  than  I  do 
in  Connecticut.  These  other  men  to  whom  I  have  referred  also  live  here 
a  portion  of  their  time.  For  the  last  two  or  three  years,  I  have  not  lived 
more  than  a  couple  of  months  in  New  York.  Last  winter  was  the  only 
winter  I  ever  lived  in  Connecticut.     I  am  a  married  man. 

[Mr.  Ross  moved  to  strike  out  this  testimony  as  not  pertaining  to  the 
subject  of  election  frauds,  which  was  the  subject-matter  to  be  investi- 
gated by  the  committee.] 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  823 

New  York,  February  (>,  1809. 

H.  M.  Olapp  sworn  and  examined. 

By  Mr.  BLAIR  : 

I  am  a  police  officer  attached  to  tin*  5th  precinct  of  the  5th  ward. 
L  knewr  James  Murphy.  I  had  occasion  to  arrest  him  on  the  14th  of 
October,  at  6J  o'clock  p.  in.,  for  attempting  to  register  illegally  at  the 
§th  election  district,  5th  ward ;  J  took  him  to  the  station-house  before 
the  captain,  who  detained  him  until  the  morning,  and  then  took  him 
before  Judge  Dowling,  who  ordered  me  to  take  the  prisoner  to  the 
superior  court  before  Judge  McCunu,  where  the  prisoner  had  received 
his  papers.  I  stated  the  circumstances  to  the  judge.  He  ordered  me  to 
take  the  prisoner  into  an  adjoining  room,  lie  shortly  followed,  and 
swore  the  prisoner.  The  judge  said  to  him,  "What  is  your  name?" 
Said  he,  "  James  Murphy."  "  Where  do  yon  live  ?"  "  63  Watt  street." 
ik  Where  did  you  get  this  paper  T  It  was  a  full  naturalization  paper 
He  had  never  declared  his  intention.  He  said  "I  got  it  at  the  Vander- 
bilt  House."  "  Who  gave  it  to  yon  ?"  -  One  Marshal  Murphy."  "  What 
did  you  do  with  the  paper  then  ?"  said  the  judge.  "  I  took  it  down  to  the 
court  the  next  day."  "Who  went  with  you?"  "Nobody."  "How  did 
yon  get  the  paper,  then  ?"  u  I  got  it  in  this  room,  I  believe."  The  judge 
then  turned  to  me,  and  said,  -k  Officer,  this  man  is  under  the  influence 
of  liquor."  J  told  the  judge  it  was  not  so  ;  that  the  man  had  been  locked 
up  ill  night,  and  had  had  nothing  to  drink  since  I  arrested  him.  "Well, 
then,"  says  he,  k*  he  must  be  insane.  You  will  take  the  prisoner  back  to 
Judge  Dowling,  and  the  paper  with  my  compliments,  and  tell  the  judge 
to  discharge  him,  and  keep  the  paper."  1  returned  to  the  Tombs  police 
court  before  Justice  Dowling,  and  delivered  the  message  of  Judge  Mc- 
punn.  I  will  state  that  after  I  got  out  of  the  superior  court  room,  1  was 
called  back  by  a  messenger,  who  stated  that  Judge  McCunu  wanted  to 
see  me.  He  said,  "  I  understand  you  are  in  the  habit  of  questioning 
parties  who  come  to  register."  I  said,  "  Yes,  sir."  He  then  remarked, 
44  Don't  you  do  it  any  more."  I  said  "  I  will  under  orders."  He  replied, 
"  If  you  do  1  will  punish  you."  Said  I,  "  Very  well,  I  will  suffer  the  con- 
sequences/1 He  then  said,  "  1  will  give  you  consequences."  I  then  left 
the  superior  court  room  and  went  to  the  Tombs. 

To  Mr.  Ross: 
9105.  Judge  Dowling  kept  the  paper.  1  have  been  a  policeman  for  a 
year  and  a  half;  I  was  a  shipwright  before  that;  I  have  lived  in  the 
city  all  my  life;  i  was  appointed  policeman  by  Benjamin  Mannierre;  I  was 
not  acting  as  one  of  the  election  board,  nor  did  I  examine  those  who 
came  before  the  board;  I  merely  asked  them  a  question  now  and  then; 
I  was  in  the  habit  of  asking  questions  as  to  the  right  to  vote;  I  did  so 
in  a  good  many  instances;  I  did  that  under  the  directions  of  Captain  Jere- 
miah Petty ;  I  suppose  I  examined  about  a  dozen ;  T  arrested  three  parties ; 
I  received  the  instructions  of  which  I  have  spoken,  verbally;  I  have 
never  been  convicted  of  any  criminal  offence,  and  have  always  gone  by 
the  name  I  now  bear;   1  have  always  voted  the  republican  ticket. 

To  Mr.  Blair: 
9166.  John  W.  Blake  w  as  arrested  for  attempting  to  register  illegally 
at  the  Sth  election  district;  he  had  been  in  the  State  only  four  months, 
and  had  never  got  out  his  first  papers;  never  declared  his  intentions. 


824  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

NEW  York,  February  0,  1809. 
Jerry  Murphy  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Blair: 
0107.  I  reside  at  01  Watt  street;  1  obtained  naturalization  papers 
previous  to  the  election  at  the  Vanderbilt  House ;  1  attempted  to  register 
upon  those  papers  and  was  arrested  by  Officer  Glapp ;  I  had  never  ob- 
tained my  first  papers.  After  1  left  the  Vanderbilt  House,  Murphy  sent 
me,  in  company  with  another  man,  to  the  City  Hall;  I  had  never  seen 
the  man  before;  he  did  not  go  as  a  witness  for  me;  1  think  I  went  before 
a  judge;  he  asked  me  some  questions,  but  I  do  not  remember  what  ones. 
To  Mr.  Rose: 

9168.  I  have  been  having  fits  for  15  or  10  years,  and  I  cannot  recollect 
anything  very  long;  my  brain  has  become  distracted;  I  was  sworn;  I 
do  not  remember  whether  the  man  who  went  with  me  was  present  or 
not;   1  was  taken  to  the  Tombs  and  my  papers  taken  from  me. 

New  York,  February  0,  I860. 
John   Blake  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Blair: 

9169.  I  reside  at  34  and  .'JO  Desbrosses  street;  I  have  lived  there 
since  11th  of  July  last;  I  had  been  in  the  country  12  months  19th  of 
last  August;  1  did  not  vote  at  the  last  election;  I  ottered  to  register, and 
at  that  time  I  had  with  me  my  naturalization  papers;  I  got  them  at  my 
boarding-house;  I  do  not  know  whether  it  was  the  man  or  the  woman 
of  the  house  who  gave  them  to  me;  J  was  arrested  and  taken  to  the 
station-house  and  from  there  to  one  of  the  courts;  the  judge  made  no 
remarks  to  me;  he  only  asked  me  about  the  policeman  in  charge;  he 
ordered  me  discharged. 

To  Mr.  ROSS: 

9170.  I  do  not  know  who  was  my  witness.  A  man  went  with  me  to  the 
City  Hall  and  then  took  the  paper  out  of  my  hand  and  said;  "You  must 
give  me  a  dollar  for  this."  I  told  him  I  had  no  dollar.  I  was  sworn,  but  I 
do  not  know  whether  he  was  sworn  or  not.  I  do  not  know  whether  it 
was  the  judge  or  the  clerk  who  swore  me.  Some  man  swore  five  or  six 
at  the  same  time.     There  was  no  man  there  whom  I  knew. 

New  York,  February  C,  1809. 

Theodore  Allen  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Blair  : 

9171.  I  reside  at  9o  Prince  street,  New  York.  I  do  not  know  any  such 
man  as  John  Fox  at  81  Mercer  street.  I  do  not  know  anything  about 
Peter  Loftus,  Thompson  street;  James  Allen,  109  Hudson;  Charles 
Dougherty,  No.  31  Mercer,  or  Win.  Frost.  I  know  John  Glennon ;  he 
resides  in  Grand  street;  he  is  an  inspector  of  weights  and  measures  and 
has  been  for  some  time.  I  know  James  Collins;  1  should  say  he  was  a 
"loafer."  1  know  Matthew  Green,  one  of  the  proprietors  of  the  opera- 
house  on  14th  street.  Mr.  Green  for  some  months  past  has  been  com 
lined  to  his  bed;  I  think,  for  the  past  eight  months.  He  lives  in  the 
opera-house  up-stairs.  [keep  a  public  house,  and  a  man  by  the  name 
of  James  Gotland  his  brother,  who  were  engaged  in  procuring  natural- 
ization certificates,  used  to  come  to  my  house  a  great  deal.  1  saw  a  num- 
ber of  papers  that  were  sent  to  Connecticut.  I  saw  the  two  Goits have 
500  naturalization  papers  that  they  had  sold  for  50  cents  apiece  to  send 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  825 

to  Connecticut.  I  suppose  1,000  were  sent  to  Brooklyn  that  I  saw 
them  have.  They  contracted  for  these  papers,  they  said,  at  50  cents  a 
head.  They  were  to  send  them  to  Brooklyn  and  Hartford,  I  believe. 
John  Glennon  was  an  inspector  on  the  day  of  election.  He  has  always 
been  a  democrat.  He  lives,  I  think,  at  56  or  58  Grand  street. 
To  Mr.  Boss: 
9172.  I  have  lived  in  Xew  York  for  32  years.  I  have  had  my  public 
house  about  a  year ;  I  rented  it  lor  six  months  ;  I  was  then  in  the  sheriffs 
office.  Previous  to  that  I  had  had  it  for  two  years;  " St.  Bernard v  is 
the  name  of  the  hotel.  The  Golfs  have  always  resided,  I  think,  in 
Thompson  street:  they  are  kept  by  girls.  I  was  married,  but  my  wife  is 
dead.     Xo  girls  keep  me,  but  my  bank  is  always  open  when  the  girls 

,  come  after  me.  T  will  say  this,  however,  that  while  I  have  lived  in  Xew 
York  for  32  years,  and  while  I  know  more  women  than  any  other  man,  yet 
[  never  was  in  a  whorehouse  but  once  in  my  life:  I  have  been  there  on 
business,  but  just  to  go  in  and  come  right  out.  Whenever  any  of  them  get 
arrested  I  am  very  apt  to  be  called  on  to  get  some  of  them  out,  and  I  also 
have  to  help  the  fellows  out  sometimes.  I  associate  with  any  one  who 
conies  in  my  house  and  takes  a  drink  and  goes  out  and  behaves  himself.  I 
do  not  allow  any  women  in  my  house.  I  am  not  given  to  gambling ;  I  have 
not  played  a  game  of  cards  for  money  in  four  years  until  to-day.     I  voted 

.  the  republican  ticket  last  fall,  but  I  was  not  in  the  employ  of  the party.  1 
have  a  brother  in  Xew  York  named  John  Allen,  but  he  is  not  the  one  known 

,  as  the  "  wickedest  man"  in  Xew  York.  I  did  not  count  the  papers  that 
the  (loft's  had.  but  I  counted  some  that  the  police  came  and  took  out 

'  of  my  house  when  they  left  there;  that  was  between  50  and  GO.     Goff 

,  was  not  stopping  at  my  house  then,  but  his  girl  lived  in  Thompson 
street.  I  think  I  saw  Goft'  have  over  4,000  naturalization  papers  last 
tall,  and  over  10,000  during  the  last  three  years.  These  papers  were  all 
signed  and  sealed,  ready  for  sale.  They  were  gotten  in  all  the  courts 
that  issued  naturalization  papers.  1  believe  Judge  Mediums  court  was 
the  only  one  they  were  a  little  afraid  of.  The  way  they  managed  to  get 
them  was  this:  they  would  take  8  or  10  men  and  give  them  fictitious 
names,  and  then  take  them  up  before  the  judge  and  they  would  be  sworn 
in  under  those  names.  They  also  got  papers  directly  from  the  clerk.  1 
think  at  one  time  they  got  as  many  as  500,  and  at  other  times  as  many 
as  100,  200,  and  300,  without  producing  any  men  at  all.  That  was  done 
during  the  last  week.  They  did  not  have  then  to  produce  any  men  at 
all.     They  generally  got  them  at  night,  after  the  court  closed.     They 

'  told  me  they  got  them  from  a  clerk  named  McKean.     A  contract  was 

'  made  for  500  or  1,000  for  Brooklyn,  a  certain  number  for  Jersey,  and 
some  for  Orange  county.  They  had  almost  all  the  business  that  was 
done  over  here  at  court.  1  think  they  got  200  or  300  for  Orange  county. 
1  cannot  tell  how  many  for  Xew  Jersey.  I  saw  these  papers  in  the  Park 
.just  after  they  had  received  them.  They  said  they  got  them  from 
McKean.  I  do  not  know  what  court  he  is  clerk  in.  1  have  myself  seen 
them  getting  papers  in  all  the  courts.  They  would  often  have  10  or  15 
men,  whom  they  would  pass  through  and  have  sworn  some  20  or  30 
times  under  different  names.  They  could  thus  grind  out  a  great  deal  of 
corn  in  a  very  little  while.     There  are  a  great  many  other  parties  whom 

i  I  know  to  have  been  engaged  in  this  business,  but  1  would  rather  not 
mention  names.  As  it  is  insisted  on  I  will  name  them:  Patrick  McCaf- 
frey, Moran,  McCay,  John  Xorton.  Dougherty,  Heftron,  Mitchell,  and 
O'Brien.  I  know  a  great  many  others,  but  I  cannot  now  recall  their 
names.     1  was  at  the  court-house  about  every  day.  and  would  generally 


826  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

remain  there  from  half  an  hour  to  an  hour,  and  I  would  see  these  par 
ties  generally  engaged  in  this  business.  I  have  sometimes  known  them 
to  have  as  many  as  400  sworn  at  a  time,  and  at  other  times  from  10  to  20. 
017.').  Q.  Have  you  ever  been  convicted  of  any  criminal  offence  J 
A.  1  pleaded  guilty  to  an  assault  and  battery  and  received  sen 
tence  of  four  months,  and  got  pardoned  by  the  governor.  I  was  sen 
tenced  to  the  city  prison.  I  remained  in  three  months  and  two  weeks 
That  was  in  1859.  Governor  Morgan  pardoned  me.  I  was  arrested  a 
one  time  on  the  charge  of  defrauding  recruits,  but  there  was  a  nollt 
prosequi  entered  without  a  trial. 

Ni;\v  YORK,  February^  1809. 
JOSEPH    B.    RUSSELL  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Blair: 

0174.   I  reside   in  New  Haven,  Connecticut.     1  was  the  assistant  reg 
ister  of  voters  in   the  town  of  Greenwich.     1  have  a  list  of  names  tha 
were  registered  at  Greenwich  during  the  last  election.     James  Holder 
is  registered,  and  voted  there.     Terrance  Mahony  was  also  registered 
and  voted.     The  oath  which  these  persons  were  required    to   take  upoi 
being  registered  by  the  laws  of  Connecticut  as  freemen,  is,  in  substance 
as  follows:    "You  solemnly  swear  to  support   the  Constitution  of  th< 
United   States   and   the   constitution  of  the  State  of  Connecticut,  an«| 
when  called  upon  to  cast  your  vote, you  shall  do  it  without  fear  or  favoj 
of  any  man:    so  help  you  God."     They  have  a  regular  form   of  oatl 
which  is  printed  in  the  statute. 

In  the  first  place  a  candidate's   name  is  to  be   registered  as  an  aj 
plicant.     This  list  is  to  be  posted  in  the  tow  n-clerk's  office  three  week] 
before  the  day  of  election.     On  the  .Monday  and  Saturday  of  the  wee-} 
preceding  the  election,  all  candidates  who    make  application  have  t 
present  this  to  be  made  "freemen,"  as  they  are  termed.     They  are  the  j 
sworn  with  regard  to  the  statement  they  shall  make  before  the  court ;  thej 
the  questions  are  asked  with  regard  to  whether  they  are  citizens  of  thl 
United  States,  how  long  they  have  resided  in  the  State  or  town,  whethej 
they  are  21  years  of  age,  and  whether  they  can  read.    That  is  when  the] 
are  made  freemen.     They  are  first  sworn  to  answer  these  questions.    ] 
the  answers  are  satisfactory,  then  they  have  administered  to  them  wha 
is  termed  the  freemen's  oath — that  they  will  support  the  Constitution  < 
the  United  States,  the  constitution  of  the  State  of  Connecticut,  an 
when  called  upon  to  cast  their  suffrage,  do  it  without  favor  or  fear  ( 
any  man. 

These  persons  took  this  preliminary  oath ;  they  stated  that  they  ha 
resided  in  Connecticut  the  last  year;  they  presented  their  papers  whic 
were  issued  there  by  the  superior  court  of  the  city  of  New  York  or  th 
supreme  court.  There  were  two  sets  of  papers  during  the  day,  I  thinl 
that  hailed  from  the  supreme  court.  I  think  the  date  of  both  of  thoi- 
papers  was  the  9th  of  October.  I  have  an  impression  that  the  date  o 
Golden's  paper  was  the  6th  or  10th  of  the  month.  Golden  first  pr<i 
sented  himself  to  be  made  an  elector  either  the  18th  or  the  19th — that  | 
the  Monday  of  the  week  preceding  the  election.  He  presented  himse1 
to  be  made  a  freeman,  and  I  objected  to  his  naturalization  papers  bein 
received,  as  they  were  issued  out  of  the  State  of  Connecticut.  Tin 
question  was  raised,  and  his  papers  were  withdrawn,  and  he  came  i 
and  was  admitted,  I  think,  upon  the  19th.  I  made  a  minute,  as  near  ; 
1  could,  of  those  persons  who  registered  on  new  naturalization  paper 
from  the  city  of  New  York.     There  were  some  14  in  our  town.     I  believ1 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YOKE.  827 

there  was  one  set  of  papers  that  were  issued  on  the  14th,  but  they  were 
mostly  dated  on  the  23d.  1  cannot  tell  whether  the  whole  number  of 
these  persons  previously  lived  in  Connecticut;  some  of  them  had.  Ter- 
rance  Mahony.  I  think,  was  a  recent  comer.  Golden  I  was  not  acquainted 
with  at  all  until  hi1  presented  himself  before  the  board. 

To  Mr.  Boss: 
9L75.  We  do  not  swear  every  one  who  is  registered,  but  we  do  the  new 

voters.  This  list  is  in  the  hand-writing'  of  the  assistant  register;  1  was 
present  when  it  was  made  out;  we  made  two  copies  and  they  were  com- 
pared. 

[Mr.  Ross  moved  to  strike  out  this  testimony  on  the  ground  that  it  is 
not  pertinent  to  the  subject-matter  to  be  investigated  before  this  com- 
mittee.    Motion  overruled.] 

New  York,  February  <>,  I860. 
.lost; Pii  CASEY  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Eoss : 
0170.  1  reside  at  No.  50  James  street,  New  York.     1   held   no  public 
position  at  the  last  election  but  that  of  poll-clerk;  that  1  held  in  the  3d 
District,  4th  ward.     As  far  as  I  know  there  were  uo  frauds  upon  the 
elective  franchise  in  that  district  and  ward;  I  was  there  all  the  time;  it 
there  had  been  any  more  votes  counted  on  tickets  put  in  the  box  than 
what  we  voted  I  would  have  known  it. 
To  Mr.  Blair  : 
1)177.  1  remained  until  the  close  of  the  counting.     My  duty  was  to 
make  a  record  of  the  names,  to  make  tally  and  complete  the  returns: 
[.was  occupied  very  nearly  all  the  time  in  thai  duty. 

New  York,  February 6,  18©9. 
John  McCLUSKV  recalled. 

By  Mr.  Be  air: 
1)178.  Question.  You  gave   some  testimony  before  the  committee   in 
'Washington  ! 
Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

9179.  Q.  Y^ou  stated  there  that  you  had  procured  certain  naturalization 
papers  and  that  certain  gentlemen  had  assisted  you  in  it.  Have  you  now 
any  means  of  verifying  your  statement  ? 

A.  What  I  stated  then  was  true. 

9180.  Are  any  of  these  papers  that  you  stated  you  obtained  still  in 
existence/ 

A.  1  think  they  are;  1  could  not  tell  how  many. 

9181.  Q.  Will  you  go  and  bring  them  ! 
A.  Am  I  obliged  to  go! 

9182.  Mr.  Blair.     Yes,  sir. 

Witness.  I  decline  going  without  force;  if  you  will  send  a  United 
States  marshal  with  me  1  will  go  and  procure  them,  if  1  can  find  them. 

Mr.  Blair.  We  will  send  the  Sergeant-at-arms  with  yon  who  is  an 
officer  of  the  House. 

Witness.  Very  well,  sir,  1  will  go  with  him. 

[Witness  then  left  in  company  of  the  Sergeant  at  arms  tor  the  pur- 
pose of  procuring  the  papers.] 


& 


828  KLKCTION     FRAUDS    IN     NEW    YORK. 

NEW  York,  February  G,  1869. 
Lawrence  Bommer  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Blair: 

9184.  1  resident  No.  31  Clark  street,  New  York.  I  know  John  Glennon. 
He  was  register  in  the  4th  ('lection  district  of  the  8tli  ward.  I  know  of 
frauds  in  thai  district  I  saw  Glennon  take  tickets  out  of  his  pocket 
and    slip    them    out   of  his   hands   into   the    box    instead    of   the   ticket 

iven  to  him  to  deposit.  I  detected  him  in  it  and  after  iliat  he  desisted. 
I  know  he  did  that  some  two  or  three  times  before  I  caught  him.  When 
I  saw  him  do il  1  grabbed  at  his  hands,  and  as  soon  as  1  did  so  he  turned 
round,  took  the  ticket  that  he  had  in  his  hands,  put  that  into  his  pocket 
again  and  inn  out  of  the  room,  without  saying  a  word;  when  lie  came 
hack  I  had  him  arrested,  but  let  him  go  in  a  few  hours  time  on  account 
of  his  begging  and  apologizing. 

Again,  when  I  was  register  in  our  district  there  came  upaerowdof 
eight  men  together.  When  they  were  arrested  in  our  ward,  I  made  a 
list  of  them  and  went  round  to  the  other  places  where  they  registered, 
and  saw  those  very  same  men  enter  live  places  and  I  presume  get  regis 
tered,  ami  on  the  day  of  election  I  went   to  the    15th  ward   and  saw  the 

very  selfsame  men  voting  there. 
To  Mr.  Koss: 

9185.  I  was  chairman  of  the  registry  board,  4th  district, 8th  ward.  John 
Glennon  was  one  of  my  colleagues;  John  Linskey  was  also  one;  the 
name  of  the  third  one  I  do  not  remember.  We  polled  612  votes  at  that 
place.  There  was  650  registered.  John  Linskey  did  not  see  these 
tickets  exchanged,  as  he  was  sitting  at  the  table  writing,  and  the  table 
stood  just  behind  the  desk.  Linskey  was  a  republican  and  Glennon  is  a 
democrat.  There  was  also  another  democrat  on  the  board  whose  name 
I  do  not  now  remember. 

New  York.  February  G,  ISO!). 
A.    VORHEE8  recalled. 
By  Mr.  Ulair  : 

01  SO.  Question.  Did  yon  examine  the  naturalization  index  and  papers 
in  one  of  the  courts  and  make  a  comparison  in  regard  to  the  num- 
bers contained  in  it  ! 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  I  examined  the  superior  court  in  regard  to  these' 
bundles  that  are  marked.  It  is  the  last  four  or  five  days  that  I  examined. 
The  papers  were  put  up  into  bundles  and  about  100  in  each  bundle.  The 
last  four  or  five  days  these  bundles  were  marked  on  the  outside.  On 
examining  those  bundles,  in  every  instance  I  found  them  correspond 
with  the  number  on  the  outside. 

0187.  Q.  Did  you  look  into  the  index  book  and  see  whether  you  could 
find  as  many  papers  on  file  as  there  were  names  contained  in  that  book! 

A.  On  October  3d,  I  did.  I  was  examining  the  papers.  We  had 
got  down  to  about  13  or  14,  I  remember,  and  1  was  ordered  to  go  back 
and  commence  at  the  beginning  and  take  out  all  the  papers  which  were 
witnessed  by  a  certain  individual  named  McCaffrey.  Of  course  I  com- 
menced on  the  3d  of  October;  the  1st  and  2d  I  believe  had  already 
been  selected.  I  commenced  on  the  3d  of  October  and  found  on  the 
index  40  naturalizations,  in  which  he  was  a  witness.  That  was  the  in- 
dex as  made  out  by  the  clerk  of  the  court.  I  went  to  the  bundle  to  get 
those  46  papers  and  could  find  hut  13  on  which  his  name  appeared  as  a 
witness,  and  I  counted  the  bundle  three  times.     The  index  called  for  40. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  829 

That  may  be  accounted  for  from  the  faet  that  the  man  was  indexing 
during  the  time  I  was  examining,  and  he  might  have  had  two  or  three 
papers  himself.  When  1  went  over  those  bundles  before,  in  looking  at 
that  man's  name  I  found  43  papers  which  were  witnessed  by  him.  I  did 
not  look  further  than  October  3d :  when  I  found  the  papers  were  so 
widely  apart  in  numbers,  I  gave  it  up. 

To  Mr.  Kos<  : 

9188.  The  first  time  I  examined  these  papers  with  McCaffrey's  name 

on,  I  found  43  of  them,  and  when  I  came  to  look  for  the  papers  I  found 
only  13. 

NEW  York,  February  <>,  1869. 
Dennis  McLaughlin  sworn  and  examined,  (called  by  Mr.  lioss.) 
To  Mr.  Ross: 

9189.  I  was  one  of  the  election  officers,  last  December,  in  the  3d 
district,  4th  ward.  1  was  there  all  day,  with  the  exception  of  the 
time  I  made  an  arrest,  when  1  had  to  go  with  the  party.  I  know  of  no 
frauds  being  perpetrated  there.  If  there  had  been  any  I  think  it  is  very 
likely  I  shoidd  have  known  it.     I  am  republican  in  politics. 

To  Mr.  Blair  : 

9190.  There  were  some  threats  made,  by  some  parties  outside,  against 
one  of  my  colleagues.  A  number  of  persons  made  these  threats  all  day, 
off  and  on.  Costello,  the  inspector,  is  the  one  to  whom  I  refer.  It  was 
alleged  by  many  outside,  that  voters  were  kept  back  by  unnecessary 
questions  on  his  part,  and  parties  came  in  and  wanted  to  know  why  this 
was.  Mr.  Costello  remarked  that  he  was  not  doing  anything  more  than 
performing  his  duty.  That  he  was  satisfied  there  were  men  registered 
there  who  were  not  entitled  to  be  registered,  but  he  had  to  receive 
them  on  account  of  their  having  naturalization  papers,  behind  which 
he  could  not  go.  They  called  him  all  sorts  of  names,  and  said  they 
would  kick  his  big  head  off  of  him  when  he  came  outside.  He  had  to 
be  accompanied  to  the  station-house  at  night  by  the  policemen,  in  order 
to  insure  his  safety,  his  life  being  regarded  in  danger.  The  police  said  it 
was  best  for  me  to  go  round  with  him  also,  and  I  went  one  block  with 
them,  then  left  and  went  on  my  way  home  unaccompanied  by  the  police. 
Alderman  Coman  was  there  that  day,  and  he  made  some  threatening 
remarks  against  Mr.  Costello — something  about  kicking  his  head  off. 
Alderman  Coman  and  he  had  some  words. 

To  Mr.  EOSS : 

9191.  Coman  insisted  that  Costello  was  keeping  back  the  voters.  Mr. 
Costello,  Avhen  a  man  came  up,  would  put  questions  to  him,  and  when  he 
was  challenged  would  administer  both  oaths — the  preliminary  and  the 
general  oath.  (At  this  Alderman  Coman  took  offence.  I  did  not  regard 
the  vote  as  being  unnecessarily  retarded  by  his  action.  1  presume  there 
were  some  questions  asked  that  were  unnecessary.  It  is  true  that  a  good 
many  men  had  to  go  away,  when  the  polls  were  closed,  without  having  had 
an  opportunity  to  deposit  their  votes.  I  have  no  doubt  that  if  Mr.  Costello 
had  not  put  so  very  many  questions  some  more  would  have  had  an  oppor- 
tunity to  vote.  Eight  hundred  and  fifty  were  registered,  and  about  750 
only  voted.  The  democratic  inspector  there  was  Peter  Thurston.  There 
were  two  democratic  poll-clerks,  which  is  not  usual,  there  generally  being 
one  republican  and  one  democrat.     Mr.  Johnson  was  one  of  them.     If 


830  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

there  had  been  80  more  votes  pot  in  the  box  than  what  had  been  voted 
I  think  I  would  have  known  it.     I  remained  until  the  polls  were  closed. 
By  Mr.  Blair  : 

9192.  Question,  [f  80  names  had  been  put  upon  the  poll-book  that  were 
not  voted,  would  yon  have  had  any  means  of  detecting  that  I 

Answer.  No,  sir. 

9193.  Q.  Von  speak  of  Mr.  Johnson  being  one  of  the  poll-clerks  ;  what 
was  his  condition  that  day?  was  there  anything  unusual  about  him? 

A.  There  was  liquor  there  ;  whether  he  had  drank  of  it  or  not  I  could 
not  tell.  T  did  not  observe  anything  that  indicated  that  he  was  under 
the  influence  of  liquor. 

Nj:\v  York,  February  0,  ISO'). 

John   Dillon  sworn  and  examined  : 
To  Mr.  BLAIB  : 

0104.  I  reside  in  New  York  city.  1  voted  at  the  election  of  last  fall. 
1  was  inspector  of  election   in  the  11th  district,  0th  ward. 

0195.  Q.  State  if  you  know  anything  that  occurred  there  tending  to 
affect  the  fairness  of  the  election. 

A.  I  know  that  all  the  police  that  belonged  to  the  ward  were  removed; 
by  whose  orders  I  could  not  positively  swear ;  but  1  thought  that  it  was 
a  very  strange  thing. 

0106.  Q.  State  anything  else  that  yon  observed. 

A.  There  are  no  more  than  000  voters  in  that  district,  and  there  were 
400  registered  the  first  day.  I  was  not  thereat  that  time.  On  that 
being  discovered,  Mr.  Marshall  asked  me  if  1  would  go  up  and  accept 
the  office  of  inspector,  as  there  appeared  to  be  a  great  deal  of  fraud  going 
on.  I  went  up,  and  was  appointed  by  Mr.  .Marshall.  1  was  occupied 
there  a  day  and  a  half,  when  I  was  removed.  About  330  were  registered 
whilst  I  remained.  They  worked  very  hard  at  first,  but  as  soon  as  they 
discovered  that  I,  an  old  resident  of  the  ward,  was  there,  they  came  with 
naturalization  papers  in  their  arms  and  in  their  pockets.  Previous  to 
that  they  had  not  had  any.  1  was  removed  because  it  was  reported 
that  I  had  sold  out  to  the  democratic  party.  It  was  so  reported  in  room 
15,  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel,  by  Mr.  Marshall.  It  was  done  because  it  did 
not  suit  Mr.  Marshall's  purpose  to  leave  me  there.  He  wanted  to  play 
into  Mr.  Griswold's  hands,  and  he  could  not  do  it.  I  do  not  remember 
how  many  were  registered  altogether.  In  one  district  there  were  no 
republican  inspectors  up  to  8  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  election. 
We  sent  two  gentlemen  up  there  who  offered  to  be  challengers  in  the 
ward  without  any  pay,  but  no  one  was  appointed.  There  was  no  chal- 
lenger at  all  in  the  11th  district  on  the  republican  side.  The  whole 
police  force  of  the  0th  ward  were  changed.  Captain  Jordan  could 
make  the  change,  but  not  without  authority,  I  suppose.  T  know  of  no 
reason  why  this  was  done.  The  necessary  effect  of  this  change  of  police 
would  be  to  facilitate  frauds  in  the  election. 

To  Mr.  Boss: 

0107.  At  the  time  I  acted  as  register  1  was  living  as  much  in  Brooklyn 
as  I  was  in  New  York;  as  much  in  New  York  as  1  was  in  Brooklyn.  I 
call  New  York  my  home.  My  family  sometimes  reside  in  Brooklyn  and 
sometimes  in  New  York.  They  were  in  Brooklyn  at  the  time  of  the  last 
election.  In  the  fall  they  were  living  in  the  same  house  in  which  we 
have  been  living  for  the  last  10  or  12  years.  I  sleep  part  of  the  time  in 
Brooklyn  and  part  of  the  time  in  New  York.     I  voted  in  Brooklyn.    I 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YOBK.  831 

suppose  that  might  more  properly  be  called  my  home.  The  commissioner 
has  charge  of  the  police,  I  presume,  in  this  place,  but  I  think  Mr.  Mar 
shall  has  had  the  most  charge.  I  could  not  say  whether  he  was  instru- 
mental in  having  these  policemen  of  the  Oth  [ward  removed,  or  not.  I 
was  present  during  the  second  day  of  registry,  and  part  of  the  third. 
There  were  320  registered  the  first  day,  and  18  the  second.  I  think  407 
had  been  registered  before  I  got  there.  I  could  not  tell  as  regards  any 
fraudulent  votes  having  been  polled  there.  Personally  I  know  of  none. 
1  did  not  act  during  election  day.  I  could  not  say  positively  that  I,  of 
my  own  knowledge,  know  of  any  one  being  illegally  registered  at  that 
place.  I  was  born  in  the  city  and  county  of  New  York.  I  am  now  a 
clerk  for  Samuel  Chapter.  He  is  not  doing  any  particular  business  just 
now;  he  has  some  real  estate  for  sale  ;  he  was  formerly  a  brewer.  He 
lives  at  Pleasantville,  Westchester  county.  I  have  been  clerking  for  him 
for  over  a  year.  He  commenced  doing  business  at  Nos.  8  and  10  Centre 
street,  in  this  city,  a  year  last  January.  I  get  paid  my  salary  whenever 
[  see  proper  to  call  for  it.  I  sometimes  call  once  a  week,  and  sometimes 
two  or  three  times  a  week,  just  as  I  happen  to  need  it.  Previous  to 
going  with  Mr.  Chapter  I  was  in  the  lumber  business,  and  had  contracts 
with  the  government  during  the  war.  I  have  never  been  convicted  of 
any  criminal  offence.     I  never  was  in  the  penitentiary. 

New  York,  February  0,  1800. 
AUGUST  Urowning  sworn  and  examined. 

To  Mr.  Blair: 
0198.  I  reside  at  No.  2  Watt  street,  city  New  York.  I  know  James 
and  Patrick  Goff.  James  GofPs  character  is  that  of  a  professional  thief; 
he  does  nothing  but  steal;  he  has  been  arrested  several  times  on  that 
charge.  I  know  John  Glennon ;  he  goes  also  by  the  name  of  Jack  Squint ; 
I  know  him  better  by  that  name  than  the  other.  I  arrested  James  Goff 
myself  on  the  25th  of  October.  T  arrested  Patrick  Goff  about  seven  or 
eight  years  ago. 

To  Mr.  lioss : 
0100.  James  Goff  was  arrested  for  stealing  a  gold  watch  and  chain 
and  two  diamond  rings;  he  was  put  under  $1,500  bail. 

New  York,  February  0,  1800. 
Theodore  Taylor  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  P>LAIR : 

0200.  I  live  at  No.  207  East  Eighty-fourth  street.  1  am  studying  law 
with  my  uncle,  Judge  Eussell.  John  McClusky  I  know,  and  have  for 
a  longtime;  I  have  known  him  so  as  to  know  who  he  was;  for  the 
last  two  or  three  years  I  have  known  him  as  a  clerk  for  the  city  judge. 
1  assisted  last  mil  in  tilling  np  naturalization  papers  just  the  same  as  I 
would  write  any  paper  for  the  office;  I  had  no  knowledge  of  what  the 
papers  were.  McClusky  gave  me  a  list  of  names  of  persons  to  fill  in, 
and  told  me  to  take  any  I  liked.  I  always  wrote  in  my  natural  hand;  1 
believe  1  signed  papers  with  a  mark  in  one  or  two  eases ;  he  told  me  Iliad 
better  do  that.  1  know  Mr.  Edward  Bitter;  he  was  a  clerk  there,  and 
was  also  engaged  with  McClusky  in  filling  up  these  papers;  I  suppose 
I  assisted  in  filling  up  about  50  or  75. 

To  Mr.  BOSS : 

0201.  J  now  believe  these  papers  which  I  assisted  in  getting  up  were 
fraudulent,  but  I  did  not  know  anything  about  that  then.  I  never 
thought  it  was  wrong  to  write  a  man's  name  and  put  a  cross  to  it  with- 


832  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

out  his  being  there  directing  me  to  do  so:  1.  of  course,  know  it  is  wronl 
to  forge  a  man's  name.  I  believe  I  signed  the  man's  name,  to  these 
papers  as  a  general  thing — that  is,  I  wrote  the  names,  and  I  believe  Mr. 
Ritter  and  Mr.  McClusky  Bigned  litem;  I  am  not  positive  whether  1 
signed  any  names  to  the  papers  or  not.  I  am  not  aware  of  the  fact 
whether  Judge  Russell  knew  I  was  engaged  in  this  business  or  not;  of 
course  lie  saw  me  writing,  but  I  do  not  know  whether  he  knew  what  I 
was  writing;  I  did  it  in  my  office.  Bitter  wrote  some  in  my  office  and 
.some  in  his  own  room:  lie  had  a  private  room.  I  am  in  my  L9th  year. 
[  did  not  assist  In  taking  the  papers  into  court;  I  do  not  know  whether 
they  ever  went  into  court  or  not.  I  have  no  political  preferences  myself. 
I  commenced  filling  up  these  papers  about  three  or  four  weeks  before 
the  election  took  place.     I  do  not  know  where  Bitter  is. 

New  York,  February  (>,  18G9. 
John  McCu  sky  recalled. 

9202.  Witness  appears  and  produces  eight  of  the  papers  about  which 
he  testified.    All,  with  the  exception  of  two,  which  were  dated  the  23d  of 

October,  were  found  to  be  of  the  date  ot  the  L'lst  of  October,  and 
all  were  issued  from  the  supreme  court  and  signed  by  Charles  K. 
Loew,  with  the  seal  of  the  court  thereon.  Those  ot*  the  21st,  are  of  the 
names  of  Patrick  Fogarty,  Dennis  Quinn,  Patrick  Gilroy,  William  O. 
Donnell,  James  Eghert,  and  Michael  Dooley.  Those  dated  the  23d  are 
in  the  names  of  Aaron  Levy  and  Moses  Levy. 

9203.  Q,  State  whether  or  not  you  procured  these  papers  in  the  man- 
ner you  have  previously  stated  in  your  testimony  before  the  commit  tee  | 

A.    Yes.  sir. 

9:204.  Q.  These  are  part  of  the  papers  that  you  obtained  in  the  manner 

you  have  previously  stated   in  your  testimony  before  the  committee  at 

Washington  I 
A.   Yes,  sir. 

1)205.  Q.  How  did  it  happen  that  you  did  not  use  these  eight  1 
A.  I  did  not  find  anybody  to  give  them  to.  I  suppose. 

X i:w  Y( > i j k .  Februa ry  0,  1 809. 
GEORGE  II.  DUNBAB  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Blaik: 

i)20G.  I  reside  at  No.  17  West  Houston  street.  New  York  city.  On  the 
night  of  the  30th  of  November,  between  10  and  11  o'clock,  1  was  sent 
by  Colonel  Bliss  to  police  headquarters  with  .Mr.  Ray  and  another  young 
man  to  get  the  police  census  records:  they  were  taken  there  to  compare 
with  the  registers  which  we  had  at  room  15  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel,  to  see 
whether  these  parties  that  had  been  registered  actually  lived  at  the 
numbers  assigned  to  them  in  the  different  streets.  We  went  to  police 
headquarters  and  got  the  books;  we  took  all  the  books  there  were 
in  that  room  and  took  them  to  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel;  I  stood  at  the 
carriage  door  until  I  saw  every  one  taken  into  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel, 
as  I  supposed,  and  if  the  hackman  took  two  of  them — put  two  under  his 
coat — it  was  without  my  knowledge;  1  thought  I  was  very  careful  to  see 
every  book  go  into  the  hack  and  see  that  every  book  was  taken  out.  I 
was  working  there  night  and  day  for  almost  two  weeks. 

9207.  Q.  You  intended  to  have  all  the  books  there? 

A.  Yes,  sir.  We  had  no  way  of  knowing  whether  all  the  books 
were  taken  from  the  police  office,  because  we  did  not  take  any  account 
of  them. 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  833 

9208.  Q.  State  whether  the  books  were  similar  to  those  you  see  here. 
[Copies  of  Police  Census  shown  witness.] 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  examined  a  great  many  of  them;  I  had  partial  charge 
of  the  office  most  of  the  time  for  about  two  weeks,  and  they  were  simi- 
lar to  these. 

By  Mr.  Eoss : 

9209.  Q.  Did  you  take  the  books  from  police  headquarters  that  had 
been  returned  there  by  the  registers'? 

A.  No,  sir;  all  we  took  were  books  similar  to  those  that  are  here; 
they  are  copies  of  books  that  are  required  to  be  kept  by  the  police  author- 
ities as  census  books,  as  I  understand  it. 

9210.  Q.  Did  not  you  have  the  other  books  there — the  books  that 
were  returned  by  the  registers?    Are  these  the  books  made  by  the 

registers  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  these  are  the  books  made  by  the  police  authorities;  the 
lx)oks  that  the  registers  used  were  issued  and  were  to  be  returned  to  room 
15,  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel,  or  supposed  to  be  returned  there — that  is,  the 
books  taken  by  the  registers  of  the  city. 

9211.  Q.  That  night,  when  you  had  these  books  there,  those  register 
books  were  there  also,  were  they  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  they  were  all  at  room  15,  or  supposed  to  have  been  there. 

9212.  Q.  There  was  another  class  of  books  that  you  took  there  that  night. 
A.  Yes,  sir;   what  we  call  "police  books,"  that  we  examined.    We 

examined  these  books  with  the  registers.  The  register  of  a  certain  dis- 
trict of  a  certain  ward  would  bring  in  his  book  as  registering  so  many 
names,  and  such  and  such  a  day  we  would  examine  this  police  book  as 
being  a  census  of  that  ward  and  district,  and  we  would  check  where  we 
found  them  to  be  correct. 

9213.  Q.  Who  took  these  original  registry  books  to  the  Fifth  Avenue 
Hotel? 

A.  The  registers  themselves  brought  them  there,  and  reported  them 
there  themselves. 

9214.  Q.  Were  they  instructed  to  bring  them  there? 
A.  I  cannot  say;  1  presume  they  were. 

9215.  Q.  How  long  were  you  at  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel  that  night*? 
A.  I  was  there,  sir,  until  about  3  o'clock  the  next  morning. 

921G.  Q.  How  many  were  engaged  in  comparing  these  police  books 
with  the  original  register  books  that  were  there? 
A.  I  suppose  there  were  upwards  of  20. 

9217.  Q.  Do  you  know  about  how  many  of  the  original  register  books 
were  there  ? 

A.  I  could  not  tell  you  that. 

9218.  Q.  How  did  they  compare  when  you  came  to  make  the  com- 
parison ? 

A.  I  found  a  great  many  which  were  at  fault ;  we  found  a  great  many 
had  been  registered  whose  names  did  not  appear  on  the  police  books. 
We  supposed  the  police  books  to  be  the  correct  ones,  and  that  the  books 
of  the  registry  of  the  city  were  erroneous — that  they  had  too  many 
names  on  them. 

9219.  Q.  What  was  this  room,  No.  15  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel,  used  for  at 
that  time  i 

A.  It  was  the  headquarters  for  the  city  central  committee  of  the 
republican  party. 

9220.  Q.  How  long  were  those  original  registry  books  kept  there  at 
tfiose  republican  headquarters? 

53  I 


834  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

A.  The  hist  register  books  were  brought  in;  they  were  examined  and 
were  returned  to  each  and  every  register  before  the  time  of  registry,  so 
that  they  should  have  them  ready  the  moment  they  should  commence 
registering,  on  Saturday,  at  .'>  o'clock  in  the  morning;  and  I  was  from  then 
until  10  o'clock  in  the  morning  returning  the  books  that  had  not  been 
called  tor. 

9221,.  Q.  You  say  other  parties  had  those  registry  books  besides  those 
at  these  headquarters  of  the  republican  committee  \ 

A.  J  did  not  say  that,  any  other  parties  had  them.  There  were  three 
or  four  places  where  they  were  to  be  called  for  by  parties  from  our  head- 
quarters at  a  certain  time  to  take  them  off,  and  to  take  all  that  were  left 
to  those  places.     Those  places  I  could  not  designate. 

By  Mr.  \\L\l\l  : 

9222.  Q.  You  have  been  stating  that  the  original  registry  books  were 
brought  t<>  the  fifth  Avenue  Hotel  ;   is  that  so  I 

A.   Yes,  sir. 

9^3.   (v>.    Were  they  not  copies  > 

A.  No,  sir. 

9224.  Q,  Were  not  they  brought  there  under  a  circular  that  had  been 
issued  expressly  requiring  them  to  bring  copies,  and  were  not  these  all 
copies,  and  are  they  not  now  in  the  possession  of  the  committee  that 
brought  them  there  I 

A.    If  they  were  copies,  why  should  they  be  returned  to  the  registers? 

OL'LM.  I  ask  you  simply  if  it  was  not  the  fact  that  these  were  copies  of 
the  registry  that  were  brought  to  the  Filth  Avenue  Hotel  under  the 
directions  of  the  republican  central  committee,  under  a  circular  sent  to 
the  registers  .' 

A.  1  think  you  are  right ;  1  think  they  were — excuse  me — as  Charles  A. 
(J  ray,  who  was  a  register  for  the  1st  district  and  1st  ward,  and  the  3d  dis- 
trict and  1st  ward,  had  the  register  which  he  kept,  and  I  made  a  copy  of  it 
and  sent  it  up  there  myself,  before  1  had  anything  to  do  with  the  place 
at  all.     They  therefore  must  have  been  all  copies,  but  they  were  returned. 

By  Mr.  Boss : 

922G.  Q.  You  did  send  them  back  to  the  registers  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

9227.  Q.  So  as  to  have  them  the  time  the  election  came  off? 

A.  No,  sir ;  so  that  they  might  add  to  them  the  names  of  those  reg- 
istering the  last  days  of  registration.  I  was  mistaken,  as  I  now  remem- 
ber, in  thinking  them  originals;  they  were  only  copies. 

9228.  They  are  the  same  ones  that  they  used  at  the  election  that  you 
had  there  ! 

A.  They  used  their  registers,  I  suppose;  there  were  three  or  four 
copies  taken.    These  we  had  were  copies. 

9229.  Q.  Did  you  help  to  make  those  books  ? 
A.  No,  sir  ;  I  helped  to  examine  them. 

New  York,  February  6,  1869. 
David  Crowley  sworn  and  examined. 
To  Mr.  Blair  : 

9230.  I  have  recently  been  to  the  county  clerk's  office  for  the  purpose  of 
ascertaining  whether  the  papers  called  for  by  the  committee  were  to  be 
produced  this  evening.  I  went  over  there  at  10  minutes  past  six,  and 
I  found  the  doors  and  shutters  closed,  arid  could  not  see  any  lights  or  any 
inside. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  835 

New  York,  February  G,  18G9. 
Charles  S.  Strong  sworn  and  examined. 
By  Mr.  Blair  : 

9231.  Question.  Where  do  you  reside  ! 

Answer.  I  reside  at  223  Henry  street,'  in  the  city  of  New  York. 

9232.  Q.  Have  you  prepared  tables  showing  the  vote  of  the  sixth  ward 
for  a  series  of  years J? 

A.  I  have  in  my  possession  tables  showing  the  vote  of  the  sixth  ward 
from  1856  to  1808  inclusive. 

9233.  Q.  From  what  sources  did  you  compile  those  tables  ? 

A.  From  the  Tribune  Almanac ;  18G8  was,  I  think,  taken  from  the 
Transfer,  the  official  paper.  (Witness  produces  the  tables  referred  to.) 
They  are  as  follows  : 

"Vote  of  6th  ward  from  185G  to  18G8,  inclusive,  (from  Tribune  Almanac.) 
9233«.  President— 1850. 

Buchanan,  (democrat) 2,  357 

Fremont,  (republican) 294 

Fillmore,  (neutral) 229 

Total 2,  880 


9233b.  Mayor— 185 


Tiemann,  (democrat,  endorsed  by  republicans) 495 

Wood,  (democrat,  regular) 2,  401 

Total 2,  890 

Note. — Tiemann  was  a  democrat.     The  actual  strength  of  parties  is 
better  shown  by  the  vote  for  governor  of  almshouse,  viz : 

Deugro,  (regular  democrat) 2,  443 

Smith,  (republican) 340 

Wagner,  (American) 91 

Total 2,  874 

9233c.  Governor— 1858. 

Morgan,  (republican) 282 

Parker,  (democrat,  regular) 2,  205 

Burrows,  (American) 27 

Gerrit  Smith,  (abolition) 1 

Total 2,  575 

9234.  Mayor— 1859. 

Opdyke,  (republican) 153 

Wood,  (Mozart  democrat) ■ ;  - . . 1, 110 

Havermeyer,  (Tammany  democrat) 1,,  340 

Total ,.., ,  -.,,..,,'•-  -  >  .  -y  2, 003 


B86  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 


9235.  President— 1860. 

Lincoln,  (republican) 397 

Fusion  ticket 2, 827 


Total 3, 224 


Note. — The  fusion  ticket  was  the  invention  of  James  Brooks.  A  set 
of  presidential  electors  were  nominated  with  the  understanding  they 
were  to  vote  for  Bell,  Breckinridge,  or  Douglas,  as  might  be  determined 
by  a  majority  of  them,  but  against  Lincoln,  any  way. 

9230.  Mayor—  ISM. 

Opdyke,  (republican) 255 

Gunther,  (Tammany  democrat) 1, 717 

Wood,  (Mozart  democrat) 860 


Total .2,832 


Compare  these  : 

9237.  1802,  Governor  (not  given  by  wards.) 

Comptroller. — December,  1862. 

Shiwes,  (republican) 138 

M.  T.  Brennan,  (democrat) 3,014 


Total 3,152 


Congress — November,  1 862. 

Walbridge,  (republican  and  war  democrat) 448 

Ben.  Wood,  (Tammany  and  Mozart) 1,891 


Total 2,339 


Note. — Increase  at  charter  election  over  congressional,  813.  Brennan 
lives  in  this  ward ;  he  is  now  police  commissioner. 

9238.  Mayor— 1863. 

Blunt,  (republican*) 200 

Gunther,  (opposition  democrat) 720 

Borle,  (Tammany  democrat) 1,509 

Total 2,435 

9239.  1864,  President — vote  by  wards  not  given. 

#  Blunt  was  exceptionally  popular  with  the  democrats,  being  a  supervisor.  The  contest 
was  between  the  two  democrats,  both  of  whom  were  men  of  experience,  and  watched  each 
other's  canvass.     Probably  the  vote  was  more  nearly  honest  than  ever  before  or  since. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  837 

Congress — 1864. 

Bryant,  (republican) 71 

Morgan  Jones,  (Tammany  democrat) 2,840 

Walsh,  (Mozart  democrat) 687 


Total 3,604 


Governor — 1864. 

Fenton,  (republican) 347 

Seymour,  (democrat) 3,434 


Total 3,781 


9250.  Mayor— 1805. 

Roberts,  (republican) 312 

Hoffman,  (Tammany  democrat) 1,669 

Gunther,  (opposition  democrat) 147 

pecker,  (opposition  democrat) 361 


Total 2,489 


9242.  Governor— 1866. 

Fenton,  (republican) 207 

Hoffman,  (democrat) 3,254 


Total 3,461 


9242.  State  officers,  1867  : 

Secretary  of  state. 

McKeau,  (republican) 186 

Nelson,  (democrat) 3,300 


Total 3,486 


9243.  State  senator. 

Leggett,  (republican) 47 

William  M.  Ward,  (Tammany  democrat) 1,983 

Kerrigan,  (opposition  democrat) 1,209 


Total 3,239 


9244.  In  1867  the  democrats  expected  to  and  did  carry  the  State.    The 
vote  was  largely  fraudulent ;  desperate  efforts  were  made  to  win,  in  order 
to  get  the  State  officers,  who  were  to  constitute  the  State  board  of  can 
vassers  in  1808. 


838  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW   YORK. 

9245.  1868 — from  official  canvass: 

President. 

Grant,  highest  number 403. 

Seymour,  highest  number 4,998, 

Total 5,401 


Governor. 

Griswold,  (republican) 369 

I lotl'man,  (democrat) 5,Q32 

Scattering 2 


Total 5,403 


New  York,  February  (J,  18G9. 
-Iamks  DiMMh  sworn  and  examined,  (palled  at  the  instance  of  Mr 

Ross.) 

By  Mr.  Ross: 

9246.  Question.   Where  do  you  reside/ 
Answer.  No.  19  Vandewater  street. 

9247.  Q.  What  position  did  you  hold  at  the  presidential  election  last, 
fall  ! 

A.  I  Avas  canvasser  in  the  3d  election  district  of  the  4th  ward. 

9248.  Q.  Who  was  your  colleague! 
A.  William  Peck,  I  think. 

9249.  Q.  State  if  you  gave  your  attention  to  the  canvassing,  of  the, 
votes  at  that  poll. 

A.  Yes,  sir,  both  of  us  did. 

9250.  Q.  State  whether  your  associate  canvasser  was  drunk  or  sober. 
A.  Sober,  I  think,  sir. 

9251.  Q.  State  whether  there  was  concurrence  and  unity  of  action  in 
reference  to  the  canvass  of  the  votes. 

A.     There  was  some  difficulty  in  regard  to  the  manner  of  counting 
the  vote. 

9252.  Q.  In  what  way? 

A.  Well,  we  of  course  agreed  to  count  the  electoral  vote  first.  We 
then  took  the  votes  out  of  the  box,  and  then  proceeded  to  count  the 
tickets  to  see  if  they  tallied  with  the  number  on  the  books  of  the  poll 
clerks.  We  then  divided  the  tickets,  putting  the  democratic  on  one  side 
and  the  republican  on  another.  My  associate  then  said  "you  commence 
first  as  you  have  got  the  biggest  pile."  I  then  opened  a  ticket  and  began 
reading  off  the  names  on  it,  thirty-three  in  number  I  think.  My  col- 
league protested  against  that  method  of  doing  the  business,  and  said 
"if  you  are  going  to  do  that  way  we  won't  get  through  in  two  days."  I 
replied  "1  don't  care,  I  am  going  to  count  the  votes  that  way  if  we  never 
get  through."  He  then  said  that  "he  had  only  got  leave  of  absence 
till  midnight,  and  that  the  way  I  was  counting  the  votes  was  not  the 
right,  or  usual  way."  He  was  a  Metropolitan  fireman  and  that  is  why 
he  would  have  to  leave  at  midnight.  I  insisted  upon  counting  my  way, . 
and  told  him  that  was  the  way  I  was  going  to  count  them.  I  then  went 
on  and  read  off  some  ten  tickets,  which  took  some  three  quarters  of  an 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  839 

hour  or  so  when  he  said  "I  won't  count  no  more  in  that  way."  I  said 
very  well,  and  sat  down.  We  sat  there  then  until  nearly  eleven  o'clock 
because  we  could  not  agree.  He  would  not  listen  to  my  tally  nor  I  to 
his.  The  captain  of  police  in  that  ward  came  in  and  heard  his*  account 
of  the  difficulty,  and  told  him  not  to  do  anything.  He  also  sent  for  Mr. 
Leask,  avIio  is  a  kind  of  a  head  man  in  the  republican  party  in  that 
neighborhood,  and  Leask  told  him  to  stand  on  his  oars,  and  not  to  do 
anything  if  I  insisted  in  counting  in  my  way,,  but  stick  it  out.  At 
eleven  o'clock  we  commenced  to  count  the  tickets  in  the  usual  Way. 

9253.  Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  the  usual  way? 

A.  Why,  I  counted  out  my  tickets,  and  every  time  I  counted  ten  I 
would  pass  them  to  him,  and  he  would  see  that  there  was  ten  in  the 
package,  and  that  there  was  no  gouging*. 

9254.  Q.  State  if  you  cheated  at  all  in  the  canvassing. 

A.  I  could  not  cheat  him  at  all— not  a  vote.  He  was  very  precise. 
I  suppose  he  was  sent  there  because  he  was  a  good  canvasser.  I  have 
been  a  canvasser  a  good  many  years.  I  am  pretty  near  certain  I  did 
not  take  a  vote  from  him,  and  I  know  he  did  not  take  one  from  me. 

9255.  Q.  If  you  know  of  any  unfairness  in  the  canvass  of  the  votes  in 
that  district  that  night  state  it. 

A.  I  don't  know  of  any. 

9256.  Q.  I  will  get  you  to  state  if  you  put  in  eighty-five  or  any  other 
number  of  votes  into  that  canvass  that  were  not  voted  t 

A.  No,  sir;  how  could  I  put  them  in  f  our  count  tallied  with  the  poll 
books. 

9257.  Q.  Could  any  one  else  have  done  it  f 
A.  I  don't  know  how  they  could. 

9258.  Q.  You  was  the  democratic  canvasser,  so-called  f 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

9259.  Q.  You  say  you  put  no  tickets  into  the  boxes  that  were  not 
voted  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  don't  know  how  it  could  have  been  done;  There  was  no 
one,  I  think,  behind  the  table  except  the  police. 

9260.  Q.  I)o  you  know  Henry  Johnson  t 

A.  Only  from  acting  with  him  on  two  election  days.  I  know  he  is  a 
pretty  good  drinker. 

9261.  Q.  Was  he  drunk  that  day  » 
A.  I  should  say  he  was. 

By  Mr.  Blair  : 

9262.  Q.  You  say  you  and  your  associate  canvasser  sat  there  and  did 
nothing  until  11  o'clock  at  night  and  then  you  commenced  counting  the 
votes  in  the  usual  way  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

9263.  Q.  What  was  the  usual  way  1 

A.  To  take  the  tickets  and  look  at  the  endorsement,  see  that  the 
names  were  correct  and  no  scratches  on  the  tickets,  then  to  put  them 
up  by  tens  and  pass  them  to  my  associate ;  then  he  would  look  at  them 
and  see  that  they  were  all  right  and  put  them  one  side. 

9264.  Q.  Why  did  you  not  count  that  way  at  first  I 
A.  To  delay  the  count. 

9265.  Q.  Why  did  you  wish  to  delay  the  count  1 

A.  So  that  the  vote  of  the  city  might  not  be  got  at  to  be  sent  through 
the  State  before  12  o'clock. 

9266.  Q.  Had  you  any  such  instructions  ! 
A.  Yes,  sir. 


840  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

92G7.  Q.  Who  from  ? 
A.  No  one  in  particular. 

9208.  Q.  Who  from,  J  ask  you,  did  you  receive  such  instructions? 
A.  From  our  ward  canvassers  1 
9069.  Q.  From  who  ? 

A.  Well,  Ave  all  got  together  ourselves  and  made  up  our  minds  to  do 
that  way. 

9270.  Q.  Who  got  together  and  arrived  at  that  decision  t 
A.  The  canvassers  in  our  ward. 

9271.  Q.   Republican  or  democratic  canvassers  I 

A.  The  democratic  canvassers  in  our  ward.  1  brought  them  together 
myself. 

9272.  Q.   Von  called  the  meet  in-  I 

A.   Well,  it  was  no  meeting;   we  happened  to  meet,  that  was  all. 
927o.  Q.  All  the  democratic  canvassers  were  present  from  your  ward— 
the  4th  ward  1 

A.    All  except  one. 

9274.  Q.  And  you  all  agreed  not  to  permit  the  counting  of  the  votes 
to  go  on  until  a  late  hour  I 

A.  We  agreed  that  we  would  count  the  tickets,  but  in  such  a  way 
that  it  would  take  some  hours  to  do  it  :  that  we  would  read  over  every 
name  on  every  ticket. 

9275.  Q.  Who  do  you  say  called  that  meeting  of  officers  I 
A.  There  was  no  call  for  a  meeting. 

9276.  Q.  Where  did  you  meet  I 
A.  Where  we  were  folding  tickets. 

9277.  Q.  Who  tirst  made  the  proposition  to  so  count  the  votes  as  to 
delay  the  result  being  known  I 

A.  I  did,  sir. 

9278.  Q.  Had  you  received  instructions  from  any  one  so  to  do? 
A.  Directions  to  that  effect,  of  course. 

9279.  Q.  Who  from  I 

A.  Well,  not  directions,  but  it  was  supposed  to  be  that.  It  was  under- 
stood that  was  to  be  the  arrangement  in  the  different  wards. 

9280.  Q.  Who  gave  you  those  instructions  in  the  first  place? 
A.  My  alderman  gave  them  to  me. 

9281.  Q.  Who  is  he— his  name? 
A.  Alderman  Thomas  Coman. 

9282.  Q.  Acting  mayor  of  the  city  subsequently  ! 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

9283.  Q.  Did  he  tell  you  where  he  derived  his  authority  to  so  instruct 
you* 

A.  No,  sir. 

9284.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  those  instructions  came  from  any  dem- 
ocratic committee  ? 

A.  Not  positively. 

9285.  Q.  Were  you  so  informed? 

A.  I  don't  know  where  they  came  from  positively 
928G.  Q.  What  did  Alderman  Coman  tell  yon  ? 

A.  He  told  me  to  count  the  vote,  but  to  read  every  name  on  the  elec- 
toral ticket  every  time. 

9287.  Q.  Why  did  he  say  you  was  to  do  this? 
A.  I  have  already  explained. 

9288.  Q.  He  gave  you  the  reason  which  you  have  stated  to  this  com- 
mittee ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  to  delay  the  canvass  so  that  our  vote  in  the  city  could  no 


: 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  841 

be  known  in  the  State  until  after  theirs  was  received  here.  Previously, 
I  believe,  they  heard  from  us  before  Ave  did  from  them. 

9289.  Q.  You  were  then  to  delay  your  canvass  in  the  city  so  that  the 
vote  in  the  State  should  be  counted  before  yours? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  or,  perhaps,  at  the  same  time,  but  so  that  we  should  hear 
from  them  first. 

By  Mr.  Ross : 

9290.  Q.  What  was  the  reason,  you  say,  for  this  action? 

A.  It  was  our  impression  that  if  we  sent  our  returns  into  the  State 
they  would  overcome  our  majority. 
By  Mr.  Blair  : 

9291.  Q.  Were  you  present  at  Tammany  Hall  on  the  Sunday  before 
election  f 

A.  No,  sir. 

New  York,  February  (>,  1869. 
John  H.  McCunn  recalled  at  the  instance  of  Mr.  Ross. 
By  Mr.  Ross : 

9292.  Question.  State  if  you  are  acquainted  with  Hiram  M.  Clapp  ! 
Answer.  I  don't  know  him  at  all,  sir. 

9293.  Q.  State  if  you  recollect  a  police  officer  bringing  a  man  before 
you  named  James  Murphy  ? 

A.  There  was  but  one  occasion  when  a  police  officer  brought  a  man 
before  me  j  it  must  have  been  that  man.  Yes,  it  seems  to  me  that  the 
officer's  name  was  Clapp.  He  was  a  sandy-haired  man.  I  recollect  that 
he  brought  a  man  before  me  in  a  beastly  state  of  intoxication.  He  was 
sent  by  Judge  Dowling  to  me,  as  a  man  who  said  he  had  false  papers. 

9294.  Q.  State  if  you  made  any  threats  of  punishing  this  police  officer? 
A.  Some  one,  I  think,  followed  them  to  my  court  and  complained  to 

me  that  this  police  officer  was  preventing  legal  voters  from  getting  in 
their  votes.  I  told  them  that  if  Mr.  Clapp  or  any  other  man  attempted 
to  prevent  legal  voters  casting  their  ballots  I  would  punish  him.  I  am 
inclined  to  think  the  officer  was  a  fair  man,  but  extreme  in  his  way. 

9295.  Q.  I  would  ask  you  if  you  ever  attended  Judge  Barnard's  court 
when  it  Avas  in  session  for  naturalization  rmrposes  ? 

A.  1  was  there  once. 

9290.  Q.  State  as  to  your  observation  of  the  manner  in  which  he  con- 
ducted business. 

A.  As  far  as  I  saw,  the  business  of  naturalization  was  conducted  fairly 
and  honorably  by  Judge  Barnard. 

9297.  Q.  Do  you  know  John  McClusky  f 

A.  I  know  a  man  by  the  name  of  McClusky  who  was  an  officer  in  the 
court  of  general  sessions,  over  which  1  had  the  honor  at  the  time  to  pre- 
side, but  I  don't  know  much  about  him. 

9298.  Q.  Are  you  acquainted  with  his  reputation? 
A.  I  don't  know  much  about  him ;  I  declare  1  don't. 

9299.  Q.  Are  you  acquainted  with  his  reputation  for  truth  and  veracity  ? 

A.  I  don't  think  I  am  sufficiently  acquainted  with  him  to  say  any- 
thing about  him.    I  don't  think  you  ought  to  call  on  me  to  say  anything 

about ;  really,  Mr.  Ross,  I  don't  know  much  about  him;  upon  my 

word,  I  don't  know  anything 

By  Mr.  Blair  : 

9300.  Q.  In  what  capacity  was  Mr.  McClusky  about  the  court  of  gen- 
eral sessions  I 

A.  He  was  first  clerk  to  City  Judge  Russell. 


842  ELECTION'  FRAUDS    IN    NEW'   YORK. 

9801,  Q,  Was  he  not  your  clerk  at  any  timef 

A.  O,  yes,  sir— I  think  for  three  years,  but  I  did  not  know  anything 
about  him.  I  appointed  Mm  at  the  request  of  the  late  John  Clancy  and 
Judge  Brennan  of  this  city.  Really  you  flaw  asking  me,  now,  very  deli- 
cate  questions. 

By  Mr.  Ross : 

9302.  Q.  How  did  he  come  to  get  out  of  your  employ  t 

A.  I  was  elevated  to  the  superior  court  bench,  and  Judge  Russell  was 
chosen  city  judge. 

The  sub  committee  adjourned  sine  die,  Mr.  Ross  protesting  against  such 
adjournment. 

The  following  testimony  was  taken  by  the  full  committee,  in  Washing- 
ton, 1).  C: 

Washington,  Saturday,  February  13,  18C9. 
JoiIN  I.  Davenport  recalled  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman: 

9303.  Question.  Will  you  present  to  the  committee  a  copy  of  the  letter 
sent  by  the  chairman  to  Charles  E.  Loew,  county  clerk  of  Sew  York, 
with  the  telegrams  subsequently  received  from  and  sent  to  him  during 
this  week  .' 

Mr.  Davenport  read  the  following: 

IIoise  &B  Representatives, 

Washington,  J).  C,  February1.),  1809. 

9304.  Dear  Sir:  At  a  meeting  of  the  select  committee  on  alleged 
election  frauds  in  New  York,  held  this  day,  tin'  subject  of  your  refusal 
to  produce  before  the  sub-committee  in  New  York  on  Saturday  last  the 
applications  for  naturalization  on  file  in  your  office  for  the  days  of  Octo- 
ber Ul  and  23,  1808,  was  considered,  and  before  taking  any  final  meas- 
ures  I  was  directed  to  request  your  immediate  appearance  before  this 
committee  in  this  city  wTith  said  applications. 

Respectfully.  &e., 

WM.  LAWRENCE, 

Chairm an  Committee. 
Ohas.  E.  Loew,  Esq., 

County  Cleric  of  Neiv  York. 


[Telegram-] 

New  York,  February  10,  18(59. 

To  Judge  Lawrence, 

Chairman  Committee,  &c.,  House  Representatives  : 
9305.  Called  at  the  Astor  House  on  Monday  morning  5  found  commit- 
t3e  adjourned.     When  do  they  return  to  Newr  York  I 

CHAS.  E.  LOEW, 
County  Clerk's  Offiee. 


[Telegram.  ] 

Washington,  February  10,  1869— 2.30  p.  im 
To  Chas.  E.  Loew,  County  Clerk,  Neiv  York  : 

9306.  Will  you  come  here  as  requested!    Answer. 

WM.  LAWRENCE, 

Chairman  Committee. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK;  843' 

[Telegram  ] 

New  York,  February  1%  1869; 
To  Judge  Wm.  Lawrence, 

Chairman  Committee,  House  Representatives  : 
9307.  Your  letter  dated  9tb,  bearing  i)ostmark  of  10th,  lias  only  just, 
been  received;  That  and  telegram  came  to  me  same  time.  I  did  not! 
and  will  not  refuse  to  produce  papers,  but  I  am  not  permitted  to  bring- 
county  records  away  from  the  State.  Is  it  me  you  want,  or  the  papers-f 
I  will  come  on  at  once,  if  you  wish.     Please  answer. 

CHARLES  E.  LOEW, 

County  Clerk* h  Offiee: 


[Telegram-  J 

WASHINGTON,  February  11,  1809 — 4*261  p.  m. 
To  Charles  E.  Loew,  County  Cleric,  New  York : 

9308.  Please  answer:  do  you  intend  to  come  and  bring  the  papers  here 
as  requested,  or  do  you  refuse? 

WM.  LAWRENCE, 

Chairman  Committee. 


[Telegram.] 

New  York,  February,  12, . 

Hon.  Wm.  Lawrence;  House  Representatives,  Washington  : 

9309.  1  consider  our  telegrams  probably  crossed  each  other  on  the  way. 
Have  you  not  received  mine?    If  you  have,  is  it  not  an  answer  to  yours? 

CHARLES  E.  LOEW. 


[Telegram.  ] 

Washington,  February  12,  1869. 
To  Charles  E.  Loew,  County  Cleric,  Neio  York: 

9310.   T  consider  your  answer  a  refusal  to  come  here  and  bring  the 
papers. 

WM.  LAWRENCE, 

Chair m a n  Committee. 


[Telegram.] 

New  York,  February 13,  1869. 
To  Hon.  Wm.  Lawrence, 

Chairman,  House  of  Representatives  : 
9311.  The  telegram  directed  by  you  to  county  clerk  was  received  and 
opened  by  me,  Mr.  Loew  having  left  town  last  night  on  a  prior  engage- 
ment. 

HENRY  A.  GUMBLETON. 


844  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

9312.  Q.  State  if  you  saw  the  applications  for  naturalization  in  the 
office  of  the  county  clerk— being  the  office  of  the  clerk  of  the  supreme 
court  of  New  York  city — purporting  to  he  applications  for  October  last; 
aud  if  so,  in  what  condition  they  were. 

A.  A  day  or  two  before  the  committee  left  New  York,  which  was  the 
14th  of  January,  1869,  the  chairman  of  the  committee,  Mr.  Koss,  aud 
myself,  went  from  the  room  in  the  United  States  court  building  where 
the  committee  were  sitting  to  the  superior  court  clerk's  office,  and 
from  there  to  the  supreme  court  clerk's  office,  or  rather  to  the  office  oi 
the  county  clerk,  who  is  ex  officio  clerk  of  the  supreme  court.  We  saw 
there  Mr.  Gumbleton,  the  deputy  in  charge  of  the  office,  and  requested 
to  see  the  naturalization  applications  for  the  month  of  October,  1868. 
Mr.  Gumbleton  threw  open  the  doors  of  a  book-case  and  said  that  thev 
were  all  there.  Judge  Lawrence  asked  him  particularly.  "Mr.  Gum 
bleton,  when  we  were  here  before,  it  was  stated  that  some  of  the  papers 
were  in  a  sate  in  another  room;  are  they  now  all  here,  and  are  these  all 
the  papers  which  were  issued  in  October,  L868T'  Mr.  Gumbleton  re 
plied  that  they  were,  and  that  the  papers  of  each  day  were  by  them 
selves. 

Washington.  February  13,  1869. 
HOWARD  T.  Marston  recalled  and  examined. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

931.3.  Question.  State  if  you  examined  the  applications  for  naturaliza- 
tion for  the  month  of  October  last,  on  tile  in  the  office  of  the  clerk  of  the 
supreme  court  of  New  York  city;  and  if  so.  when  and  in  what  condition 
the  applications  for  each  day  were  found. 

Answer.  I  examined  the  applications  made  between  the  <Sth  and  23d  o{ 
October,  1808.  They  were  brought  to  me  by  one  of  the  clerks,  with 
one  or  two  exceptions,  which  I  noted  in  my  original  minutes,  and  have 
written  off  this  morning;  each  day's  applications  were  by  themselves— 
that  is  to  say,  they  would  come,  perhaps,  in  one  or  two  bundles,  but 
we  had  them  assorted  and  the  applications  of  each  day  arranged  by 
themselves.  That  examination  commenced  about  the  6th  of  January 
last,  and  continued  about  two  weeks.  I  do  not  recollect  the  precise 
length  of  time;  I  could  tell  by  looking  over  these  papers.  On  the  5th 
of  January,  1869,  I  examined  what  purported  to  be  all  the  applications 
for  naturalization  which  were  put  on  tile  on  the  9th  of  October,  1868; 
on  the  6th  of  January  I  examined  what  purported  to  be  all  the  applica- 
tions for  naturalization  filed  on  the  10th  of  October,  1868 ;  on  the  7th  oi' 
January,  1869,  I  examined  what  purported  to  be  all  the  papers  for  the 
13th  of  October,  1868;  on  the  8th  of  January,  1869,  I  examined  addi- 
tional applications  of  the  8th,  9th,  10th  and  13th  of  October,  1868,  which 
were  given  me  after  I  had  begun  the  examination  of  the  applications 
for  the  loth  of  October.  AVith  these  exceptions  the  papers  were  all 
given  to  me  assorted  for  each  day,  except  upon  one  occasion,  when  the 
papers  of  two  days — I  don't  remember  which — were  mixed,  and  when 
1  and  Mr.  Murphy,  the  clerk  who  had  charge  of  the  papers,  assorted  the 
papers.  The  clerk  generally  handed  the  applications  to  me  for  each 
day,  so  that  I  could  make  the  examination  for  each  day  separately,  but 
the  papers  were  put  up  by  Mr.  Murphy.  I  know  nothing  about  their 
condition.     I  only  know  how  they  were  given  to  me. 

9314.  Q.  State  if  Mr.  Murphy  took  the  papers  from  you  in  the  same  order 
in  which  he  had  given  them  to  you — that  is,  each  day's  by  themselves. 

A.  Yes;  I  examined  the  papers,  and  handed  them  to  him.  He  put 
them  up  for  each  day  in  one  bundle,  and  I  went  away. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  845 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

9315.  Q.  Have  you  been  in  the  city  of  Washington  ever  since  you  vvero 
examined  by  the  committee  before? 

A.  Yes. 

9316.  Q.  Have  yon  been  in  the  service  of  the  committee  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  whether  I  have  been  or  not.    I  have  been  at  work 
upon  the  evidence  which  has  been  taken  before  this  committee. 

9317.  Q.  What  have  you  been  doing  with  the  evidence? 
A.  I  have  been  indexing  it. 

9318.  Q.  Have  you  been  doing  anything  else  with  it?  » 
A.  I  do  not  think  I  have  done  anything  else.     The  correction  I  believe 

has  been  done  by  somebody  else.     In  my  indexing  I  may  have  made  a 
correction  of  a  name  or  two. 

9319.  Q    Have  you  been  making  a  brief  or  synopsis'? 

A.  I  have  been  making  an  index  so  as  to  be  able  to  refer  to  any  par 
ricular  part. 

9320.  Q.  Have   you  been   aiding  the  committee  in   preparing  their 
reports  ? 

A.  Xo  ;  unless  that  is  aiding  them. 

9321.  Q.  State  whether  any  one  not  connected  with  this  committee  has 
ever  examined  the  index  and  made  use  of  it. 

A.  Xo;  it  has  not  been  out  of  mv  hands. 

9322.  Q.  Who  employed  you  to  do  this? 

A.  I  am  employed  in  Xew  York  by  the  committee  of  the  Union  League 
club,  of  which  I  am  not  a  member. 

9323.  Q.  Who  furnished  you  the  evidence  which  has  been  taken  before 
the  committee,  and  which  you  have  been  at  work  upon? 

A.  Mr.  Davenport  and  I  may  have  received  some  from  Judge  Law 
rence,  though  I  do  not  think  I  have. 

9324.  Q.  When  did  you  get  the  printed  testimony  ? 

A.  I  have  had  it  some  time.     I  have  been  at  work  upon  it  a  few  days. 

9325.  Q.  A  week  or  two,  have  you  had  the  evidence? 
A.  I  think  I  have  had  a  part  of  it  that  time. 

9326.  Q.  Have  you  done  this  under  your  employment  by  the  League? 
A.  I  do  not  know  how  that  is. 

9327.  Q.  State  if  you  have  communicated  the  evidence  or  any  part  of 
*t  to  anybody. 

A.  To  no  person  that  I  am  aware  of;  I  should  know  it  if  I  had. 

9328.  Q.  Have  you  not  sent  a  copy  of  it  to  the  League  in  New  York  ? 
A.  No,  I  have  not. 

9329.  Q.  Don't  you  know  that  copies  of  it  have  been  sent  there? 
A.  No,  I  do  not. 

Washington,  February  13,  1869. 
John  I.  Davenport  recalled. 

9330.  I  employed  Mr.  Marston  to  assist  me  in  making  an  analytical 
index  of  the  testimony. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

9331.  Q.  Did  you  employ  Marston  to  do  what  lie  is  doing  upon  this 
evidence  for  the  committee  ! 

A.  I  employed  him  to  aid  me  as  the  clerk  of  the  committee;  i.  e.y  doing 
work  which  I  was  authorized  and  instructed  to  do  by  the  chairman  of 
the  committee. 

9332.  Q.  Did  you  employ  him  for  the  committee? 


846  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

A.  I  employed  him  to  do  work  which  1  was  instructed  to  do  by  the 
chairman. 

9333.  Q.   Did  you  employ  him  to  aid  the  eommittee  in  that  work  I 
A.  No;  to  aid  me  as  clerk  of  the  committee. 

9334.  Q.  Did  you  tell  him  you  employed  him  by  direction  oi*  the  eom- 
mittee or  of  anv  member  of  it  .' 

A.  No. 

9335.  Q.   Did  you  so  employ  him  I 
A.  No. 

9330.  Q.  Did  you  tell  him  he  would  be  paid  by  the  committee  for  his 
services  \ 

A.   No;   he  understands  that  he  can  draw  on  me  for  his  services. 

9337.  ().   By  whom  is  he  paid  I 
A.  By  me. 

9338.  Q.   By  whom  are  you  paid  I 

A.  I  suppose  by  the  committee  for  my  services  as  clerk. 

9.331).  Q.  Do  you  expect  to  be  paid  by  the  committee  also  for  what  you 
do  by  his  aid  I  ' 

A.  I  suppose  his  pay  will  come  out  of  me  primarily,  and  very probablej 
ultimately.      If  I  can  get  it  out  of  any  one  else  1  shall  certainly  so  do. 

9340.  Q.  Is  it  your  expectation  that  the  money  you  pay  him  will  come 
out  of  your  own  funds  and  never  be  repaid  by  anybody  else  I 

A.  My  expectation  is  if  I  can  get  it  from  any  one  else  I  shall  do  so. 
If  I  can  get  it  from  the  funds  of  the  sub-committee  of  the  Union  League 
club  I  shall  get  it  from  them.  I  do  not  expect  that  this  committee  will 
pay  it,  for  I  have  never  been  able  to  get  it  to  pay  anything  as  yet  for 
clerks  or  expenses. 

9341.  Q.  Then  Marston  is  in  no  sense  acting  lor  the  committee  \ 

A.  He  is  acting  for  me.  When  I  arrived  here  I  came  alone,  or  rather 
Mr.  Glassey  came  with  me.  Judge  Lawrence  gave  me  his  views  of  what 
he  desired  done.  Me  wished  everything  pertaining  to  naturalization  cut 
from  the  evidence,  and  all  assorted  as  to  the  different  courts  and  the  dif- 
ferent counties;  everything  as  to  the  frauds  practiced,  and  as  to  the 
mode  and  manner  of  naturalization  in  the  different  courts  pasted  to- 
gether, and  an  analytical  index  prepared  in  addition  to  the  index  giving 
the  names  of  the  witnesses  and  other  matters,  which  I  could  not  do  be- 
tween now  and  the  first  of  May. 

9342.  Q.  Do  all  these  classes  of  evidence  go  into  the  final  report  of 
the  committee  with  the  evidence,  or  is  it  for  the  private  use  of  the  chair- 
man ? 

A.  I  understand  it  is  for  the  use  of  the  chairman  in  the  preparation  of 
the  report  of  the  committee,  and  to  be  published  with  the  testimony,  so 
far  as  the  index  is  concerned,  and  a  large  table  of  errata  of  both  typo- 
graphical and  other  errors. 

9343.  Q.  This  classification  of  evidence  is  not  to  be  printed  with  the 
report  $ 

A.  No,  I  do  not  understand  that  it  is  to  be  printed  with  the  report. 
Of  course,  some  clippings  are  to  be  inserted.  Finding,  after  I  arrived 
here,  that  Mr.  Marston  was  obliged  to  come  on,  I  told  him  after  his 
arrival  to  remain  and  assist  me;  I  did  this  because,  for  the  time  that  I 
have  known  him,  I  have  found  him  very  reliable.  I  have,  until  within 
a  few  days,  kept  the  evidence  all  in  my  room  and  he  has  wwked  upon  it 
there;  but  for  the  last  few  days  I  have  allowed  him  to  take  such  por- 
tions of  the  evidence  as  he  was  working  upon  and  needed  to  his  own 
room,  and  he  has  been  engaged  upon  it  there  under  my  direction,  and 
more  or  less  under  my  eye. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  847 

9344.  Q.  Has  this  been  done  with  the  approval  of  the  chairman  t  Did 
you  communicate  to  the  chairman  the  fact? 

A.  I  communicated  to  the  chairman  the  fact  that  Marston  was  at  work 
upon  this  analytical  index,  in  order  that  I  might  devote  my  time  more 
especially  to  aiding  him  and  the  committee  in  other  matters  connected 
with  the  preparation  of  the  report. 

9345.  Q.  Have  you  any  reason  to  believe  that  he  has  communicated 
this  evidence  to  anybody  else  ? 

A.  I  have  no  reason  to  believe  that  he  has  communicated  it.  I  have 
reason  to  believe  that  he  has  not,  Certainly,  lie  has  not  taken  copies 
away. 

By  the  Chairman: 

9346.  Q.  Will  you  state  what  was  said  to  Mr.  Loew  about  the  adjourn- 
ment of  the  committee  on  the  last  Saturday,  when  he  was  summoned  to 
appear  before  the  committee  with  the  naturalization  papers? 

A.  My  understanding  and  belief  is  that  he  was  informed  by  Governor 
Blair  that  the  committee  would  leave  that  night,  and  after  he  left  the 
committee  -room,  and  about  4  o'clock,  Mr.  Plumb — who  testified  in  New 
York  that  he  had  charge  of  the  records  in  the  county  clerk's  office — came 
and  called  me  out  and  asked  me  what  papers  the  committee  wanted.  I 
told  him  it  was  stated  in  the  subpoena,  and  that  they  were  the  papers 
for  the  21st  and  23d  of  October.  He  said  that  Mr.  Loew  had  directed 
him  to  get  them  and  bring  them  before  the  committee,  and  he  desired 
to  know  how  long  the  committee  would  remain  in  session.  I  told  him 
until  about  5.  and  then  from  half  past  0  to  about  S  o'clock ;  he  said  he 
would  bring  the  papers  over. 

WASHINGTON,  D.  C,  February  .17,  18G9. 
Charles  E.  Loeav  recalled  and  examined. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

9347.  Question.  State  if  you  are  ready  to  produce  to  the  committee  the 
applications  for  naturalization  made  to  the  supreme  court  of  the  State 
of  New  York,  in  the  city  of  Xew  York,  on  the  21st  and  23d  of  October 
last. 

Answer.  I  will  state  that  I  have  been  and  am  ready  to  answer  any 
question  that  the  committee  may  see  tit  to  put  to  me ;  that  I  always 
have  been  and  am  now. 

9348.  The  Chairman.  Please  answer  the  question  put  to  you. 

A.  I  will  state  in  answer  to  that  question  that  I  always  have  been,  am 
now,  and  will  be  ready  to  obey  any  order,  request,  or  subpoena  of  this 
committee,  where  it  is  in  my  power  to  obey ;  that  in  obedience  to  the 
request  made  by  the  chairman  of  the  committee  to  me  by  letter,  I  asked 
the  justices  of  the  supreme  court  of  the  first  judicial  district  for  a  permit 
to  produce  the  applications  for  naturalization,  under  date  of  21st  and  23d 
October,  before  this  committee  at  Washington.  That  application  I  made 
in  writing  to  the  supreme  court,  and  is  as  follows : 

To  the  supreme  couH  of  the  first  judicial  district  : 

9349.  The  undersigned,  clerk  of  the  court,  has  heen  requested  by  a  committee  of  the 
House  of  Representaiives  to  bring  to  Washington  certain  oiiginai  records  of  tbe  court.  He 
is  advised  by  counsel  that  lie  has  no  such  custody  of  them  as  would  justify  him  in  takiug 
them  out  of  the  fetate  of  New  York. 

The  undersigned  is  iufonned  and  believes  that  a  majority  of  the  committee  intend  to  arrest 
him  for  contempt  if  he  does  not  take  the  records  out  of  the  State  to  Washington.  He  is  this 
morning  in  receipt  of  the  following  telegram  from  Washington : 

Washington,  February  11. 
Charles  E.  Loew,  Couity  Clerk  New  Ycr\  : 

Please  answer :  Do  you  intend  to  come  and  tring  the  papers  here,  as  requested,  or  do  you  refuse? 

WILLIAM  LAWRENCE, 

Chairman  Committee. 


848  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK. 

The  undersigned  baa  nothing  to  suggest  to  the  court  upon  the  policy  or  impolicy,  legality, 
or  illegality,  of  taking  court  records  out  of  the  State,  and  submits  the  matter  to  the  judgment 
of  the  court,  whose  records  they  are,  and  who  alone,  as  he  is  advised,  have  the  power  in  the 
premises — if  power  resides  anywhere — to  take  the  records  off  of  file. 

The  undersigned  informs  the  court  that  the  said  committee  had  a  session  in  this  city  of 
a  protracted  nature;  that  he  was  repeatedly  before  it.  and  that  it,  by  its  agents,  made  a 
thorough  search  of  all  the  papers  in  his  office,  which  he  allowed  out  of  county,  and  which 
lasted  for  two  weeks,  during  which  time  the  agents  of  the  committee  had  opportunity  to  make 
memoranda  or  copies  of  all  the  papers  that  they  desired  to. 

The  undersigned  further  says  ms  matters  of  fact,  that  the  records  which  he  is  asked  to  take 
out  of  the  State  and  remove  to  Washington  are  at  least  1,360  in  number,  and  concern  the 
muniments  of  title  to  political,  civil,  and  property  rights  of  1,360  ciuzens  of  this  State, 

CHA8.  E.  LOEW,  Clerk,  Sfc. 

New  York,  Febiusry  12,  196&. 

In  answer  to  this  application,  I  Deceived  from  the  court  a  unanimous 
opinion,  disallowing  the  application,  which  reads  as  follows: 

NEW  York,  February  15,  1869. 
!E5T>0.  An  application  having  been  made  to  us  by  the  clerk  of  this  court  for  direction  as  to 
his  authority  to  take  the  records  of  the  court  out  of  the  State,  in  obedience  to  a  writ  of  sub- 
poena duces  tecum,  served  upon  him  from  a  committee  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  we 
are  of  opinion  that  the  act  of  the  lejrislature  of  this  State  passed  March  2\),  1S3S,  prohibits 
the  clerk  from  removing  from  his  office  any  record  w hereof  a  transcript  can  be  read  in  evi- 
dence, and  that  he  cannot  even  temporarily  remove  such  record  to  the  court  without  a  special 
order  of  the  court  therefor;  we  further  state,  as  our  opinion,  that  the  clerk  has  no  authority 
to  removo  such  records  to  Washington. 

T.  W,  CLERKE. 

1).  P.  1NGKAHAM. 

JOHN  SUTHERLAND. 

GEORGE  G.  BARNARD. 

ALBERT  CARDOZO. 

A  copy  : 

OHAS.  E.  LOEW,  Secretary. 

Upon  that  decision  of  tin4  supreme  court,  1  of  course  have  no  authority 
to  remove  the  records  of  that  court,  they  not  being  in  my  custody. 

9351.  Q.  You  decline  then  to  produce  the  papers  asked  for? 

A.  I  do  not  decline;  I  have  not  the  authority;  they  are  not  in  my 
custody,  and  I  cannot  juoduce  them. 

9352.  Q.  Do  you  not  as  clerk  of  that  court  have  custody  of  its  files 
and  records? 

A.  As  clerk  of  the  court  those  records  are  in  my  office,  but.  I  have  no 
custody  of  them  authorizing  me  to  take  them  otit. 

9353.  Q.  You  have  charge  of  them  ? 

A.  Simply  the  supervision  of  them,  to  allow  people  to  examine  them. 

9354.  Q.  Does  anybody  else  have  the  custody  of  them  but  yourself? 
A.  The  justices  have  the  custody  of  them. 

9355.  Q.  Do  the  justices  have  charge  of  the  rooms  in  which  they  are 
kept! 

A.  They  have  direction  as  to  how  the  rooms  shall  be  kept;  I  do  not 
know  what  you  mean  by  having  charge  of  the  rooms;  they  have  entire 
charge  so  far  as  directing  how  they  shall  be  kept  and  everything  else 
about  them. 

By  Mr.  Dawes: 

9356.  Q.  Were  the  papers  mentioned  in  your  subpoena  in  your  office 
when  the  subpoena  was  served  on  you  ? 

A.  They  were  in  the  clerk's  office  of  the  supreme  court. 

9357.  Q.  And  you  are  the  clerk  ? 
A.  I  am  the  clerk. 

9358.  Q.  Do  you  decline  to  bring  them  here  in  obedience  to  that  sub- 
poena? 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  849 

A.  I  say  again  that  in  obedience  to  the  order  of  this  committee  I  am 
willing  to  do  anything  in  my  power. 

9359.  Q.  Do  you  say  yes  or  no  to  my  question,  no  matter  what  your 
reason  may  be? 

A.  I  say  I  have  no  custody  of  those  papers  and  cannot  bring  them. 

9360.  Q.  That  is  not  the  question  put  to  you ;  please  answer  directly. 
A.  I  cannot  bring  them  because  I  have  not  custody  of  them. 

9361.  Q.  Do  you  decline  to  bring  them;  will  you  answer  that  question? 
A.  I  am  answering  the  question  as  best  I  can;  I  cannot  bring  papers 

that  I  have  not  the  custody  of. 

9362.  Q.  Will  you  answer  the  question? 

A.  Under  the  decision  of  the  supreme  court  I  cannot  bring  them. 

9363.  Q.  My  question  is  whether  you  decline  to  bring  them? 

A.  I  have  no  custody  of  them ;  I  do  not  see  how  I  can  answer  the 
question  otherwise  then  I  have  done. 

Mr.  Kerr  objected  to  any  further  answer  to  the  question  being  required 
of  the  witness. 

The  committee  decided  to  require  a  direct  answer. 

Witness.  I  suppose,  then,  I  may  say  what  is  really  the  fact,  that  I 
decline  to  bring  the  papers  because  I  have  not  the  custody  of  them. 

9364.  Q.  Have  you  any  other  ground  for  saying  that  you  have  not  the 
custody  of  them  than  that  which  you  have  already  stated  to  the  com- 
mittee? 

A.  Yes ;  I  have  also  the  ground  that  if  I  had  the  custody  of  them  and 
were  to  bring  them  it  would  be  in  violation  of  the  official  oath  that  I 
have  taken,  such  an  act  being  forbidden  by  the  law. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

9365.  Q.  Do  you,  or  not,  know  that  the  records  referred  to  are  so  made 
under  the  authority  of  an  act  of  Congress,  and  that  State  laws  have 
nothing  to  do  with  them? 

A.  I  have  never  examined  the  laws  in  that  regard. 

9366.  Q.  Are  you,  as  one  of  the  officers  of  the  court,  the  custodian  of 
its  records  ? 

A.  I  am  an  officer  of  the  supreme  court,  and  the  custodian  of  the 
records,  subject  to  their  control. 

9367.  Q.  On  the  20th  of  December  last  I  presented  t  >  you  a  commu- 
nication in  New  York,  of  that  date,  that  you  stated  you  would  present 
to  the  supreme  court  and  ask  their  order  on  it  authorizing  you  to  pro- 
duce before  the  committee  the  naturalization  records  referred  to.  Did 
you  present  that  communication  to  the  court! 

A.  The  application  I  made  to  the  court  was  prior  to  the  time  you 
asked  me  to  present  it ;  I  sent  the  application  you  gave  me  to  the  judges 
of  the  court,  as  requested  by  you,  but  never  received  anv  order  upon 
that, 

9368.  Q.  By  direction  of  the  resolution  that  passed  the  House  of  Eep- 
resentatives  after  the  committee  left  New  York,  and  by  authority  of  the 
committee,  I  directed  Mr.  Glassey  to  make  a  list  of  the  names  of  persons 
naturalized  in  October  in  the  supreme  court,  with  a  list  of  the  names  of 
the  witnesses  and  the  residences  of  the  applicants  and  the  witnesses. 
Will  you  permit  him  to  make  those  lists? 

A.  I  certainly  gave  that  permission  to  the  committee  before,  and  am 
willing  to  give  the  order  again  and  to  do  anything  that  will  facilitate 
them  in  their  investigation. 

9369.  Q.  Do  you  know  that  the  necessity  for  the  production  of  those 
naturalization  papers  before  the  committee  grows  out  of  testimony  re- 
ceived after  the  committee  left  New  York? 

54  T 


850  .  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IX    NEW    YORK. 

A.  T  certainly  do  not  know  anything  about  that, 

9370.  (,).  State  if  you  have  been  served  with  a  subpoena  here  requir- 
ing you  t<>  produce  those  naturalization  papers  before  this  committee? 

A.  I  will  state  that  I  was  served,  at  half-past  <i  last  evening,  with  a 
subpoena  to  be  at  the  chamber  of  the  committee  Thursday,  February 
is,  L869,  at  the  hour  of  L0  o'clock  a.  m.,  with  certain  papers  and  record's 
called  for. 

9371.  (}.  It'  further  time  he  allowed  you  will  you  produce  the  papers? 
A.   I  can   only  state  again   that    I    have   DO  custody  of  the   papers.     I 

could  not  say  that  I  could  bring  them,  eveD  if  further  time  were  allowed, 
unless  the  supreme  court  were  to  make  an  order  to  allow  me  to  bring 
them,  or  put  them  in  my  custody  so  that   I  could  bring  them. 

By  .Mr.  Dawks: 
•  937l\  ().  Were  you  served  with  a  subpoena  in  New  York  to  produce 
those   same   papers   before  the   committee,  at    their  room.  No.  32   AstOT 

House.  New  York,  on  the  6th  of  February,  L8691 

A.  In  answer  to  that  question  I  would  say  that  on  last  Saturday  a 
week  ago,  at  a  quarter  past  .*'»,  I  was  served  with  a  subpoena  to  produce 
certain  records  before  a  subcommittee  of  this  committee,  at  room  No.  32 
Astor  House.  I  called  ;it  the  committee-room  to  see  the  committee,  not 
having  the  papers  in  the  first  place  because  it  was  not  in  accordance 
with  the  law  for  me  to  take  them  out  of  the  office,  and  I  called  to  ask  the 
committee  to  come  to  the  office  or  send  an  examiner.  Governor  Blair 
told  me  he  wanted  the  papers,  and  I  finally  said  I  would  send  my  clerk 
with  them,  which  was  satisfactory  as  far  as  I  understood;  and  I  went 
over  to  my  office  and  directed  my  clerk.  Edward  M.  Plumb,  to  take  them 
over  to  the  committee-room,  and  I  thereupon  left  my  office.  The  clerk 
Subsequently  reported  that  he  could  not  select  them  out  in  time,  but 
went  with  them  on  the  Monday  morning  following  and  found  the  com- 
mittee had  adjourned.  I  beg  to  say  that  1  have  always  tried  to  do  any- 
thing the  committee  have  ever  asked  from  me  in  any  way  or  form,  and 
I  am  ready  to  continue  to  do  so. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

9373.  ().  Do  you  know  whether  the  papers  were  produced  before  the 
committee  I 

A.  Of  my  own  knowledge  I  cannot  say. 

9374.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  any  steps  were  taken  by  your  clerk  to 
obey  your  order  ? 

A.  I  gave  him  the  direction,  and  he  never  has  disobeyed  my  order. 
When  I  came  down  on  Monday  morning  I  asked  him  if  he  had  taken 
them  to  the  committee.  He  told  me  that  he  had  seen  the  clerk  of  the 
committee,  Mr.  Davenport,  and  informed  him  that  he  did  not  think  he 
could  get  ready  to  take  them  over  on  Saturday  evening.  Before  I  came 
down  on  Monday  morning  he  had  been  to  the  Astor  House  with  the 
papers  and  found  the  committee  had  adjourned.  I  sent  him  back  again 
a  second  time  to  see  about  it. 

9375.  Q.  Were  you  not  informed  on  Saturday  that  the  committee 
would  leave  on  Saturday  night? 

A.  I  was  not ;  I  had  no  knowledge  of  that  kind. 
By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

9376.  Q.  Did  you  send  any  telegram  on  the  12th  of  February  to  me  on 
the  subject  about  which  you  have  testified  ? 

A.  I  believe  I  did. 

9377.  Q.  Look  at  the  telegram  now  shown  you  and  say  if  it  is  the  one 
you  caused  to  be  sent  to  me. 

A.  That  is  the  telegram  I  caused  to  be  sent  to  you. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN   NEW   YORK.  851 

It  is  as  follows : 

9378.  [Telegram,  dated  New  York,  February  12,  1869 — received  at  House  of  Representatives 

February  12,  1869.] 
Hon.  Mr.  Kerr,  M.  C, 

House  of  Representatives,  Washington  : 
Was  subpoenaed  Saturday  afternoon  at  a  quarter  after  3  o'clock  to  bring  about  1,500 
papers  forthwith  before  the  committee.  I  attended  and  offered  to  let  the  committee  come 
or  send  to  look  at  them  immediately.  They  were  so  distributed  on  file  that  it  was  impos- 
sible to  collect  them  before  Monday  morning.  On  Monday  morning  my  clerk  attended  at 
the  place  of  committee  meeting  with  the  papers,  but  found,  to  his  surprise,  that  the  committee 
had  gone.  I  am  now  ordered  by  telegram  of  Judge  Lawrence  to  bring  them  to  Washing- 
ton. I  cannot  take  them  out  pf  the  State  without  leave  of  the  court  whose  records  they 
are.  I  have  just  submitted  the  matter  to  the  judges.  If  they  allow  me  to  bring  them  I  will 
bring  them.  I  am  ready  to  answer  any  possible  question,  and  have  offered  to  produce  any 
record  in  my  office  before  the  committee  in  the  city  of  New  York. 

CHARLES  E.  LOEW,  County  Clerk. 

9379.  Q.  State  whether  the  application  made  to  the  justices  of  that 
court  about  which  you  have  testified  is  the  one  to  which  you  referred  in 
the  telegram. 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  the  same  one. 

9380.  Q.  And  whether  the  order  of  the  court  that  you  have  read  was 
made  on  that  application. 

A.  It  was. 

9381.  Q.  State  if  you  know  why  it  was  not  possible  for  Mr.  Plum  to 
comply  with  the  directions  you  gave  him  to  furnish  the  papers  on  that 
Saturday  evening. 

A.  The  reason  of  it  was  that  when  the  committee  desired  the  applica- 
tions for  naturalization  they  were  arranged  in  alphabetical  order  and 
had  to  be  taken  out  according  to  dates.  After  they  had  been  counted 
and  the  information  that  the  committee  desired  given,  they  were  again 
arranged  in  alphabetical  order  without  regard  to  date,  so  that  the  appli- 
cations for  the  two  days  specified  had  again  to  be  collected  from  the 
whole  list. 

9382.  Q.  Do  you  know  how  long  it  would  take  the  clerk  to  do  that  % 
A.  I  do  not  personally ;  I  know  it  would  be  a  pretty  hard  job. 

9383.  Q.  Do  you  know  for  what  purpose  they  were  put  back  into 
alphabetical  order  % 

A.  So  that  any  paper  wanted  could  be  more  easily  selected  accord- 
ing to  the  name. 

9384.  Q.  When  were  they  put  into  alphabetical  order  % 

A.  After  the  gentlemen  of  the  committee  were  through  with  the 
papers,  as  we  supposed. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

9385.  Q.  Is  the  record  or  list  of  names  of  those  who  were  naturalized 
in  October  complete  in  the  record-book  ! 

A.  It  has  not  and  could  not  be  done ;  we  bad  so  many  things  to  do 
for  this  committee. 

9386.  Q.  Has  a  portion  of  that  index  or  list  of  names  been  made  up  ? 
A.  I  do  not  know ;  I  have  not  paid  much  attention  to  that ;  I  do  not 

know  how  far  they  have  gone,  or  what  they  have  done  with  it. 

Washington,  D.  C,  February  17,  1869. 
Edward  M.  Plum  recalled  and  examined. 
By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

9387.  Q.  State  to  the  committee  whether  on  Saturday,  the  6th  of  Feb- 
ruary, at  any  time  during  that  day,  you  were  directed  by  Mr.  Loew,  the 


852  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IX    NEW    YORK. 

clerk  of  the  supreme  court  of  New  York,  for  the  city  and  county,  to  get 
up  and  take  to  a  sub-committee  «>t'  this  committee,  then  in  session  in 
New  York,  any  papers;  and  if  so.  which, 

A.  On  tint  Saturday  afternoon,  between  the  hours  of  three  and  four, 
I  was  directed  by  Mr.  Loew  to  produce  before  tins  committee  certain 
naturalization  papers  of  the  -1st  and  23d  of  October  last. 

9388.  ().   Did  you  comply  with  that  direction  I 

A.  I  did  not  comply  with  that  direction  myself.  At  the  time  the 
order  was  given  me.  1  thought  it  would  he  impossible  to  produce  them 
that  afternoon,  knowing  they  had  been  arranged  in  alphabetical  order 
since  the  committee  left  New  York.  Mv.  Loew  stated  to  me  that  1  must 
produce  them,  and  left  me.  I  said  to  him,  "  Very  well."  It  was  then 
about  20  minutes  of  four.  I  went  to  work  at  the  papers,  and  see- 
ing that  it  was  impossible  to  get  them  done  before  1  o'clock,  not  know- 
ing how  long  the  committee  was  going  to  stay,  on  my  own  responsibility 
I  went  over  to  the  committee  and  saw  Mr.  Davenport,  the  clerk  of  the 
committee,  at  the  door.  J  said  to  him  that  it  would  be  impossible  for 
me  to  produce  the  papers  at  that  time,  and  asked  him  how  long  they 
would  hold  their  session.  lie  replied  until  <>  o'clock  that  evening.  I 
then  went  back  with  the  intention  of  producing  the  papers  that  evening, 
and  commenced  to  take  from  the  various  letters,  as  they  had  been 
arranged,  the  applications  made  on  the  Hist  and  23d  of  October.  I 
worked  at  them  until  after  5  o'clock,  and  considering  it  impossible  to 
complete  the  job,  I  deferred  further  work  until  next  day.  On  Sunday 
morning  1  came  down  to  the  office  and  worked  until  1  had  completed 
them,  after  t  o'clock  Sunday  afternoon.  On  Monday  morning,  when 
Mr.  Loew  arrived  at  the  office,  I  told  him  I  had  been  unable  to  get  the 
papers  ready  Saturday  evening,  and  had  prepared  them  on  Sunday,  and 
that  they  were  then  ready.  He  told  me  to  take  them  to  the  committee. 
1  did  take  them  over  to  the  Astor  House,  and  was  informed  by  a  gen* 
tleman  at  the  office  that  the  committee  had  left  Saturday  evening.  I 
asked  him  to  give  me  their  whereabouts.  He  said  they  did  not  state 
whether  they  were  going  to  Washington,  and  did  not  know  whether 
they  were  still  in  the  city  of  New  York  or  not.  I  brought  the  papers 
back  to  the  office,  and  they  are  there  still. 

By  Mr.  Dawes  : 

9389.  Q.  When  Mr.  Loew  gave  you  the  order  on  Saturday  afternoon, 
did  he  tell  you  what  papers  he  wanted  you  to  produce  ! 

A.  I  think  he  stated  the  naturalization  applications  of  the  21st  and 
the  23d  of  October.  I  am  not  positive  as  to  that.  These  dates  have 
been  used  so  often  since  that  I  cannot  say  positively  whether  he  stated 
them  ;  I  think  he  did. 

9390.  Q.  When  you  appeared  at  the  committee-room  did  you  not  ask 
what  papers  were  wanted  ] 

A.  I  did  ask  Mr.  Davenport  what  papers  he  wanted.  He  said  those 
papers  from  the  2lst  and  the  23d.  He  was  very  busy  at  the  time  ar- 
ranging for  the  other  witnesses  to  enter  the  room,  and  I  could  not  have 
the  conversation  or  make  the  explanation  at  length  as  I  desired  to. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

9391.  Q.  Did  you  have  a  portion  of  the  papers  selected  out  so  that  you 
could  have  presented  that  portion  of  them  to  the  committee  before  six 
o'clock  of  the  afternoon  of  that  day  \ 

A.  I  did  select  a  portion  of  the  papers. 

9392.  Q.  Were  you  not  informed  by  Mr.  Davenport  and  by  Governor 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IX  NEW  YORK.  853 

Blair  that  the  committee  would  leave  New  York  for  Washington  at  8.40 
that  eveniug ! 

A.  By  no  one  :  I  had  no  idea  in  the  world  that  the  committee  was  not 
going  to  remain  there  for  a  considerable  time,  otherwise  I  should  not 
have  deferred  until  Monday  morning-  before  calling  on  them  again.  I 
will  state  that  after  Mr.  Loew  gave  me  those  directions  I  had  no  oppor- 
tunity of  consulting  with  him  until  Monday  morning,  and  when  I  returned 
to  the  office  Saturday  evening  all  the  clerks  had  left. 

Washington,  D.  C,  February  18,  1869. 
John  I.  Davenport,  (recalled.) 

To  the  Chairman  : 
9393.  I  would  present  to  the  committee  the  copy  of  a  telegram  which 
I  wrote  on  February  12th  last,  and  to  which  I  procured  the  signature  of 
the  chairman  and  caused  to  be  sent  to  Samuel  J.  Glassey,  Xew  York, 
respecting  a  count  of  blank  certificates  of  naturalization  now  on  hand 
for  the  supreme  court.     It  is  as  follows: 

9394.  Washington,  D.  C,  February  \2,  1869. 

To  Samuel  J.  Glassey,  8  Pine  street,  New  York  : 

Deliver  the  following  message  to  Loew,  and  yon  are  appointed  to  see  count  correctly  made. 
Show  him  this  as  your  authority,  and  make  same  request  of  Sweeney,  for  which  this  is  like 
authority. 
To  CHAKLES  E.  Loew,  County  Clerk  New  York,  or  his  deputy  : 

The  committee  request  you  to  have  counted  at  once,  and  certify  to  them,  the  number  of 
blank  applications  and  certificates  of  naturalization  now  on  hand  for  the  supreme  court. 

WM.  LAWRENCE, 

Chairman  Committee. 

9395.  I  was  informed  in  reply  that  Mr.  Gumbleton.  the  assistant  deputy 
county  clerk,  to  whom  the  telegram  was  shown — Mr.  Loew,  the  clerk, 
being  absent — reported  that  it  would  take  some  time  to  make  such  count. 
Thereupon  on  the  16th  I  sent  a  despatch,  a  copy  of  which  I  present  to  the 
committee,  and  which  reads: 

9396.  Washington,  D.  C,  February  16,  1869. 
C.  S.  Strong,  (care  John  I.  Davenport,) 

Rooms  21  and  2?  No.  7  Murray  Street,  New  York  : 
We  want  count  to  go  on  in  supreme  court,  but  only  of  certificates.     Show  to  Loew  and 
Gumbleton.     Preparation  of  lists  must  be  begun  at  once. 

JOHN  I.  DAVENPORT, 
Clerk  Select  Committee  of  Congress  on  New  York  Election  Frauds. 

9397.  In  compliance  with  the  above  I  this  morning  received  by  mail 
from  Xew  York  the  following  certificate  : 

9396.  County  Clerk's  Office,  New  County  Court  House, 

New  York,  February  17,  1869. 
I,  Henry  A.  Gumbleton,  assistant  deputy  county  clerk,  do  certify  that  I  find,  after  count- 
ing the  same,  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  sixty-two  blank  certificates  of  naturalization  in 
this  office. 

HENRY  A.  GUMBLETON, 

Assistant  Deputy. 

Washington,  D.  C,  February  18,  1869. 
Charles  E.  Loew  recalled. 
By  the  Chairman  : 

9399.  Q.  Is  this  certificate  which  I  present  you,  and  just  given  the 
committee  by  Mr.  Davenport,  in  the  handwriting  of  Mr.  Henry  A.  Gum- 


854  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IX  NEW  YORK. 

bleton,  an  assistant  deputy  of  yours  as  county  clerk  of  New  York,  and 

ex  officio  clerk  of  the  supreme  court  I 
A.  h  is.  sir. 

9400.  Q.  Please  so  certify  in  writing,  at  the  fool  thereof 
The  witness  then  wrote  at  the  bottom  of  said  certificate,  and  under  tlu 

signature  of  Mr.  Qumbleton,  the  following: 

9401  I  certify  that  Henry  A.  Gumbleton  is  assistant  deputy  county  cUrk,  and  that  the 
foregoing  is  in  his  handwriting. 

CHAS.  E.  LOEW, 

County  Clerk. 
W ASHING ton,  February  18,   1809 

Washington,  D.  c.  Ffe6r«*ry22,  L869. 
9402.  John  I.  Davenport  was  recalled,  and  testified  that  he  had  in  his 
possession  and  now  produced  the  original  paperpresented  to  the  committed 
b\  Adam  Gillespie,  Stating  the  Dumber  of  naturalizations  in  the  superior 
court  iii  New  York  each  year,  from  L856to  isus.  inclusive;  thai  said 
paper  was  printed  iii  the  evidence  as  No.  7207,  and  was  throughout  in 
the  handwriting  of  Joseph  Meeks,  the  deputy  clerk  of  the  Buperior  courij 
and  was  signed  officially  "Joseph  fcfeeks,  deputy  clerk  superior  court,1' 
and  certified  that  the  Dumber  Of  naturalizations  in  that  court  iii  lsiiS 
was  27,897,  the  precise  Dumber  previously  testified  to  by  Owen  E.  West- 
lake,  the  clerk  who  was  directed  to  make  a  count  thereof. 

WASHINGTON,  February  24,  18G0. 
John  H.  Bell  recalled. 
By  Mr.  Blair  : 

0403.  Question.  When  you  were  examined  at  Midclletown  you  were 
asked  this  question:  ul  ask  you  if  you  have  delivered  any  papers 
[meaning  naturalization  papers]  to  anybody?''  You  answered  then: 
"I  do  not  know  as  I  am  obliged  to  answer  any  such  question  at  all." 
I  then  put  the  question  "Will  you  answer \n  You  said  "Xo."  I  now 
repeat  the  question:  "I  ask  you  if  you  have  delivered  any  papers  to 
anybody 1* 

Answer.  Y>s,  sir. 

0404.  Q.  State,  if  you  please,  to  whom. 
A.  I  think  his  name  was  Patrick  Krou. 

0405.  Q.  Did  you  deliver  any  papers  to  any  other  person? 
A.  No,  sir. 

0400.  Q.  Where  did  you  obtain  the  paper  delivered  to  Patrick  Kron  ? 

A.  I  got  it  in  the  City  Hall.  He  came  in  the  store  and  said  he  was  a 
poor  man ;  that  he  had  been  down  after  his  paper  and  got  it,  and  by 
some  means  or  other  the  clerk  had  made  a  mistake  and  misspelled  his 
•name.  He  asked  me  if  I  would  take  it  down  and  get  one  spelled  right. 
I  went  to  the  City  Hall,  where  I  supposed  the  court  was ;  a  gentleman 
stood  at  the  door  ;  I  told  him  of  the  mistake,  and  I  asked  him  if  I  could 
get  it  corrected  from  Krone,  as  they  had  misspelled  his  name,  to  Kron. 
He  said  it  could  not  be  clone  in  less  than  an  hour  and  a  half;  I  told  him 
I  could  not  wait  an  hour  and  a  half,  but  I  told  that  I  could  come  back 
about  three  o'clock.  He  said  they  would  have  it  ready  then.  About 
three  o'clock  I  went  back  there;  he  stood  by  the  door;  I  asked  him  for 
that  paper,  if  it  was  ready.  He  said  it  was.  He  took  it  out  of  his 
pocket  and  handed  it  to  me.  I  read  it  over  to  see  if  the  same  clerk  had 
issued  it  that  did  the  previous  one.  The  first  one  was  signed  by  Sweeny. 
This  one  had  the  same  name  on  it.  I  took  the  paper  home  and  gave  it 
to  Kron. 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW    YORK.  855 

9407.  Q.  Who  was  this  person  whom  you  saw  at  the  door  ? 
A.  I  did  not  know  him. 

9408.  Q.  Do  you  know  his  name  ? 

A.  No ;  I  have  never  seen  him  since,  and  never  saw  him  before.  He 
seemed  to  be  an  active  man  at  the  door ;  I  took  it  for  granted  that  he 
was  the  doorkeeper. 

9409.  Q.  Could  you  get  in  at  the  door  ? 
A.  I  could  not  get  in  at  the  door  myself. 

9410.  Q.  How  came  you  to  take  the  paper  back  ? 

A.  My  impression  was  that  it  would  be  the  quickest  way. 

9411.  Q.  Had  you  been  directed  by  anybody  as  to  how  you  should 
proceed  1 

A.  I  had  received  directions  from  nobody  as  to  how  to  proceed.  1 
supposed,  of  course,  if  I  took  it  back  to  the  clerk  aud  stated  Avhat  the 
difficulty  was,  there  could  be  another  given  in  place  of  it. 

9412.  Q.  Did  you  pay  anything  for  this? 

A.  I  was  thinking  whether  I  did  or  not.  I  hardly  think  I  paid  him 
anything.     1  do  not  recollect  for  certain. 

9413.  Q.  In  what  court  was  this  clone? 
A.  In  the  City  Hall. 

9414  Q.  You  say  the  paper  was  signed  by  Sweeny? 
A.  I  think  it  was  by  "Sweeny,  clerk." 

9415.  Q.  Did  you  receive  back  the  paper  you  delivered  there? 

A.  I  received  back  another  paper,  I  tnink.  The  name  had  not  been 
changed.  I  looked  at  it  to  see  and  am  positive  that  the  name  had  not 
been  changed,  but  I  received  a  new  paper  with  the  name  correctly  spelled. 

9416.  Q.  What  was  that  paper? 

A.  It  was  a  naturalization  paper;  a  certificate  having  the  seal  of  the 
court  and  the  signature  of  the  clerk. 

9417.  Q.  When  was  that? 

A.  I  think  it  was  two  or  three  clays  after  the  first  registry  day,  because 
he  had  gone  to  have  his  name  registered  to  vote,  and  then  he  had  been 
told  of  the  mistake.    I  think  it  was  in  October,  1868. 

9418.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  other  naturalization  papers  being  procured 
tor  people  in  your  neighborhood,  from  Ne w  York,  in  the  month  of  October  ? 

A.  1  will  state  exactly  how  it  was.  When  he  handed  me  this  paper 
he  handed  me  a  little  package  to  take  to  Middletown;  I  opened  it  when 
I  got  home.  I  saw  it  was  a  few  naturalization  papers — not  less  than  five 
or  more  than  ten.  I  went  up  to  our  desk,  a  public  desk.  I  saw  a  little 
package  containing  about  two  or  three  papers  directed  "  Scotchtown." 
That  night  we  had  a  club  meeting  up-stairs.  I  said  to  some  of  our  boys, 
some  man  has  sent  up  a  little  package  for  Scotchtown ;  if  they  Arant  it 
they  can  get  it  during  the  night.  Somebody  took  it  away;  that  is  all  1 
know  about  naturalization  papers. 

9419.  Q.  Who  was  the  person  who  took  away  the  package? 

A.  I  do  not  recollect.  There  were  two  or  three  hundred  persons  at 
the  club  meeting.     I  paid  no  particular  attention  to  it. 

9420.  Who  gave  you  this  package  of  naturalization  papers? 

A.  This  doorkeeper  at  the  City  Hall  in  New  York  city;  the  same  man 
who'  had  changed  the  paper  for  me. 

9421.  Q.  Do  you  remember  any  of  the  names  contained  in  the  naturali- 
zation papers  brought  from  New  York? 

A.  I  do  not ;  because  I  only  looked  at  one  or  two,  merely  to  see  what 
they  were. 

9422.  Q.  Did  he  tell  you  where  to  take  them? 

A.  He  only  told  me  to  take  them  up  to  Middletown. 


856  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

9423.  Q.  Did  he  give  you  directions  what  to  do  with  them  ? 

A.  He  gave  me  no  directions  what  to  do  with  them.  I  took  it  for 
granted  thai  they  were  papers  going  to  somebody  there  who  had  been 
down  to  the  city. 

9424.  Q.  Do  you  know  the  way  in  which  those  papers  came  to  be 
granted  to  persons  in  Middletown  I 

A.  I  do  not.     I  do  not  know  that  they  were  for  people  in  Middletown. 

9425.  Q.  Do  yon  know  what  became  of  the  balance  of  the  papers  be- 
sides what  yon  sent  to  Scotchtown  I 

A.   I  do  not  ;  they  were  all  taken  away. 

9426.  (,).  Was  this  package  addressed  to  anybody  on  the  outside! 
A.  No;  there   were  two  or  three   in   the  package  which  were  marked 

"Scotchtown." 

{M21.  Q.  Von  remembered  all  these  things  when  you  refused  to 
answer  at  Middletown  '. 

A.    Yes. 

OIL'S.    Q.    Do   yon    know  of"  any   other    naturalization    frauds   being 
attempted  to  be  practiced  during  that  fall? 
A.  No. 

By  the  CHAIRMAN: 

9429.  Q.   Von  say  yon  had  a  meeting  of  the  club;  what  club? 
A.  The  democratic  (dub. 

9430.  Q.   Where  was  it  held  .' 

A.  It  was  held  over  our  store  in  Middletown.  I  should  have  answered 
your  question  at  Middletown,  but  somehow  we  got  a  bad  start.  We  did 
not  happen  to  agree,  and  the  consequence  was,  all  this  trouble  came  up. 
I  am  very  sorry  myself;  I  could  just  as  well  have  answered  you  then  as 
now. 

By  Mr.  Blair: 

9431.  Q.  Was  there  any  meeting  of  your  political  friends  to  consult 
about  this  matter  before  you  came  with  the  sergeant- at- arm s  ! 

A.  There  was  no  meeting  and  not  a  word  was  said  to  me.  I  thought 
our  boys  did  not  show  me  a  great  deal  of  respect.   No  man  called  on  me. 

By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

9432.  Q.  Whom  did  you  tell  you  had  some  naturalization  papers  that 
you  had  brought  up  from  New  York  ? 

A.  I  told  you  I  did  not  recollect.  I  stepped  up  to  the  meeting,  and  I 
said  to  the  boys  that  some  papers  were  at  my  desk. 

9433.  Q.  You  don't  know  what  boys  went  down  to  get  them? 

A.  There  were  something  like  three  hundred  out  that  night.  I  do  not 
know  who  took  them. 

9434.  Q.  When  you  went  down  from  the  meeting  they  were  gone? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Ross: 

9435.  Q.  You  lived  in  Middletown  ? 
A.  Yes. 

9436.  Q.  Do  you  know  what  time  Governor  Blair  commenced  taking 
testimony  that  morning  % 

A.  Yes;  it  was  one  or  two  o'clock  p.  m.,  on  Monday. 

9437.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  witnesses  being  ordered  by  the  democrats 
to  attend  there  to  prove  frauds  % 

A.  Yes ;  there  were  some  subpoenaed. 

9438.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  they  were  heard? 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  857 

A.  I  think  Governor  Blair  adjourned  abont  the  time  they  were  to 
appear. 

9439.  Q.  About  how  many,  so  far  as  yon  know,  were  subpoenaed  to 
appear  before  the  committee  ? 

A.  Some  five  or  six. 

9440.  Q.  What  time  did  he  adjourn? 

A.  I  think  it  was  somewhere  abont  seven  o'clock,  as  near  as  I  can 
recollect. 

9441.  Q.  About  what  time  of  the  day  were  you  before  the  committee? 
A.  It  must  have  been  somewhere  about  four  or  five  o'clock,  as  near  as 

I  can  remember. 

9442.  Q.  State  who  were  accompanying  Governor  Blair — whether  any 
other  member  of  the  committee  was  with  him? 

A.  There  was  no  other  member  with  him.  I  guess  nobody  was  with 
him. 

9443.  Q.  Was  General  Yan  Wyck  with  him? 

A.  He  was  there ;  but  not  in  the  room  at  all.  I  met  him  at  the  door 
as  I  was  going  up,  and  he  ordered  the  doorkeeper  to  open  the  door  for 
me. 

9444.  Q.  Was  he  in  the  room  himself  with  Governor  Blair? 
A.  I  do  not  think  he  was  while  I  was  there. 

9445.  Q.  Did  he  have  an  ante-room  at  the  head  of  the  stairs  ? 
A.  He  did. 

9446.  Q.  What  direction  did  he  give  to  the  doorkeeper  ? 
A.  To  pass  me  in  where  Governor  Blair  was. 

9447.  Q.  Was  General  Van  Wyck  in  consultation  with  the  witnesses 
there  at  that  time  ? 

A.  He  seemed  to  be  in  general  consultation  there  with  all  that  came  in. 

9448.  Q.  If  you  know  anything  further  pertinent  to  the  matter  of 
examination  there  you  can  state  it. 

A.  I  was  going  to  state  to  Governor  Blair  what  I  knew  of  some  men  get- 
ting papers  there,  which  he  did  not  want  me  to  state.  Thatwas  what  made 
a  little  difference  of  opinion,  and  made  me  say  that  I  would  not  answer 
any  more  questions.  I  wanted  to  state  that  there  was  a  man  there  by  the 
name  of  Patrick  Terrill  who  received  his  papers  at  the  Brewery.  He 
came  to  me  before  he  received  any  papers  at  all,  to  consult  with  me 
whether  or  no  he  had  better  get  the  papers. 

9449.  Q.  What  further  do  you  know  about  it  ? 
A.  I  told  him  to  get  the  papers. 

Mr.  Blair  objected  to  the  further  statement  of  conversation. 

9450.  Q.  Did  Governor  Blair  refuse  to  take  testimony  implicating  the 
republican  party  in  frauds  ? 

A.  He  objected  to  taking  it — so  I  understood. 

Mr.  Blair  objected  to  the  witness  making  statements  on  hearsay,  and 
remarked  that  it  was  for  the  same  reason  that  he  had  objected  to  taking 
the  testimony  spoken  of  at  the  time  ;  that  it  was  hearsay. 

Witness.  No  ;  I  think  I  positively  knew  it.  I  do  not  positively  want 
to  swear  to  it ;  but  I  know  it,  as  a  great  many  men  know  things  to  be 
true. 

Mr.  Lawrence.  Do  you  propose  to  tate  things  under  oath  that  you 
are  not  willing  to  swear  to  ? 

Witness.  I  was  telling  what  I  knew,  as  we  know  a  great  many  things 
from  the  statements  of  others. 

By  Mr.  Ross : 

9451.  Q.  Did  you  suggest  or  propose  to  Governor  Blair  the  names 


858  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

of  witnesses  by  whom  it  could  be  proved  that  the  republican  party 
had  been  guilty  of  B,  violation  Of  the  election  law  I 

A.  Yes;  I  took  a  paper  out  of  my  pocket,  and  told  him  I  would  give 
him  the  names  of  the  persons,  if  he  would  subpoma  them,  by  whom  he 
could  find  out  directly  where  they  gol  their  papers. 

945U.  Q.  Implicating  the  republican  party  directly  in  fraud? 

A.  Yes. 

9453.  Q.  Did  he  evince  any  disposition  to  follow  the  men'? 

A.  No;  he  did  not.  He  told  me  he  did  not  want  to  see  anything  of 
them. 

9454.  Q.  State  now  whether  you  are  satisfied  that  you  could  then  or 
could  now  furnish  evidence  showing  the  republican  party  guilty  of  frauds 
in  the  election  in  the  State  of  New  York  last  November  .' 

Mr.  Lawrence  objected  to  the  witness  answering  the  question,  as  it 
was  as  to  what  he  believed  about  it. 

The  question  was  taken.  "Shall  the  question  be  put  to  the  witness," 
and  decided  in  the  negative. 

So  the  question  was  overruled.     The  question  was  decided  by  a  vote 
of  the  committee,  to  be  put  in  the  following  form: 
By  Mr.  Dawes  : 

9455.  Q.  Have  you  any  fact,  within  your  knowledge,  that  goes  to  show 
that  the  republican  party,  in  the  State  of  New  York  at  the  last  election, 
committed  any  fraud  I 

A.  If  I  saw  a  person  pay  a  man  for  his  vote  at  the  polls,  change  his 
ticket  openly  ami  hand  it  up,  would  you  consider  that  a  fraud? 

9456.  Q.  State  what  fact  you  know. 

A.  I  saw  a  man  by  the  name  of  Joseph  Crawford  change  a  man's  ticket, 
and  pay  him  a  $5  bill  to  take  and  pat  in  a  republican  ticket. 

9457.  Q.  In  what  place? 
A.  In  Middletown. 

9458.  Q.  Do  you  know  the  name  of  the  man  whose  ticket  was  changed? 
A.  His  name  was  John  Kane. 

9459.  Q.  Do  you  know  any  other  fact  ? 

A.  I  did  not  see  any  others  with  my  own  eyes. 

9460.  Q.  Is  this  all  you  know  about  Crawford  which  you  have  testified 
to  now  ? 

A.  1  know  that  he  changed  Kane's  ticket,  as  I  stood  close  to  the  ballot- 
box.  The  voters  came  round  in  a  circle,  and  as  he  was  raising  his  hand 
to  put  up  his  ticket,  Crawford  took  his  ticket  out  of  his  hand  and  put 
in  a  republican  ticket,  and  he  put  it  in  the  ballot-box. 

9461.  Q.  Do  you  know  what  ticket  he  had  in  his  hand  ? 
A.  A  democratic  ticket. 

9462.  Q.  How  do  you  know  ? 
A.  I  saw  it. 

9463.  Q.  What  time  did  you  see  it? 

A.  I  do  not  think  it  could  have  been  three  minutes  before  he  voted. 

9464.  Q.  Did  you  see  the  man  all  the  time  before  he  voted  ? 
A.  He  stood  so  far  ahead  of  me.     (Three  or  four  feet.) 

9465.  Q.  How  do  you  know  that  Crawford  gave  him  a  republican 
ticket  ? 

A.  He  would  not  be  very  apt  to  give  him  a  democratic  ticket. 

9466.  Q.  Do  you  know  that  he  gave  him  a  republican  ticket? 
A.  I  could  not  swear  to  it. 

By  Mr.  Boss : 

9467.  Q.  Tell,  as  uear  as  you  can,  how  many  witnesses  there  were 
summoned  for  the  purpose  of  proving  fraud  upon  the  election  at  Mid- 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  859 

dletown,  perpetrated  by  the  republican  party  at  the  last  November  elec- 
tion, who  were  in  attendance  and  were  not  heard  by  Governor  Blair. 
A.  Somewhere  about  four  or  five. 

9468.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  these  witnesses  and  others  being  subpoenaed 
and  going'  on  the*  cars  to  another  town,  Goshen,  to  give  testimony  before 
the  committee,  and  Governor  Blair  going  to  another  place  and  not  com- 
ing there? 

A.  I  do  not  know  anything  about  the  committee.  I  know  the  men 
did  not  go,  because  they  were  told  not  to  go. 

9469.  Q.  By  whom? 

A.  Bv  Mr.  Sweet  and  by  John  G.  Wilton. 
9470/ Q.  Who  were  they? 

A.  Sweet  acts  with  the  republican  party  $  Wilton  is  collector  of  our 
district. 

9471.  Q.  What  are  the  politics  of  the  man  you  mentioned  as  taking  a 
democratic  ticket  out  of  the  hands  of  an  elector  and  putting  in  another 
ticket  with  a  $5  bill. 

A.  He  was  a  republican. 

9472.  Q.  State  anything  further  which  you  know  about  election  frauds, 
either  by  voters  or  by  illegal  naturalization  papers,  in  New  York  last 
fall. 

A.  I  know  about  this  Terrel.  He  brought  me  a  paper  and  showed  it 
to  me,  and  said 

Mr.  Blair  objected  to  the  witness  stating  what  another  man  had  said. 

Witness.  He  went  and  brought  me  the  paper  and  showed  it  to  me. 
He  came  to  consult  with  me  whether  he  had  better  get  it,  (a  naturaliza- 
tion paper.) 

9473.  Q.  Ho  you  know  where  and  how  he  got  his  paper  ? 
A.  He  said  Sweet  had  sent  it  to  The  Brewery. 

Mr.  Blair.  All  you  know  is  what  a  man  told  you — that  Sweet  had 
sent  word  to  him ? 
A.  Yes. 

9474.  Q.  I  desire  you  to  state,  if  you  can,  how  many  men  were  in 
waiting  to  testify  in  relation  to  frauds  perpetrated  at  the  November  elec- 
tion in  New  York  at  the  time  Governor  Blair  adjourned  the  committee 
at  Middletown. 

A.  I  saw  about  two  at  John  G.  Wilton's  office,  who  came  in  about  the 
time  the  committee  went  out.  I  am  satisfied  if  Governor  Blair  had  staid 
there  10  minutes  one  of  them  would  have  sworn  positively  that  he  got 
his  papers  at  The  Brewery — a  republican  establishment. 

By  Mr.  Kerr  : 

9475.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  other  person  procuring  fraudulent  natu- 
ralization papers  from  the  republican  headquarters  termed  The  Brewery, 
in  that  town  I 

A.  Edward  Southwell  got  one  there. 

9476.  Q.  Do  vou  know  of  any  other? 
A.  No. 

9477.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  other  frauds  practiced  by  the  repub- 
licans or  anybody  else  upon  the  election? 

A.  It  is  a  pretty  hard  matter  to  talk  about  these  election  frauds.  You 
go  to  the  polls  and  see  every  man  interested,  with  his  pockets  full  of 
money,  banding  it  out.     It  is  a  pretty  hard  matter  to  keep  track  of. 

947S.  Q.  Do  you  know,  of  money  being  used  other  than  what  you  said 
was  used  by  the  republican  party  to  control  the  elective  franchise  last 
fall  in  your  place? 


860  ELECTION    FRAUDS   IN    NEW   YORK. 

A.  As  I  said  before,  I  did  not  sec  any  republican  hand  out  money 
under  my  eye,  except  what  I  have  stated.  The  evidence  was  what  I 
have  heard  and  what  I  believed  by  the  condition  of  men. 

9470.  Q.  How  do  you  know  that  Southwell  got  his  paper  at  The  Brew- 
ery? 

A.  I  think  he  has  sworn  to  it. 

9480.  Q.  I  ask  you  how  you  know  it? 

A.  By  what  he  says.     I  do  not  pretend  to  say  I  saw  him  get  it. 

9481.  Q.  Were  you  present  at  the  committee-room  when  the  commit- 
tee adjourned  on  Monday'? 

A.  No;  you  did  not  allow  anybody  in. 

9482.  Q.'  Where  were  you? 
A.  About  150  feet  from  you. 

9483.  Q.  Where? 
A.  On  the  street. 

9484.  Q.  You  were  not  in  the  building  at  all  at  the  time? 
A.  No ;  I  was  not. 

9485.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  any  conversation  took  place  between 
me  and  the  certificate  member  of  Congress,  Green,  as  to  the  adjourn- 
ment? 

A.  No. 

948G.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  Green  stated  that  he  would  be  willing 
that  the  committee  should  adjourn,  and  he  would  bring  such  witnesses 
as  he  wanted  from  Middletown  to  Goshen  ? 

A.  No. 

9487.  Q.  Did  you  know  that  Green  was  in  attendance  during  the  day 
while  the  committee  sat  at  Middletown  ? 

A.  No ;  only  from  what  he  said.     I  saw  him  there  in  town. 

9488.  Do  you  know  whether  he  had  subpoenas  for  his  witnesses? 
A.  He  said  he  had  a  few. 

By  Mr.  Dawes  : 

9489.  Q.  Did  you  go  to  Goshen  ? 
A.  No. 

9490.  Q.  What  knowledge  have  you,  then,  of  anybody's  going  to 
Goshen  and  not  finding  a  committee  there  ? 

A.  I  did  not  say  so. 

9491.  Q.  Have  you  any  knowledge  of  the  committee  meeting  at  Goshen? 
A.  No. 

9492.  Q.  Did  you  hear  Sweet  tell  anybody  not  to  go  to  Goshen  ? 
A.  No. 

9493.  Q.  Why  did  you  state,  then,  that  Sweet  told  anybody  not  to  go 
to  Goshen  ? 

A.  I  said  that  a  man  told  me  that  Sweet  said  so  to  him. 

9494.  Q.  All  you  know  about  men  being  notified  not  to  go  to  Goshen 
is  what  you  heard  from  other  people  ? 

A.  What  men  told  me  themselves,  as  I  said.  I  asked  them  why  they 
did  not  go.  They  said  they  were  told  not  to  go ;  who  told  them  1  do 
not  know. 

By  Mr.  Boss : 

9495.  Q.  Did  General  Van  Wyck  make  any  threats  or  statement  to 
you  or  to  others  in  relation  to  your  having  to  be  brought  down  here  ? 

A.  He  did  not  tell  me  anything  about  it. 
By  Mr.  Hopkins  : 

9496.  Q.  You  say  you  advised  Terrel  to  go  to  The  Brewery  and  get  his 
naturalization  papers  ? 


ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK.  861 

A.  I  did. 

9497.  Q.  Did  he  go  ? 

A.  He  brought  back  his  papers. 

9498.  Q.  Did  you  see  the  papers  ! 
A.  Yes. 

9499.  Q.  From  what  court  were  they  issued  ? 
A.  From  the  supreme  court  of  New  York  city. 

9500.  Q.  What  clerk  sigued  it  ? 
A.  I  do  not  think  I  could  tell. 

9501.  Q.  Do  you  know  whether  this  man  Terrel  had  ever  been  to  New 
York  to  procure  the  papers  ? 

A.  He  said  he  had  not. 

9502.  Q.  What  are  the  politics  of  this  man  Terrel? 

A.  Well,  it's  a  pretty  hard  matter  to  tell.  He  did  not  vote  at  all.  He 
said  he  was  going  to  vote  the  democratic  ticket. 

By  Mr.  Boss : 

9503.  Q.  Did  you  see  the  locality  of  the  ante-room  occupied  by  General 
Van  Wyck  in  connection  with  Governor  Blair  when  he  was  taking  the 
testimony  ? 

(Question  objected  to  and  waived.) 

9504.  Q,  State  how  these  rooms  were  situated  that  were  occupied  by 
General  Yan  Wyck  and  Governor  Blair. 

A.  General  Van  Wyck  had  a  room  on  one  side  of  the  hall  and  Gov- 
ernor Blair  had  a  room  on  the  other  side. 

9505.  Q.  Did  the  witnesses  go  in  there  and  consult  with  General  Van 
Wyck  before  they  went  in  to  give  their  testimony  to  Governor  Blair ? 

A.  All  the  witnesses  were  sent  in  there  first,  I  think,  while  I  was  there. 

9506.  Q.  Did  General  Van  Wyck  profess  to  exercise  any  jurisdiction 
over  the  door  as  to  who  should  go  in  ? 

A.  I  cannot  say,  because  I  did  not  stay  any  longer  than  to  just  go  in. 

9507.  Q.  He  directed  the  doorkeeper  to  let  you  in? 
A.  Yes. 

9508.  Q.  Does  General  Van  Wyck  live  at  Middletown  ? 
A.  Yes. 

9509.  Q.  Does  he  live  in  that  building  where  the  testimony  was  being 
taken? 

A.  Nobody  lives  in  that  building.  It  is  occupied  by  lawyers'  offices 
aud  stores. 

9510.  Q.  Did  General  Van  Wyck  have  an  office  of  his  own  there  ? 
A.  I  do  not  think  he  had. 

By  Mr.  Blair  : 

9511.  Q.  Did  you  say  that  all  the  witnesses  saw  General  Van  Wyck 
when  they  came  in  ? 

A.  I  said,  I  think  they  did.  When  I  came  there  General  Van  Wyck 
was  at  the  door. 

By  the  Chairman  : 

9512.  Q.  Do  you  know  Christian  Bercult? 
A.  No,  I  do  not. 

9513.  Q.  Did  you  ever  have  a  certificate  of  naturalization  ? 
A.  No. 

9514.  Q.  Did  you  keep  a  list  of  names  at  your  store  of  persons  to  be 
naturalized? 

A.  No.  Near  the  fall  election,  the  boys  generally  kept  in  there  a  list 
of  who  had  got  their  papers. 


862  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

9515.  Q.  Mr.  Eoss  has  asked  you  about  money  being  raised  at  the 
election;  do  you  know  of  any  being  raised  I 

A.  Nothing  more  than  to  pay  our  little  expenses  for  the  use  of  our 
hall,  Lights,  and  such  things  as  that. 

9516.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  a  man  by  the  name  of  Joseph  Johnson,  a 
colored  man? 

A.  Yes. 

9517.  Q.  What  is  the  name  of  his  father-in-law,  another  colored  man? 
A.   I  do  not  recollect. 

9518.  Q,  dames  dale,  is  it? 

A.  There  is  a  colored  man  there  by  the  name  of  James  Gale, 

9519.  Q.  Do  you  know  what  property,  if  any,  dames  dale  owns  in 
Middletownl 

A.  I  do  not,  of  my  own  knowledge? 

9520.  Q.  Do  you  know  what  his  politics  are? 
A.  I  could  not  say  that. 

\\  ashington,  February  24, 1869. 
DAVID  W.  Reeve  sworn  and  examined. 
By  Mr.  Blair  : 

9521.  Question.  Where  do  you  reside  I 

Answer.  At  Wayawanda,  Orange  county,  New  York. 

9522.  (t>.  Were  you  subpo&naed  to  attend  before  the  committee  when 
it  was  sitting  at    Middletown  \ 

A.  It  appears  that  the  committee  understood  so.  I  did  not  under- 
stand so. 

9523.  Q.  Who  subpomaed  you? 

A.  There  was  a  young  man  by  the  name  of  Weed  came  to  me,  and 
said  he  had  a  subpoena  for  me. 

9524.  Q.  Did  he  show  it  to  you? 

A.  I  do  not  recollect  whether  he  opened  it  or  not. 

9525.  Q.  Did  you  read  it? 
A.  I  did  not. 

952G.  Q.  Did  you  inquire  of  him  as  to  what  it  contained? 

A.  I  did. 

9527.  Q.  State  what  you  asked  him,  and  what  he  said  to  you. 

A.  He  said  to  me  that  he  had  a  subpoena  for  me.  I  said,  "  What  V9  He 
said  for  an  investigation.  He  did  not  say  where.  He  said  it  was  an 
investigation  that  was  going  on.  I  said  to  him,  "  Who  pays  my  witness' 
fees  ?"  He  said,  "  I  have  not  any  money."  "  Well,"  said  I,  "I  believe  a 
witness  is  entitled  to  his  fees  before  he  is  obliged  to  go."  He  said,  "  You 
make  out  your  bill  against  the  government."  I  said  to  him,  "  Make  out 
a  bill  against  the  government  for  $1  or  $1  25 !  That  would  be  a  very 
small  thing;  they  would  not  notice  it  at  all."  It  wanted  then  about  10 
minutes  of  3  o'clock.  I  said  to  him,  "I  do  not  know  anything  about  any 
committee  of  the  kind ;  I  had  heard  nothing  about  it."  I  stated,  further, 
that  I  had  not  time  to  stay,  if  I  could  possibly  help  it;  that  I  went  away 
pretty  early  in  the  morning  on  some  business,  and  my  farm  business  (I 
was  selling  milk)  required  me  here  pretty  early  in  the  afternoon  to  take 
my  milk  away.  I  stepped  into  a  store  to  get  some  feed.  He  said, "  What 
do  you  think  about  coming  down?"  I  said,  "  I  do  not  know;  I  will  think 
about  it;  if  I  have  time  I  will  come  down."  He  went  away.  I  went  into 
a  saloon  and  got  an  oyster  stew.  He  came  in  there  and  laid  down  a 
paper  on  the  end  of  the  counter.  He  said, a Will  you  take  this  paper?" 
I  said  to  him,  "What  is  this  for?"    He  said,  "It  is  a  subpoena."    "Odell 


ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW   YORK.  863 

Weed,"  said  I, "  I  consider  myself  entitled  to  a  fee  before  I  am  subpoenaed 
as  a  witness."  He  turned  around  and  walked  out;  I  was  about  through 
eating  my  oyster  stew;  I  got  up  and  walked  out. 

9528.  Q.  Did  he  leave  a  copy  of  the  subpoena  with  you? 

A.  I  cannot  tell  you.  I  never  read  it.  I  do  not  recollect  that  he  said 
what  it  was.    He  said," Will  you  take  this  paper f ' 

9529.  Q.  Will  you  state  whether  it  was  such  a  paper  as  that,  (showing 
a  printed  form  of  subpoena.) 

A.  I  could  not. 

9530.  Q.  You  did  not  look  at  it  on  the  ground  that  he  did  not  pay 
your  fees  ? 

A.  He  called  me  out,  and  showed  me  a  paper,  and  just  opened  it  and 
closed  it  up.  I  do  not  know  whose  name  was  signed  to  it,  or  anything 
of  that  kind. 

9531.  Q.  Where  did  this  occur? 
A.  In  the  village  of  Middletown. 

9532.  Q.  Did  he  tell  you  whether  or  not  the  committee  were  sitting  at 
that  time  in  Middletown  ? 

A.  I  do  not  recollect  that  he  did. 

9533.  Q.  Did  you  ask  him  where  the  committee  were? 
know  that  I  did. 

he  not  tell  you  in  what  building  the  committee  were 


A.  I  do  not 

9534. 

Q.  Did 

sitting. 

a.  i 

did  not 

9535. 

Q.  Did 

A.  I  did  not. 

ask  him  that. 

you  look  into  the  paper  to  see? 
He  just  opened  the  paper,  and  closed  it  up. 
953G.  Q.  Did  you  have  anything  to  do  with  the  distribution  or  delivery 
of  any  naturalization  paper  to  any  person  during  the  October  previous 
to  the  last  election  ? 
A.  I  do  not  know  that  I  did. 

9537.  Q.  Did  you  have  any  in  your  possession  at  any  time? 
A.  I  do  not  know  that  I  did,  except  from  hearsay. 

9538.  Q.  Did  you  deliver  any  paper  that  you  now  suppose  was  such 
a  paper  ! 

.   A.  I  now  suppose  it  was,  from  what  I  have  heard. 

9539.  Q.  To  whom  did  you  deliver  it? 

A.  To  John  T.  Bradley  and  William  P.  Clark. 

9540.  Q.  What  papers  were  they  which  you  delivered  to  these  two 
men  I 

A.  I  delivered  them  a  paper.  I  do  not  knoAv  whether  it  was  sealed 
up.  I  do  not  know  what  was  inside  of  it.  It  was  a  paper  that  was 
wrapped  up. 

9541.  Q.  Did  it  have  any  mark  upon  it,  of  any  sort. 

A.  Yes ;  it  had  directions ;  one  direction  to  Bradley  and  one  to  Clark. 
954-J.  Q.  Where  did  you  get  the  papers ! 
A.  A  man  handed  them  to  me  in  Goshen. 

9543.  Q.  Who  was  that  man  ? 
A.  I  do  not  know. 

9544.  Q.  I  understood  you  to  say  that  the  papers  were  directed  to 
these  men. 

A.  Yes. 

9545.  Q.  Were  they  in  envelopes  addressed  on  the  outside  to  these 
men  ? 

A.  I  think  they  were.     I  cannot  tell  you  exactly. 

9546.  Q.  What  was  said  to  you  when  they  were  delivered  to  you? 
Mr.  Kerr  objected  to  the  question  of  what  was  said,  as  mere  hearsay. 


864  ELECTION  FRAUDS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

The  objection  was  overruled,  by  ;i  voteof  the  committee,  on  the  ground 
that  what  was  said  was  a  part  of  the  act  of  delivery. 

By  Mr.  Dawes  : 
9547.  <c>.  What  did  these  men  say  to  you  when  they  delivered  these 
papers  .; 

A.  I  was  in  Goshen  on  some  business  at  the  clerk's  office,  and  had  my 
horse  tied  in  the  street.  The  man  came  out  of  the  hotel,  or  some  build* 
ing,  I  do  not  know  what,  and  said:  "  Are  you  going  up  by  John  Brad- 
ley's?" [said"!  was."  "Willyoutake  these  papers  along  V  said  he.  I 
said  to  him  that  I  would:  that  it  was  right  on  mv  road  home. 

9648.  ().   Was  that  all  that  was  said! 

(c>.    It  was. 

9549.  ().   Did  you  not  ask  him  what  papers  they  were  \ 

A.  I  did  not  ask  him  a  word  about  it.  nor  did  he  tell  me  a  word 
about  it.  .Mr.  Bradley  was  at  work  in  his  corn-field  right  before  his 
house.  I  Stopped  and  halloed  to  him.  He  came  to  the  road.  I  handed 
him  the  paper  and  said  to  him  that  a  man  requested  me  to  leave  that 
with  him. 

9550.  Q.   Did  he  open  it  at  the  time,  or  did  you  I 
A.  lie  did  not  open  it  at  the  time,  nor  did  I. 

9551.  Q.  Did  you  Learn  there  what  sort  of  a  paper  it  was  I 
A.   I  did  not. 

9552.  Q.  Do  you  know  anything  about  the  delivery  of  any  other  nat- 
uralization papers  that  tall  except  these.' 

A.  I  do  not.  Black  lives  about  a  mile  from  Bradley's,  right  on  the 
road  between  liradley's  and  (ioshen.  (Mark  was  coming  home,  and  just 
drove  in  the  gate  as  I  was  passing  along,  and  1  handed  the  paper  to  him. 

9553.  Q.  You  do  not  know  the  name  of  this  man  who  gave  you  these 
papers. 

A.  I  do  not.  I  never  saw  him  before,  or  since,  and  do  not  know  who 
he  was. 

By  Mr.  Dickey  : 

9554.  (>>.  When  did  you  first  learn  that  they  were  naturalization 
papers u? 

Mr.  Kerr  objected  to  the  question  on  the  ground  that  it  was  mere  hear- 
say, and  that  it  assumed  a  tact  which  had  not  been  proven. 

The  objection  was  overruled  and  the  question  was  again  put  to  the 
witness. 

A.  I  do  not  know  yet  that  they  were  naturalization  papers,  only  by 
mere  hearsay. 

By  Mr.  Lawrence  : 

9555.  Q.  State  if  there  was  any  arrangement  where  you  reside  that 
you  were  to  procure  certificates  of  naturalization  for  persons  % 

A.  No,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Boss : 
$556.  Q.  Please  state  whether  you  were  active  as  a  politician  at  the 
election  canvass  last  fall. 

A.  I  want  you  all  to  understand  that  I  am  not  a  very  strong  politician. 
I  worked  a  little  for  both  parties  last  fall.     I  was  interested  in  two  men. 
The  balance  of  the  ticket  I  cared  nothing  about. 
By  Mr.  Blair  : 
9557.  Q.  Did  you  give  to  Clark  another  paper  to  hand  to  a  man  by 
the  name  of  John  Hansel? 


ELECTION   FRAUDS    IN   NEW    YORK.  805 

A.  No.  I  gave  him  but  one  paper.  I  gave  Clark  this  paper.  It  was 
rolled  up.     I  do  not  know  who  it  was  for,  or  what  was  in  it. 

By  Mr.  Ross : 

9558.  Q.  State  if  you  know  anything  about  frauds  perpetrated  on  the 
elective  franchise  by  the  republican  party  in  your  county  at  the  last 
election. 

A.  I  do  not  know  exactly  what'  you  consider  frauds — whether  you 
mean  by  naturalization  papers,  or  by  money,  or  anything  else. 

9559.  Q.  Both,  or  all;  anything  that  involves  a  violation  of  the  law 
in  connection  with  the  last  election. 

A.  I  do  not  know  whether  there  was  very  much  fraud  about  it.  I 
know  when  it  was  said  money  was  used,  some  parties  furnished  me  with 
money  to  use  for  them. 

9500.  Q.  Did  they  furnish  it  for  you  to  use  unlawfully,  or  lawfully; 
A.  Perhaps  I  do  not  understand  all  these  things  as  well  as  a  great 

many  men. 

9501.  Q.  What  were  the  facts  ! 

A.  A  republican  handed  me  some  money  and  wished  me  to  use  it. 

9562.  Q.  How  much  did  he  hand  you  I 

A.  I  think  $20,  or  a  little  more.     I  cannot  say  exactly  how  much. 

9563.  Q.  Did  he  tell  you  to  do  anything  unlawful  with  it — that  you 
knew  to  be  unlawful  V 

A.  I  do  not  know  that  he  did.  So  far  as  I  know  anything  about  the 
matter,  I  will  tell  you.  I  think,  to  the  best  of  my  knowledge,  this  man 
handed  me  $20  and  says,  "You  are  going  to  do  something  for  us.  I 
know  it  costs  some  money.  I  wish  you  would  do  all  you  can,  and  use  it 
the  best  way  you  can." 

9564.  Q.  Did  you  buy  any  votes  with  it '? 

A.  No ;  I  never  bought  any  man's  vote  in  my  life,  and  I  never  will. 

9565.  Q.  Do  you  know  anything  further  in  relation  to  frauds  upon 
the  election  by  either  party  ? 

A.  I  do  not  know  that  I  do  positively  myself.  I  know  it  from  hear- 
say and  opinion.  I  have  my  own  opinion  about  this  matter.  I  was  an 
inspector  of  election  in  the  town. 

9566.  Q.  Did  you  receive  any  fraudulent  votes,  knowing  them  to  be 
fraudulent  ?    You  were  the  democratic  inspector  of  election  ? 

A.  I  was  the  democratic  inspector.  With  reference  to  some  of  the 
votes,  I  had  my  own  opinion  about  them.  I  saw  some  papers  presented 
there  by  men  who  voted  the  republican  ticket,  that  I  had  some  doubts 
about.  They  were  men  who  came  there  and  offered  to  have  their  names 
recorded  and  showed  me  their  papers.  I  was  not  acquainted  with  them 
personally.  A  man  with  whom  I  was  acquainted  came  with  them ;  a 
very  respectable  man  by  the  name  of  S.  S.  Brinsmade,  who  was  running 
a  factory  there. 

9567.  Q.  Where  did  they  say  they  got  their  papers? 
A.  They  told  me  they  got  them  in  New  York. 

9568.  Q.  Who  were  the  papers  signed  by  ? 

A.  I  could  not  tell  who  they  were  signed  by.  Brinsmade  said  he 
would  qualify  that  they  were  all  correct.  They  were  registered ;  the 
day  of  election  came,  and  they  were  all  challenged.  A  challenge  was 
left  as  soon  as  we  opened  the  polls,  for  some  40  or  50  different  persons 
on  both  sides  of  the  house.  Both  sides  challenged  all  they  thought  sus- 
picious. 

9569.  Q.  How  many  of  these  men  were  there  ? 
A.  There  were  four  of  them. 

5^>  t 


866  ELECTION    FRAUDS    IN    NEW   YORK. 

9570.  Q.  Did  they  swear  their  votes  in  I 
A.  They  did. 

9571.  Q.   Do  you  know  what  ticket  they  voted  .; 
A.  They  voted  the  republican  ticket. 

9572.  Q.  Did  they  live  there? 

A.  They  lived  in  the  town  at  the  time ;  at  least  they  said  they  did; 
they  swore  to  that  tact.     They  were  there  and  voted. 

9573.  Q.   Do  yon  know  where  they  got  their  certificates? 
A.    I  do  not.     They  said  they  got  them  in  New  York. 

9574.  Q.  Do  yon  know  whether  they  came  through  the  Brewery? 
A.  I  do  not. 

By  Mr.  Dawes: 
9574£.  (t).   Do  yon  know  any  tact  touching  these  men  that  shows  they 
were  illegal  voters  ] 

A.   I  do  not  know  any  facts  in  the  matter. 

9575.  Q.    How  do  you  know  they  voted  the  republican  ticket  .; 

A.  1  know  it  in  two  or  three  different  ways:  the  republican  and  dem- 
ocratic tickets  were  not  printed  in  the  same  kind  of  letters  in  the  Hist 
place,  and  in  the  next  place,  when  the  tickets  were  folded  they  left  the 
heading  out  so  that  it  could  be  seen.  These  men  did  not  deny  that  they 
voted  the  republican  ticket. 

Washington,  D.  C,  March  3, 1869. 
George  Wilkes  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  Chairman: 

9576.  Question.  Please  state  your  residence  and  occupation. 
Answer.  1  reside  in  New  York  city,  and  am  the  editor  of  "  Wilkes' 

Spirit  of  the  Times." 

1)377.  Q.  State  whether  in  November  last  you  were  absent  from  New 
York  ;  and  if  so,  when  yon  returned  \ 

A.  I  left  New  York  November  28  for  Europe,  and  arrived  in  New  York 
again  last  Thursday  evening. 

9578.  Q.  State  whether  you  had  any  conversation  with  Florence  Scannel 
in  New  York  city  a  week  or  so  before  the  election  in  November  last  in 
relation  to  falsely  registering  voters;  and  if  so,  what  it  was? 

A.  I  never  had  any  such  conversation  with  anybody  with  a  view  to 
falsely  registering  voters  for  the  republican  party;  I  may  have  had  such 
conversations  with  persons  indifferently  years  ago,  or  since  I  came  home, 
but  I  never  had  any  such  conversation  at  anytime  with  any  person  with 
the  view  of  using  any  voters  falsely  registered  for  the  republican  party. 
I  do  not  know  that  I  know  Florence  Scannel;  I  met  a  great  many  people 
in  New  York  with  whom  I  conversed  on  the  subject  of  the  election,  and 
whose  names  I  do  not  know. 

9579.  Q.  State  if  there  was  any  conversation  between  you  and  Florence 
Scannel,  Marcus  Cicero  Stanley,  James  Gorey,  John  E.  McGowen,  and 
Marshal  Murray,  or  any  of  them,  in  relation  to  falsely  registering  names 
to  vote  in  the  interest  of  the  republican  party  f 

A.  I  never  had  such  conversation  with  anybody. 

9580.  Q.  Are  you  personally  acquainted  with  James  Gorey? 
A.  I  never  heard  his  name  until  I  saw  it  in  the  testimony  here. 

9581.  Q.  Do  you  know  John  E.  McGowen? 
A.  I  do  not. 

9582.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  false  registering  or  repeating  by  any 
republican  at  the  last  November  election  in  New  York  city? 

A.  I  do  not. 


ELECTION    FEAUDS   IN   NEW   YORK.  867 

9583.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  arrangement  having  been  made  with,  a 
view  of  so  falsely  registering  or  repeating  % 

A.  I  do  not. 

9584.  Q.  Did  you  make  any  sucli  arrangement  % 
A.  I  did  not. 

9585.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  election  fraud  being  perpetrated  by 
any  republicans  in  New  York  city  at  the  last  presidential  election  % 

A.  None  whatever. 

By  Mr.  Boss : 

9586.  Q.  Do  you  know  of  money  being  contributed  for  the  purpose  of 
controlling  the  election  % 

A.  No,  sir;  I  did  not  use  a  dollar  myself,  and  I  only  know  second- 
hand from  persons  who  have  been  examined  that  there  was  money 
used.  I  can  state  that  the  committee  of  which  I  was  chairman  had  but 
$5,000  for  the  whole  canvass,  and  I  was  told  that  $3,000  of  that  was  spent 
for  the  purpose  of  manning  the  polls  with  disabled  soldiers,  and  that  the 
rest  was  used  for  the  ordinary  routine  matters,  such  as  room  rent,  &c. 


GENERAL   INDEX 


A. 

Page. 

Arnoux,  Gabriel  A.,  examination  of 46,  47 

Adams,  Robert  G.,  examination  of 165, 166 

Application  for  naturalization  of  Patrick  O'Brien 154 

George  Hoffman 155 

Adolph  Slechelseine 156 

Alexander  M.  McCann 157, 158 

John  J.Mercer 159 

Antonio  Gomez 160,161 

blank  forms  in  use  in  court  of  common  pleas  .  77, 78,  80 

blank  forms  in  use  in  superior  court 78, 80 

blank  forms  in  use  in  supreme  court 81-84, 161-165 

Austin,  Martin  B.,  examination  of 286-288 

Acker,  Samuel  S. ,  examination  of 518, 519 

Allen,  James,  examination  of 632 

Adams,  James  B.,  examination  of 691 

Asburst,  Joseph  S. ,  examination  of 799,  800 

Ashhurst,  John,  examination  of 808,809 

Allen,  Theodore,  examination  of 824-826 

B. 

Block,  Theodore,  examination  of 35-37 

Bogert,  Albert,  examination  of 39-4 1 

Barrett,  George  P.,  examination  of 41-44 

Beeney,  Henry,  examination  of 44-46,  409-41 1 

Butts,  Henry,  examination  of 16-20 

Burton,  Charles  W.,  examination  of 25 

Barnegat,  Charles,  examination  of 89-91 

Boeck,  Maximilian,  examination  of 137-139 

Bliss,  George,  jr.,  examination  of 185-190,819,820 

Bross,  Andrew  J. ,  examination  of 209 

Brophy,  James  J.,  examination  of 230-233 

Bridgman,  William  H. ,  examination  of 261 

Bixby,  Butler  H.,  examination  of 261,262 

Barrett,  William  C,  examination  of 262 

Burke,  Patrick,  examination  of 96 

Baker,  Abraham,  examination  of 303-305 

Belmont,  Simeon  E.,  examination  of 307,  308 

Brewster,  Thomas,  examination  of 308,  309 

Bennett,  T.  Easton,  examination  of 404-407 

Benson,  Joseph,  examination  of 427,  428 

Brennan,  Mathew  T.,  examination  of 442,443 

Bogart,  William  H.,  examination  of 454,455,561-564,657,658 

Bell,  Clark,  examination  of 484,  485 

Bergen,  Edward  H.,  examination  of 515 

Brady,  Michael,  examination  of , 544, 545 

Baker,  Samuel,  examination  of 554-557 

Banks,  Wright,  examination  of 614-619 

Brady,  John  R.,  examination  of 652-654 

Bishop,  Victor,  examination  of 656 

Bernard,  Reuben,  examination  of 673 

Bostwick,  James  L. ,  examination  of 673-675 

Burke,  Oliver,  examination  of 677 

Butler,  James  P. ,  examination  of 681 ,  682 

Biser,  Anthony,  examination  of 690, 691 

Bradley,  John  J.,  examination  of . . . .  763, 764 

Borcold,  Christian,  examination  of 765, 766 

Bell,  John  H.,  examination  of 772,773 

Burns,  Luke,  examination  of 774 

Behme,  Henry,  examination  of 774 

Bradley,  Patrick,  examination  of 776 

■Briggs,  George,  examination  of 783 

Butcher,  Thomas,  examination  of 784 

Bowhen,  Owen,  examination  of - 787-788 


8  70  GENERAL    INDEX. 

Page. 

Brew,  Burton,  examination  of 790 

Broadhead,  T.  R.,  examination  of 790 

Broadhead,  George,  examination  of 790 

Briady,  Edward  8.,  examination  of 810-811 

Burke,  Michael,  examination  of 815 

Buddington,  Charles,  examination  of 817, 818 

Blake,  John,  examination  of 824 

Bommer,  Lawrence,  examination  of 828 

Browning,  August,  examination  of 831 

C. 

Courtney,  Samuel  G.,  examination  of 9-12 

Cottrell,  Joseph,  examination  of 58-59 

Crowley,  David,  examination  of 179,209,210,235,314,315,834 

Crandell,  Stephen  M.,  examination  of 193 

Chapman,  Henry  J.,  examination  of 203-204 

Clifford,  James  E.,  examination  of 208 

Carey,  Lorenzo,  examination  of 274, 275 

Coyle,  John,  examination  of 376 

Carberry,  John,  examination  of 402 

Costello,  Michael,  examination  of 407-409 

Colvin,  James  A.,  examination  of 433-435 

Cummings,  John,  examination  of 437 

Certificates  of  naturalization 8, 9, 25, 77, 78, 79,  SO,  81,  82,  83,  84,  139, 154, 155, 156, 157, 

158,159,160,161,102,163,164 

Cronin,  Bartholomew,  examination  of 456, 457 

Cook,  Peter,  examination  of 477-480 

Clark,  James,  examination  of 505-507 

Campbell,  Louis,  examination  of 560-561 

Cook,  William  H. ,  examination  of 604 

Costello,  Robert,  examination  of 624 

Clark,  John,  examination  of 624-625 

Clark,  Edward,  examination  of 626 

Cobb,Edward,  examination  of 626-627 

Cooper,  Jacob  W.,  examination  of 630 

Collins,  James,  examination  of 660-664 

Coul,  William,  examination  of 667-668 

Callan,  Christopher,  examination  of 699-706 

Clark,  William  P.,  examination  of 762-763 

Cameron,  Pat,  examination  of 768-769 

Clark,  Lewis,  examination  of 776 

Carr,  Lewis  E. ,  examination  of 786, 787 

Carroll,  William,  examination  of 792, 793 

Crist,  Virgil,  examination  of 798 

Cartler,  Edmund,  examination  of 803 

Casey,  Thomas,  examination  of 809 

Crook,  Thomas,  examination  of 809 

Coyle,  John,  examination  of 810 

Cumberlage,  John,  examination  of 810 

Connell,  James,  examination  of 815 

Clapp,  H.  M.,  examination  of 823 

Casey,  Joseph,  examination  of 827 

D. 

Daly,  R.  H. ,  examination  of 33-35 

Donnelly,  John,  examination  of 225-227 

Day,  Richard,  examination  of 233, 234 

Dolan,  HughF.,  examination  of 234,288,289,291,292 

De  Voursney,  Abraham,  examination  of 272-274 

Duffy,  Patrick,  examination  of 207 

Dunne,  John,  examination  of 292-295 

Donnelly,  Francis,  examination  of 299-303 

Donovan,  Henry,  examination  of 366 

Dorans,  William,  examination  of 448-450,452,453 

Dumble,  Joseph,  examination  of 491 ,  492 

Darling,  Henry,  examination  of 497-500 

Donovan,  John,  examination  of 529,  530 

Davenport,  John  I.,  examination  of 602-604,  696-698, 761, 842-844,  845-847, 853 

Dennis,  James,  examination  of 612,  613 

Doherty,  Cornelius,  examination  of 632,633 


GENERAL    INDEX.  871 

Page. 

Davison,  William,  examination  of 656,  657 

Dwyer,  Timothy,  examination  of 667 

Driscoll,  Daniel,  examination  of 771 ,  772 

Donnegan,  Anthony,  examination  of 793 

Dixon,  Frank  B.,  examination  of 809 

Deming,  Charles  S.,  examination  of : 813,  814 

Dunn,  Patrick,  examination  of „.  814 

Dillon,  John,  examination  of 830,  831 

Dunbar,  George  H. ,  examination  of 832-834 

Dunphy,  James,  examination  of 838-841 

E. 

Ey,  John,  examination  of 57, 58 

Emott,  James,  examination  of , 489-491 

Edwards,  Michael,  examination  of 572-574 

Ennis,  Peter,  examination  of 775 

Egleston,  George,  examination  of * 780, 781 

Eith,  Joseph,  examination  of 785, 786 

Ellis,  Thomas,  examination  of 794-797 

Elliott,  C.  G.,  examination  of 811,812 

F. 

Fox,  Charles,  examination  of '59-60 

Feeny,  Patrick  T.,  examination  of 87, 89 

Foster,  John  A.,  examination  of 118, 1 19, 235, 236, 523-526,  598-602 

Flynn,  Thomas,  examination  of 254-256 

Fitzgerald,  Mathew,  examination  of 400-402 

Ferguson,  Hiram  B. ,  examination  of 564-568 

Farrell,  Lawrence,  examination  of 590-595 

Ferguson,  Charles,  examination  of 621 ,  622 

Fox,  John,  examination  of 630, 631 

Foley,  Terrence,  examination  of. 657 

Fuller,  Jerome,  examination  of 686-688 

Foster  William  S. ,  examination  of 692 

Flynn,  John,  examination  of 76 1 ,  762 

Fitzgibbon,  James,  examination  of 783, 784 

Farrar,  Michael,  examination  of 806,  807 

Ford,  Patrick,  examination  of 815 

G. 

Gould,  Thomas,  examination  of 63-66 

Goldstein,  Emanuel  S.,  examination  of 69, 77 

Glassey,  Samuel  J.,  examination  of 112,118,215,218,595,598,698,699 

Gilmore,  T.  J.,  examination  of 208,209 

Gale,  Moses  D.,  examination  of 309-31 4 

Greene,  William  H.,  examination  of 315-317 

Grant,  Charles,  examination  of 428-430 

Garvin,  Samuel  B.,  examination  of 446-448 

Greig,  T.  W.,  examination  of 455,  456 

Gilmore  John,  examination  of 458-460 

GifFord,  George  B.,  examination  of 496,  497,  534, 535,  536 

Green,  James,  examination  of 507-509 

Grant,  Charles,  examination  of 520-521 

Gorman,  James,  examination  of 521 

Gorry,  James,  examination  of 569 

Gregory,  John,  examination  of 586-580 

Gunn,  John,  examination  of 611 

Gaillard,  Joseph,  examination  of 612 

Glennon,  John,  examination  of 625 

Gumbieton,  Henry  A.,  examination  of 633,  634 

Gillespie,  Adam,  examination  of 636,  637,  652-654,  732-735 

Gillespie,  Cornelius,  examination  of 774 

Ga  rrison,  Chauncy,  examination  of 782 

Gi  'marton,  James,  examination  of 788 

Green,  John,  examination  of 790 

Garvin,  Samuel  V. ,  examination  of 816 

Golden,  James,  examination  of 820,821 

H. 

Heimburgh,  Melchior,  examination  of 66,  67 

Hurrelle,  Timothy,  examination  of 68 


872  GENERAL   INDEX. 

Page. 

Hunt,  Richard  G  .  examination  of 204-206 

He  nd  rick,  Wm.  II.,  examination  of 237-252 

Hoffman,  John  T. ,  examination  of 99,  1 12 

Hoffman,  John  T.,  proclamation  of 99 

Hall,  James  F.,  examination  of 236, 237 

Hall,  Oakey  A.,  examination  of ? 275-279,324-337 

Haw  ley,  8.  C,  examination  of 285,286 

Hey  man,  Isaac,  examination  of 370-379 

Heath,  Edward  P>.,  examination  of 390-392,748-751 

Harris,  George,  examination  of 419-422 

Hopscroft,  George,  examination  of 440, 441 

Hoffman,  George  II.,  examination  of 443-446 

Hill,  George,  examination  of 482-484 

Hale,  Peter,  examination  of 504 

Hogan,  David,  examination  of 531-533,569 

Hnghes,  John,  examination  of 622, 0*23 

Heath  John,  examination  of 637-642 

Hal  lam,  George  F.,  examination  of 657 

Hogan,  Edward,  examination  of 664-666 

Horsf'elt,  Adam,  examination  of 670 

Haggerty,  Patrick,  M.,  examination  of 675,676 

Hayner,  living,  examination  of 677-681 

Han  ley,  John,  examination  of 766 

Han  ley,  Patrick,  examination  of 766 

Hoyt,  Charles,  examination  of 768 

Hackett,  Ed  waul,  examination  of 777 

Hirst,  John,  examination  of 778,779 

Hoyt,  H.  V.  1).,  examination  of 812 

House,  E.  II.,  examination  of 815 

Hussey,  Peter,  examination  of  . , 821 

I. 

Irving,  James,  examination  of 374-376 

Irwin,  D.  B.,  examination  of 775,776 

J. 

Jenner,  William  A.,  examination  of 48-51 

Jay,  John,  examination  of 182-185 

Joralemon,  Wm.,  examination  of 212-214 

Jarvis,  Nathaniel,  jr  ,  examination  of 195-201,578 

Jonassohn,  Louis,  examination  of 415-418,514,515 

Jones,  Morgan,  examination  of 437-438 

Johnson,  George,  examination  of 480-482 

Jones,  John,  examination  of 548-551 

Jansen,  Andrew  E  ,  examination  of 673 

Johnson,  Henry,  examination  of 735-745 

Johnson,  Joseph,  (colored,)  examination  of " '  - 

Jackson,  James  H.,  examination  of 798 

Janicky,  Charles,  examination  of 800, 801 

K. 

Kruger,  Henry,  examination  of „ 56, 57 

Kerwin,  Michael,  examination  of '. 93-95 

Keenan,  Patrick  H.,  examination  of '-""" 

Kent,  Edwin  R.,  examination  of 383-388 

Kennedy,  John  A.,  examination  of 557-559 

Keating,  John,  examination  of 578-581 

Kagle,  John,  examination  of 623,624 

Kennel,  John,  examination  of 634, 635 

Knowles,  Calvin,  examination  of 690 

Kelly,  Patrick,  examination  of 787 

Kirk,  Samuel,  examination  of 

Kneer,  Wendelin,  examination  of 807 

Kane,  Tomas,  examination  of " '  j 

Kelhy,  James,  examination  of 816, 817 


GENERAL    INDEX.  873 

L. 

Page. 

Leigner,  Andrew  B.,  examination  of 91-93 

Leverson,  M.  Richard,  examination  of 1 1 9-1 37,  655 

Loew,  Charles  E.,  examination  of 140, 154,  J79, 182,  256,  257,  847-851,  853,  854 

Lynch,  Timothy,  examination  of 177-179 

Livingston,  Morris,  examination  of 253,  254 

Lawrence,  John  M .,  examination  of 392-395 

Lee,  John,  examination  of 398,  399 

Loutrell.  William  J.,  examination  of 441,  442 

Lyle,  Henry,  examination  of 460-470,  477 

Lucas,  James  A.,  examination  of 501 

LeBarnes,  John  \Y\,  examination  of 547,  551-553 

Loftus,  Peter,  examination  of 632 

Laird,  Mitchell,  examination  of 668-670 

Luckey,  Joseph  L.,  examination  of 685,  686,  689 

Levi,  Richard,  examination  of 797 

Lynn,  James  H. ,  examination  of 799 

Ludlow,  Theodore  W.,  examination  of 814 

M. 

Murray, (Marshal)  Robert,  examination  of. .  .1-8, 51-56,  305,  306, 517, 518, 528, 529, 530, 533, 

534,545-547,551,568,569 

McLaughlin,  Patrick,  examination  of 68, 69 

McMurray,  William  J.,  examination  of 95 

Miller,  Joseph  A.,  examination  of 97, 98 

Mulligan,  John  J. ,  examination  of 252,  253 

McMahoD,  John,  examination  of 264, 265 

Mitchell,  Edward,  examination  of 37-39 

McDonald,  Logan,  examination  of 22-25 

McAlpine,  R.  W.,  examination  of 210-212 

Moran,  James,  examination  of 279-281 

Mottel,  Louis  J  ,  examination  of 295-299 

Meeks,  Joseph,  examination  of 317-324,728-732 

McCunn,  John  H.,  examination  of 337-347, 500,  501 ,  627, 628,  84 1 ,  842 

Marstou,  Howard  T.,  examination  of 351 ,  366,  581,  692-696, 844-845 

Mills,  Nathaniel  R.,  examination  of 366,  367 

McKean,  John  B.,  examination  of 367-374,745-748 

Mack,  Patrick,  examination  of 413-415 

Melville,  James,  examination  of 425-427 

McKinna,  Arthur,  examination  of 395-398 

Mabee,  George,  examination  of 450-452 ,  455, 522, 523, 553, 554 

Maloy,  Joseph,  examination  of 457, 458 

Mellville,  George,  examination  of 501-504 

Merritt,  George,  examination  of 521 ,  522 

McGowan,  examination  of 526, 527 

McGlade,  Thomas  A. ,  examination  of 547, 548 

Murray,  Francis,  examination  of 605-609 

McCabe,  John,  examination  of 609-61 1 

Mullaly,  John,  examination  of 628-630 

McCarthy,  Charles,  examination  of 631 

Mullen,  John  J. ,  examination  of 642-648 

McKee,  Hugh,  examination  of 666 

McClusky,  John,  examination  of 707-728,827,832 

Mahouey,  Michael,  examination  of 777 

Miller,  Nathan  J.,  examination  of 777, 778 

Miller,  Reuben  C,  examination  of 781 

McCord,  Walter  L.,  examination  of 784,785 

McGuyen,  John,  examination  of 788 

McKee,  John,  examination  of 792 

McNeal,  William,  examination  of 793 

Moore,  Thomas,  examination  of 797 

Martin,  Joseph,  examination  of 807 

Meagher,  John,  examination  of 809, 8 1 0 

Mowney,  Terrence,  examination  of £22 

Murphy,  Jerry,  examination  of 824 

McLaughlin,  Dennis,  examination  of 829, 830 


874  GENERAL    INDEX. 

N. 

Page. 
Naturalization  certificates,  issue  of,  to  fictitious  persons : 

James  R.  Smith g 

Samuel  Reynolds 9 

Patrick  Rafferty 9 

Walter  Shirley 25  26 

Andrew  B.  Leigner '  93 

Maximilian  Boeck I39 

Neelis,  James  J. ,  examination  of 263,  264 

Nolan,  Sylvester  E.,  examination  of 435'  435 

Nichols,  James,  examination  of 4Hf>,  486 

Norton,  John,  examination  of 57U-576 

New  mark,  M.  J.,  examination  of 656 

Neay,  Thomas,  examination  of 682-685 

Nettletou,  Charles,  examination  of 821,  822 

O. 

Osborne,  John,  examination  of 85-87 

Ostrander,  Alexander,  examination  of 223-225 

O'Brien,  James,  examination  of 379-383,  4:V2,  433,  509-51 1,  515-517 

Olney,  George  R.,  examination  of 676, 677 

O'Donovan,  John,  examination  of 772 

O'Brien,  Patrick,  examination  of 801,802 

O'Brien,  Patrick,  examination  of H08 

O'Brien,  Patrick,  examination  of 810 

O'Brien.  Dennis,  examination  of 815 

Owen,  Nelson,  examination  of 816 

P. 

Pohl,  Peter,  examination  of 98 

Perrine,  John  D..  examination  of 262 

Paine,  Joseph  E.,  examination  of 281-285 

Phillips,  Lewis  C,  examination  of 289-291 

Phyfe,  John,  examination  of , 306,  307 

Potter,  Thomas,  examination  of 4 18,  419 

Plumb,  Edmund  M.,  examination  of 493,851-853 

Pettit,  Austin  D.,  examination  of 493-496 

Pullman,  Christopher,  examination  of 536 

Powers,  Patrick,  examination  of 766, 767 

Powers,  Edmund,  examination  of 707, 768 

Peele,  Richard,  examination  of 807 

Q. 

Quinlan,  Michael,  examination  of 194 

Quackenbush,  D.  P.,  examination  of 770 

R. 

Raynolds,  Samuel,  examination  of 20-22 

Roberts,  Samuel  A.,  examination  of 190, 191 

Robertson,  John,  examination  of 208 

Reinhart,  Joseph,  examination  of 222, 223 

Rodgers,  John,  examination  of 399,  400 

Ryan,  Thomas,  examination  of * 438-440,  519,  520 

Reilly,  Charles,  examination  of 473-475 

Rowell,  John  M.,  examination  of 619,620 

Rome,  Jacob,  examination  of 625,  626 

Rogers,  Charles  H.,  examination  of 635,  636 

Riordan,  Michael,  examination  of 764, 765 

Roland,  Patrick,  examination  of 773 

Repp,  Charles,  examination  of . 802,  803 

Robinson,  Seth  K. ,  examination  of 814 

Russell,  Joseph  E.,  examination  of 826,  827 


GENERAL    INDEX.  875 

Page. 

s. 

Springer,  John  Henry,  examination  of 46, 47 

Simms,  William  Thomas,  examination  of 12-16 

Shirley,  Walter,  examination  of 26-31 

Surridge,  Thomas,  examination  of 31 ,  32 

Siep,  Charles  Henry,  examination  of 60-63, 87 

Sherman,  Porter  J.,  examination  of 84, 85 

Sullivan,  Daniel,  examination  of 95, 96 

Stewart,  Dougal,  examination  of 96, 97 

Secret  circular,  Samuel  J.  Tildens J09 

Sweeney,  James  M.,  examination  of 166, 167 

Sloan,  William  D. ,  examination  of 192, 193 

Springstein,  N.  H.,  examination  of 218-220 

Seixas,  Solomon,  examination  of 227-230 

Shea,  Dennis,  examination  of 388-390 

Shandley,  Edward,  jr.,  examination  of 402-404 

Sweetzer,  Henry  E.,  examination  of 422-425,642 

Sanford,  Edward,  jr.,  examination  of 511,512,515,559,560 

Sullivan,  Thomas,  examination  of 528,  529 

Smith,  M.  Malcolm,  examination  of 536-539 

Scaunel,  Florence,  examination  of 539-544, 557, 753-761 

Strong  James,  examination  of 574,  575 

Smith,  James,  examination  of 620,  621 

Snyder,  Charles,  examination  of . . .  •. 670 

Skelly,  Bernard,  examination  of 671-673 

Smith.  John  D.  B  ,  examination  of 682 

Smith,  George,  examination  of 769,770 

Southwell,  Edward,  examination  of 779, 780 

St.  John,  examination  of 791 

Suttle,  George  W.,  examination  of 791 

Smith,  Martin,  examination  of 807,  808 

Stivers,  M.  D. ,  examination  of 813 

Stanley,  Marcus  C. ,  examination  of 639-642 

Strong,  Charles  S. ,  examination  of 835-838 

T. 

Tilden,  Samuel  J".,  examination  of 257-259 

Teller,  Clarance  N. ,  examination  of 259-261 

Tweed,  William,  examination  of 265-272 

Thurston,  John  P. ,  examination  of 430-432 

Tupper,  P.  F. .  examination  of 658-660 

Thompson,  James  A.,  examination  of 751-753 

Tyrsel,  Patrick,  examination  of 780 

Tracy,  Richard,  examination  of 788, 789 

Titus,  William,  examination  of 794 

Tichen,  Frederick,  examination  of 822 

Taylor,  Theodore,  examination  of 831, 832 

U. 

Utley,  Robert,  examination  of 475,  476 

Urmy,  Samuel  S.,  examination  of 173-177 

Unswarth,  Robert,  examination  of 797 

V. 

Van  Buren,  Benj.,  examination  of 206,207 

Vandervoort,  Henry,  examination  of 388 

Vorhees,  Abraham,  examination  of 582,613,614,706,707.828,829 

Volmer,  Paul ,  examination  of 631 

Van  Elon,  Solomon,  examination  of 791 

Vaii,  Wilmot  M.,  examination  of 792 

Yinall,  George  F.,  examination  of 792 

W. 

Wolf,  Mathias,  examination  of 67,  68 

Willis,  Ansen,  examination  of 171-173 


876 


GENERAL    INDEX. 


Page. 

Wing-,  Samuel  S.,  examination  of 173-J77 

West  lake,  Owen  E. ,  examination  of 201  -203,  235 

Wilbour,  Charles  E.,  examination  of 214,215,411-413,448 

Woltman,  Henry,  examination  of 220-222 

Ward,  Hugh,  examination  of 225 

Walling,  George  W. ,  examination  of 347-351 

Woodward,  William  W.,  examination  of 436-437 

White,  John  H.,  examination  of 470-473,501,535,648-051 

Wood,  William,  examination  of 487-489 

Willsen,  William,  examination  of 512-514 

Ward,  James,  examination  of 575-577 

Wood,  John,  examination  of 582-586 

Ward,  William,  examination  of 637,655 

Wood,  James  R. ,  examination  of 785 

Wilson,  Nicholas,  examination  of 804-806 

Y. 

Young,  William  W.,  examination  of 47,48 

York,  Thomas  H.,  examination  of 492,493 


ANALYTICAL   INDEX. 


Arnoux,  Gabriel  A.,  examination  of,  491-308. 

Referred  to,  823. 
Arrests,  by  order  of  Judge  McCunn. 

Referred  to,  3639,  3642. 
Arrests,  by  police  on  bench  warrant. 

Referred  to,  3743. 
Arrests,  by  inspectors  for  frauds  at  election. 

Referred  to,  1252,  1253,  1807,  1900,  1946,  1984, 
1931,  (page  193,) 2783,  2788,  3068,  3844,  3993, 
5099,  8370. 
Arrests,  by  deputy  sheriffs. 

Referred  to,  1813,  1836,  1900,  1984,  1931,  (page 
193)  3902,  5509. 
Arrests,  by  police  for  frauds  at  election. 

Referred  to,  305,  306,  319,  331,  352,  1080,  3400, 
3676,  7521,  9131,  9165,  9166,  9184. 
Arrests,  by  United  States  marshal. 
Arrests,  made  on  forged  warrants. 
Referred  to,  3550,  6848,  7021. 
Applications  for  naturalization,   list   of,   to  German 
democratic  general  committee. 
Referred  to,  95,  96,  874,  882,  877,  878. 
Applications  for  naturalization,  blanks,  how  obtained. 

Referred  to,  912,  1028. 
Applicants  for  naturalization,  class  of. 

Referred  to,  922,  923. 
Applications  for  naturalization,  rejection  of. 

Referred  to,  1938,  4377,  4398. 
Avenue  A  and  116th  street. 

Referred  to,  1701. 
Avenue  C,  Nos.  66  or  68,  &c. 

Referred  to,  2061,  2105,  2231,  2339,  2728. 
Avenue  D. 

Referred  to,  2067 
Allen,  Theodore,  examination  of,  9171,  9172-3. 

Referred  to,  1185,  1188. 
Adams,  Robert  G.,  examination  of,  1701, 1716. 
Armstrong. 

Referred  to,  1819. 
Austin,  Martin  B.,  examination  of,  3024,  3042. 

Referred  to,  2113,  2679. 
Atkinson. 

Referred  to,  2799. 
Allen,  Wesley. 

.      Referred  to,  2941,  3542,  3743,  3744. 
Acton,  Thomas  C. 

Referred  to,  3515,  4438,  6025,  6026,  9132,  9141, 
9149,9150,9151. 
Apppointments  of  deputv  sheriffs. 

Referred  to,  3863,  3881. 
Anderson,  John  C. 

Referred  to,  5044,  6033. 
Atlantic,  Garden,  Bowery. 

Referred  to,  5227,  5228,  5427. 
Aaron,  Barney. 

Referred  to,  5504,  5854,  7005,  7012,  7017. 
Acker,  Samuel,  examination  of,  5522,  5523. 
Allen,  James,  examination  of,  6980. 

Referred  to,  page  657. 
Adams,  Charles  Francis. 
Referred  to,  7054. 
Adams,  James  B.,  examination  of,  7584. 
Allen,  John. 

Referred  to,  9172. 
Ashurst,  Joseph,  examination  of,  8958£,  8967. 
Ashurst,  John,  examination  of,  9088J,  9100. 

Referred  to,  9100d. 
Broadway,  Nos.  6,  4,  595. 
Referred  to,  2453. 
uarnanl,  Judge  G.  G. 

Referred  to,  726,  728. 1132, 1317, 1332, 1335, 1338, 
1344,  1354,  1367,  1400,  1404,  1407,  1409,  1445, 
1447,  1451,  1519,  1527,  1536,  1538,  1541,  1548, 
1560,  1606,  1649,  1663,  1674,  1683,  1691,  1696, 
2121,  2178,  2250,  2259,  2773,  2777,  3137,  3138, 
3165,  3689,  3771,  3784,  3788,  3844,  3845,  3847, 
3849,  3852  3856,  3926,  3948,  4625,  4644,  4649, 
4894,  6026,  7783.  7831,  7941,  8400,  8404,  8411, 
9133,  9136,  9295,  9296. 


Bleecker  and  Greene  streets,  corner  of. 

Referred  to,  2453,  2557. 
Bennett,  George  or  William. 

Referred  to,  2453. 
Boston  harbor. 

Referred  to,  2504. 
Bleecker,  Paymaster. 

Referred  to,  2504. 
Bleecker,  Anthony  J. 

Referred  to,  2514,  5143. 
Brunson,  Major. 

Referred  to,  658. 
Barnegat,  Charles,  examination  of  988-1024. 
Blume,  Robert. 

Referred  to,  2117. 
Baker,  Maurice. 

Referred  to,  2118. 
Bayard  str.  et,  Nos.  62,  64,  68, 162. 

Referred  to,  2273, 2276,  2456,  2457, 3053. 
Baxter  street,  No.  67. 

Referred  to,  2276,  3064. 
Broome  street,  No.  531,  &c. 

Referred  to,  2543,  4024. 
Burns,  Pete. 

Referred  to,  2458.  2464,  2581, 2600. 
Bridgman,  William,  examination  of,  2769,  2770. 
Birmer,  Adam. 

Referred  to,  2805. 
Bauman,  Lawrence. 

Referred  to,  2805. 
Blank  forms,  minor  applications  in  common  pleas. 

Referred  to,  pages  77,  78. 
Blank   forms,  application,  when   previous   intention 
declared. 
Referred  to,  page  80. 
Blank  forms,  minor  applications  in  superior  court. 

Referred  to,  pages  79,  80. 
Blank  forms,  applications,  when  previous  intention 
declared. 

Referred  to,  pages  78,  79. 
Blank  forms,  minor  applications  in  supreme  court. 

Referred  to,  pages  83,  84,  93,  154,  156,  157, 159, 
160, 163. 
Blank  forms,  application,  when    previous  intention 
declared. 
Referred  to,  pages  82, 163. 
Blank   forms,   application    to  supreme  court  when 
honorably  discharged  from  the  army  or  the 
navy. 
Referred  to,  pages  81, 82, 161. 
Barrett,  Judge. 

Referred  to,  1937, 1948,  page  194. 
Brady,  Judge. 

Referred  to,  1948,  page  194. 
Bush,  Joseph. 

Referred  to,  2028. 

Brinker,  . 

Referred  to,  2061. 
Brown,   Thomas  J. 

Referred  to,  2067,  2070,  2207,  2204. 
Broas,  Andrew  J,  examination  of,  2113,  2115. 

Referred  to,  2679,  2714*,  3033. 
Brown,  James. 

Referred  to,  2116,  2695,  3855. 
Blair,  J. 

Referred  to,  2116. 

Brown, . 

Referred  to,  2936,  2937. 
Burke,  Patrick,  examination  of,  1099, 1104. 

Referred  to,  1093,  1095,  1096. 
Brennan,  Commissioner  Matthew  T.,  examination  of, 
4430,  4437. 
Referred  to,  1236,  3515,  4163. 
Butts,  Henry,  examination  of,  149, 196, 

Referred  to.  287. 
Burton,  Charles  W.,  examination  of,  259, 262. 
Block,  Theodore,  examination  of,  379, 411. 
Referred  to,  825. 


878 


ANALYTICAL   INDEX. 


Bogert,  Albert,  examination  of,  422,  429. 

Referr  d  to,  939.  941,  1720. 
Barrett,  George  P.,  examination  of,  441,  465. 

Referred  to,  833. 
Beeny,  Henry,  examination  of,  466,  486. 

Referred  to,  2825. 

Recalled,  4135,  4137. 
Bliss,  Colonel  Georg"-,  jr.,  examination  of,  1928, 1969. 

Referred  to,  57,  1270,  1394,  2453,  2534,  2636,  2665, 
2667,3605,4618,4675,6909. 

Recalled,  9145, 9158. 
Bentham,  Jeremy. 

Referred  to,  1327. 
Bibles. 

Referred  to,  1335,  1336,  1360,  1937,  2121.  3813, 
3614,  3816,  3931,  4135,  4655.  6657,  4678,  4680. 
Bleecker  street. 

Referred  to,  1378. 
Betzel,  August. 

Referred  to,  817, 1688,  page  179 ;  2116,  2695,  3855 
Beanne,  Henry. 

Referred  to,  817,  821, 1688,  2116,  2625,  3855. 
Bill. 

Referred  to,  1702. 
♦Black.  Jack. 

Referred  to,  1819. 
Bennett,  John. 

Referred  to,  1.-19.1820,4110. 
Boeck,  Maximilliau,  examination  of,  1466, 1494. 

Referred  to,  8033,  page  235;   3106,  3414,  3419, 
3596,3615,3285,4018. 
Bennett,  Thomas. 

Referred  to,  1785. 
Barbour,  Judge. 

Referred  to,  1745,  3419,  3420,  3571,  3600,  4375. 
Brophv,  James  J.,  examination  of,  8368,  2411. 

Referred  to,  1876,  2141,  2304. 
Bixby,  Butler  11.,  examination  of,  2771,  2772. 
Barrett,  William  C,  examination  of,  2773,  2778. 
Blush,  Charles  F. 

Referred  to,  2805. 
Bauscher,  Herman. 

Referred  to,  2805. 
Betts, .   • 

Referred  to,  2966,  2968,  2987. 
Brady, . 

Referred  to,  2975. 
Baker,  Abraham,  examination  of,  3258,  3289. 
Brown, . 

Referred  to,  3270. 
Belmont,  Simeon  E.,  examination  of,  3312,  3328. 
Brewster,  Thomas,  examination  of,  page  308,  3329. 
Bosworth,  Judge. 

Referred  to,  3515,  4128. 
Bogart,  A.  C.  H. 

Referred  to,  3352. 
Burns,  Francis. 

Referred  to,  3999. 
Brady,  Michael. 

Referred  to,  page  393,  4034,  4035. 
Boyle,  Thomas. 

Referred  to,  4049. 
Barclay,  James. 

Referred  to,  4057. 
Beeny,  Colonel. 

Referred  to,  4078. 
Bennett,  T.  Eastou,  examination  of,  4117,  4131. 
Bennett,  James  G.,  jr. 

Referred  to,  4  L32,  8992. 
Bedford,  Gunning  S. 

Referred  to,  4132. 
Bowdell,  George. 

Referred  to,  4132. 
Benson,  Joseph,  examination  of,  4269,  4284. 

Referred  to,  4249,  4251,  6033. 
Barnum, . 

Referred  to,  4383. 
Burdell, . 

Referred  to,  4383. 
Bell, . 

Referred  to,  4418. 
Bogart,  William  H.,  examination  of,  4564,  4568. 

List  of  names,  presented  by,  pages  454,  455. 

Referred  to,  4568. 

Recalled,  6063,  6094. 

List  of  names,  presented' by,  60G4. 
Bell,  Clark,  examination  of,  4986,  4987. 
Beaines,  Joseph. 

Referred  to,  4986,  4987. 


Beglan,  James. 

Referred  to,  5126,  5127. 
Barrett,  Thomas. 

Referred  to,  5155.  5882. 
Banker,  Thomas  A. 

Ref-rred  to,  5157,  5161,  5171,  5174,  5175,  5177 
5391,5706. 
Burke,  Leander. 

Referred  to,  5396. 
Bergin,  Edward  H.,  examination  of,  5180. 

Referred  to.  5479. 

Bartlet,  George, 

Referred  to,  5495. 
Brady,  Michael  examination  of,  5819,5831. 
*  Referred  to,  5550. 
List  of  illegal  registries,  presented  by,  5819. 
Banks,  Wright,  examination  of,  6853,  6895. 
Referred  to,  5788. 

Record  of  naturalization,  presented  by,  6854. 
Applications  for   naturalization,  forms  of,  pre- 
sented by,  pages  617,  618. 
Baker,  .Samuel,  examination  of,  ">954,  6003. 

Referred  to,  6176,  6177,  6231,  6234. 
Blunt,  Orison. 

Referred  to,  6952. 
Brady,  John  R.,  examination  of,  7207 J,  7232. 
Bishop,  Victor. 

Referred  to.  page  656. 
Bell,  Isaac. 

Referred  to,  7413. 
Bostwick,  James  L.,  examination  of,  7442,  7470. 

Referred  to,  7439.  7440. 
Bernard,  Reuben,  examination  of,  7440,  7441. 
Burke,  Oliver,  examination  of,  7496. 
Buller,  James  P.,  examination  of,  7521,  7523. 
Brannegan,  Patrick. 

Referred  to,  7521. 
Baker,  Elijah. 

Referred  to,  7027,  7030. 
Biser,  Anthony,  examination  of,  7567,  7583. 
Bradley,  John  J.  examination  of,  8612*.  863L 

Referred  to,  8595,  8596,  8601. 
Borcold,  Christian,  examination  of,  8649^,  8663. 
Blake,  John  W. 

Referred  to,  9166. 
Bell,  John,  examination  of,  8764£,  8783. 
Burns,  Luke,  examination  of,  87881. 
Behme,  Henry,  examination  of,  8788$,  8797. 
Bradley,  Patrick,  examination  of,  88 l3£,  8815. 
Briggs,  George,  examination  of,  8860|,  8863. 
Butcher,  Thomas,  examination  of,  8866£. 
Bowhen,  Owen,  examination  of,  8891. 
Brew,  Burton,  examination  of,  8909a. 
Broadhead,  T.  R.,  examination  of,  89096. 
Broadhead,  George,  examination  of,  8909e. 
Braidy,  Edward  8.,  examination  of,  9L00e. 
Letter  of,  presented  by,  9100?". 

Bacon,  . 

Referred  to,  9102,  9105,  9108. 
Burke,  Michael,  examination  of,  9129^. 
Buddington,  Charles,  examination  ot,  9133,  9144. 
Blake,  John,  examination  of.  9169,  9170. 
Bommer,  Laurence,  9184,  9185. 
Browning,  August,  examination  of,  9198,  9199. 
Courtney,  Samuel  G..  examination  of,  67,  90. 

Referred  to,  2,  64,  92,  150,  1158,  1189, 1585. 
Centre  street,  No.  L3. 

Referred  to,  2,  676. 
Centre  street,  No.  1. 

Referred  to,  3334,  3336.  4173,  4626,  4639,  4664, 
4698,  7350,  7352,  7356,  7384. 
Centre  street,  No.  6. 

2,  4,  31,  33,  93,  98,  106,  112,  127, 151, 170, 178, 
199,  203,  818,  231,  254,  257,  650,  676,681,734, 
796,  828,  844,  850,  886,  8»7,  894,  900,  901,  927, 
955,  1080,  1364,  1760,  2255,  2263,  2695,  2747, 
2813,  2814,  2954,  2956,  2159,  3776,  3861,  4168, 
4175,4698. 
Chambers  street,  No.  25. 

Referred  to,  127, 181,  183,  217,  844,  4880,  4883. 
Cragie,  Francis. 

Referred  to,  413,  414,  416. 
Certificates,  natura  ization,  sale  of,  2,  87,  93, 151, 156, 
201,  603,  6,8,  615,  619,  629,  63J,  769,  777,  1032, 
1066,  108),  1119,  1126,  1471,  1479,  1702,  2099, 
2299,  2695,  4106,  4650,  4658,  5543. 
Committee  on  alleged  election  frauds  in  New  York- 
Resolution  of,  1694. 
Resolution  of,  page  180. 


ANALYTICAL    INDEX. 


879 


Committee  on  alleged  election  frauds  in  New  York — 
Letter  of,  page  J  81. 

Charley,  . 

Referred  to,  1702. 
Columbia  street. 

Referred  to,  1783. 
Crochau,  Michael. 

Referred  to,  1807. 
Colvin,  Colonel. 

Referred  to,  1840. 
Crowlev,  David,  examination  of.  1892, 1894. 

Recalled,  2116,  2118,  2430,  3384,  3385,  9230. 
Cannon,  Colonel. 

Referred  to,  1908,  1909, 1916. 
Cook,  W.  W. 

Referred  to,  2724. 

Comins, . 

Referred  to,  2934. 
Canvassing  mode  of,  572,  575,  8284,  5158. 
Certificates  of  naturalization,  issue  of  to  fictitious  per- 
sons, 604,  608,  615.  619,  622,  1250,1317,1702, 
1806,   1637,  2061,  2099,  2103,  2264,  2413,  2449, 
2695,  2753,  2805,  3986. 
Cottrell,  Joseph,  examination  of,  625,  636. 

Referred  to,  638.  692,  740,  767,  775,  804, 1125. 
Certificates  of  naturalization,  issue  of,  without  ap- 
pearand- in  court,  732, 780, 788, 926,  «27, 989, 
1058,  1085,  1252,  1253,  1362,  1469,  1783,  1806, 
1937,  2061,  2099,  2103,  2264,  2413,  2449,  2695, 
2753,  2805,  3986,  4080. 
Cook,  John.  . 

Referred  to,  784. 
Clifford,  Robert. 

Referred  to,  2892. 

Coff, . 

Referred  to,  2975. 

Cisco, . 

Referred  to,  3002. 

Coe, . 

Referred  to,  3002. 
Clerks,  in  employ  of  Rosenberg. 

Referred  to,  858,  861,  863,871,873,895,900,905, 
919,  920. 
Common   pleas,  court  of,  when  engaged  in  naturaliza- 
tion. 
Referred  to,  915, 1994. 

Cook, . 

Referred  to,  926. 
Challenges. 

Referred  to,  932,  933,  939, 1295,  1308,  1794,  1795, 
1796,  1817,  1823,  1901),  1930,  1968,  1984,  1931, 
(page  193.)  2221,  2333,  2341,  2342,  2349,  2350, 
2354,  2355.  2378,  2693.  2895,  2902,  3261,  3314, 
3993,  4132,  4133,  4135,  4311,  4332.  4366,  4387, 
4418,  4421,  46UI,  4606,  5542,  5556,  6848,  7027. 
City  Hall,  No.  12. 

Referred  to.  956,  974,  1107, 1330,  1333, 1350, 1364, 

1386.  1414,  1472,  1474,  1478,  1504,  15,  5,  1517, 

1764,  1776,  1779,  1967,  1938,  (page  194.)  2061. 

2750,2805,4000,4626,4639,5118,  5130,  5132,  5136. 

Culpin,  Pop. 

Referred  to,  1075. 
Clinton  street,  No.  24. 

Referred  to,  2117. 
Caps,  changing  of. 

Referred  to,  2276, 2278. 
City  Hall  Place. 

Referred  to,  24C8. 
Conroth,  Michael. 

Referred  to,  2416. 
Cuba. 

Referred  to,  2499. 
Cherry  street,  No.  450. 
Referred  to,  1094. 
Courts,  forcible  ejection  by  order  of  judge,  and  denial 
of  admittance,  &c. 
Referred  to,   1336,  1409,  1410,  1560,  1562,  2121, 
3771,3798,3799. 
Cardoza,  Judge. 

Referred  to,  1579,  4163. 
Crandall,  Stephen  M.,  examination  of,  1930,1946,  pages 
193,  194. 
Referred  to,  1812. 
Chapman,  Henry  J.,  examination  of,  2050,  2095. 

Referred  to,  2329,  2344,  2345. 
Clifford,  James  E.,  exaiuinat'on  of.  2100,  2102. 
Cullon,  Timothy. 

Referred  to,  2113. 


Cooper  Institute. 

Referred  to,  2937. 
Connery,  Jeremiah. 

Referred  to,  3177. 
Caffrey,  John. 

Referred  to,  3461. 
Campbell,  Captain. 

Referred  to,  3675. 
Connollv,  Michael. 

Referred  to,  3742. 
Couover,  William  D. 

Referred  to.  3742. 
Coyle,  (detective,)  John,  examination  of,  3850,  3851. 

Referred  to,  3844,  3845,  3847. 
Conner,  William  C. 

Referred  to,  3925. 
Colters, . 

Referred  to,  4C60. 
Cuddy.  Alderman,  card  of,  page  239. 

Referred  to,  2456,  2457,  2o35.  2649. 
Cuddy's  Hotel. 

Referred  to,  2638. 
Cunningham,  Paymaster. 

Referred  to,  2514. 
Cassidv,  Morris. 

Referred  to,  2756. 
Canvassers,  examined. 

Referred  to,  2769,  2771. 
Carey,  Lorenzo,  examination  of,  2913,  2932. 

Referred  to,  2779£,  3065. 
Croner,  Abriham. 

Referred  to,  2805. 
Connolly,  Richard  B. 

Referred  to,  2829,  6649. 
Churchill. 

Referred  to,  page  389. 
Conroy,  William. 

Referred  to,  4058. 
Costello,  Michael,  examination  of,  4132,  4134. 

Referred  to,  4180,  4181,  4184,  4185,  4186,  4341, 
4349-50,  4387,  4388,  4392,  4331,  4334,  4335,  4430, 
4436. 

Reputation  of,  4392,  4393,  4431. 

Referred  to.  8285,  8287,  8293,  8334,  8341,  8348, 
8376,9190,9191. 
Crcchan,  Robert,  (Judge.) 

Referred  to,  4103,  4105,  5722,  6857. 
Canvassing,  delav  in. 

Referred  to,  4113,  4363,  8284,  5158,  9262. 
Campbell,  Judge. 

Referred  to,  4128. 
Coman,  Alderman. 

Referred  to,  4132,  4163,  4183,  4387,    9190,  9191, 
9281,  9286. 
Chadwick. 

Referred  to,  4135. 
Corson,  Cornelius. 

Referred  to,  4153,  4160. 
Certificates  of  naturalization  fraudulently  granted. 

Referred  to,  4628,  4632,  4704,  5543,  6848. 
Clark,  Andrew. 

Referred  to,  4800. 
Clark,  .lames,  examination  of,  5287,  5333. 

Referred  to,  5390. 
Costello,  

Referred  to,  5398. 
Comptou  House. 

Referred  to,  4201,  4239,  5558,  5663,  5861,  5862, 
5865,  60U4,  6007,  6009,  61)12. 

Fictitious  names  legristered  from,  5796. 

Referred  to,  8505,  8517,  8558,  8528,  8529,  8557, 
8558.  8561,  8562. 
Conkling  ticket, 

Referred  to,  4290,  4297,  4299,  4300,  4301,  4316, 
4317,4318,  4319,  4320,  4324. 
Carboy,  Michael. 

Referred  to,  4295. 
Cuddy.  William. 

'Referred  to,  4327,  4328,  4329,  6947. 
Colvin,  James  A.,  examination  of,  4363,4374. 
Crounce,  . 

Referred  to,  4383. 
Cummingrs,  John,  examination  of,  4386. 
Cronin,  Bartholomew,  examination  of,  4572,  4590, 

Referred  to.  3999. 
Cook,  Peter,  examination  of,  4880,4925. 

Referred  to,  3359.  34 1  H. 
Campbell,  Louis,  examination  of,  6034,  6062. 


880 


ANALYTICAL    INDEX. 


Caasidy, . 

Referred  to,  6040,  6042,  6045,  6054. 
Cook,  William  H.,  examination  of,  6697,6704. 

Referred  to,  6947. 
Cooper,  Jacob  \\\.  examination  of,  6965,6968. 

Referred  to.  6649, 
Costello,  Robert,  examination  of,  6937,  6938. 
Clark,  John,  examination  of,  6939,6940. 
Clark,  Edward,  examination  of,  6945,6946. 

Referred  to,  7040. 
Cobb,  Edward,  examination  of,  6947,  6950. 
Chambers,  Win    R.  \V.,  examination  of,  7044,  7054. 

Referred  to,  7240. 
Collins,  James,  examination  of,  7313,  7393. 
Callan,  Christopher,  examination  of,  7670,  7740. 

List  of  witnesses  presented  by,  7670. 
Coffin,  Elias. 

Referred  to,  7335,  pflge  667. 
Coul,  William,  examination  of,  7346,  page  667 ;  7355, 

page  068. 
Curran,  Alderman. 

Referred  to,  8294. 
Clark,  William  P.,  examination  of,  8663,  8612. 
Cameron,  Pat.,  examination  of,  B702i,  8719. 
Clark,  Lewis,  examination  of,  880ty,  6813. 
Carr,  Lewis  E.,  examination  of,  8876,  8888. 
Carroll,  William,  examination  of,  8900m.,  8912. 
Crist,  Virgil,  examination  of,  895U,  8957. 
Cartler,  Edmunds,  examination  of,  90171. 
Casey,  Thomas,  examination  of,  91006. 
Crook,  Thomas,  examination  of,  9100c. 
Coyle.  John,  examination  of,  OlilOy. 
Cuinberlage,  John,  examination  of,  9100/j. 
Connell,  James,  examination  of.  9129/. 
Clapp,  H.  M.,  examination  of,  9165,  9166. 
Dwyer,  Deputy  Marshal. 

Referred' to,  2,  p age  393,  4045. 
Dally,  R.  H.,  examination  of,  356-378. 

Referred  to,  380,  392,  400. 
Dolan,  John. 

Referred  to,  442,  443-446,  447,  450,  451,  452,  460, 
822. 
Delancy  street,  No.  154. 

Referred  to,  863. 
Democratic  General  Committee,  (German.) 

Referred  to,  654,  683,  7.47,  798,  828,  829,  859. 
List  of  applications  to,  for  naturalization,  874- 
882. 
Denham,  Michael. 

Referred  to,  958,  974. 
DeWitt,  Clinton. 

Referred  to,  1184. 
Dargan,  Richard. 

Referred  to,  1252. 
Duffy,  Patrick,  examination  of,  2099. 

Referred  to,  1253,  1688,  page  179,  3788,  3855. 
Dayton,  Isaac. 

Referred  to,  1270, 1287, 1300,  1301,  1315. 
Democratic  officials  and  politicians — Testimony  rela- 
tive to. 
Referred  to,  1335,  1336,  1337,  1339,  1340,  1341- 
1343,  1347,  1348,  1354,  1358-1364,  1366,  1367, 
1372,  1373,  1374,  1407,  1409,  1412,  1786,  1797, 
2805,  2904. 

Dunphy, -. 

Referred  to,  1345,  1354,  1369,  1370,  8289,  8291, 
8332,  8352,  8358. 

Darcy, . 

Referred  to,  1367. 

Dougal, . 

Referred  to,  1367,  1369. 
Doe,  John. 

Referred  to,  1546,  1625. 
Dunn,  Michael. 

Referred  to,  1688,  2117,  3783. 
Dooliu,  John. 

Referred  to,  1688,  page  179,  3855. 
Dalton.  John. 

Referred  to,  1812,  1984. 
Daly,  Patrick. 

Referred  to  1834. 
Doogan,  William. 

Referred  to,  1847. 
Donnelly,  John,  examination  of,  2303-2326. 

Referred  to,  1876,  2141,  2406,  2409,  3855. 

Day, . 

Referred  to,  1984,  page  192. 


I  Daly,  Judge. 

Referred  to,  1948,  page  194. 
!  Dehlmnn  or  Delliuger,  Paul. 

Referred  to,  2105,  2l(;6,  2724. 
Davenport,  John  I.,  examination  of,  6686-6696. 

Referred   to,  2K.7,   4039,   4667,  5393,  5410,  6532, 

6533,  6535,  6652,  8210. 
Recalled,  7643-7647,  8584-8593. 
Recalled,  9303-9312. 

Communications  by  telegram,  <fec.  between  Con- 
gressional   committee   and    Chas.    E.   Loew, 
presented  by,  9304-9310, 
Recalled,  9330--9346,  0303-9398. 
Communications  to  S.J.  (Wasey  et  al.,  presented 
by,  9394-9398. 

Dallingc-r, . 

Referred  to,  2203. 
Day,  Richard,  examination  of,  2412-2420. 
Dolan,  Hugh  F.,  examination  of,  2427-2429. 

Recalled,  3051-3053,  page  291,  3099. 
Darling,  James. 

Referred  to,  2453,  2454,  2639,  3053,  3385. 
De  Vousnev,  Abraham,  examination  of,  2895-2912. 

Referred  to,  4135,  4136. 
Donnelly,  Francis,  examination  of,  3195-3258. 

Referred  to,  3260,  3269. 
Davies.  Judge. 

Referred  to,  1147,3492. 
Opinions  of,  3492,  3557. 
Donovon,  Henry,  examination  of,  3742. 
Doer,  Judge.     , 

Referred  to,  4128. 
Dorans,  William,  examination  of,  4496-4527. 

Referred  to,   4192,  4199,  4208,  4211,  4221,  4226, 
4231,  4237,  4251.  4269.  4272,  4277,   4279,  4310, 
4035.  4928,  4938,  5059,  5963,  5967,  5998,  6847. 
Recalled,  4539-4563. 
Davis,  William. 

Referred  to,  421 1. 
Dorrs,  Thomas. 

Referred  to,  4611. 
Durgan,  C.  A. 

Referred  to,  5079. 
Duinble.  Joseph,  examination  of,  5099-5101. 
Dodson,  William. 

Referred  to,  5100. 
Darling,  Henry,  examination  of,  5162-5209. 

Referred  to,  5142,  5144,  5152,  5225,  5696,  5703. 
Dunn,  Bill. 

Referred  to,  5355, 5356, 5359,  5360,  5362,  5364,5370. 
Doubleday,  Major  General. 
Referred  to, '5565. 

Depew, . 

Referred  to,  5567. 
Donovan,  John,  examination  of,  5625-5644. 

Referred  to,  5604,  5612,  5613,  5645. 
Dennis,  James,  examination  of,  6848-6850. 

Referred  to,  6954,  6955,  6959,  6960,  6963,  7020. 
Doherty,  Cornelius,  examination  of,  6981-6987. 

Referred  to.  page  657. 
Davison,  William,  examination  of,  7245-7273. 
Dwyer,  Timothy,  examination  of.  7332-7345,  page  667. 
Referred  to,  7322,  page  666,  7328,  page  666,  73- 
31.  page  666. 
Dunne,  John,  examination  of,  3099-3134. 

List  of  names  presented  by,  in  11th  district,  6th 

ward. 
Referred  to,  page  294. 

Daily, . 

Referred  to,  8738. 
Driscoll,  Daniel,  examination  of,  8736J-8759. 

Referred  to,  8774.  8778,  8779. 
Donnegan,  Anthony,  examination  of,  89126. 
Dixon,  Frank  B.,  examination  of,  9100a. 
Deming,  examination  of,  9124^-9129. 
Dunn,  Patrick,  examination  of.  9129</. 
Dillon,  John,  examination  of,  9194-9197. 
Dunbar,  George  H.,  examination  of,  9206-9229. 
Dunphy,  James,  examination  of,  9246-9291. 
Elections. — Names  of  inspectors  of  registry  and  elec- 
tion, sworn  and  examined : 

Charles  C.  Reed,  329,  27th  district,  9th  ward. 
Theodore  Block,  379,  21st  district,  17th  ward. 
Edward  Mitchell,  412,  4th  district,  15th  ward. 
Albert  Bogert,  422,  4th  district,  19th  ward. 
George  G.  Hewett,  430,  19th  district,  20th  ward. 
George  P.  Barrett,  441,  7th  district,  12th  ward. 


ANALYTICAL    INDEX. 


881 


Elections.— Names  of  inspectors— Continued. 

Henry  Beeny,  466,  9th  district,  6th  ward. 

John  H.  Springer,  487,  6th  district,  19th  ward. 

William  W.  Young,  508,  4th  district,  17th  ward. 

William  A.  Jenner,  575,5th  district,  18th  ward. 

Porter  G.  Sherman,  925,  8th  district,  17th  ward. 

John  Orsbon,  938,  4th  district,  19th  ward. 

Dugald  Stewart,  1105,  17th  district,  20th  ward. 

Sam'l  J.  Glassey,  1251,  16th  district.  20th  ward. 

Anson  Willis,  1782,  16th  district,  16th  ward. 

Samuel  S.  Urmy,  1805,  15th  district,  21st  ward. 

Timothy  Lynch,  1859,  5th  district,  6th  ward. 

Samuel  A.  Roberts,  1965,  2d  district,  17th  ward. 

Stephen  M.  C  ran  dull,  insp'r  of  elect'n,  but  not  of 
registry,  1930,  page  193,  15th  dist.,  21st  ward. 

Henry  J.  Chapman,  2050, 16th  district,  16th  ward. 

Richard  G.  Hunt,  2060,  19th  district,  1 1th  ward. 

Benj.  Van  Buren.  2076, 16th  district,  16th  ward. 

Andrew  J.  Broas,  2113,  12th  district,  13th  ward. 

William  Joralemon,  2141,  5th  district,  6th  ward. 

N.  H.  Springstein,  2201,  19th  district,  11th  ward. 

John  Donnelly,  2303,  5th  district,  6th  ward. 

Solomon  Seixas,  2327,  16th  district,  6th  ward. 

James  J.  Brophy,  2362,  5th  district,  6th  ward. 

John  J.  Mulligan,  2679,  12th  district,  13th  ward. 

Thomas  Flynn,  2704,  19th  district,  13th  ward. 

James  J.  Neelis,  2779£,  6th  district,  6th  ward. 

John  McMahon,  2805,  1st  district,  11th  ward. 

Abrah'in  De  Vousney, 2895, 9th  district,  6th  ward. 

Lorenzo  Carey,  2913.  6th  district,  6th  ward. 

Martin  B.  Austin,  3024,  12th  district,  13th  ward. 

Lewis  C.  Philips,  3064,  6th  district,  6th  ward. 

Francis  Donnelly,  3195,  3d  district,  11th  ward. 

Solomon  E.Belmont.  3312, 12th  district,8th  ward. 

Henry  Donovan,  3742,  13th  district,  21st  ward. 

Dennis  Shea,  3986,  4th  district,  4th  ward. 

Arthur  McKenna,  4050,  5th  district,  1st  ward. 

Michael  Costello.  4132,  3d  district,  4th  ward. 

Patrick  Mack.  4163.  5th  district,  4th  ward. 

Thomas  Potter,  4179,  3d  district,  4th  ward. 

John  P.  Thurston,  4330,  3d  district,  4th  ward. 

Bartholomew  Croniu, 4572,  4th  district,  4th  ward. 

Joseph  Maloy,  4591,  4th  district,  4th  ward. 

John  Gilmore,  4598,  7th  district,  4th  ward. 

Joseph  Dumble,  5099,  2d  district,  4th  ward. 

George  Merritt,  5550,  5th  district,  16th  ward. 

James  Dennis,  6848,  7th  district,  2lst  ward. 

John  Mullaly,  6954,  7th  district,  21st  ward. 

Jacob  W.  Cooper,  6965,  7th  district.  21st  ward. 

John  Kenuell,  7004.  2d  district,  3d  ward. 

Charles  H.  Rodgers,  7018,  8th  district,  21st  ward. 

McLaughlin  Dennis,  9189,  3d  district,  4th  ward. 

John  Dillon,  9194,  1  Ith  district,  6th  ward. 
Ey,  John,  examination  of,  617,  624. 

Referred  to,  608,  610,  612. 
Expense  of  naturalization,  how  paid. 

Referred  to.  85'J. 
Essex  Market  court. 

Referred  to,  927. 
Ellis,  William. 

Referred  to,  1327. 

Eaton,  ,  1394. 

Essex  street,  No.  103. 

Referred  to,  1476. 
Elizabeth  street. 

Referred  to,  2273. 
Erie  Railroad  Company. 

Referred  to,  2876,  2872. 
East  Broadway. 

Referred  to,  3675,  3676.  3690. 
Edwards,  Charles. 

Referred  to,  4110. 
Slliott,  Joseph. 

Referred  to,  4166. 
Sastburn,  John. 

Referred  to  5018. 
Umott,  James,  examination  of,  5086,  5099. 

Opinion  of,  5086,  5099. 
Edwards,  Michael,  examination  of,  6228,  6247. 

Referred  to,  page  657. 
Svers,  Frederick. 

Referred  to,  7027. 
2nnis,  Peter,  examination  of,  8797-i,  8803. 
Sgleston,  George,  examination  of,  8e56f,  8857. 
!ith,  Joseph,  examination  of,  8870],  8875. 
His,  Thomas,  examination  of,  89134,  8951. 
Elliott,  G.  C,  examination  of,  9100  j,  9109. 

Silk,  . 

Referred  to,  9124*,  9125,  9126,  9)27,  9129. 

56  T 


Fitzpatrick.  John. 

Referred  to,  372,  392,  394,  395,  399,  400. 
Fitzpatrick,  Dennis. 

Referred  to,  305,  312,  319,  333,  331,  815. 
Fox,  Charles,  examination  of,  637-J349. 

Referred  to,  630,  638,  805,  1114,  1136. 
Fielding,  Charles. 

Referred  to,  825,  page  178,  3855. 
Feeny,  Patrick  T.,  examination  of,  954-987. 
Fox,  John,  congressman. 

Referred  to,  2391. 
Farly,  John. 

Referred  to,  2439. 
Flynn,  Thomas,  examination  of.  2701-2717. 

Referred  to,  2679,  3033. 
Fyfe,  Douglas. 

Referred  to,  2779. 
Firth,  Isaac. 

Referred  to,  2805. 

Fulke, . 

Referred  to,  2805. 
Ferguson,  Hiram,  examinatiou  of,  6096-6162. 

Referred  to,  3196,  3200,  3201,  3213,  3214,  3222, 
3223,  3226,  3233,  3237,  3240,  3247,  3248,  3270, 
5492.  5654,  5679,  5867,  5882,  6163. 
Fnllerton,  William,  opinion  of,  3537. 
Fitzgerald,  Samuel. 

Referred  to,  3844. 
Fox,  John. 

Referred  to,  3866,  3882,  4037. 
Fenton,  Governor. 

Referred  to,  1188,  1205,  1900,  3743. 
Forty-second  street. 

Referred  to,  1253,  2266. 
Franklin  street. 

Referred;  to,  1362,2314. 

Flanagan,  . 

Referred  to,  1367. 
j  Fehling,  Charles. 

Referred  to,  1688,  3780. 
First  avenue,  Nos.  61  and  221. 

Referred  to,  1689,  1894,  2037. 
Fourth  Avenue,  Nos.  444  and  449. 

Referred  to,  1807,  1847,  1856,  1858. 
I  Forty-first  street  west,  No.  318. 
Referred  to.  2116. 
Fitzgerald,  Mathew,  examination  of,  4096-1098. 
,  Fitzgerald,  Thomas. 

Referred  to,  4110. 

Field,  . 

Referred  to,  4135,  4527. 
Fifth  Avenue  hotel. 

Referred  to.  2,  212,  1268,  1381,  1900,  1959,  2387, 
2520,  3097,  3675,  4166,  4438,  4446,  4793,  4802, 
5575,  5580,  5588.  5653,  5654,  5666,  5682,  5690, 
5693,  5753,  5771,  5716,  6026,  6097,  6117,  6118, 
6134,  6164,  7056,  7057,  7058,  7086,  7C87,  7089, 
7091,  7244,  9149,  9166.  9206,  9210,  9213,  9215, 
9222.  9225. 
Five.  Robert. 

Referred  to.  5543,  5541. 
Foster.  Johu  A.,  examination  of,  1316-1323. 

Referred  to,  702.  737,  739, 1250,  6533,  6535,  6536, 

6614,  6626,  6627.  6637,  6641,  6686,  7196. 
Recalled,  2431-2438*. 
Recalled,  6648-6685. 

Tables,  &c,  presented  by,  5562,  page  526. 
Referred  to,  8064,  8364. 

Fagin,  . 

Referred  to,  6006. 
Farrell,  Laurence,  examination  of,  6528-6628. 

Referred  to,  6629,  6634,  6646,  6648,  6703   7170 
7183. 
Ferguson.  Charles,  examination  of,  6913-6916. 

Referred  to,  7040. 
Fox,  John,  examination  of,  6969-6970. 
Fort  Lafayette. 

Referred  to,  7056,  7068. 
Foley,  Terrence,  examination  of,  page  657. 
Fuller,  Jerome,  Judge,  examination  of,  7554-7559. 

Referred  to,  7546,  7548. 
Foster,  William  S.,  examination  of,  7586-7593. 
Flaunagan,  Peter. 

Referred  to,  8309. 
Flynn,  John,  examination  of.  8594-8602. 

Referred  to,  8613,  8614,  8615.  8616,  8617,  8620, 
8623,  8626. 
Farrar,  Michael,  examination  of,  9065^-9083. 
Ford.  Patrick,  examination  of,  9129  b. 


882 


ANALYTICAL    INDEX. 


Grand  jury,  indictments  of. 

Heferredto.  88,  629,  1151,  1153,  1154,  1155,  1157, 
1158,   11(31,   1162,  1163,  1164,  1165,  1167,  1168, 
1253,2817. 
Members  of,  4785,  4791.  4793. 
Gruu,  Michael, 

Referred  to,  630. 
Goldstein.  Emanuel  S..  examination  of,  796-925. 

Referred  to,  658,  948,  949,  953,  1661,  2100,  3861. 
Gould,  ThoniiiK,  examination  of,  694-739. 
Referred  to,  1249,  1250,  1316,  1317. 
Glas.sey,  Samuel  J.,  examination  of,  1248-1315. 
Referred  to,  702,  737,  739,  1317. 
Recalled,  2178-2:200. 
Referred  to,  5563,  5823,  6366,  6533,  6535,  6626, 

6628,  7196.. 
Recalled,  6629-6647,  7648-7069. 
Referred  to,  6649,  6686,  6668,  8066,  8161,  8269, 
8270,  8363. 
Gillespie,  Adam,  examination  of,  7032-7039,  7207. 

Referred  to,  827,  3106,  3414,  8164,  8165,  8186, 

8169,8176. 
Recalled,  8223-8255. 
Count  testified  by,  8255. 

Referred  to,  8416,  8417,   8422,  8439,  8440,  8451 
8453,  8454,  8455,  8456,  8457,  8458,  8459,  8462, 
8164. 
Gomez,  Antonio. 

Referred  to,  856,  S65,  1686,  1689,  1894,  3789. 
Green  street. 

Referred  to,  1378,  2453. 
Garvin,  Judge,  examination  of,  4480,4494. 

Referred  to,   17.18,   1745,   1937,  2021,  2043,  3419, 
3420,  3571,  3573,  3581,  3598,  3600.  4004,  4117, 
4118,  4124,  4172,  4375,  7324,  7330. 
(lillem,  James. 

Referred  to,  1807,  1834,  1844-1845,  1984,  1985, 
1927,  page  193,  1934.  page  193. 
aillmore,  T.  J.,  examination  of,  2105-2112. 

Referred  to,  2783,  2729. 
Goodwin,  James. 

Referred,  to  2458. 
Grant  &.  Train. 

Referred  to,  2673,  3285. 

Gorkey, . 

Referred  to,  2975. 
Griswold,  John  A. 

Referred  to,  983,  2674,  4029,  4035,  4037. 
Goff,  Patrick. 

Referred  to,  1330,  1331,  1334,  1345,  1349,  1350, 
1351,  3160,  3655,  3808,  3859,  5541,  9131,  9171, 
9172,  9198. 
Gale,  Moses  D.,  examination  of,  3329-3383. 

Referred  to,  1337,  2812,  2815,  2829,  2953,  4639. 
Gallagher,  G. 

Referred  to,  1345,  1354,  1367. 
Gould,  William. 

Referred  to,  2031. 
Governor's  Island. 

Referred  to,  2474,  2516,  2517,  2678. 
Glynn,  James. 

Referred  to,  2500. 
Goerck  street,  Nos.  26  and  29. 

Referred  to,  2113,2685,2693,2715^. 
Greene,  William  H.,  examination  of,  3386-3403. 
General  Committee  of  Tammany  Hall,  circular  of,  3553. 
Gram,  James. 

Referred  to,  3783. 
Grant  and  Colfax. 

Referred  to,  4037. 
Grant,  Charles,  examination  of,  4285-4329,  5542-5547. 
Gutterman. 

Referred  to,  4383. 
Gilmore,  John,  examination  of,  4598-4621. 
Greig,  T.  W.,  examination  of  4569-4572. 

Population  of  6th  ward,  N.  Y.  City,  presented 
by,  page  456. 
Gallagher,  Owen. 

Referred  to,  4650,  4753,  4775. 
Gallagher,  John. 

Referred  to,  4768. 
Graham,  John. 

Referred  to,  5018. 
Gilden. 

Referred  to,  5053. 
Glenn,  James. 

Referred  to,  5126. 


Clifford,  George  B.,  examination  of,  5139-5161 

Referred  to,  5164,  5167,  5170,  5174,  5177    5190 
5197,  5199,  5201,  5203,  5206,  5207,  5225    5712' 
6719. 
Recalled,  5694-5711,  5717-5718. 
Greene,  James,  examination  of,  5334-5381. 

Referred   to,  6033. 
Glover,  John  R. 

Referred  to,  5543. 
Gorman,  James,  examination  of,  5.118-5549. 
Goney,  James,  examination  of,  6168-6169. 
Groves,  Charli ■*. 

Referred  to,  6386,  6387,  6388,  6390,  6403. 
Gregory,  John,  examination  of,  6455-6527. 
Gunn,  John,  examination  of,  6846. 
Griunell. 

Referred  to.  6532. 
Gaillard,  Joseph,  examination  of.  6847. 
Gleunon,  John,  examination  of,  6911-6942. 
Gumhleton,  Henry  A.,  examination  of,  6988-7003. 

Referred  to,  9312. 
Gilmore,  Councilman. 

Referred  to,  7313,  7355,  7362,  7365,  7367,  7376 
7389. 
Gllleapee,  Cornelius,  examination  of.  87851-8788. 
Garrison,  Chauncey,  examination  of,  8857J-8860. 
Gibborn,  James  Fit/.,  examination  of,  8863J-8886. 
( l il martin,  James,  examination  of,  88921. 
Green,  John,  examination  of,  8909r. 
Gray,  James. 

Referred  to,  9065-1. 
Grady,  Jeremiah. 

"  Referred  to,  9074. 
Gedney,  Judge. 

Referred  to,  9088J,  9090. 
George,  Judge. 

Referred  to,  9101. 
Garvin,  Samuel  V.,  examination  of,  9130. 

Books  presented  by,  9130. 
Golden,  James,  examination  of,  9153-9155. 
Hewett,  George  G..  examination  of,  430-440. 
Hats,  changing  of,  2273-2276. 
Heinbnrch,  Melchoir,  examination  of,  740-766. 

Referred  to,  630,  767,  808. 
Hurrell,  Timothy,  examination  of,  775-780. 

Referred  to,  630,  806. 
Herman,  (supervisor,)  (i.  W. 

Referred  to,   654,  655,  G36,  657,  674,  799,  830,  862, 
3364,  3861. 
Hennet,  Augustus. 

Referred  to,  658. 
Herman,  Isaac,  examination  of,  3852-3861. 

Referred  to,  804,809,813,815,817,822,823,824, 
825.  1510, 1689,  3755,  3928,  3932. 
Honig,  William. 

Referred  .o,  817,  820, 1688,  (page  179,)  2116,  2095. 
Herbert,  Joseph. 

Referred  to,  1688,  (page  179,)  2117,  3783,  3855. 
Henney,  Frederick. 

Referred  to,  1688,  (page  179,)  2117,  3783,  3855. 
Hoffman,  George. 

Referred  to,  1689, 1894. 
Hickey,  George  E. 

Referred  to,  1819,1821. 
Hunt,  Richard  G.,  examination  of,  2060-2075. 

Referred  to,  2203,  2205,  2227,  2241. 
Hudson  street,  Nos.  288  and  68. 

Referred  to,  2427,  2430,  2431,  2960,  3328. 
Hall,  James  F.,  examination  of,  2439-2451. 
Hendrick,  William  H.,  examination  of,  2452-2678. 
Referred  to,  4564. 

Hodge, . 

Referred  to,  2541,2543. 
Houston  street,  east,  Nos.  69  and  263. 

Referred  to,  927,  2453,  2600,  2605. 
Hooley's  Minstrels. 

Referred  to,  980. 
Hoffman,  John  T.,  examination  of,  1137,  1247. 
Proclamation  of,  1140. 

Referred  to,  1314,  2176,  2734,  2738,   2880,  293* 
2937,  8281,  8288,  8304. 

Harvey, . 

Referred  to,  1345. 
Hogan,  Patrick. 

Referred  to,  1367. 
Henri,  Lassey. 

Referred  to,  1378, 1412. 


ANALYTICAL   INDEX. 


883- 


Harris,  John. 

Referred  to,  2196, 
Hillocher,  Cyrus. 

Referred  to,  2753£. 
Harburger,  Herman. 

Referred  to,  2805. 
Hutchings,  Assistant  District  Attorney. 

Referred  to,  2817,3743. 
Haggerty,  Edward  M. 

Referred  to,  2895^,  2898,  2899. 
Hunter,  John  W. 

Referred  to,  3002. 
Hawley,  S.  C,  examination  of,  3309-3023. 
Henry  street,  Nos.  167, 169,  and  197. 

Referred  to,  3043,  3046,  3051,  3098,  3367,  3370, 
4108,  4110. 
Hallenback,  Mathew  O. ,  examination  of,  3054-3056. 
Hughes,  George. 

Referred  to,  3260. 
Heath,  Edward  B.,  examination  of,  4003-4023. 

Referred  to,  3421. 

Recalled,  8416-8448. 
Hall,  A.  Oakev,  examination  of,  2933-2958. 

Referred  to,  1337,  1309,  1962,  2385,  2402,  2738, 
4320,4779.4793. 

Recalled,  3490-3569. 

Resolution  and  circular  of  T.  H.  G.  C,  presented 
by,  3490. 

Letter  of,  to  Judge  Davies,  3492. 

Opinion  of  Judge  Davies  et  al,  presented  by, 
3557. 

Circular  of  T.  H.  G.  C,  presented  by,  3553. 

Opinion  of  Attorney  General,  presented  by,  3568. 
Hilton,  Henry,  (Judge,)  opinion  of,  3537. 

Referred  to,  3605,  3638. 
Howe,  Counsellor. 

Referred  to,  3686,  3844,  3847,  6326. 
Harma,  Daniel. 

Referred  to,  3844. 
Habeas  corpus. 

Referred  to,  1814,  1900,  2198,  3511,  3512,  3610, 
3611,  3666,  3685,  3686,  3687,  5095,  5396,  6026. 

Copy  of,  3849. 

Allowance  of,  3849. 

Order  of  discharge,  endorsed  on,  3849. 

Referred  to,  9150. 
Hadden,  John. 

Referred  to,  4095. 
Hastings-on-the-Hudson. 

Referred  to,  4080,  4082,  4087,  4C89,  4092,  4096, 
4097,4099,4101,4106. 
Haggerty,  Patrick  M.,  examination  of,  7471-7481. 

Referred  to,  4135,  4136,  7449,  7464. 
Harrington,  Patrick. 

Referred  to,  4166. 
Hennett,  Julius. 

Referred  to,  4168. 
Hermon,  Gershom  M. 

Referred  to,  4168,  4170. 
Harris,  George,  examination  of,  4187-4231. 

Referred  to,  4249,  4251,  452:. 
Howard,  Michael. 

Referred  to,  4295. 
Hopcroit  George,  examination  of,  1406-4414. 
Hasbrouch,  D.  B. 

Referred  to,  4432,  6024,  6168,  8  104,  8321,  8325. 
Hoffman,  George  H.,  examination  of,  4438-4479. 
Hill,  George,  examination  of,  4941-1985. 

Referred  to,  5003,  6033. 
Harris,  Morgan. 

Referred  to,  5143. 
Hanberry, . 

Referred  to,  5147. 
Hawley,  James. 

Referred  to,  5228,  5229,  5238,  5297,  5429. 
Hale,  Peter,  examination  of,  5280-5286. 
Huffschmidt,  Jacob. 

Referred  to,  5543. 
Howell, . 

Referred  to,  5553. 
Hogan,  David,  examination  of,  5648,  56S8. 

Referred  to,  5689,  5863,  5873,  5882,  5384,  5911, 
5913,  5914,  5916,  6097,  6112,  6122,  6134,  6138, 
6144,  6152,  6153,  6154,  6155,  7056,  7059,  7063, 
7096. 

Recalled,  6167. 
Hoffman  House. 

Referred  to,  5654  5667,  5683,  5687,  5692,  5693, 
5878,  5879,  5882,  6097,  6129,  0131,6165,  6166. 


Hoff,  Charles. 

Referred  to,  5668. 
Hinchman, . 

Referred  to,  6094. 
Hughes,  John,  examination  of,  6917,  6923. 

Referred  to,  7040. 
Heath,  John,  examination  of,  7042,  7043. 

Referred  to.  7233. 
Hallem,  George  F.,  examination  of,  page  657. 
Hogan,  Edward,  examination  of,  7394,  7321,  page  666. 
Harrington,  Thomas. 

Referred  to,  7348,  pages  667,  668. 
Horsfelt,  Adam,  examination   of,  7385,  7397,   pages 

670,  671. 
Hayner,  Oliver,  examination  of,  7497,  7520. 
Handel,  John. 

Referred  to,  8604,  8606,  8608,  8612. 
Hawley,  John,  examination  of,  8663^,8671. 
Hawley,  Patrick,  examination  of,  86711,  8673. 
Hoyt,  Charles,  examination  of,  8698i,  8702. 
Hussey,  Peter. 

Referred  to,  9133,  9136. 

Arrest  of,  9133. 
Hackett,  Edward,  examination  of,  8815-j. 
Hurt,  John,  examination  of,  8836^,  8843. 
Hogan,  Thomas. 

Referred  to,  9065J. 
Hogan,  Edward. 

Referred  to,  9100  b. 
Hoyt,  H.  Y.  D.,  examination  of,  9109i,  9121. 
House,  E.  H.,  examination  of.  9129  e. 
Hussey,  Peter,  examination  of,  9156,  9157. 

I. 

Inspectors  of  registry  and  election  examined: 

Charles  C.  Reed,  329,  27ta  district,  9th  ward. 
Theodore  Block,  379,  21st  district,  17th  Avard. 
Edward  Mitchell,  412,  4th  district,  15th  ward. 
Albert  Bogert,  422,  4th  district,  19th  ward. 
George  G.  Hewitt.  430,  19th  district,  20th  ward. 
George  P.  Barrett,  441,  7th  district,  12th  ward. 
Henry  Beeny,  466,  9th  district,  6th  ward. 
John  H.  Springer,  487,  6th  district,  19th  ward. 
William  W.  Young,  508,  4th  district,  17th  ward. 
William  A.  Jenner,  515,  5th  district,  18th  ward. 
Porter  G.  Sherman,  925  8th  district,  17th  ward. 
John  Osborn,  938,  4th  district,  19th  ward. 
Dugold  Steuart,  1105,  17th  district,  20th  ward. 
Sam'l  J.  Glassey,  1251,  16th  district,  20th  ward. 
Anson  Willis,  1*782,  16th  district,  16th  ward. 
•  Samuel  S.  Urmy,  1805,  loth  district,  21st  ward. 
Timothy  Lynch,  1859,  5th  district,  6th  ward. 
Samuel  A.  Roberts,  1965,  2d  district,  17th  ward. 
Stephen  M.  Crandell,  inspector  of  election,  but 

not  of  registry,  1930,  (page  193,)  15th  district, 

21st  ward. 
Henry  J.   Chapman,  2050,   16th   district,    16th 

ward. 
Richard  G.  Hunt,  2060,  19th  district,  11th  ward. 
BeDJ.  Van  Buren,  2076,  16th  district,  16th  ward. 
Andrew  J.  Bross,  2113,  12th  district,  13th  ward. 
Wm.Joraleman,  2141,  5th  district,  16th  ward. 
N.  H.  Springsteen,  2201, 19th  district,  11th  ward. 
John  Donnelly. 

Solomon  Seixas,  2327,  16th  district,  6th  ward. 
James  J.  Brophy,  2326,  5th  district,  6th  ward. 
John  J.  Mulligan,  2679,  12th  district,  13th  ward. 
Thomas  Plynn,  2704,  19th  district,  13th  ward. 
James  J.  Nealis,  2799^,  6th  district,  6th  ward. 
John  McMahon,  2805,  1st  district,  11th  ward. 
Abraham  De  Vousuey,  2895,  9th  district,  6th 

ward. 
Lorenzo  Carey,  2913,  6th  district,  6th  ward. 
Martin  B.  Austin,  3024, 12th  district,  13th  ward. 
Lewis  C.  Phillips,  3064,  6th  district,  6th  ward. 
Francis  Donnelly,  3195,  3d  district,  11th  ward. 
Solomon  E.  Belmont,  3312,  12th  district,  18th 

ward. 
Henry  Donovan,  3742,  13th  district,  21st  ward. 
Dennis  Shea,  3986,  4th  district,  4th  ward. 
Arthur  McKenna,  4050,  5th  district,  1st  ward. 
Michael  Costello,  4132,  3d  district,  4th  ward. 
Patrick  Mack,  4163.  5th  district,  4th  ward. 
Thomas  Potter,  4179,  3d  district,  4th  ward. 
John  P.  Thurston,  4330,  3d  district,  4th  ward. 
Bartholomew  Cronin,  4572,  4th  district, 4th  ward. 
Jules  Malay,  4591,  4th  district.  4th  ward. 
John  Gilmore,  4598.  7th  district,  4th  ward. 


884 


ANALYTICAL    INDEX. 


Inspectors  of  registry  and  election  examined  : 

Joseph  Dumbie,  5099.  2d  district,  4th  ward. 

George  Merritt,  5550,  5th  district,  16th  nurd. 

James  Dennis,  6848,  7th  district,  21st  ward. 

John  Mullaly,  6954,  7th  district,  21st  ward. 

Jacob  "W.  Cooper,  6965.  7th  district,  21st  ward. 

John  Kennell,  7004,  2d  district,  3d  ward. 

Charles  H.  Rodgers,  7018,  8th  district .  21st  ward. 

Dennis  McLaughlin,  9189,  3d  district.  4th  ward. 

James  Dillon,  9194,  11th  district,  6th  ward. 
Tngraham,  Judge. 

Referred  to,  1519. 
Illegal  voting. 

Referred,  to,  18.",  1864,  1888,  2113,  2873, 
2772,  3051,  3053,  3055,  3233,  4030,  4049,  4058, 
4067.  4135,  4187,  4193,  4216,  4238,  4269,  4271, 
4286,  4501,  4503,  4509,  4601,  4602,  4*16.  4819, 
4926,  4943,  4945,  4948,  4990,  4993,  5027,  5031, 
5227,  52**,  5125,  5658,  5659,  5602,  5758,  5763, 
5776,  5868,  6370,  67$  6,  6913, 

6917,  6920,  6937,  6939,  6941,  6912  6945,  6947, 
6969,  6971,  6973,  7042,  7043,  -2-3.  B284,  8552. 

Irving,  James,  examination  of,  3s  J 1,  :i-  |  ), 
Irwin,  D.  B.,  examination  of,  P808+,  ^08. 
Jarvis,  Deputy  Marshal. 

Referred  to.  2. 
Jenner,  William  A.,  examination  of,  515,  542. 

Referred  to.  1-077. 
Jonassohn,  G.,  Dr. 

Referred  to,  (558. 
Jew,  Charles. 

Referred  to,  996. 
Jourdain,  . 

Referred  to,  1362,  1422.  1438. 
Jones,  Judge. 

Referred  to,  1738,  1745,  3571,  4375. 
Jones, . 

Referred  to,  1857. 
Joralemon,  William,  examination  of,  2141,  2167. 

Referred  to,  1876,  2304. 
Jay,  John,  examination  of,  1900.  1928. 

Referred  to,  3605,  3608. 
James,  Judge. 

Referred   to,    1900,  1909,  1917,  1922,  1923. 
3511,  3512,  3604.  3605,  3608,  3666,  3667.  9149. 
Jourdan,  captain  of  police. 

Referred  to,  2903,  3100,  3101,  5485.  6020,  6022. 
Jordan,  Mathew. 

Referred  to,  3317. 
Jones,  Henry  A. 

Referred  to,  3394. 
Joachimsou.  Counsellor. 

Referred  to,  3861 
Jackson  club. 

Referred  to,  3903. 
Jones,  Ex  Congressman. 

Referred  to,  4132. 
Jonassohn.  Louis,  examination  of,  4168,  4178. 

Recalled,  5474,  5478. 
Jordan,  Thomas. 

Referred  to,  4365. 
Jones,  Morgan,  examination  of,  4387,  4396. 
Johnson,  George,  examination  of,  4926,  4940. 

Referred  to,  5004. 
Jacker,  Edmund. 

Referred  to,  5543. 
Jones,  John,  examination  of,  5867,  5914. 

Referred   to,   5495,  5654,  5915,  6093.  6112,  6114. 
6134,  6138. 
Johnson,  . 

Referred  to,  5955. 
Jarvis,    Nathaniel,  jr.,   examination  of,    1947,   2021 
pages  194,  201. 

Referred  to,  2100. 

Recalled,  6310,  6312. 

List  of  persons  naturalized  presented  by,  6310. 
Jansen,  Andrew,  examination  of,  7434,  7439. 
Jersev  City. 

"Referred  to.  4961,  4965,  4970,  4978,  5063,  5070, 
5072,  5080,  5239,  5241,  5312,  5319,  5323,  5353, 
5366,  5452,  5453,  5460,  5465,  5549,  5505,  5517, 
5965,  6038,  6174,  6176,  6180,  6183,  6229,  6231, 
6321,  6414,  6482,  6492,  6506.  6821,  6822,  6826, 
6909,  6915,  6922,  6946,  6948,  7043,  7184,  7275. 
Johnson,  Henry,  examination  of,  8256,  8376. 
Johnson,  Joseph,  (colored,)  examination  of,  8860£. 


Jackson,  James  H..  examination  of,  8951  //. 
Jacknev.  Charles    - 
Kaffenberger,  Gottlieb. 

Referred   to.  509,   821  .-,-',  page   179 

3855. 
Kennedy   John  A.,  examination  of,  6013-6932. 

Referred  to.  558  559,  569,  215:$,  2525,  2533,2535 
26951,  2943.  3010,  3022,  312*,  3536,  3544,  3675 
3691,3698,  3704,  1111.  443*>,  7111.7112,7113, 
7114,  7115,  7118.  7129.  7167,  7169.  9145,  9149, 
9150. 
Kruger,  Henry,  examination  of,  607-616. 
Referred  to,  603.  605,  606.  618,  619    - 

Kumberg. . 

Referred  t  .,  60*.  OH),  619.  2702. 
Kohler.  Jacob. 

Referred  to.  856. 
Keminerer.  . 

Referred   I 

Kent.  Edwin  II,,  examination  of,  3975-3! 

Referred  to,  B12,  3759.37*8.  1 
Kerwin,  Michael,  examination  of.  1056-1077. 

Referred  to.  827,  1720.  2028,  3106,  3419,  3595, 
3616.  3629. 

Kelley,  Thomas. 

Referred  to,  L029,  ion.  1015,  1065.  1067.  1074. 

Kelley.   Sheriff. 

Referred  to 

Kewtch.  . 

Referred  to,  1370. 
I  ward. 
iied  to,  3753  ''32. 

King,  John. 

Referred  to.  2116. 
Kelley, . 

Referred  to.  2712.  . 
Kohn.  Eleazer. 

Referred  to 

Keenan,  Patrick  H..  examination  of,  3043-305). 

rred  to,  3333,  3366,3386*.  3394,  3 
Kelley,  Justice. 

"  Referred  to.  3518,  7021. 
Knight,  . 

Referred  to.  1627   - 
Kane,  Patrick. 

Referred  to,  5100. 
Kerr, . 

Referred  to 
Kerr,  ,  (member  of  congressional  committee.) 

Referred  to,  55o7.  5508,  5512. 
Kerrigan,  . 

Referred  to,  6111. 
Keating,  John,  examination  of,  6313-6358 

Referred  to.  6271,  6272. 
Kagle,  John,  examination  of,  6924-6936. 

Referred  to.  7040. 
Kennell,  John,  examination  of,  7004.  7017. 
Knowles,  Calvin,  examination  of.  7561-7566. 
Kelley,  Patrick,  examination  of,  8889-8890. 
Kirk,  Samuel,  examination  of,  9014^-9017. 
Kneer,  Weudelin,  examination  of,  9083|. 
Kane,  Thomas,  examination  of,  9129c. 
Kely,  James,  examination  of,  9131-9132. 
Loew,  Charles  E.,  examination  of,  1495-1684. 

Referred  to.  72,  73,  77,  305,  323,  340,  355,  358, 
422,  447,  493,  509,  516,  '604,  638,  784,  812,  926, 
942,  1079,  1253,  1339,  1374,  1445.  1506. 

Recalled.  1685-1701,  pages  179-1*2. 

List  of  applicants  and  witnesses  presented  by, 
page  181. 

Referred  to,  1966,  2100,  2105,  2110,2116,  2174, 
2178,  2180,2187,2192. 

Recalled,  2718,  2732. 

Referred  to,  3218,  3219,  3746,  3747,  3749,  3754, 
3756,  3758,  3759,  3791,  3852,  3855,  3925,  3932, 
3960,  3975,  3981,  5543,  6989,  6991,  6992. 

Parties  signing  name  of,  6990. 

Referred  to,  8394,  8714,  8792. 

Recalled,  9347-9386. 

Application  to  supreme  court  presented  by,  9349. 

Opinion  of  supreme  court  presented  by,  9350. 

Telegram  identified  by,  9378. 

Recalled,  9399-9401. 

Identification  of  signature  by,  9401. 

Referred  to,  9387.  9388,  9389,  9392. 
Livingston, . 

Referred  to,  83. 


ANALYTICAL    INDEX. 


885 


Levi,  Colonel. 

Referred  to,  656,  G74. 
Lynch,  Dennis. 

Referred  to,  816. 
Lukas,  William. 

Referred  to,  824,  926,  927,  1688,  page  179,  3855. 
Lehman,  John. 

Referred  to,  825,  1688,  page  179. 
Leigner,  Andrew  B.t  examination  of,  1025-1055. 

Referred  to,  3429. 
Lutrell, . 

Referred  to,  3317. 
Leuchtner,  Andrew  B. 

Referred  to.  3421. 
Langner,  August. 

Referred  to,  3788. 
Lenninger,  August  A. 

Referred  to,  3855. 
Lawrence,  John  M.,  examination  of.  4024-4053. 
Lee,  John,  examination  of,  4080-4086. 

Referred  to,  4p87.  4089,  4093,  4101. 
Lawler,  William,  examination  of,  4099-4100. 

Referred  to,  4101. 
Leverson,  Montague  Richard,  examination   of,  1324, 
1465. 

Referred  to,  1605,  3774,  3944,  7044.  7048,  7049, 
7050,  7051. 

Recalled,  7239,  7244. 

Referred  to,  page  656. 
Lush  or  Lusk. 

Referred  to,  1335,  1465. 
Ludlow  street  jail. 

Referred  to,  1813,  6848. 
Lynch,  Timothv. 

Referred  to,  2141,  2304,  2406,  2408,  2409,  2410. 
Loyal  League,      t 

Referred  to,  1941. 
Lexington  avenue,  No.  179. 

Referred  to,  1920.  1921,  page  192. 
Lvons,  Joseph. 

Referred  to,  2061. 
Laurence,  Abraham  R. 

Referred  to,  2178. 
Lee, . 

Referred  to, 
Levingston,  Morris,  examination  of,  2695,  2703. 
Louusberry,  G.  W. 

Referred  to,  2753V,  2767. 
Lockman,  Beruhard. 

Referred  to,  4168,  4169. 
Loutrell,  William  J.,  examination  of,  4415,  4429. 
Lists  of  repeaters ;  persons  purporting  to  be  natura- 
ized  ;  tabular  statements ;  parties  registering 
from  different  houses,   &c.  presented  to  the 
committee  by  different  parties. 

Referred    to,  pages  451,  452,  454,  455,  456,  492, 
493,    5443,  5561,  5747,  5819,  5861,  6C64,  6248, 
6851,  7207,  7560,  7954,  7670. 
Lvle,  Henry,  examination  of,  4622,  4778. 

Referred  to,  4803,  4807.  4814,  4815,  4657,  4866, 
4871. 

Recalled,  4874,  4878 

Referred  to,  5106,  5117,  5128,  5129,  5130,  5131, 
5210,  5218,  5219,  5475,  5332,  5524,  5529, 

Character  of,  page  628. 
Love.  Arthur. 

Referred  to,  4647,  4650. 
Laurence,  Henry. 

Referred  to.  4630,  4650. 
Le  Barns,  John  W.,  examination  of,  5858,  5860. 

Referred  to,  4935. 

Recalled,  5918,  5945. 

Referred  to,  7278. 
Lucas,  James  R.,  examination  of,  5220,  5224, 
Love,  Robert. 

Referred  to,  5542. 
Lesser,  Samuel. 

Referred  to,  5543,  5544,  5547. 
Loftus,  Peter,  examination  of,  6978,  6979. 

Referred  to,  7246,  7250,  7266. 
Loew,  Edward  V. 

Referred  to,  6995,  7000. 
Laird,  .Michael,  examination  of,  7356,  page  C>68,  7375, 
page  669. 

Referred  to,  7335,  page  667. 
Luckev,  Joseph  L.,  examination  of,  7546,  7553. 

Recalled,  7560. 
Levi,  Richard,  examination  of,  8951a. 


Lynn,  James  H.,  examination  of,  8958. 
Ludlow,  Theodore  W.,  examination  of,  9129,  b. 

Murrav,  Robert,  examination  of,  1,  66. 

Referred  to,  6,  9,  75,  77,  81,  83,  87,  93,  95,  14(1, 

15G,  196,  209,  212,  225,  322,  363,  447,  496. 
Recalled   543,  606. 

Referred  to,  608.  615,  618,  624,  813,  1154,  1155, 
1161,  1162.  1163,  1175,  1176,  1177.  1178,  1179, 
1180, 1271,.  1506,  1611,  1689,2698,  2956. 
Recalled,  3290,  3293. 
Referred  to,  4674,  4800,  4963,  5314,  5485,  5490, 

5493,  5494,  5496,  5497,  5571,  5581,  5589. 
Recalled,  5510,  5521,  5595,  5598. 
Referred  to  5601,  5604. 
Recalled,  5621,  5624. 
Referred  to,  5626,  5628,  5638,  5639,  5641. 
Recalled,  5645,  5647. 
Referred  to,  5651,  5654,  5656,  5666.  5667,  5682, 

5687,  5688. 
Recalled,  5689,  5693. 
Referred  to,  5751, 
Recalled,  5832,  5857. 
Referred  to,   5860,  5867,  5870,  5871,  5873.  5879, 

5880,  5882,  5902,  5908,  5911,  5913. 
Recalled,  5915,  5917. 
Referred  to,  6023,  6096,  6117,  6120,  6122,  6134, 

6157,  6162. 
Recalled,  6163,  6166. 

Referred  to,  6423,  6  24,  6425,  6443,  6437,  6510, 
6511,  675iL  6830,  o847,  7056,  7057,  7058,  7068, 
7069,  7122,  7128,  7130,  7275.  7293,  7295,  7297, 
7299,  7301,  7324,  7327,  page  666,  8062. 
McKean,  John  B.,  examination  of,  3745.  3844. 

Referred  to,  72,  696,  812,  1347,  1446,  1506,  1508, 
1530,  1535,   1586,  1595,  1598,  1612,  1633,  1641, 
1653,   page  153,  1687,  1702,   1716,   3852,  3855, 
3928,  3932,  6989,  6990,  8151,  8153. 
Recalled,  8377,  8514. 
McDonald,  Logan,  examination  of,  221,  258. 

Referred  to,  855. 
Moore.  Joe. 

Referred  to,  305,  3C6,  311,  319,  327.  1253,  2099. 
Mallory,  Charles. 

Referred  to,  1065. 
McMurray,  William  J. 

Referred  to,  1078-1080,  1236. 
Miller,  Joseph  A.,  examination  of,  1113-1132, 
Money  for  election  purposes. 

Referred  to,  1191,  1227,  1230,  1231,  1233,  2862. 
Maniarie,  police  commissioner. 

Referred  to,  1236,  3515,  4436,  4437,  5755,  7078. 
Mills,  John  Stewart. 

Referred  to,  1327. 
McCunn,  (judge,)  John  H.,  examination  of,  3569-3672. 
Referred  to,  1333.  1335,  1340,  1354,  1362,  1366, 
1367,  1369,  1370,  1372,  1373,  1407,  1408,  1423, 
1425,  1429,  1432,  1438,  1444,  1462,  1606,  1737, 
1745,  1937,  1967,  3380,  3419,  3420,  4007,  1976, 
page    196,  2024,  2043,  4417,  4118,  4124.  4168, 
4172,  4173,  4175,   4375,  4380,  4398,  4399,  4481, 
4493,  4625,  4628,  4640,  4642,  4700,  4743,  4764, 
4777,  4814,  4877,  4885,  4887,  4889,  4894,  4901, 
5474,  5476,  8072,  8404,  8411. 
Recalled,  5210,  5219,  6950.  6953,  9292.  9302. 
Referred  to,  7324,  7326,  7346,  9165. 

McCaffrey,  . 

Referred  to,  1345. 
Weeks,  Joseph,  examination  of,  3404-3489. 

Referred  to,  1726,  1733,   1736,  1768,  1770,  2010, 

3585,  4000,  4920,  7032,  7033,  7034. 
Recalled,  8164-8222. 
Referred  to,  8452,  8467. 
McArthur,  John,  jr.,  examination  of.  303-328. 
Mitchell,  Edward,  examination  of,  412-421. 
Muller,  August. 

Referred  to,  493,  496,  823,  1107,  3855. 

McLean,  . 

Referred  to,  581. 
McLaughlin,  Patrick. 

Referred  to,  3604. 
Mode  and  manner  of  obtaining  naturalization  papers 
for  fictitious  persons. 
Referred  to.  856,  864-866,  1250, 1317,  1330,  1335, 
1336,  1344.  1354,   1358.  1362,  1366,  1367,  1369, 
1374,  1418-1421,  1419,  1454,  1702,  1937,  1966. 

McCarthey,  . 

Referred  to,  1367,  2454. 


886 


ANALYTICAL    INDEX. 


Mode  and  manner  of  naturalization. 

Referred  to,  1541-1546.  1715,  1753-1756,  1937, 
L966,  page  195,  1976,  page  196,  2123,  2133- 
2136,  2296,  2413,  3137,  3409.  3574,  3  »78,  3934- 
3940,  4005,  4080,  4087,  4092,  4117,  4480,  4466, 
4493,  4867,  7209,  7211,  7443,  74  41*.  7487. 
Murphy,  Patrick. 

Referred  to,  1588,  3651. 
Mercer,  John  J. 

Referred  to,  1686,  1669,  1894,  3789. 
Mef'ann,  Alexander. 

Referred  to,  1666,  1639,  1894. 
McCarty,  James. 

Referred  to,  1688,  2116,3783,  :  - 
Miller,  August. 

Referred  to,  1068,  page  179. 
Malia,  William. 

Referred  to,  1726,  2028,  2031,  2039,  3406,3419, 
4014. 
Montgomery,  James. 

Referred  to,  1726,  3406,  3119. 

Monell,  Judge. 

Referred  to,  1745,  3571. 
MePherson,  George. 

Referred  to,  3329. 
Miller,  Anthony, 

Referred  to,  3333. 
Mulligan,  . 

Referred  to.  3335,  3312. 
McCaffrey.  John. 

Referred  to,  3656,        -         l£83 

Moore,   Nicholas. 

Referred  to.  l^i~- 
Moore,  John. 

Referred  to,  1347. 
Murray,  William. 

Referred  to,  1847. 
Metropolitan  Hotel. 

Referred  to,  1900,  1910,  1911,  2738,  2936,  3511, 
3li04,  6234. 
McGovern,  James. 

Referred  to,  2  131. 
MeGovern,  Thomas. 

Referred  to,  2037. 
Mulligan,  John  J.,  examination  of,  2079-2693. 

Referred  to,  2113,  2714*,  2717.  3033.  3031 
Mansfield,  . 

Referred  to,  2203. 
McAlpine,  R.  W.,  examination  of,  2119-2140 
MeMan.  . 

Referred  to,  2425. 
Moran.  James,  examination  of.  2959-2  I 

Referred  to,  2430. 
Malony,  John. 

Referred  to,  2439,  2913. 
Morrisey,  Michael, 

Referred  to,  2439. 
McDermont.  James. 

Referred  to,  2439. 
Mitchell,  Petef. 

Referred  to,  2453,  2456,  2457,  2557,   2560,  2562, 
2588,  2593,  2606,  2615,  2619,  2630,  2634,  2659, 
4050. 
Mott  street,  Nos.  60  or  70,  66.  62,  68,  and  70. 

Referred  to,  2453,  2456,  2458. 
Marston,  Colonel  Ward. 

Referred  to,  2491. 
Macauley,  Captain. 

Referred  to,  2499. 
Manhattan  Club. 

Referred  to,  2742,  2743  2937. 
MeMahon,  John,  examination  of,  2605-2809. 
Mills,  Captain,   of  the  8th  precinct,  examination  of, 
3743-3744. 

Referred  to,  2941,  3542,  3543. 
McKay,  Gordon. 

Referred  to,  page  291. 
Mottel,  Louis  J.,  examination  of,  3135-3194. 
Moses,  Albert. 

Referred  to.  3170. 
Marvin,  Lemuel  H. 

Referred  to,  3183. 
McKnight,  Peter. 

Referred  to,  3197,  32G2,  5192,  6100,  6109,  6111. 
McKnight,  David. 

Referred  to,  3197,  3221,  3227,  3238,  3262,  3267, 
3275. 


Marston,  Howard  T.,  examination  of,  3710-3742. 

Referred  to,  Exhibit  A,  li.  (',  &c.,  presented  by, 
(pages  353.  354,  355,  356,  357,  358,  359,  360,  361. 
362,  363,  361,  365. 

Recalled,  6359-6364. 

Lists  of  witnesses  presented  by,  0369,  7594. 

Recalled,  7594. 

Recalled,  9313-9329. 

Referred  to,  9330,9341,9313,9344. 
Mecken,  Alexander. 

Referred  to.  3769. 
McCaffrv,  Patrick. 

Referred  to,  3855,  3362,  4117.  5539,  8210, 
8109. 
McDunn,  J. 

Referre  1  I  i 
Morse, . 

Referred  to 

Malov,  J  alius. 

Moran. .  J 

Referred  to,  1025,  102*,  l  118,4352. 
McKenna,  Arthur,  examination  of,  4054-4080. 

List  of  nonresidents,  presented  by,  page  397 
Monroe  and  Jackson  street-,  corner  of. 

Referred  to,  0370,  6371,  6379,  6382,  6396. 
Money  for  tbe  support  of  witnesses  till  called    to  tee 
tifv. 

Referred  to,  6533, 6632, 6657, 6688. 
Murray.  Francis,  examination  of,  (1705-6781. 
McGabe,  John,  examination  of,  07FH-6845. 
Moore,  Deputy  Sheriff. 

Referred  to.  6847. 
Mallaly,  Captain  John,  examination  of, '6951-6965. 

Referred  to.  684ft 
Morrow,  George. 

Referred  to,  4110. 
Moran,  John. 

Referred  to,  4117,8408. 

Number   by    the   name   of,  as   per  New    York 
Directory.     Referred  to,  page  629-630. 
\|  tLanghlin,  . 

Referred  to,  1132,4334,4396,8271,8365. 
Mack,  Patrick,  examination  of,  4163-4167. 
Mandamus,  writ  of. 

Referred  to.  4163,  4166. 

Morris,  George  W. 

Referred  to,  4166. 

McCorboy,  Joseph. 

Referred  to,  416j. 
Miller,  Peter. 

Referred  to,  4166. 
Melville,  James,  examination  of,  4237-1268. 

Referred  to,  4521-4522. 
McPheraon, . 

Referred  to,  4125,4427,4429. 
Mulberry  street,  No.  300. 

Referred  to,  4406,  4438. 
Mabee,  George,  examination  of,  4528-453:). 

List  of  repeaters,  presented  by,  pages  451-152. 

Recalled,  4568. 

Recalled,  5558-5562. 

Referred  to,  5795. 

Recalled,  5946-5953. 

List  of  names  presented  by,  5953. 
Maloy,  Joseph,  examination  of,  4.531-4537. 
McGrath,  Robert, 

Referred  to,  4611. 
McCartin,  James. 

Referred  to,  4986. 
Morrisey,  John. 

Referred  to,  4936. 
Millville,  George,  examination  of,  5226-5279. 

Referred  to,  6033. 
Mortis, . 

Referred  to,  5290,  5291,  5295. 
Morris,  James. 

Referred  to,  5337,  5308,  5333,  5412. 
Murray,  Charles. 

Referred  to,  5313,  5316,  5320,  5331,  5314. 
Morrison,  James. 

Referred  to,  5301,  5412,  5415. 
Murray,  James. 

Referred  to,  5414. 
Merritt,  George,  examination  of,  5559,  5557. 
McGowan,  John  E.,  examination  of,  5569.  5534 

Referred  to,  5596,  5598,  6091,  6095. 


ANALYTICAL    INDEX. 


887 


Mueller,  Anthony. 

Referred  to,  5609,  5614. 
Money,  paid  and  promised  for  repeating:. 

Referred  to,  5651.  5655,  5673,  5867,  5884,6097, 
6098,  6103,  6112,  6723,  6740,  6791,  6908,  6915, 
6922,  6934,  6937,  6939,  6940,  6941,  6945,  6946, 
6947,  6948,  6970,  6973,  6978,  6980,  6981,  7097. 

Murphy, . 

Referred  to,  5754. 
McGlaze,  Thomas  A.,  examination  of.  5861-5866. 

List  of  names  identified  by  as  residents  of  the 

Compton  Hou«e. 
Referred  to,  5861. 
Moore,  Matchee. 

Referred  to,  633D. 
Moore,  Alderman. 

Referred  to,  7406,  page  665. 
Moore.  Patrick. 

Referred  to,  7405,  page  665. 
McKee   Hugh,  examination  of,  7322-7331,  page  666. 

Referred  to,  7333,  7336,  7334,  page  667. 
Mansfield,  Judge. 

Referred  to,  6848,  6850.  7021. 
Mills,  John  \V.,  judge. 

Referred  to,  6861. 
McCarthy,  Charles,  examination  of,  6971,  6972. 
Referred  to,  5540,  7246.  7247,  7253,  7266. 
Mullen,  John  J.,  examination  of,  7095-7168. 

Referred  to,    page  657,   7395,  7399,  7404.  7321, 
page  666. 
McClusky.  John,  examination  of,  7749-8163. 

Referred  to,  8377,  8379,  8392,  8395,  9200,  9201, 

9297,  9300. 
Recalled,  9178-9182. 
Recalled,  9202-9205. 
Papers  presented  by,  9202. 
Mullin,  John  J. 

Referred  to,  8534. 

Marshall, . 

Referred  to,  8492,  8504,  8510,  8512,  8539,  8544, 
8546,  8547,  8548,  8550,  8551. 
Manner  of  counting  naturalization  papers,  8428-8443. 
Mahoney,  Michael,  examination  of,  8815J-8817. 
Miller,  Nathan  J.,  examination  of.  8817£-8836. 
Miller,  Reuben  C,  examination  of,  8857k 
McCord.  Walter  L. ,  examination  of.  8866J. 
McGuyen,  John,  examination  of,  8892. 
McKee.  John,  examination  of,  8909J, 
McNeal,  "William   examination  of.  8912a. 
Moore,  Thomas,  examination  of,  8951a. 
Monahan,  Ned. 

Referred  to,  9C65k 
Monahan,  Thomas. 

Referred  to,  9065] . 

Milspaugh, . 

Referred  to,  9083k 
Martin,  Joseph,  examination  of,  9084-9085. 
Meagher,  John,  examination  of,  9100d*. 
Money  given  and  promised  for  votes. 

"Referred  to,  9129a,  9129c,  9129e,  9129/. 
Monany,  Terrence,  examination  of,  916.'. 
Murphy.  Jerry,  examination  of.  9167-9168. 
McLaughlin,  Dennis,  examination  of,  9189-9193. 
Marshall. 

Referred  to,  9196-9197. 
Murphv,  James. 

Referred  to,  9165-9167. 
Murphy,  (clerk  in  county  clerk's  office.) 

Referred  to,  9313,  9314. 
Naturalization  certificates,  sale  of. 

Referred  to,  2,  87,  93,   151.  156,  201,  603,  608, 
615,  619,  629,  630,  769,  777,  1032,  1066,  1080, 
1119,  1136,  1471,  1473,  1702,  2C99,  2297,  2695, 
4092,  4G94,  4100,  406,  4650,  4658,  5543,  8643, 
8802,  8806,  9153,  9171. 
Naturalization  certificates,  issue  of,  to  fictitious  persons. 
Referred  to,  604,    615,  1250,   1317,    1702,    1806, 
1937,   1966,  2061,  2099,  2103,  2264,  2297,  2413, 
2449,  2695,  2753,  2805,  3986. 
Norton,  Charles  E. 

Reference  to,  626,  629,  630,  632,  634,  636,  638, 
640,  642,  644,  645,  648,  741,  744,  766,  768,  773, 
776,  780,  924,  1131. 
Naturalization  certificates,  obtained  without  appear- 
ance in  court. 
Referred  to,  752,  780,  788,  926,  927,  929,  1031, 
1058,  1084,  1136,  1252,  1253,  1362,  1469,  1702, 
1783,  1806,  1937,  1966,  2061,  2099,  2103,  2264, 
2297,  2413,  2449,  2695,  2753,  2805,  3986,  4080, 


4082,  4087,  4099,  4163,  5542,  6848,  7354,   page 
668,7360-7369,  page  669,  7380,  page  670,7390, 
page  670,  7400,  page  671. 
Noelsch,  John. 

Referred  to,  825,  1688,  3855. 
Naturalization  certificates,  court  costs  of. 

Referred  to,  860,  1645,  3339. 
Naturalization  certificates,  fraudulent,  names  of  par- 
ties in  possession  of. 

Daniel  O'Donohue,  942,  943. 

Andrew  B.  Leigner.  1031. 

Michael  Kerwin,  1059. 

Daniel  Sullivan,  1084,  1094. 

Peter  Pohl,  1133,1136. 

Maximilian  Boeck,  1471,  1479. 

Charles  Storm,  1966. 

Patrick  Duffy,  2099. 

John  Robertson,  2103. 

Joseph  Reinhart,  2664. 

Richard  Day,  2414. 

John  Malony,  2439. 

Michael  Morrisey,  2439. 

John  Farley,  2439. 

James  McDearmont,  2439. 

Henry  Beaun,  2695. 

August  Betzel,  2695. 

James  Brown,  2695. 

Wm.  Konig,  2695. 

Adam  Birraer,  2805. 

Laurence  Bauman,  2805. 

Eleazer  Kohn,  2805. 

Isaac  Firth,  2805. 

Herman  Bauscher,  2805. 

Peter  Schmidt,  2805. 

Philip  Simmer,  2805. 

Abraham  Kroner,  2805. 

Charles  Ollendorf,  2805. 

Anthony  Stultz,  2805. 

Joseph  Wirtheimer,  2805. 

John  Rodgers,  4087. 

William  Lauler,  4099. 

Hugh  Ward,  4082. 

Barney  Ward,  4082. 

John  Carberry,  4082. 

William  King,  4082. 

David  Welsh,  4082. 

Patrick  Hurley,  4082. 
Naturalization  certificates,  fraudulently  granted. 

Referred  to,  943,  944,  963,  969,  995,  1013,  1059, 
1084,  1118,  1250,  1252,  1253,  1317,  1335,  1336, 
1344,  1358,  1362,  1367,  1369,  1370,  1469,  1473, 
1474,  1480,  1783,  1806,  1825,  1937,  1966,  2099, 
2103,  2264,  2297,  2413,  2449,  2695,  2753,  2805, 
3986,  4080,  4082,  4092,  4096,  4099,  4628,  4632, 
4704,  4794,  4795,  5543,6848,  7345.  page  668,7360, 
7369,  page  669,  7380,  page  670. 
N  orris. . 

Referred  to,  1115,1124. 
New  York  Tribune. 

Referred  to,  1328,  2120,  4495,  6239. 
Nolan,  Thomas  E. 

Referred  to,  1725. 
Naturalization,  proportion  of,  heretofore  as  compared 
with  1868. 

Referred  to,  1731, 1732,  4129,  4130. 
Norton,  Peter. 

Referred  to,  2453,  2456.  2459,  2463,  2468,  2520, 
2521,  2524,  2538,  2*542,  2543,  2543,  2552,  2555, 
2556,  2562,  2590,  2591,  2592,  2610,  2612,  2619, 
2621,2625,2630,9659. 
Norton,  Michael,  alderman. 

Referred  to, 2453, 2459, 2613,  2622,2625,2630,3061. 
Norton,  Dave. 

Referred  to,  2453. 
North,  Samuel. 

Referred  to,  2738,  291)6,  3533,  3539,  5564,  5.365. 
Neelis,  James  J.,  examination  of,  2779^,2805. 

Referred  to,  292,  3065. 
Norton,  Michael,  senator. 

Referred  to,  3904,  4024,   page  393,   4041,  4045, 
4049,  4050. 
New  Jersey,  or  Jersey  City. 

Referred  to.  1988,  page  197,  4961,  4965,  4970, 
4978,  5063,  5070,  5072,  5080,  5239,  5241,  5312, 
5319,  5323,  5-53,  5366,  5452,  5453,  5460,  5465, 
5549,  5505,  5517,  5965,  6038,  6174,  6176,  6180, 
6183,  6229,  6231,  6321,  6414,  6482,  6492,  6506, 
6821,  6822,  6826,  6909,  6915,  6922,  6946,  6948, 
7043,  7184,  7275. 


888 


ANALYTICAL    INDEX. 


New  York  Printing  Company. 

Referred  to,  '2100,  2168,  4138,  4495. 
Names  presented  by  Patrolman  John  Dunne,  in  the 
11th  district,  6th  ward. 
Referred  to   page  294. 
Naturalization  certificates,  applications  for,  rejected. 

Referred  to,  4117,4)18.4777. 
Nolan.  Sylvester  E.,  examination  of,  4375,4382. 
New  York  Times. 

Referred  to,  4495. 
Nervins,  inspector. 

Referred  to,  4611. 
Nichols,  James,  examination  of,  4988,  5026. 

Referred  to,  6033,  6170,  6184. 
Norton,  Daniel. 

Referred  to,  5918. 
Noble,  Daniel. 

Referred  to,  5530,  550.-),  551 1,  7187. 
Norton,  John,  examination  of,  6170,6227. 

Referred  to,  page  656. 
Newmark,  M.  J. 

Referred  to,  page  656. 
Neany,  Thomas,  «  xaiiiiiiaii.ni  of,  75-J8,  7544. 

Blank  form  uf  oath  of  witness  presented  by,  7529. 
Blank  form  of  aliens  declaration  presented  by, 
7544. 
Naturalization  done  by  clerks. 

Referred  to,  7435,  7484,  7496. 
Naturalization,  applications  for,  applicants  and  wit- 
ness signatures  in  same  wri  ing. 
Referred  to,  7605-7632,  7648,   7699,  7720,  7744. 
Naturalization  certificates  granted  by  clerks. 

Referred  to,  9102,  9103. 
Nettleton,  Charles,  examination  of,  9156-8158. 
Osborn,  Commissioner. 

Referred  to,  649,  1252,  1253. 
Osborn,  John,  examination  of,  938-947. 
O'Donohue,  Daniel. 

Referred  to,  942,  943,  1688.  page  179. 
O'Brien,  James,  examination  of,  3862-3924. 

Referred  to,  1215,  1311,1819,1924,  3933,  3984,  3985. 

Indictment  of,  copy,  page  433. 

Sentence  of,  3985." 

Referred  to,  4539,  4550,  4546,  4547,  4554,  4556, 

4557,  4559,  4561,  5193,5335,  5336,  5376,  5380. 
Brothers  of,  5383. 
Recalled,  5483-5509. 

Referred  to,  5512,  5604,  5624,  5628,  5632,  5644, 
5904,  5907,  5993,  6091,  6189,  6471,  6630,  6649, 
6657.  6686,  7171,  7172,  9131. 
Oat:  s.  manner  of  administering. 

Referred  to,  1335,  1336,  1337,  1347,  1348,  1357, 
1359,  1515,  1546,   1551,  1554,  1655-1657,  1658- 
1660,  2121,  2125-2126,  2129,  363. 
O'Brien,  Patrick. 

Referred  to,  1686,  1689,  1894,  3789. 
O'Reilly,  Dennis. 

Referred  to,  1367. 
O'Brien,  Laurence. 

Referred  to,  1819,  1820. 
Ostrander,  Alexander,  examination  of,  2271-2290. 

Ogilvie, . 

Referred  to,  2779 h  2921,  3065,  3067,  3378. 
Ollendorf,  Charles. 

Referred  to,  2S05. 

Orton, . 

Referred  to,  2938. 
O'Neil,  Dennis. 

Referred  to,  3047. 
O'Brien,  Hugh. 

Referred  to,  3333. 
O'Hara,  James. 

Referred  to,  3844. 
O'Brien,  Jeremiah. 

Referred  to,  page  389. 
Oliver  street,  Nos.  68  and  79. 
Referred  to,  page  389. 
O'Riley,  Owen. 

Referred  to,  4366,  4369. 

Odell, . 

Referred  to,  6111. 
Olney,  George  R.,  examination  of,  7482-7495. 
O'Donovan,  John,  examination  of,  87591-8764. 
O'Brien,  Patrick,  examination  of,  89821-9005. 
O'Neal,  Pal. 

Referred  to,  9066. 
O'Brien,  Patrick,  examination  of,  9088£. 
O'Briers,  Patrick,  examination  of,  9100e. 


O'Brien,  Dennis,  examination  of,  9159i. 
Owen,  Nelson,  examination  of,  9129/. 
Pohl,  Peter,  examination  of,  1133-1136. 

Referred  to,  630,  644,  804. 
Police,  board  of,  how  constituted. 

Referred  to,  1235-1244. 
Perrine,  John  D.,  examination  of,  2779. 

Referred  to,  1253,  2266,  3296,  3297. 
Petitjeau,  Dr. 

Referred  to,  1362. 
Park,  Park  street,  and  Park  place,  Nos.  1  and 

Referred  to,  1783,  1889,  22*1. 
Pearl  street,  Nos.  472,  474  and  476. 

Referred  to,  1889,  2408,  8295,  8358. 
Parties  furnished  with  name  and  residence  for  the  pur- 
pose of  repeating. 
Referred   to  2273,  2277,  24.53,  2451,  2619,  2623, 
4201,  4238,  4289,  4517,  4926,  4942,  4992,  5032, 
5660,  5778,  5798,  5802,  6371,  6716,  6789,  6908, 
6914,  6820,  6939,  6943,  6969,  7043,  8040,  8538, 
B543. 
Poll  list  or  book. 

Referred  to,  3052,  3053,  pages  291,  308. 
Philliptown,  Putnam  county. 
Referred  to,  2139,  2451. 
Prince  street. 

Referred  to,  2453. 
Philadelphia  navy  yard. 

Referred  to,  2490,  2492,  2493. 
Portsmouth  navy  yard. 

Referred  to,  2499,  2504,  2510. 
Phalon's  barber  shop. 

Referred  to,  2724. 
Paine,  Joseph  E.,  examination  of,  3000,  3004. 

Recalled,  3004-3008. 
Phyfe,  John,  examination  of,  3294-3311. 
Phillips,  Lewis  E.,  examination  of.  3064-3093. 

Referred  to,  2779(,  2921. 
Pick  ford  &  Co. 

Referred  to,  3341,  3362. 
Porter,  John  R,  opinion  of,  3537. 
Potter,  Thomas,  examination  of,  4179,  41-fi. 
Purser,  George  H. 

Referred  to,  4438,  4443. 
Pettit,  Austin  V.,  examination  of,  5106,  5138. 

Referred  to,  4636,  4639,  4647,  4734,  4758. 
Plumb,  Edward  Si.,  examination  of,  5154,  5105. 

Table  presented  by  showing  the  number  of  per 

sons  naturalized  in  New  York  county  from 

the   6th   to   the  23d    of    October,   inclusive 

Referred  to,  page  493;   referred   to,  3095, 

5951;  recalled,  9387,  9392. 

Putnam,  George. 

Referred  to,  5143. 
Pullman,  Christopher  B.,  examination  of,  5719,  5721. 

Referred  to,  5149,  5717,  5718. 
Pierce,  William. 

Referred  to,  6539,  6599,  6629,  6646,  6648,  6686, 
6688,  6703. 
Perjury. 

Referred  to,  6174,  6176,  6180,  6201,  6229,  6231, 
6236,  6271,  6313,  6350,  6351,  7246,  7247. 
Powers,  Patrick,  examination  of,  86731,  8684. 
Powers,  Edmund,  examination  of,  8684£,  8698. 
Partello,  Edward. 

Referred  to.  9067. 
Peele,  Richard,  examination  of,  90831. 
Quinlan,  Michael,  examination  of,   1936,  1946;    page 

194. 
Quackenbush,  D.  P.,  examination  of,  8T26i;  8736. 
Quillan.  Michael. 

Referred  to,  9060. 
Queen,  Patrick. 

Referred  to,  9070. 
Reynolds,  Lemuel. 

Referred  to,  1510,  1513. 
Roe,  Rickard. 

Referred  to,  1625. 
Rush,  Joseph. 

Referred  to,  1726,  2032,  3406,  3617. 
Roome,  Samuel. 

Referred  to,    1778. 
Roberts,  Samuel  A.,  examination  of,  1965,  1983. 
Robertson,  Chief  Justice. 

Referred  to,  1976,   page  196,    3571,  4375,  5737. 
6864,  6865. 
Robertson,  John,  examination  of,  2103,  2104. 
Rose.    Referred  to,  2936. 


ANALYTICAL    INDEX. 


889 


Ryan,  James. 

Referred  to,  3047. 
RatTertv,  Patrick. 

Referred  to,  8"84,  3222,  1510,  1686,  page   179, 
2118,3788,3855. 
Raynolds,  Samuel,  examination  of.  197-220. 

R  -ferred  to,  80,  322,  page  179,  2118,  3788,  3855. 
Reed,  Charles  E..  exaniiuatiun  of,  329-333. 
llepper,  Frederick. 

Refi  rred  to,  509.  28C5. 
Rosenberg,  Benjamin  B. 

Cl  )  ks  of,  by  whom  paid,  8fi2. 
Registration,  frauds  committed  and  attempted  in— 

R.f-nvd  to.  935,  1107,  1252,  1253,  1847,  2392, 
242D,  2439,  2453,  2458,  26.5,  3851,  4024,  4036, 
4043,  4  55,  4118,  4110,  4  > 35,  4383,  45^9.  5227, 
5228.  5125.  5542,  5758,  576J,  5772,  5806.  5819, 
5824,  6C92,  6094,  6370,  6710,  6789,  6908,  6914, 
6924,  6939,  6943,  6945  6947,  6969,  6971,  6973, 
7042.  7096,'  7099,  8494,  8496,  8572. 
Rosenberg,  Benjamin  B. 

Referred  to,  2,  3,  4,  5,  7.  9,  11.  12,  14,  31.  32,  38, 
41,  64.  68.  69.  83,  89,  93,  95,  97,  106,  108,  112, 
113,  114,  124,  127,  132,  137,  138,  139,  143,  157, 
174,  175,  185,  189,  190,  195,  199,  2J6,  208,  214, 
215.  220,  222,  229,  230.  233,  238,  251,  258.  649, 
(53.  654,  664,  670,  678.  682,  684,  686,  690,  691, 
692.  736,  803,  810,  831,  832,  835,  836,  844,  852, 
856,  861,  865.  871,  885,  887.  891-893,  894-896, 
8[^.  9.0.  901,  919,  948,  949,  953,  1 152, 1159,  12  6. 
1585.  16  4,  1635,  1637,  1646,  1661,  1686,  176J, 
2263,  2399,  2695,  2696,  2698,  2716,  2747,  2775, 
2843.  2956,  3157.  3342,  3343,  3358,  3551,  36J1, 
3776,  3861,  4168,  4169,  4171,  4172,  4173,  4664. 

Rupert, . 

Referred  to,  927. 
Registries,  sworn  in. 

Referred  to.  94 1, 1785, 1804.  1878,1940,1943,2054, 
2  56.  2061,2065.  2164,  2209,  22.0,  2220,  2309, 
2310.  2323.  2395.  2453,  2454,  2458,  2605,  2681, 
2799i  3067,  3256,  3314,  460J. 
Repeater-;  and  repeating. 

Referred  to.  1809,  1988,  2273,  2275,  2276,  2453, 
2454,  2770,  2772,  2889,  29  2,  2912,  3316,  3318, 
3325,  3328,  3391,  3392,  3675,  3851,  4024,  4030, 
4049,  4187,  4193,  4205,  4216,  4238,  4269,  4271, 
4286,  4293,  4294,  4303,  4304,  4315,  4383,  4502, 
4505,  4509,  pages  4.51,  452,  48l6,  4819,  4943, 
4945,  4948,  4990,  5012,  5027,  5031,  5227,  5288, 
5425,  5654,  5659,  5662,  5669,  5678,  5758,  5763, 
5867,  5892,  6097,  6370,  6376,  6458.  6463,  6649, 
6707,  6711,  6788,  6792,  6804,  69.6,  6913,  6917, 
6920,  6924,  6930,  6937,  6939,  6941,  6942,  6943, 
6945,  6947,  6969,  6971,  6973,  6978,  6980,  6981, 
7042.  7043,  7096,  7099,  7^75,  8494,  8554. 
Reinhart,  Joseph,  examination  of,  2261-22?'). 

Referred  to,  1253,  2779,  3294,  3297,  3299.  3300, 
3305. 
Registries,  from  the  houses  of  Wm.  M.  Tweed,  Police 
Justice  Shandlev,  and  Coroner  Keenau. 
Referrel  to,"  33864,  3387. 
Repeat'  rs'  books,  &c. 

Referred  to,  3691-3698,  3703,  3708. 
Rodgers,  John,  examination  of,  4087-409L. 
Registries,  from  169  Henry  street. 

Referred  to,  3051. 
Registries,  from  162  Bayard  street. 

Referred  to,  3055. 
Registries,  from  116  Yarick  street. 

Referred  to,  3098. 
Registries,  from  197  Henry  street. 

Referred  to,  3098. 
Registries,  from  167  Henry  street.  ) 

60  Mott  street. 
62  Bayard  street. 
70  Mott  street. 
142  Sullivan  street. 
679  Houston  street. 
117  Spring  street. 
84  Greene  street. 
595  Broadway.  J 

Rayn,  Thomas,  examination  of,  4397-4405. 

Recalled,  5524-5541. 
Ravnolds.  James. 

Referred  to,  4650,  4753,  4755. 
Rynders,  Isaac. 

Referred  to,  4799. 
Reilly,  Charles,  examination  of,  4316,4856. 
"  Referred  to,  6033. 

57  t 


!  Referred  to, 
3385. 


Republican  naturalization  committee,  clerks  of. 

Referred  to,  4912. 
Ryan,  Peter. 

Referred  to,  5100. 
Rodgers,  Charles  II.,  examination  of,  7018-7031. 

Referred  to,  6850. 
Rowell,  John  M.,  examination  of,  6896-6905. 
Rom",  Jacob,  exaaiiuaiion  of,  6943,  6944. 
Russell,  Judge. 

Referred  to,  7872,  7880,  8078,  8096,  9300,  9302. 
Reeves,  David  VV. 

Referred  to,  8604.  8608,  8616,  8621,  8631. 
Riordan,  .Michael,  examination  of,  863  U-864 9. 
Roland,  Patrick,  examination  of,  87834-8785. 
Repp,  Charles,  examination  of,  90054-9014. 
Rayn,  Joseph. 

Referred  to,  9068. 
Robinson,  Srth  K.,  examination  of,  9129a. 
Russell,  Joseph  E.,  examination  of,  9174,9175. 
Simms,  William  T.,  examination  of,  91-148. 

Referred  to,  2,  69,  680,  849,  855,  864,  866,  885,  887, 
3789. 
Smith,  James  R. 

Referred  to,  80.  84,  322,  825,  1475,  1509,  1511, 
page  179,  2118. 
Supreme  court,  cenifieatps  purporting  to  be  of — 

Referred  to,  76,  78-8),  84,  85.  86,  87.  92,  222,  259, 
262,  305,  322,  330,  340,  354,  358,  442.  493,  509, 
516,  604,  608,  622,  630,  638.  740,  1034,  1079,  1085, 
1252,  1253,  1506,  1611,  1686.  1688,  1966. 
Shirlev,  Walter,  examination  of,  263-302. 

Referred  to,  259,  262. 
Surridge,  Thomas,  examination  of,  334-355. 

Arrest  of,  352. 

Referred  to,  1688.  (page  179,)  3855. 
Stewart,  Dougal,  examination  of,  1105-11    . 

Referred  to,  973,  980. 
Sniffen, . 

Referred  to,  1176. 
Staten  island. 

Referred  to,  1317. 
Serge  ant -at -arms. 

Referred  to,  1317. 
Schmidt,  William. 

Referred  to,  1345, 1688,  (page  179,)  3855. 
Spencer, . 

Referred  to,  1345. 
Spier,  Gotleib. 

Referred  to,  1370. 
Smith,  Hugh. 

Referred  to,  1688,  (page  179,)  2117,  3855,  3950. 
St.  Thomas. 

.Referred  to,  2499. 
Sweeney,  James  M.,  examination  of,  1717-178'. 

Referred  to,  413,  425,  961,  1077,  1085,1607,1726, 
2100,  2182,  2183,  2187,  2192,  3136,  3404,  34044, 
3407,  3408,  3422,  3437,  3480,  3488,  3585,4117, 
4397,  4195,  5543,  6852. 

Parties  signing  name  of,  7C37. 

Referred  to,  8416,  8425,  8444,  8447,  8466. 
Superior  court  of  the  city  of  New  York,  certificates 
of  naturalization  purporting  to  be  of. 

Referred  to,  425,  1726,  2028,  2033. 
Springer,  John  H.,  examination  of,  487. 
Scaunel,  Florence,  examination  of,  5748-5818. 

Referred  to,  516,  522,  535,  538,  5939,  6163,  7073, 
7077,  7078. 

Recalled,  6004-6012. 

Recalled,  8472-8583. 
Seip,  Charles  H.,  examination  of,  650-693. 

Referred  to.  875. 

Recalled,  948-953. 
Sutherland,  Judge. 

Referred  to,  1519. 
Smith,  John. 

Referred  to,  1587-1588. 
Smith,  James  M. 

Referred  to,  1686,  3788,  3855. 
Slechelseiue,  Adolph. 

Referred  to,  1686. 1689, 1894,  3789. 
Schmidt,  Thomas. 

Referred  to.  1683,  (page  179,)  3855. 
Schneider,  Sebastian. 

Referred  to.  1688,  (page  179,)  3855. 
Schaffer,  Jacob. 

Referred  to,  1688,  (page  179,)  3855. 
Sanger,  August  A. 

Refern  d  to,  16S8,  (page  179,)  1079,  1080 


890 


ANALYTICAL    INDEX. 


Stumpf.  Ludwig. 

Referred  to,  653. 
Sterne,  Henry. 

Referred  to,  824,  926,  927, 1C88,  (page  179,)  3788, 
38.")."). 
Schlaffer,  Jacob. 

Referred  to,  825. 
Selgner,  Andrew  B. 

Referred  to,  827,  2"34. 
Supreme  court,  when  engnged  in  naturalization. 

Referred  to,  915,  9i8,  920,  921,  1107,  1527  3796 
3797,3852.  .... 

Superior  court,  when  enpagod  in  naturalization. 

Referred  to,  915,  921,  1335,  1344,  3573,  3599,  3600, 
4117. 
Superior  court  of  the  city  of  New  York,  seals  of. 

Referred  to,  1736,  1768,  J 770. 
Seixas,  Solomon,  examination  of,  2327-236° 
Slater,  Win.  P. 

Referred  to,  1812, 1931,  (page  193.) 
Sharkey,  Michael. 

Referred  to,  1830. 
Sundi'v 

Referred  to,  1962,  4390. 
Statutes. 

Referred  to,  1927,  1966,  1967. 
Storm.  Charles. 

Referred  to,  1966,  1967. 
Springsteen,  N.  H.,  examination  of,  2201-2230. 
Sullivan. 

Referred  to,  2451,2409. 
Sullivan  street,  New.  142,  145,  and  54. 

Referred  io,  2458,  2539,  2612,  page  291,  4024. 
Somers,  David. 

It.  furred  to,  24.">3,  2566,  2573,  2381,  2604. 
Spring  street,  N  >.  1  17. 

Referred  10,2453. 
St.  Nicholas  Hotel. 

Referred  to,  2724. 
Sweeney,  Peter  B. 

Referred  to,  2738,  2874,  2878. 
Sherwin,  J. 

Re j  erred  to,  2753}. 
Schmidt,  Peter. 

Referred  to,  2805. 
Sumner,  Philip. 

Referred  to,  2835. 
Shultz,  Anthony. 

R«  ferred  to,  2805. 
Sherman,  Porter  G-.,  examination  of,  925-937. 
Speck, . 

Referred  to,  1080. 
Sullivan,  Daniel,  examination  of,  1082-1098. 

Referred  to,  1099,  2028,  2.31,  3106,  3419,  3593, 
3595,  3619. 
Sullivan,  John. 

Referred  to,  1100. 
Sullivan,  Edward. 

Referred  to,  1726. 
Sloan,  Win.  D,  examination  of,  1984-1929,  (pages  192, 

193.)  .  F  b 

Smith,  Thomas,  examination  of,  4001-4107. 

Referred  to,  2294,  229."),  4U83.  4085.  4C90.  4C91, 
4092,  4091,  4098,  4099,  4100,  4 106,  5732, 5734. 
Spencer,  Charley. 

R.  ferred  to,  2937,  3893,  3894,3899,  3900. 
Signatures,  examination  of,  by  an  expert. 

Referred  to,  3004-30.8. 
Stump.  Martin. 

Referred  to,  3214. 
Sellscock, . 

Referred  to,  3320. 
Shandley,  (Justice,)  Edward  J.,  examination  of,  4108- 
4116. 

Refer,  ed  to,  3386i  3395,  3402,  4363,  4374. 
Supreme  court,  seals  of. 

Referred  to,  1 631-1653,  3750,  3752,  3832-3836. 
Smith,  Henry. 

Referred  to,  3783. 
Seymour,  Thomas. 

Referred  to,  3344. 
Scudder,  Daniel. 

Referred  to,  3852.  3855. 
Shea,  Dennis  examination  of,  3986,  3999. 
Seymour  and  Blair. 

Referred  to,  4037. 
Sheehan,  William. 

Referred  to,  4058. 


Smith,  Malcolm,  examination  of.  5722-5747. 

Referred    to,  4080,  4081,1082,  4101,  41C5,  686?, 

6885, 6886.  w 

List  of  persons  naturalized,  presented  by,  5747. 
Spies,  John. 

Referred  to,  4109.         A 
Spies,  Samuel. 

Referred  to,  4109- 
Sweetzer,  Henry  E.,  examination  of,  4232-4237. 

Referred  to,  tables  Nos    1,2,  3,  &c,  presented 

by,  pages  422,  4  23,  424,  aud  425. 
Recalled,  7092-7094. 

Smith, . 

Referred  to,  4521,  5454,  5463. 
Strong,  (Major,)  CharlesS..  examination  of,  9231-9246. 
Referred  to,  4536,  5822,  582?,  5949. 
Ttibles   relating    to    6th   ward,  presented   by,  < 
9233-9246. 

Shea,  . 

Referred  to,  4577,  4580,  4591,  4592. 

Sheehan, . 

Referred  to,  5099,  5100. 
Sauford.  Edward,  jr  ,  examination  of,  5412-5423. 
Recall,  d.5479. 
Recalled,  6033. 
Stephens,  John. 

Referred  to,  5142,  5548,5519. 
Stanley,  Marcus  C.,  examination  of,  7055-7091. 

Referred  to,  5486,  5572,  5592,  5595,  5597,  5650, 
565fi,  5685  5750,  5751,   5754,   5755,  5758,  5764, 
5765,  5766,  5771,  5773,  5812,  5867,  5870,  5913, 
6097,0122,6168,6528,6531. 
Surratt,  John  M. 

Referred  to,  5564. 
Sullivan,  Thomas,  examination  of,  5599-5620. 

Referred  to,  5621.  5628,  5631. 
Scannell,  Deputy  She  iff. 
Reference  to,  5938. 
Strong,  James,  examination  of,  6248-6270. 

List  of  names  presented  by,  6248. 
Shay,  Johnny  or  Jimmy. 

Referred  to,  6769,6770. 
Smith,  James,  examination  of,  6906,  6912. 

Referred  to,  7040. 
Stewart,  William  R.,  referred  to,  6952. 
Snyder,    Clnrles,  examination   of,    7376-7334,  (page 

670) 
Skelly,    Harnard,  examination  of,  7398-7433,  (pages 

671-673.) 
Smith,  John  D.  B.,  examination  of,  7524-7527. 
Smith.  George. 

Referred  to,  8727,  8723. 
Smith,  George,  examination  of,  8719J-8726. 
Southwell,  Edward,  examination  ot,  8843l.-8852. 
Southwell.  William  J..  8852f-8856. 

St.  John,  Mr. ,  examination  of,  8909^. 

Suttle,  George  W.,  examination  of,  8909A-89*9*. 
Shaw,  W.  T. 

Referred  to,  9083*. 
Smith,  Martin,  examination  of,  9086-9088. 
Stivers,  M.  D.,  examination  of.  9121^-9124. 
Tammany  Hall,  and  committee  of,  &c. 

Referred  to.  437,202,219,204,203.  257,633,737, 
1310,  1337,  1783,  1962,  2553,2256.  2196,  2742, 
2811,  2828,  2846,  2861,  2864,2876,  2881,  2937, 
2952,  2954,  3137,  3143,  3145,  3146,  3147,  3148, 
3149,3152,  3156,  3493,  3567,  4025,  4052,3330, 
3334,  3339,  3342,  3343,  3341,3351,  3352,  3359, 
3371,  3378,  4173,  4495,4652,  4664,  4785,  5134, 
5754,  5818,  4638,  4659,  4741,  4918,  7384,7392, 
7393,9291. 
Tickets,  (red,)  democratic,  for  naturalization  fees. 

Referred  to,  242,085,802,  1337,  1374,  1646,  1647, 
1699,  1702,  1706.  3 1 90,  3357,  3358,  3360,  3361, 
3374,  3376,  3377,  3378,  3825,  3826,  3828,  3829, 
3830,  3843. 
Tickets,  (white.)  republican,  for  naturalization  fees. 
Referred    to,   242,   1647,  3828,  3829,  3830,  3843, 
4918,7393. 
Tweed,  William  M.,  examination  of,  2810-2894. 

Referred  to,    f. 81,  2393,  2738,  2742,   3098,3331, 
3507,  4495,  6952. 
Taufner,  August. 

Referred  to,  656. 

Thompson,  . 

Referred  to,  827. 
Third  avenue. 

Referred  to,  863. 


ANALYTICAL    INDEX. 


891 


Thirty-fourth  street  and  Ninth  avenue. 
Referred  to,  12.'>2,  1253,2854,2425. 

Twentv-third  street  and  avenue. 

Referred  to,  1800. 
The  Senate. 

Referred  to,  1830. 
Thirty-second  stieet-Enst,  No.  120. 

Referred  to,  1837. 
Thirty-second  street  and  Second  avenue,  corner  of. 
Referred    to,   1#56,  3903,  5:188,  6848.  4190,  410(5, 
4206,  4226,  4237,  4238,  1269,  4083,  4.310,  4527. 
4520,  4540,  4544,  4546,  4554,  4559,  4906,  4989, 
4992. 
Trenton,  New  Jersey. 

Referred  to,  1988,  (page  197.) 
Thirty-fifth  street  and  Ninth  avenue,  corner  of. 

"Reference  to,  2:  99. 
Thirty-seven ih  street  West,  No.  244. 

Referred  to,  2261. 
Tryon  Row.     . 

Referred  to,  2955. 
Threats,  violence,  intimidation,  <fcc. 

Referred  to,  981-987.  1812.  3264.  3269.  3282,  3742, 
3999,  4057,  4 132,  4  164.  4612,  7 1 08,  9190. 
Tilden,  Samuel  J.,  examination  of,  2733-2752. 
Circular  purporting  to  be  of,  1210,  2734. 
Referred  to,  121 1,  1214,  2176,  2936. 

Tracy,  . 

Referred  to,  1345. 
Tabular  statements,  number  of  persons  registering 
and  voting  from  same  house,  &c. 
Refened    to,  2023,2129,  3049,31151,  3  53,  3055, 
3098,  (page  308,)  3383,   (pages  353-366.) 
Travis,  W.  H. 

Referred  to,  2453,  page  291,  3094. 
Teller,  Clarence  N.,  examination  of,  2753-2768. 

Threall. . 

Referred  to,  2895*,  2899. 
Thompson,  George. 

Referred  1o,296l,2964,2970.34r6.341 4, (page  657.) 
Thurston,  John,  examination  of,  4330-4352. 

Referred  to,  4186. 
Taylor,  James  B. 

Referred  to,  4495. 
Toulon. 

Referred  to,  4514. 
Train,  George  Francis. 

Referred  to,  4986,  4987,  5282,  5883,  5284,  5286. 
Tapper,   P.  P.,  examination  of,  7274-7312. 
Taylor's  Hotel. 

Referred  to,  5323,  5353,  5366,  5461,  5549.  5517, 
6035,  6012,  6322,  6504,  6909,  7275,  7787,  7304. 
Taylor,  Theodore. 

R.iet red  to,  8391. 
Thompson,  Junes  A.,  examination  of,  8419-8471. 
Tyrsel,  Pat.u  k,  examination  of,  8852*. 
Tracy,  Richard,  examination  of,  8892J-8909. 
Titus,  Willi.im.  examination  of,  8912c.  8913. 
Tichen,  Fred  rick,  examina  ion  of,  9160,  9161. 
Taylor,  Theod  .re,  examination  of,  9200,  9201. 
Union  League  Club,  committee  <>f,  rooms,  &c. 

Referred  to,  1260,  1317,  1381,  1900.  1904,  2T78, 
2180,  2191,  2194,  2289,  2576,  4034,  4069,  4166, 
4671,  4676,  5141,  5142,  5151,  5163,  5188,  5696, 
5700,  5713,  5716,  5822,  5826,  5829,  6067,  6J70, 
6072,  61)74,  6(.77,  6079,  6366,  6634,  6640,  6>38, 
6645,  7  72,  7178,  7241,  8269,  8306,  8312,  8313, 
8315,8316,8362. 
Committee  of,  7202. 
Unny,  Samuel  S  ,  examination  of,  1805-1858. 
Arrest  of.  1813. 

Referred    to,   1900,  1919,  1921,  1924,  1925.  1926, 
1984,  1985,  1931,  page  193,  1932,  page  193,3608, 
3902. 
Utley,  Robert,  examination  of,  4857-4873. 

Referred  to,  4669,  6671,  4672,  4746,  4771,  4772, 
4813,4815. 
Ullman,  Captain. 

Referred  to.  7168. 
Unswart  •,  Robert,  examination  of,  8951c. 
Votes,  sworn  in. 

Referred  to,  932.  933. 1295,  1807,  1841, 1945, 1967, 
1931,   (j.a-e  193.)  2067,  2141.  2155,2205,2688, 
2712.27S3,  2759,  3028.  3076,  3217,  3318,  (page 
389,)  4  63,  4344,  4575,  4589. 
Voters,  proportion  of  foreign  birth. 

Referred  to.  931,  940.  "1784,  1786,  1823,  1832, 1862, 
2  97.  2149,  2219,  2316,  2351,  2691,  £871,  2908, 
2929,  3029,  3080. 


Varick  street,  No.  116. 

Referred  to,  1362,  3035. 

Valentine, -. 

Referred  to,  1627,  8394. 
Van  Buren,  Benjamin,  examination  of,  2076-2r.98. 

Referred  to,  1789,  2051,  2329,  2344,  2345. 
Votes,  rejected. 

Referred  to,  2320,  2372,  2392. 
Vera  Cruz. 

Referred  to,  2499. 
Vanderpoel. 

Referred  to,  3536. 
Varlev.  (alias  Reddv.)  William. 

'Referred  to,  3675. 
Vandervoort,  Henry,  examination  of,  3983  to  3985. 

Record  of  court  relating  to  James  O'Brien,  pre- 
sented by,  3985. 
Votes,  illegal. 

Referred  to,  1857,  1864,  1888,  2113,  2273,  2770, 
2772,  3051,  3  53.  3055.  3233,  403;),  4049,  4058, 
4i  67,  4135,  4187,  4193,  4216,  4338,  4269,  4271, 
4286,  4501,  4503,  4509,  4601,  46.2,  4816,  4819, 
4926,  4943,  4945,  4948,  4990,  4993,  5027,  5031, 
5227,  5288,  5425.  5658,  5659,  5662,  5758,  5763, 
5776,  5868,  6370.  6788.  6792,  6804,  6906,  6913, 
6917,  6920,  6937.  6939,  694!,  6948,  6945,  6947, 
6969,  6971,  6973,  7042,  7043,  8283,  8284,  8552, 
8554. 
Voorhees,  Abraham,  examination  of,  6365-6367. 
Recalled,  6851. 

List  of  witnesses  presented  by,  6851. 
Recalled,  7741-7748. 
Recalled,  9186-9188. 
Volmer,  Paul,  examination  of,  6937-6977. 
Verplank's  Point. 

Referred  to,  7376,  7378,  7381,  (page  670.) 
Referred  to,  7397,  7398,  7406,  (page  671.) 
Van  Elon,  Solomon,  examination  of,  8909,/. 
Vail,  Wilmot  U.,  examination  of,  8909, j. 
Vinall.  George  P.,  examination  of,  8909,  k. 

Van  Wyck, . 

Referred  to,  9129,/. 
Wilkes,  George. 

Referred  to,  1394,  5652,  5752,  5754,  5755,  5758, 
5764.  5770,  5779,  5875,  6846. 
Winkeus,  John. 

Referred  to,  1688,  (page  179,)  3788,  3855. 
Wallace.  John. 

Referred  to,  1726,  2028: 
Willis,  Anson,  examination  of,  1782-1814. 

Referred  to,  2051,  2.54.  2056,  2078,  2^79,  2090, 
2329,  2337. 
Westlake,  Owen  E.,  examination  of,  2022-2049. 

Referred  to.  2  78,  2179,  2182,2183,  (page  235.) 
3406,  3445,  3457,  8164,  8168,  8169,  8172,  8174, 
8177,  8416,  8417,  8442,  8443,  8456,  8457,  8469, 
8470. 
Waltman,  Henry,  examination  of.  2231-2263. 

Referred  to,  2061,  2062.  2072,  4021. 
Winters,  or  Winter.  Frederick. 

Referred  to,  2103. 
Washington  street,  No.  62. 

Referred  to,  2118. 
Webster,  E.  D. 

Referred  to,  2,  92,  93. 

Whiting, . 

Referred  to,  586. 
Wolf,  Mathias,  examination  of,  767-774. 

Referred  to,  630,  807. 
Weitschel,  C. 

Referred  to,  656. 
Warneek,  Charles. 

Referred  to,  824,  926,  927, 1688,  (papre  179,)  3835. 
White,  John  H.,  examination  of.  4779-4875 

Referred  to.   1264,    1270,  1274.  1275,  1282,  4671, 
4673,  4870.  5139,  5142,  5152.  5160,  5162,  5164, 
5165,  5186,  5188.  5192,  5199,  5203,  5204,  5208, 
5563.  5694,  5696,  5698,  5699. 
Recalled,  5225. 
Recalled.  5712-5716. 
Recalled,  7170-7206. 
Referred  to,  8065. 
West  Broadway. 

Ref.rred  to,  1362. 
Ward,  Henry,  examination  of,  2291-2302. 
Westchester  county. 

Referred  to,  2292,  2753,  4C80. 
Ward,  John. 

Referred  to,  2408. 


892 


ANALYTIC 


INDEX. 


Wilson,  Andrew. 

Referred  to,  2129. 
Walter*,  Cbafle*. 

Referred  to,  2543,  25C1  309. 

Welch,  J ; i  u 1 1 •  s . 

Referred  to,  21.75,  (page  291.) 
Wallcn,  Henry  1). 

Referred  to,  217.-),  2481. 
WaaLington. 

Wirtbeitner,  J  one  ph. 

Referred  to 
Writing,  examination  of,  by  an  expert. 

Referred  to, 
Ward,  Alexander. 

r<  .1  t<>,  3333. 
Williams,  George. 

.(100. 
Wallii  ,709. 

7  J 1 4. 
Walton. 

Referred  to,  3793. 
Wenbold,  Thomas. 

Referred  to, 

t,  No.  132. 
Referred  to,  1021. 
White  Plain*. 

Referred  to,   i  ■ 
4101.  4102.  4103. 
Welsh,  David,  examination  of,  4C92-4094. 
er,  Jamea 
Referred  t",  111'). 
Woodward,  William  \y.,  examination  of,  4383-4385. 

Referred  to,  4135. 
Wilbur,  Charles  K.,  examination  of,  21G8-2177. 

1162,  1495. 
Wall,  Richard. 

rred  to,  4166. 
Wood,  Colonel. 

Referred  to,  4228,  4.707,  49G2.  5499,  5505, 
5521,  5570,  5963,  5965,  5966,  5969,  597.-),  5977, 
iil(i7,  6273,  6276,  G27H.  6280,  6303,  6305, 
6306,  6313,  6315,  (i:il7.  6323,  6327,  6331,  6355, 
6422,  6431,  6432,  6499,  6760,  6765,  6847,  7186, 
(page6:>7,)  7275, 7276, 72"!  -I.  7295, 

7296,  73J0,  7303,  73J5,  7307,  7308. 
Welch,  Edward.      • 

Referred  to,  4296. 


4592. 


5327-5085. 


terrea  to,  ,.:m,. 

ferred  to.  2101,  6033. 

i  unlnation  of,  G271-I 
ferred  to.  6313,  6314. 

'illiam.  examination  of,  7fJH0,  7041. 


Woods,  . 

Reft  rred  to, 

White,  . 

red  to,  501G,  5099. 
White.  James 

Referred  to,  5019. 

\\  illiam,  examination  of, 
Ward,  Samuel, 
Referred  to, 

Wilson.  William,  examination  of,  5121-5173. 

Willis,  . 

Ri  ferred  to  5550. 
Wiliev,  .i.e.  w. 

Referred  to,  .7917. 
Wood, 

Refe 
Ward,  James, 

Ward,  Willi 

Referr  d  to.  6284,  6291. 
Recalled,  7233-7: 
John,  examination  of,  <>3fi6^BR' 

Referred  to 
professional. 

Referred  to,  7313. 
Fernando. 

Referred  to,  80G0. 
Welcb,  Robert. 

Referred  to 
Witter.  Edward. 

Referred  to,  8390. 
Wood.  James  W..  examination  ol 
Wilson,  Nicholas,  examination  of,  9011 
Young,  William  W.,  examination  of,  508-514. 

Referred  to.  824,926. 
Yonkers. 

Referred  to, 
Young,  Captain.  (dete<  live.) 

Referred  to,  2550,  4132. 
York,  Thomas  II  ,  examination 

Statement  showing  the  number  of  persons  nat- 
uralised in    Rings  county  from  1856  to  1868, 

presented  by,  (page  492.) 

Statement  showing  the  number  of  persons  nat- 
uralized during  October,  L868,  presented  by, 
(page  493.) 

Yard,  . 

Referred  to,  6849. 


,  f,  510 


is  the 


